Spongiform leukoencephalopathy: A unique case of biopsy confirmed leukoencephalopathy secondary to toxic, non-inflammatory exposure.

Toxin-induced leukoencephalopathy is a rare neurological condition that has been previously associated with intracranial radiation, chemotherapy, drugs of abuse, and environmental exposures. Herein, we present a patient with brain-biopsy proven toxin-induced leukoencephalopathy, likely secondary to multiple environmental offenders including insecticides and non-Food and Drug Administration approved anabolic steroids, opioids, and benzodiazepines. A 60-year-old man presented to our service as a direct transfer from an outside facility for evaluation of a rapidly progressive neuropsychiatric decline. Extensive workup with blood work, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, paraneoplastic panel, serial magnetic resonance imaging brain with and without contrast, and electroencephalograms were unrevealing. Magnetic resonance imaging brain showed diffuse confluent white matter disease, which was non-specific. The patient was treated with high-dose methylprednisolone and trials of intravenous immunoglobulin without any significant improvement. Finally, a brain biopsy was performed, and pathology confirmed a spongiform leukoencephalopathy, favoring a toxin-related etiology. The diagnosis of toxin-induced leukoencephalopathy should be considered in patients with steep neuropsychiatric decline and associated diffuse white matter disease. Diagnosis relies heavily on history of exposure, clinical presentation, imaging findings, and ultimately, histopathology from brain biopsy. The recognition of the clinical presentation is important to pursue the appropriate diagnostic workup and treatment.

Vertical Mastectomy Incision in Implant Breast Reconstruction After Skin Sparing Mastectomy: Advantages and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The type of since skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) incision directly impacts the final aesthetic and functional results of reconstruction. Different incisions are used for SSM depending on tumor location, previous biopsy scars, breast weight, and ptosis degree. A vertical scar is less visible to the patient, reminiscent of a mastopexy, and patients may not have the stigma of mastectomy. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates complication rates, patient demographics, patient reported outcomes, and plastic surgeon evaluations to compare vertical incision mastectomy to other incisions. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, a retrospective chart review was performed. A total population of 167 patients that underwent mastectomy with tissue expander reconstruction was separated into vertical incision and nonvertical incision mastectomy groups consisting of 38 and 129 patients, respectively. Patient demographics, complications, tumor margins, staging, breast weight, and breast implant volume were compared. BREASTQ Survey analysis was conducted using patient reported outcomes from the patient's perspective. Aesthetic evaluations of postoperative photos were systematically scored by plastic surgeons to obtain data from the plastic surgeon's perspective. RESULTS: Vertical incision orientation did not increase surgical complication rates or mastectomy skin necrosis (P = 0.142). Vertical incisions did not interfere with obtaining adequate tumor margins (P = 0.907). Vertical incisions did not have a significantly different breast weight or implant volume. There was no statistical difference for patient satisfaction or plastic surgeon aesthetic evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The use of vertical incision does not increase complication rates; does not interfere with tumor margins; and can be applied to all age, BMI, breast weight, and breast implant volume groups.

Outcomes of Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy Using Tissue Expander and Implant Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: Considerable attention has been given to patient-reported outcomes in breast reconstruction. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of postreconstruction change in breast volume on validated patient satisfaction survey scores. METHODS: Patients undergoing skin-sparing mastectomy followed by tissue expander/implant reconstruction between July 2010 and July 2014 by a single surgeon were given postoperative patient-reported satisfaction surveys (BREAST-Q). Retrospective chart review of patients with completed surveys was undertaken to record patient characteristics and compare preoperative breast volume (extrapolated from mastectomy mass) with postoperative implant volume, and percent change in volume was calculated. Regressions were utilized to correlate percent change with satisfaction in each category. RESULTS: A total of 160 patient surveys were included. Sixty-five percent of breasts analyzed had increased volume after reconstruction, whereas 35% had decreased volume. The increased volume group had significantly lower body mass index (P = 0.0001) and was significantly younger (P = 0.009) than the decreased volume group. Patients who experienced increase in breast volume reported statistically greater satisfaction with breasts (P = 0.019), overall outcome (P = 0.012), sexual well-being (P = 0.002), and information (P = 0.042) compared with the decreased volume group. Moreover, linear regression revealed that as percent change increased, so did satisfaction with outcome (P = 0.02), sexual well-being (P = 0.005), information (P = 0.018), and surgeon (P = 0.036). Notably, there was not a significant difference in complication rate (P = 0.146) or tumor margin (0.914) between the groups. CONCLUSION: Patients who undergo tissue expander/implant breast reconstruction with final implants that are larger in volume than their native breasts have increased patient satisfaction scores in several categories without increase in complication rate or difference in tumor margin. There is a positive linear relationship between percent change and patient satisfaction.

The effects of arts-in-medicine programming on the medical-surgical work environment.

Background: Arts in medicine programs have significant impacts on patients and staff in long-term care environments, but the literature lacks evidence of effectiveness on hospital units with shorter average lengths of stay. Methods: The qualitative study used individual structured interviews to assess the impacts of arts programming on job satisfaction, stress, unit culture, support, quality of care, and patient outcomes on a short-term medical-surgical unit, and used a qualitative cross comparison grounded theory methodology to analyze data. Results: The study confirmed that arts programming can positively affect unit culture, nursing practice, and quality of care on short-stay medical-surgical units. Significant insights related to nursing practice and the art program were found, including that music can cause negative distraction for staff. Conclusions: While positive impacts of arts programming on the medical-surgical environment are clear, potential negative effects also need to be considered in the development of practice protocols for artists.