ABSTRACT
Background: Several studies have been published on a rare side effect of severe venous thrombosis at unusual sites and thrombocytopenia after vaccination against SARS-CoV- 2, referred to as vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT). Aim(s): To identify new cases of acute splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) or Budd-Chiari Syndrome (BCS) who presented following SARS-CoV- 2 vaccination in the Vascular Liver Disease Group (VALDIG) network, and to evaluate the incidence of VITT. Method(s): We conducted a prospective international cohort study between May 1st, 2021 and January 10th, 2022, on consecutive patients with acute SVT or BCS who presented within 6 weeks following any type or dose of SARS-CoV- 2 vaccination. Anonymous data were collected including baseline characteristics, risk factors, treatment and survival. Cases were identified as definite VITT, probable VITT or possible VITT or unlikely VITT as defined by Pavord et al (NEJM 2021). Result(s): 25 patients with acute (N = 24) or recurrent (N = 1) SVT or BCS were collected from 14 centers in 4 countries (after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 N = 11, BNT162b2 N = 9, Ad26.COV2.S N = 1, mRNA-1273 N = 1). Median time after vaccination to symptoms was 10 days (2-40). Median age was 52.5 years (21-66), 52% were female. Three patients (12%) fulfilled criteria for definite VITT, 6 (24%) for probable VITT, 2 (8%) for possible VITT, 14 (56%) for unlikely VITT. Thrombosis was located in the portal vein (N = 20), hepatic vein(s) (N = 9), mesenteric vein (N = 18) or splenic vein (N = 9). Concomitant extra-abdominal thrombosis was seen in 5 patients (20%). Patients were treated with LMWH (60%), DOACs (24%) or VKA (40%). Six (2/3 with definite VITT) received IVIG. Thrombophilia was found in 5 patients and 3 had a myeloproliferative neoplasm. Conclusion(s): 25 cases of acute SVT or BCS following SARS-CoV- 2 vaccination were identified. Although definite VITT was rare (12%), no underlying disorder was identified in the majority of patients, contrary to 'typical' cases of SVT and BCS.
ABSTRACT
Everyday, the exponential rise in the number of patients of Covid-19 being admitted to hospitals have put pressure on the hospital staff. Due to the highly contagious nature of the virus, the hospital staff face a constant risk of getting infected as they are in direct contact with the patients. To help reduce their workload, and to reduce the contact time between the staff and patients, the 'Xenia: The Medi-Assist Robot' is designed in this research study. To accomplish this, this novel robot delivers food and medicine trays to the patient's bed and autonomously sanitizes wards after they are vacated. Obstacle avoidance and path planning was implemented with MATLAB-SIMULINK software. For realistic modelling, ROS based simulator Gazebo was used by creating virtual environment of hospital corridors. The Computer Aided Design (CAD) model of the robot had successfully followed virtual path containing waypoints for both the processes i.e. food tray delivery and sanitization. As a result of this research, it is expected that the Medi-Assist robot would be suitable to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in Hospitals and strengthen the health infrastructure of the country. © 2021 IEEE.