Osteochondroma as an Unusual Cause of Popliteal Artery Pseudoaneurysm and Occlusion.

Osteochondromas are the most common benign bony tumour, usually occurring in the 2nd/3rd decade of life and generally asymptomatic. However, there have been reports of bony tumours causing arterial vascular injuries via erosion into vessel walls. We present a case of a 16-year-old M with no significant past medical history who presented with acute-on-chronic Right Lower Extremity (RLE) pain and numbness who was found to have a popliteal artery pseudoaneurysm and occlusion. We will discuss our initial work up, management, outcomes and follow up and compared our results with an English language literature search for comparable cases.

CHA2DS2-VASc and has-BLED scores do not accurately stratify risk for stroke or bleed in fall victims with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Falls are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Non-valvular Atrial fibrillation (AF) is present in up to 9% of this group and often requires oral anticoagulation (OAC). The CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores are validated tools assessing risk of ischemic stroke from AF and major bleeding (MB) from OAC. It is unclear if these predictions remain accurate in post-fall patients. This study seeks to determine the stroke and major bleeding rate in atrial fibrillation patients after a ground level fall and identify if validated risk scoring systems accurately stratify risk in this cohort. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with AF presented to the emergency department after a fall. CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were calculated. Follow up information was reviewed to 1 year. Patients were grouped according to discharge thromboprophylaxis plan (DTP): no treatment, Anti-platelet (AP), OAC, and AP + OAC. Outcomes were ischemic stroke, MB, or death at 1 year. Ischemic stroke and MB rates were calculated. Kruskal-Wallis, Χ2, Fisher's exact, and multivariable logistic regression were used to evaluate for clinical associations. RESULTS: 192 patients were included. MB rate was 14.5 bleeds/100 person-years, and ischemic stroke rate was 10.9/100 person-years. There were no observed differences between DTPs. Overall, one-year mortality was 22.1%. On unadjusted analysis, CHA2DS2-VASc did associate with ischemic stroke (p = 0.03); HAS-BLED did not associate with MB (p = 0.17). After logistic regression accounting for known risk factors, neither system associated with ischemic stroke or MB. CONCLUSIONS: Fall patients are at higher risk for both ischemic stroke and MB compared to previously published reports. Current risk assessment tools should be used with caution. Further study of risk factors is warranted to guide medication decisions in these patients.

Treatment of asymptomatic blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI): a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The management of asymptomatic blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) with respect to stroke prevention and vessel healing is challenging. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to determine if a specific treatment results in lower stroke rates and/or improved vessel healing in asymptomatic BCVI. DATA SOURCES: An electronic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov performed from inception to March 2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies were included if they reported on a comparison of any treatment for BCVI and stroke and/or vessel healing rates. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Adult patients diagnosed with asymptomatic BCVI(s) who were treated with any preventive medication or procedure. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: All studies were systematically reviewed and bias was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. No meta-analysis was performed secondary to significant heterogeneity across studies in patient population, screening protocols, and treatment selection. The main outcomes were stroke and healing rate. RESULTS: Of 8781 studies reviewed, 19 reported on treatment effects for asymptomatic BCVI and were included for review. Any choice of medical management was better than no treatment, but no specific differences between choice of medical management and stroke outcomes were found. Vessel healing was rare and the majority of healed vessels were following low-grade injuries. LIMITATIONS: Majority of the included studies were retrospective and at high risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS OR IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS: Asymptomatic BCVI should be treated medically using a consistent, local protocol. High-quality studies on the effect of individual antithrombotic agents on stroke rates and vessel healing for asymptomatic BCVI are required.

Operative Traumatic Aortic Injuries at an Urban Pediatric Hospital.

