Traumatic lumbar hernia: A systematic review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Traumatic lumbar hernia (TLH) constitutes a protrusion of content through a defect in the posterior abdominal wall, as a result of injury. This rare entity has been described in limited number of cases. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology guidelines. The English literature from 1990 until 2021 was reviewed, using PubMed, EMBASE and Google Scholar bibliographic databases, to identify case reports and case series with patients that were diagnosed with TLH. For each eligible study, demographics, clinical presentation, hernia characteristics, preoperative imaging investigations, operation details, and postoperative data were extracted for assessment. Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS, version 20.0. RESULTS: A total of 62 studies were included for review, with 164 patients with TLH. Mean age was (42.6 ± 14.3) years (47.6% males, 31.1% females, gender not specified in 35 cases). Mean diameter of hernia neck was (6.3 ± 3.1) cm, while the triangles of Petit and Grynfeltt were affected in 74.5% and 14.6%, respectively. Patients diagnosed in the emergency setting account for 54.2%, with CT scan establishing diagnosis in all but one case (97.7%). A delayed diagnosis was made in 45.8%, at a mean 1 year following trauma. Flank bulging (82.8%) and chronic back pain (34.3%) were the most frequent symptoms. In both delayed and acute group, open surgery (63.6% and 92.3%, respectively) was the preferred surgical approach. Postoperative complications were reported in 11.4% of acute and 15.0% of delayed patients. Hernia recurrence was 7%. CONCLUSIONS: TLH is uncommon with 164 cases described since 1990. CT scan is the gold standard in diagnosis. Open surgery is generally the preferred approach, particularly in the emergency setting. Acute TLH can be treated either by primary suture repair or mesh, depending on the local conditions, whereas delayed cases usually require a mesh.

Large cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas: unusual finding with differential diagnosis and therapeutic considerations.

Lymphangiomas are rare benign tumours of lymphatic vascular origin. They are more common in the paediatric population and manifest mainly in the neck and axillary region. Retroperitoneal lymphangiomas are <1% and pancreatic origin is even rarer. We present a case of a pancreatic cystic lymphangioma in a 60-year-old woman with chronic diffuse symptoms, diagnosed because of newly onset of diabetes mellitus. She was successfully managed with distal pancreatectomy and spleenectomy en-bloc with the cystic mass without any complications. Cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas is a rare entity presenting with a challenging preoperative diagnosis as imaging modalities may provide ambiguous information. The clinician should be aware of its complicated differential diagnosis and its persistent and subtle symptomatology.

Primary adrenal Ewing sarcoma: A systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a malignant neoplasm of neuroectodermal origin and is commonly observed in children and young adults. The musculoskeletal system is the main body system impacted and ES is rarely seen in the visceral organs particularly the adrenal gland. AIM: To present a comprehensive review of primary adrenal ES, with emphasis on diagnosis, therapy and oncological outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020. PubMed/ MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar bibliographic databases were searched to identify articles from 1989 to 2022 and included patients with ES/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the adrenal gland. PubMed, Google Scholar and EMBASE medical databases were searched, combining the terms "adrenal", "ES" and "PNET". Demographic, clinical, pathological and oncological data of patients were analyzed by SPSS version 29.0. RESULTS: A total of 52 studies were included for review (47 case reports and 5 case series) with 66 patients reported to have primary adrenal ES. Mean age at diagnosis was 26.4 ± 15.4 years (37.9% males, 57.6% females, sex not reported in 3 cases). The most frequent complaint was abdominal/flank pain or discomfort (46.4%) followed by a palpable mass (25.0%), and the average duration of symptoms was 2.6 ± 3.1 mo. The imaging modality of choice was computed tomography scan (81.5%), followed by magnetic resonance imaging (20.4%). Preoperative staging revealed that 17 tumors (27.9%) were metastatic and 14 patients had inferior vena cava or renal vein neoplastic thrombus at initial diagnosis. Open adrenalectomy was performed in the majority of cases (80.0%), of which 27.9% required more extensive resection. Minimally invasive surgery was attempted in 8.2% of tumors. Complete surgical resection was achieved in 89.4% of the patients. Adjuvant therapy was administered to 32 patients, in the form of chemotherapy (62.5%), radiotherapy (3.1%) or combination (34.4%). Median overall survival was 15 mo and 24-mo overall survival was 40.5%. Median disease-free survival was 10 mo and 24-mo disease-free survival was 33.3%. CONCLUSION: The significant progress in molecular biology and genetics of ES does not reflect on patient outcomes. ES remains an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis and high mortality.

