Safety and Outcomes of Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement in Oncology Patients: A Single-Centre Experience.

The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the oncology population is significantly higher than in non-cancer patients. Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters may, therefore, be an important part of VTE treatment. In this study, we address the outcomes of placing IVC filters in the oncology population. This single-centre, observational, retrospective study included 62 patients with active malignancy and acute VTE who underwent an IVC filter implantation due to contraindications to anticoagulation during the period 2012-2023. The control group consisted of 117 trauma patients. In both groups, an urgent surgical procedure requiring temporary cessation of anticoagulation was the most noted reason for IVC filter placement-76% in the oncology group vs. 100% in the non-oncology group (p < 0.001). No complications were reported during the IVC filter implantation procedures. There was no recurrence of pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis in the oncology group after filter implantation. The rate of successful filter explantation, median time to retrieval, and abnormal findings during retrieval were not significantly different between both subgroups (64.3% vs. 76.5%, p = 0.334; 77 days vs. 84 days, p = 0.764; 61.5% vs. 54.2%, p = 0.672; respectively). The study showed that IVC filter placement is a safe and effective method of preventing PE in cancer patients with contraindications to anticoagulation. The complication rate following IVC filter implantation in cancer patients is low and similar to that in non-oncology patients.

Cancer-associated thrombosis: comparison of characteristics, treatment, and outcomes in oncologic and nononcologic patients followed by a pulmonary embolism response team.

INTRODUCTION: The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer is currently 12 times higher than in the general population, and even 23 times higher when they receive chemotherapy. The main goal of the pulmonary embolism response team at the Center for the Management of Pulmonary Embolism (PERT­CELZAT) is to improve prognosis through interdisciplinary care, with a particular focus on patients with contraindications to standard pharmacologic treatment, requiring individual decision­making, including a wider use of interventional therapeutic methods. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to report and compare the characteristics and outcomes of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with and without cancer treated by the PERT­CELZAT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The analysis included 235 patients diagnosed with VTE who were consulted by local PERT between September 2017 and December 2021. The study group was divided into 2 cohorts: oncologic patients (OP) and nononcologic patients (NOP). There were 81 patients in the OP group (mean [SD] age, 66.2 [14.1] years) and 154 patients in the NOP group (mean age, 57.4 [17.4] years). RESULTS: The OPs were older and more frequently diagnosed with incidental PE. In­hospital mortality for all patients reached 6.4% (15/235), 3.7% in the OP and 7.8% in the NOP group (P = 0.27). In­hospital events, such as major bleeding, minor bleeding, recurrent PE, and deep venous thrombosis occurred with similar frequency in both groups. Posthospital mortality up to 12 months after the PE diagnosis was 12.8% (10/78) in the OP and 4.2% (6/142) in the NOP group (P = 0.03). In a long­term survival analysis, cancer was associated with increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio, 2.44 [95% CI, 1.51-3.95]; P <0.001) when adjusted for age. CONCLUSIONS: The multidisciplinary therapeutic approach may provide the OPs with VTE an in­hospital survival rate noninferior to that of the NOPs. The OPs died more often in the following months, because of their underlying neoplastic disease.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Consulted by a Multidisciplinary Pulmonary Embolism Response Team: 5-Year Experience.

(1) Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most frequent acute cardiovascular condition worldwide. PE response teams (PERTs) have been created to facilitate treatment implementation in PE patients. Here, we report on the 5-year experience of PERT operating in Warsaw, Poland, with regard to the characteristics and outcomes of the consulted patients. (2) Methods: Patients diagnosed with PE between September 2017 and December 2021 were included in the study. Clinical and treatment data were obtained from medical records. Patient outcomes were assessed in-hospital, at a 1- and 12-month follow-up. (3) Results: There were 235 PERT activations. The risk of early mortality was low in 51 patients (21.8%), intermediate-low in 83 (35.3%), intermediate-high in 80 (34.0%) and high in 21 (8.9%) patients. Anticoagulation alone was the most frequently administered treatment in all patient subgroups (altogether 84.7%). Systemic thrombolysis (47.6%) and interventional therapy (52%) were the prevailing treatment options in high-risk patients. The in-hospital mortality was 6.4%. The adverse events during 1-year follow-up included five deaths, two recurrent VTE and two minor bleeding events. (4) Conclusions: Our initial 5-year experience showed that the activity of the local PERT facilitated patient-tailored decision making and the access to advanced therapies, with subsequent low overall mortality and treatment complication rates, confirming the benefits of PERT implementation.