PURPOSE: Limited data are available describing the long-term results of pediatric patients undergoing aortic repair secondary to trauma. Therefore, this descriptive investigation was completed to abrogate this deficit. METHODS: A retrospective review of an urban level 1 pediatric trauma database maintained at a high-volume dedicated children's hospital between 2008-2018 was completed to capture all cases of severe traumatic aortic injury and associated demographics, mechanisms, injury severity, treatment, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: In the prespecified interval, 2189 children (age <18 years) presented to our facility as a level 1 trauma activation. Of these cases, a total of 10 patients (.5%) had a demonstrable thoracic or abdominal aortic injury. The mean age of our study cohort was 10.4 ± 5.7 years. The mechanism of injury consisted of 8 participants involved in motor vehicle accidents, 1 pedestrian struck by a vehicle, and 1 struck by a falling boulder. Injuries were identified via CT angiogram (n = 9) or autopsy (n = 1) and consisted of 6 thoracic aortas and 4 abdominal aortas. The mean trauma injury severity score was 37.6 ± 19.9. Seven of the patients underwent open surgical intervention, 1 underwent endovascular intervention, 1 was treated with medical management, and 1 patient expired in the trauma bay before surgery could be performed. Aortic pathologies observed were 6 transections, 2 dissections, and 2 occlusions. Five of the ten patients underwent nonaortic surgical procedures. To determine operative outcomes, we excluded the 2 patients who did not receive aortic intervention. In the 8 remaining patients, the mean hospital length of stay was 12.8 ± 4.8 days with 6.8 ± 4.1 days in the intensive care unit. All 9 participants who survived the initial trauma evaluation were discharged from the hospital. Mean follow-up was 38.3 ± 43.0 months; during which, we observed no additional aortic-related morbidity, mortality, and reinterventions. The only stent-graft deployed remained in stable position without evidence of endoleak or migration by duplex. CONCLUSION: Traumatic aortic injury is exceedingly rare in children and primarily of blunt etiology. Of the patients who survive the scene, operative repair seems to be associated with excellent perioperative and long-term survival.

Perioperative and 1-year transcarotid revascularization outcomes in symptomatic patients.

OBJECTIVE: Previously published results of carotid revascularization with both transfemoral stenting and endarterectomy have demonstrated inferior perioperative stroke and death outcomes in neurologically symptomatic patients compared with those without symptoms. This study was completed to establish the real-world, symptom-based perioperative and follow-up outcomes for transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). METHODS: An institutional retrospective review of all TCARs performed outside of clinical trial regulations from 2016 to 2019 was completed. Eligible patients were classified as symptomatic or not based on a history of a unilateral neurologic deficit attributable to an extracranial carotid artery lesion within the previous 180 days. Univariate analysis consisting of Fisher's exact and Student t-tests, as appropriate, were performed between cohorts. Kaplan-Meier analysis was completed to estimate the stroke-free survival at 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: Within the investigational period, 167 patients (85 symptomatic) qualified for study inclusion. Baseline demographics were roughly equivalent, although symptomatic patients were more likely to be female (28.0% vs 9.4%; P < .01). Procedures in symptomatic patients were associated with higher estimated blood loss (41 mL vs 58 mL; P = .04) and operative time (67 minutes vs 75 minutes; P = .06). We did not find an increased incidence of macroscopic debris in the filter of symptomatic patients after stent deployment. For symptomatic patients, we observed a perioperative (30-day) ipsilateral stroke risk of 1.2% (vs 2.4% in asymptomatic patients; P > .99), a myocardial infarction risk of 0% (vs 0%; P > .99), and a mortality risk of 4.9% (vs 0%; P = .06). Most deaths occurred after procedure-related discharge; as such, in-hospital (from index TCAR) mortality in symptomatic patients was 1.2%. The four perioperative deaths observed in our population were secondary to hemorrhagic stroke, acute on chronic congestive heart failure (n = 2), and unknown causes in the last patient. At 1 year after the procedure, 114 patients (54 symptomatic) had available data. In addition to the perioperative risks, in symptomatic patients we observed a rate of reintervention of 0% (vs 0%; P > .99), ipsilateral stroke of 3.7% (vs 0%; P = .22), >50% in-stent restenosis of 1.9% (vs 0%; P = .47), stent thrombosis of 3.7% (vs 0%; P = .22), and all-cause mortality of 13.0% (vs 10.0%; P = .77). Last, no difference was noted with respect to the 1-year stroke-free survival (P = .17) by Kaplan-Meier estimates. CONCLUSIONS: In this institutional series of patients undergoing TCAR, we found that symptomatic patients have a similar perioperative risk of stroke and myocardial infarction as asymptomatic patients. However, we did observe a strong statistical trend suggesting a higher mortality risk in symptomatic patients. There was no difference between cohorts with respect to 1-year stroke-free survival.