Treatment of arteriovenous access pseudoaneurysms using ultrasound guided balloon assisted thrombin injection: Two cases and systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Arteriovenous fistula pseudoaneurysm (AVF-PSA) is a common complication, usually caused during dialysis cannulation, which traditionally has been treated with open and less frequently endovascular techniques. Thrombin injection, although established in the treatment of arterial pseudoaneurysms, has barely been used in the treatment of AVF-PSA, due to concerns for AVF thrombosis or proximal embolization. METHODS: A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed and Cochrane Central databases were reviewed and all clinical reports on AVF-PSA balloon assisted percutaneous thrombin injection through July 2022 were included. The electronic search yielded five case reports. Due to between-study differences and small sample size, the findings were summarized from each report, but the results were not pooled. Additionally, we present our own experience on two patients with AVF-PSA that were treated with balloon assisted percutaneous thrombin injection. RESULTS: A total of five case reports (no of patients: 7, including ours) were included for review. Most of the patients were male (n = 6) and the mean age was 65.9 years. The average size of the PSA was 1.6 cm. In all cases a balloon was inflated to prevent thrombin and thrombotic material intrusion into the fistula lumen, prior to thrombin injection. In one patient n-butyl cyanoacrylate and Lipiodol were used, due to thrombin non availability. Recurrence was reported in only one patient, and average follow-up is 16 months. CONCLUSIONS: Thrombin injection with concomitant balloon inflation seems to be a safe and effective treatment for arteriovenous fistula pseudoaneurysms. Future studies should be aimed at evaluating the long-term outcomes of such minimally invasive techniques.

Geniculate Artery Endovascular Embolization Post-Total Knee Arthroplasty for Hemarthrosis Treatment: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PURPOSE: To provide an updated systematic review on the use of geniculate artery embolization (GAE) in the management of recurrent hemarthrosis post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted, and all clinical reports in the English language from inception to July 2022 were identified. References were manually reviewed to identify additional studies. Demographics, procedural techniques, post-procedural complications, and follow-up data were extracted and analyzed using STATA 14.1. RESULTS: A total of 20 studies (9 case reports, 11 case series; n= 214) were included for review. In all cases, patients underwent coil embolization of one or more geniculate arteries. Procedure success was reported in 94.8% (n=203/214) of cases without perioperative adverse events. Improvement of symptoms was seen in 72.6% (n=119/164) of cases, with 30.7% (n=58/189) of cases requiring repeat embolization. Recurrent hemarthrosis occurred in 22.2% (n=22/99) of cases over a mean follow-up of 48 months. CONCLUSION: GAE appears to be a safe and effective treatment for recurrent hemarthrosis following TKA. Future studies in the form of randomized controlled trials should be conducted to further evaluate such embolization techniques and compare outcomes between GAE and standard techniques. CLINICAL IMPACT: Conservative management of post total knee arthroplasty (TKA) hemarthrosis is successful in only one third of cases. Geniculate artery embolization (GAE) has recently gained attention due to its minimally invasive nature compared to open or arthroscopic synovectomy promising faster rehabilitation, decreased infection rates and less additional surgeries. The purpose of this article was to summarize current literature, provide an updated review on the use of GAE in the management of recurrent hemarthrosis post-TKA and describe immediate and long-term outcomes in an effort to help optimize current treatment algorithms.

Endovascular Repair of Popliteal Artery Injury Post-total Knee Arthroplasty is Safe and Effective: A Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Popliteal artery pseudoaneurysms are a rare but serious complication following total knee arthroplasty that have been traditionally managed with open surgical repair. Endovascular stenting, while relatively new, offers a promising alternative that is less invasive and may reduce the risk of perioperative complications. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted, and all clinical reports in the English language from inception to July 2022 were identified. References were manually reviewed to identify additional studies. Demographics, procedural techniques, postprocedural complications, and followup data were extracted and analyzed using STATA 14.1. Additionally, we present a case of a patient with a popliteal pseudoaneurysm treated with a covered endovascular stent. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies (12 case reports, 2 case series; n = 17) were included for review. In all cases, a stent-graft was placed across the popliteal artery lesion. In 5 out of 11 cases, popliteal artery thrombus was present and treated with adjacent modalities (i.e., mechanical thrombectomy, balloon angioplasty, etc.). Procedure success was reported in all cases without perioperative adverse events. Stents remained patent over a median followup of 32 weeks (interquartile range: 36). In all but one case, the patients experienced immediate symptom relief and had an uneventful recovery. For our case, at the 12-month followup the patient was asymptomatic, and ultrasound demonstrated vessel patency. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular stenting is a safe and effective treatment for popliteal pseudoaneurysms. Future studies should be aimed at evaluating the long-term outcomes of such minimally invasive techniques.

