Splenic volume and splenic vein diameter are independent pre-operative risk factors of portal vein thrombosis after splenectomy: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a common complication following splenectomy. It affects between 5 and 55% of patients undergoing surgery with no clearly defined pre-operative risk factors. The aim of this study was to determine the pre-operative risk factors of PVT. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Single centre, retrospective study of data compiled for every consecutive patient who underwent splenectomy at Toulouse University Hospital between January 2009 and January 2019. Patients with pre- and post-surgical CT scans have been included. RESULTS: 149 out of 261 patients were enrolled in the study (59% were males, mean age 52 years). The indications for splenectomy were splenic trauma (30.9%), malignant haemopathy (26.8%) and immune thrombocytopenia (8.0%). Twenty-nine cases of PVT (19.5%) were diagnosed based on a post-operative CT scan performed on post-operative day (POD) 5. Univariate analysis identifies three main risk factors associated with post-operative PVT: estimated splenic weight exceeding 500 g with an OR of 8.72 95% CI (3.3-22.9), splenic vein diameter over 10 mm with an OR of 4.92 95% CI (2.1-11.8) and lymphoma with an OR of 7.39 (2.7-20.1). The role of splenic vein diameter with an OR of 3.03 95% CI (1.1-8.6), and splenic weight with an OR of 5.22 (1.8-15.2), as independent risk factors is confirmed by multivariate analysis. A screening test based on a POD 5 CT scan with one or two of these items present could indicate sensitivity of 86.2% and specificity of 86.7%. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that pre-operative CT scan findings could predict post-operative PVT. A CT scan should be performed on POD 5 if a risk factor has been identified prior to surgery.

Bifascicular nature of the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor pollicis longus tendons: forgotten anatomical characteristics rediscovered with US imaging.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the bifid configuration of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor pollicis longus (FPL). METHODS: In the first part of this study, 20 digits from 4 cadaver hands were dissected and analyzed using anatomical and histological slices. The second part of the study was carried out over a 12-month period starting in August 2018. It was a prospective US imaging study of 300 digits from 30 healthy participants performed by two radiologists in a double-blinded manner. This study focused on two items: tendon shape and whether a central septum separated the two hemitendons. Descriptive statistics were calculated along with the inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: In 100% (300/300) of fingers and thumbs, the FDP and FPL tendons were made up of two parallel bundles arranged side by side, with a central vertical septum between these two hemitendons, starting at the head of the proximal phalanx (PP) and continuing distally. This central septum was always present starting at the proximal third of PP for the FDP of the index, middle, and ring fingers. The septum was more difficult to identify in the thumb and little finger. Cohen's kappa indicated near perfect agreement when all digits were considered together (≥ 0.9), and substantial agreement for the thumb (0.71) and for the little finger (0.82). CONCLUSIONS: With US imaging, the bifascicular nature of the FDP and FPL tendons is easy to see, as these tendons have a double-barreled configuration starting at the head of the proximal phalanx. KEY POINTS: •Analysis of anatomical slices of the hand tendons found a bifascicular appearance of the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor pollicis longus tendons starting at the head of the proximal phalanx. •This distinct feature of two hemitendons arranged side by side was seen in 100% of tendons we examined with US. It is associated with a vertical central septum that causes anisotropy. •Awareness of this "forgotten" anatomical detail has practical implications when interpreting images generated by latest-generation US systems and during surgery on hand flexor tendons.

US-guided percutaneous release of the first extensor tendon compartment using a 21-gauge needle in de Quervain's disease: a prospective study of 35 cases.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasonography-guided percutaneous treatment of de Quervain tenosynovitis with the combination of a corticosteroid injection and release of the retinaculum of the first extensor compartment tendons with a 21-gauge needle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The first part of our study consisted of ten procedures on cadaver wrists followed by dissection to analyse the effectiveness of the retinaculum release and detect any collateral damage. The second part was a prospective clinical study of 35 procedures. Outcomes were evaluated through a 6-month clinical follow-up and telephone interview at the end of the study. The following parameters were monitored over time: pain level on a visual analogue scale, the QuickDASH and the PRWE. Patient satisfaction questionnaires were also administered. RESULTS: No complications were found during the cadaver study. However, the release was confirmed as 'partial' in all wrists. In the clinical portion of this study, significant improvement was observed in 91.4 % of cases (32/35) within 1 month and the results were stable until the end of the study; all of these patients avoided surgery. The release procedure failed in three patients who eventually required surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: US-guided partial release and simultaneous corticosteroid injection for treatment of de Quervain's disease using a 21-gauge needle is feasible in current practice, with minimal complications. KEY POINTS: • Ultrasound-guided treatment of de Quervain's disease is feasible with a 21G needle. • There was notable regression of clinical signs in 91.4 % of cases. • The procedure is very safe, no iatrogenic neurovascular or tendinous injuries occurred. • Our procedure requires only one session and 3 days away from work.

Incident Cerebral Microbleeds Detected by Susceptibility Weight-Imaging Help to Identify Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment Progressing to Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between cerebral microbleeds (CMB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has not yet been clearly determined, particularly with susceptibility weight-imaging (SWI). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the SWI sequence using 3T MRI for the detection of CMB, and its ability to differentiate elderly control subjects (CS), stable mild cognitive impairment patients (MCI-s), MCI patients progressing to AD (MCI-p), and AD patients. METHODS: It was a prospective, monocentric, observational study that took place in Toulouse, France. Participants were 65 years and older, enrolled in three groups: CS, MCI, and AD. Based on the longitudinal analysis of cognitive decline, MCI subjects were retrospectively classified as MCI-s or MCI-p. Each patient had a 4-year follow-up with MRI at baseline (MRI#1) and during the fourth year (MRI#3). CMB were counted on native SWI images juxtaposed to minIP reformatted images. RESULTS: 150 patients were enrolled: 48 CS, 25 MCI-s, 18 MCI-p, 59 AD. At MRI#1 and at MRI#3, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of CMB between groups (p = 0.75 and p = 0.87). In the MCI-p + AD group, significantly more subjects had≥4 incident CMB compared to the CS + MCI-s group (p = 0.016). In the MCI-p + AD group, the prevalence of patients with >4 CMB was significantly higher at MRI#3 than at MRI#1 (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Using SWI, AD and MCI-p patients had developed significantly more new CMB than CS and MCI-s patients during the follow-up. Incident CMB might be suggested as a potential imaging marker of AD progression.