Development of a Novel Statistical Model for Predicting Clinical Outcomes in Stroke Patients With Tandem Occlusions After Endovascular Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Tandem occlusions are intracranial large vessel occlusions (LVOs) with a concomitant ipsilateral extracranial internal carotid artery occlusion and can cause more severe stroke symptoms. AIM: To develop a simple, rigorously cross-validated novel tool to predict clinical outcomes following tandem occlusion in patients with acute LVO stroke, based on data that are easily available to clinicians. To have used machine learning approaches to utilize the available information from clinical and angiographic data to make predictive models able to distinguish between mortality versus survival and good (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤ 2) versus unfavorable neurological outcomes (mRs ≥ 3) Materials and methods: Retrospective data from 87 consecutive patients with anterior circulation stroke and tandem occlusions who underwent mechanical thrombectomy and stenting between December 2009 and January 2020 were analyzed. Patients were stratified into three groups based on the location of their LVO, and these groups were compared using statistical tests. Predictive models were built and cross-validated 1000 times to estimate their predictive power, measured by accuracy and area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC). RESULTS: For distinguishing good outcome (mRS ≤ 2) versus poor outcome (mRS ≥ 3), the model comprised age, initial National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS), NIHSS at 24 hours, NIHSS at discharge and intracranial haemorrhage and yielded an accuracy of 83% and the AUROC of 0.91. For mortality prediction, the model comprised age, initial NIHSS, intravenous thrombolysis, NIHSS at 24 hours and NIHSS at discharge and yielded an accuracy of 91% and an AUROC of 0.94. CONCLUSIONS: Models developed exhibit strong predictive performance and can distinguish between both the instances of survival versus mortality and good versus poor outcome with an aim to support clinicians in deciding on optimal management for these complex patients. The developed model will help identify those at risk of poorer outcomes and the prospective better selection of patients with acute ischaemic large vessel stroke secondary to tandem occlusions.

Laryngeal mask airways and use of a Boyle-Davis gag in ENT surgery: is there a learning curve? A prospective analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to identify whether the experience of the operating surgeon was relevant to the frequency of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) airway obstruction or change to an endotracheal tube during ear, nose, and throat surgery. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected for 186 patients undergoing a procedure with the use of a Boyle-Davis gag and LMA over 12 months in a district-general hospital in the United Kingdom. patient demographics (age, mallampati grade), grade of surgeon, grade of anesthetist, LMA size inserted, and any intraoperative adjustments needed were recorded. RESULTS: There was an overall intraoperative airway intervention rate of 21%. The experience of the surgeon affected the rate of intraoperative airway interventions encountered, reflected by the significantly lower rate of airway complications (ie, 10%) seen when associate specialists perform these types of procedures compared to other grades of surgeon (Fisher's exact test 2-tailed P value = .04). A significant complication rate of 50% was seen with core surgical trainees compared to other grades of surgeon (Fisher's exact test 2-tailed P value = .002). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest there may be a learning curve for otolaryngology trainees when using a LMA. However, larger studies and further subanalyses are essential before further conclusions can be made.

Small bowel obstruction secondary to a liberated Meckel's enterolith.

A 30-year-old woman presented with a short history of abdominal pain which rapidly progressed to absolute constipation. An abdominal radiograph demonstrated a paucity of bowel gas and a 4 cm lesion with concentric laminar calcification projected over the pelvis. A CT scan revealed a 4 cm giant Meckel's diverticulum, downstream of which a laminated mass was impacted in the lumen of the distal ileum causing small bowel obstruction. Subsequent surgery confirmed small bowel obstruction secondary to impaction of a liberated enterolith from the giant Meckel's diverticulum. The history, imaging appearances and surgical findings in this case are classical of this unusual but treatable condition.