Critical View of Safety in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: The Critical View of Safety (CVS) has been increasingly recognised as the standard method for identification of the cystic structures, to prevent vasculobiliary injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, however, its adoption has been anything but universal. A significant proportion of surgeons has a poor understanding of the three requirements. To bridge this gap between theory and practice, we aimed to summarise the available evidence on CVS, emphasising on current debates and future perspectives. METHOD: We systematically reviewed the literature (1995-2021), to identify studies reporting on the CVS. Eligible articles were classified according to methodology and key idea. A quantitative analysis was performed to evaluate effectiveness of the CVS in preventing bile duct injury (BDI). RESULTS: 150 relevant articles were identified, focusing on six main points, (1) safety and effectiveness, (2) intraoperative documentation, (3) complementary imaging techniques, (4) bail-out alternatives, (5) adoption among surgeons, and (6) education and training. The quantitative analysis included 11 studies, with 10,938 cases. Overall, the CVS was achieved in 92.5%. Conversion rate was 4.8%. CVS-related BDI was 0.09% (0.05% technical errors and 0.04% misidentification errors). CONCLUSION: Routine application of the CVS reduces BDI, but does not eliminate them altogether. Besides operative notes, the CVS should be documented by an imaging modality of sufficient quality. When the CVS cannot be safely established, the threshold for bail-out alternatives or complementary imaging should be low. Adoption by the surgical community worldwide shows great variability and focus should be placed on training through structured educational modules.

Venous Claudication: a Scoping Review of the Pathophysiology and Clinical Importance.

OBJECTIVE: Venous claudication (VC) is under studied, often being excluded from clinical trials and scales. The purpose of this scoping review was to give a historical perspective of VC and analyse the prevalence, pathophysiological aspects, and clinical implications. METHODS: An extensive search of the books and databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane) was performed from inception until October 2021. Studies were considered eligible provided they reported on the topics of interest, whereas strict exclusion criteria with regards to the studied sample of patients, year of publication, or location of the obstruction could not be applied, because of the limited relevant literature. RESULTS: Twenty nine articles were included. VC is found almost exclusively in patients with iliofemoral obstruction. Prevalence was reported in seven studies having a wide range from 10.6% to 74.0%. Dominant findings include increased venous volume and pressure. Pressure in capillaries also rises subsequently causing compartment oedema and increased intramuscular pressure resulting in tissue ischaemia and hypoxia. The time required for the venous pressure to return to the pre-exercise levels in the affected limbs is prolonged compared with normal (39.1 ± 14.4 seconds vs. 1.1 ± 1.1 seconds). CONCLUSION: VC is an important symptom of venous outflow obstruction that is under studied, and merits further recognition. Better understanding of the pathophysiology will be achieved through investigations at tissue level. Diagnosis and improvement after treatment should be reported in an objective and standardised manner.

The Artery of Adamkiewicz: Anatomy and Considerations in Spine Surgery - A Review of the Literature.

The artery of Adamkiewicz (AKA) provides blood supply to the thoracolumbar spinal cord. Any disruption of the AKA can lead to the anterior spinal artery (ASA) syndrome, with devastating systematic and neurologic complications for the patient. This is a narrative review of the anatomy of AKA, the characteristics of ASA syndrome and the role of radiologic techniques in diagnosis and treatment. A detailed search of the PubMed database was conducted from January 2000 until April 2020, to locate articles relevant to our study. The references of the included studies were also retrieved in order not to miss any information. The ASA syndrome can present as a possible post-operative complication after minimally invasive or open surgeries of multiple specialties that involve the field of spine. Risk factors associated with ASA syndrome include; kyphosis of the patient, corresponding spinal surgical approach, intraoperative hypotension, multiple ligations of the AKA, a left side approach and a 360-combined or revision surgery. The incidence varies among different operations. Many different imaging modalities have been used in preoperative plan, including but not limited to computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, and subtraction angiography. The use of computed tomography angiography or magnetic resonance angiography preoperatively can play a major role in the prevention of the ASA syndrome. However, more research needs to be done before making any final assumptions.

Preoperative Imaging and Localization of a Mediastinal Parathyroid Adenoma. A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common endocrine entity associated with increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. A single parathyroid adenoma is the cause of PHPT in the majority of cases. However, due to their embryological origin, discovery of ectopic parathyroid tissue is not extraordinary. CASE PRESENTATION: This is a case of a rare mediastinal parathyroid adenoma in a 56-year-old woman with emphasis on the preoperative diagnosis and accurate localization. CONCLUSION: Due to its small size and its various possible spots, ectopic parathyroid gland adenoma localization can be challenging. For this reason, careful preoperative mapping and surgical planning are essential before any exploration for parathyroid adenomas.