Pulmonary embolism response team: A multidisciplinary approach to pulmonary embolism treatment. Polish PERT Initiative Report.

BACKGROUND: A pulmonary embolism response team (PERT) is a multidisciplinary team established to improve clinical care for patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). However, data regarding detailed institutional experience and clinical outcomes from such teams are sparse. AIMS: We aim to assess the frequency of activations, patients' characteristics, PE severity, applied treatments, and outcomes of PE patients treated by Polish PERTs. METHODS: The survey registry was conducted between June 2018 and July 2020. All consecutive PERT activations of four institutionalized PERTs in Poland were analyzed. Patients' characteristics, therapies applied, and in-hospital outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 680 unique PERT activations. Most activations originated from Emergency Departments (44.9%), and the remaining originated from internal medicine/cardiology units (31.1%), surgery/orthopedics (9.1 %), oncology (6.3%), intensive care units (6.0%), and others (2.5%). The origin of activation varied significantly among institutions (P <0.01). Most PERT cases were patients with intermediate-high risk PE (42.9%), whereas high-risk PE occurred in 10% of patients. Anticoagulation alone was delivered to 80.3% of patients, and 23.3% of patients received at least one advanced therapy: catheter-directed therapies (11.3%), systemic thrombolysis (5.3%), surgical embolectomy (2.4%), vena cava filter placement (3.7%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (0.6%). In-hospital mortality in the whole study group was 5.1%, with significant differences between institutions (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of PE severity, type of delivered catheter-directed treatment, and in-hospital mortality vary between institutions without significant discrepancies in PERT activations. This variation between expert centers highlights the local differences in PERTs' organizational and operational forms.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a benign disease that rarely undergoes malignant transformation. There are two types of disease: localized (nodular tenosynovitis) and di used (pigmented villonodular synovitis/tenosynovitis) with intra- or extra-articular locations. The second one is limited to synovium of the burse (PVNB) or tendon sheath (PVNTS). The intraarticular lesions are usually located in the knee, hip, ankle and elbow joints. Histologically, PVNS is a tenosynovial giant cell tumor, characterized by proliferation of two types of mononuclear cells - predominantly small, histiocyte-like cells and larger cells with dense cytoplasm, reniform or lobulated nucleus, with accompanying multinucleated giant cells and macrophages overloaded with hemosiderin that give typical image on MRI - currently selected as a gold standard for its diagnosis. The classic X-ray and CT are non-specific but similar to ultrasound should be used to evaluate disease progression and treatment response if radiotherapeutic and pharmacological methods were selected for treatment. An open arthroscopic surgery could also be applied in selected cases.

Outcomes of Vitrectomy in Pediatric Retinal Detachment with Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy.

AIM: To report outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in pediatric retinal detachment (RD) with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), complications, factors influencing the final anatomical and functional results. METHODS: Retrospective consecutive case series of 14 eyes. Average postoperative follow-up period was 34 months. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 10 years; eleven patients (79%) were males. The most common etiology was trauma (57%), the second-myopia (36%) and one case of uveitis (7%). At the day of presentation, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was worse than hand motion (50%); macula was detached in 86% of cases. Simultaneous PPV and phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were performed in 12 cases (86%). The most common endotamponade during PPV was silicone oil (93%). Anatomic reattachment was accomplished in 86% of cases. Final BCVA was equal or better than 0.1 in 50% of patients. The postoperative complications were found in 5 eyes (36%). CONCLUSION: Complete PPV was allowed for anatomically reattached retina and preserved vision in pediatric complex RD with PVR. However, visual outcomes were not satisfactory. Preserving vision in children with RD is of great importance for their future motor and intellectual development. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03208205.