Perceived loss of social support after non-neurologic injury negatively impacts recovery.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic injury is not only physically devastating, but also psychologically isolating, potentially leading to poor quality of life, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Perceived social support (PSS) is associated with better outcomes in some populations. What is not known is if changes in PSS influence long-term outcomes following nonneurologic injury. We hypothesized that a single drop in PSS during recovery would be associated with worse quality of life. METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of a prospectively collected database that included patients 18 years or older admitted to a Level I trauma center with Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 10 or higher, and no traumatic brain or spinal cord injury. Demographic and injury data were collected at the initial hospital admission. Screening for depression, PTSD, and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Mental Composite Score (MCS) were obtained at the initial hospitalization, 1, 2, 4, and 12 months postinjury. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was obtained at similar time points. Patients with high MSPSS (>5) at baseline were included and grouped by those that ever reported a score ≤5 (DROP), and those that remained high (STABLE). Outcomes were determined at 4 and 12 months. RESULTS: Four hundred eleven patients were included with 96 meeting DROP criteria at 4 months, and 97 at 1 years. There were no differences in sex, race, or injury mechanism. The DROP patients were more likely to be single (p = 0.012 at 4 months, p = 0.0006 at 1 year) and unemployed (p = 0.016 at 4 months, and p = 0.026 at 1 year) compared with STABLE patients. At 4 months and 1 year, DROP patients were more likely to have PTSD, depression, and a lower MCS (p = 0.0006, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Patients who have a drop in PSS during the first year of recovery have significantly higher odds of poor psychological outcomes. Identifying these socially frail patients provides an opportunity for intervention to positively influence an otherwise poor quality of life. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, Prognostic and Epidemiological, Level III.

Timing of Cholecystectomy after Emergent Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography for Cholangitis.

Debate remains regarding the timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy after emergent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for acute cholangitis. We hypothesized that patients undergoing early laparoscopic cholecystectomy would have fewer operative complications and a lower conversion rate. This study is a retrospective review of an ERCP database from 2012 to 2016 of adults with a diagnosis of cholangitis secondary to choledocholithiasis who underwent ERCP followed by a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Patient demographics, ERCP details, timing of operation (<72 hours vs >72 hours after ERCP), complications, and mortality were recorded. Analysis included chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, where appropriate. In the 127 patients (65 per cent male; median age, 67 years; 48 (38%) early surgery), there were no differences in demographics, BMI, vital signs, or laboratory values. Patients in the late surgery group were more likely to have a Charlson Comorbidity Index > 3 (P = 0.002), require pre-operative endoscopic sphincterotomy (P < 0.002), need pre-operative insertion of a ductal stent (P < 0.03), and had more postoperative complications (P = 0.04). Patients in the late laparoscopic cholecystectomy group had more comorbidities and suffered more complications.

Financial toxicity is associated with worse physical and emotional long-term outcomes after traumatic injury.

BACKGROUND: Increasing health care costs and high deductible insurance plans have shifted more responsibility for medical costs to patients. After serious illnesses, financial responsibilities may result in lost wages, forced unemployment, and other financial burdens, collectively described as financial toxicity. Following cancer treatments, financial toxicity is associated with worse long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of financial toxicity following injury, factors associated with financial toxicity, and the impact of financial toxicity on long-term HRQoL. METHODS: Adult patients with an Injury Severity Score of 10 or greater and without head or spinal cord injury were prospectively followed for 1 year. The Short-Form-36 was used to determine overall quality of life at 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, and 12 months. Screens for depression and posttraumatic stress syndrome were administered. The primary outcome was any financial toxicity. A multivariable generalized estimating equation was used to account for variability over time. RESULTS: Five hundred patients were enrolled, and 88% suffered financial toxicity during the year following injury (64% reduced income, 58% unemployment, 85% experienced stress due to financial burden). Financial toxicity remained stable over follow-up (80-85%). Factors independently associated with financial toxicity were lower age (odds ratio [OR], 0.96 [0.94-0.98]), lack of health insurance (OR, 0.28 [0.14-0.56]), and larger household size (OR, 1.37 [1.06-1.77]). After risk adjustment, patients with financial toxicity had worse HRQoL, and more depression and posttraumatic stress syndrome in a stepwise fashion based on severity of financial toxicity. CONCLUSION: Financial toxicity following injury is extremely common and is associated with worse psychological and physical outcomes. Age, lack of insurance, and large household size are associated with financial toxicity. Patients at risk for financial toxicity can be identified, and interventions to counteract the negative effects should be developed to improve long-term outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level III.