Anatomic variations of cervical part of thoracic duct: a systematic review

The thoracic duct is the largest lymphatic channel of the human body, and presents with great anatomical variation at its cervical segment. Injury of the thoracic duct can result in local or systemic severe complications. In order to identify the prevalence of the anatomical variations of the terminal portion of the thoracic duct, this study was per-formed according to PRISMA guidelines. Τhe I-square was used to assess heterogeneity. Α wide search was conducted in PubMed/ Embase/ Medline until September 2019.Out of 28 potentially relevant studies identified by literature search, 14 studies comprising 751 patients were included in the final analysis. The pre-valence of thoracic duct ending with a single terminal duct was found at 63% (37%-85%) of the patients. Left internal jugular vein, left subclavian vein, left jugulosubclavian angle, or another vein, was found to receive at least one terminal branch of the thoracic duct in 32% (18%-47%), 27% (13%-43%), 32% (16%-51%) and 7% (0%-19%) of the cases, respectively. Each time the thoracic duct drained into the left internal jugular vein, the left subclavian vein and the left jugulosubclavian angle, a single terminal branch pattern was observedin 58% (21%-92%), 49% (6%- 93%) and 76% (49-96%) of the cases respectively

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Anatomic variations of the Uterine Artery. Review of the literature and their clinical significance.

Uterine arteries are the main vessels supplying blood to the uterus. Mainly, they originate from the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery. Uterine arteries play an important role in pregnancy as well as transcatheter arterial embolization for postpartum hemorrhage and uterine fibroid management. This is a review of the English literature in the PubMed database of the anatomic variety on the origin of uterine arteries and their clinical significance. Eleven studies describe the origin of the uterine arteries and their variations in the literature. In six studies, the uterine artery emerged from internal iliac artery in the majority of the cases, either as a separate branch, or as a bifurcation with the inferior gluteal artery, or trifurcation with superior and inferior gluteal artery. In two studies, the inferior gluteal artery manifested as the main source of the uterine artery, whereas in three studies, the umbilical artery posed as its main origin. Internal iliac artery is described as the most common vascular origin of uterine artery. However, this review highlights that the main vessels of origin for uterine arteries are internal iliac, umbilical and inferior gluteal artery. Nevertheless, classification and further research for this peculiar anatomic structure is fundamental in the future.

Prevalence of carotid stenosis following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Radiation to the head and neck is a well-established risk factor for the development of carotid artery stenosis. Our objective was to identify the prevalence, incidence, and degree of carotid stenosis in patients with a history of head and neck irradiation. METHODS: This study was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. A random effects model meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Nineteen studies comprising 1479 patients were included. The prevalence of carotid stenosis >50%, >70%, and carotid occlusion was 25% (95% CI: 19%-32%), 12% (95% CI: 7%-17%), and 4% (95% CI: 2%-8%), respectively. The cumulative 12-month incidence of carotid stenosis >50% was 4% (95% CI: 2%-5%), the 24-month was 12% (95% CI: 9%-15%), and the 36-month was 21% (95% CI: 9%-36%). CONCLUSIONS: The yearly incidence of carotid stenosis >50% increased every year during the first 3 years following radiotherapy. We propose routine yearly Doppler ultrasound screening beginning 1 year after head and neck radiotherapy.

Left Functional Pneumonectomy Caused by a Very Rare Giant Intrathoracic Cystic Lesion in a Patient with Gorham-Stout Syndrome: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Gorham-Stout syndrome is an uncommon entity, with few cases reported in bibliography. It consists of osteolytic manifestations affecting various bones and replacing them with lymphangiomatous tissue. With pathophysiology unknown, Gorham-Stout disease affects also cardiorespiratory system usually causing lytic lesions to the bones of the thoracic cage or directly invading the thoracic duct. This is a case report of a unique respiratory manifestation of the disease and a review of its cardiorespiratory complications.

A very rare case of renal cell carcinoma metastasis to spermatic cord and a condensed literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is proved to be the ninth most common malignancy. Two-third of the patients suffering from RCC will present metastases. Secondary metastases of RCC to spermatic cord are very rare. PRESENTATION OF CASE: In this report we present the case of a patient with renal cell carcinoma with metachronous metastasis to the spermatic cord occurring two years after the initial diagnosis of the disease. DISCUSSION: Our patient was treated according to EAU guidelines. The metastatic tumor was diagnosed accidentally, in contrast to the previous follow-up exams which show no disease in the meantime. Moreover, the histological examination of the spermartic cord tumor illustrated tumor thrombus. The former examination results along with the anatomical and embryological relations of renal and spermatic cord structures indicate a hypothesis about the mechanism of this metastasis' route. CONCLUSION: Our case is of great interest, since such cases are very few in the international literature. Therefore the presentation of this case as well as its implications should be made to the global surgery community.