Radiofrequency Ablation: A Promising Treatment Method for Abdominal Wall Endometriosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the application of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as a treatment method for abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The characteristics of the AWE lesions in the patients were obtained using ultrasound (US). The patients received general and local anesthesia, and then, AWE lesions were divided into 1 cm3 sections visually, and each of these sections underwent US-guided RFA using the moving shot technique. Follow-up included outpatient appointments, including a US examination 1, 3, and 6 months after the treatment to assess the volume of the lesions. In addition, the level of pain experienced by the patients was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before and the day after the procedure, as well as at each follow-up appointment. RESULTS: Ten patients were treated with RFA. The procedural success was achieved in all of the patients. The median volume of the lesions decreased from 7.3 cm3 (IQR = 4.39,23.75) to 2.95 cm3 (IQR = 1.65,9.09) (P = 0.005). All patients reported reduced pain levels, and the median of their VAS score decreased from 9 (IQR = 8,9) to 0 (IQR = 0,1.25) (P = 0.004) at the end of the follow-up period. None of the patients experienced complications related to RFA treatment. CONCLUSION: Based on the study's findings, RFA appears to be a promising minimally invasive treatment for AWE. However, larger studies with longer follow-up periods are required for a more comprehensive understanding of its efficacy and safety. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4, Case Series.

Comparative Efficacy of Postoperative Compression Methods After EVLT for Great Saphenous Vein Insufficiency.

Introduction: The preference for endovascular techniques in treating varicose veins, particularly in the great saphenous vein (GSV), has increased due to their minimally invasive nature and reduced complications. Post-operative care, especially involving compression therapy, remains crucial to improve outcomes, prevent varicose vein recurrence, and enhance overall recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of eccentric compression therapy compared to alternative post-operative care methods following endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) for GSV insufficiency. Methods: This prospective randomized clinical trial encompassed 88 EVLT procedures for GSV insufficiency. The participants were divided into two groups, each receiving different postoperative compression methods, and were evaluated over a specified period. The primary outcome was the pain scale after EVLT; meanwhile, the secondary outcome measured in the present study was the rate of GSV occlusion after EVLT. Results: Both groups underwent all EVLT procedures successfully without any complications. At the one-month duplex ultrasound (DUS) follow-up, the sapheno-femoral junction occlusion rates were 97% (43 out of 44) for group A (eccentric compression plus gradual compression stocking) and 95% (42 out of 44) for group B (only gradual compression stocking). Ecchymosis was observed in only 12 patients across both groups, accounting for an overall occurrence of 13.6%. Group A patients reported significantly lower analgesic usage (10%) compared to group B (18%), although this difference did not reach statistical significance. Analysis of postoperative pain data utilizing the visual analog scale (VAS) showed a median value of 5.5 in group B patients, which decreased to 3.1 with the application of eccentric compression. Moreover, there was less ecchymosis in group A observed by one week. Conclusion: This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the efficacy of postoperative compression in varicose vein treatment. It underscores the necessity for more comprehensive, well-designed studies to yield clearer conclusions and provide better guidance for post-procedure care.

Coronary artery calcium score as a prognostic factor of adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19: a comprehensive review.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The association of known cardiovascular risk factors and poor prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been recently emphasized. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is considered to be a risk predictor of cardiovascular events. Therefore, we have conducted a review of literature on the predictive value of CAC score predictive value in COVID-19 outcome. METHOD: A search of literature was conducted, aiming for articles published until December 2021 on PubMed and Scopus to identify potentially eligible studies. DISCUSSION: A total of 18 articles were reviewed for association between higher CAC score and adverse outcomes in COVID-19. CONCLUSION: The coronary calcium score could be considered as a new radiological marker for risk assessment in COVID-19 patients and providing additional information in fields of prognosis and possible cardiovascular complications. High CAC score is associated with higher in-hospital death and adverse clinical outcomes in patients with confirmed COVID-19, which highlights the importance of calcium load testing for hospitalized COVID-19 patients and calls for attention to patients with high CAC scores.

2D speckle-tracking echocardiography as a prognostic imaging modality for COVID-19 adverse outcomes.

2D speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) has been used to assess cardiac recovery during the COVID-19 patient follow-ups within the pandemic. The novel role of STE in predicting adverse outcomes of COVID-19 has received attention due to its high sensitivity in identifying subclinical myocardial dysfunction. We reviewed the studies on using 2D-STE to assess COVID-19 prognosis. A literature search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus for eligible articles, 24 of which discussed using prognostic 2D-STE for COVID-19 patients. 2D-STE predicts cardiovascular impairments more rapidly and precisely than conventional echocardiography. The 2D-STE technique presents an independent prognostic factor in COVID-19 infection. 2D-STE could be considered a time-efficient and accurate risk predictor of all-cause mortality in COVID-19 patients.

In this review, we have gathered every article that discusses the association between COVID-19 prognosis and speckle-tracking echocardiography, which is a novel, fast and accurate method and does not need expert operators to perform. We have shown that according to the current literature, we can use this imaging technique on the right and left heart ventricles to estimate the prognosis of the patients infected with COVID-19.

COVID-19 and Peripheral Artery Thrombosis: A Mini Review.

For more than 2 years, health care systems have been floundering in a massive crisis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While acute respiratory distress syndrome is the main complication in patients with COVID-19, as the pandemic continues, more data about the nonrespiratory effects of the coronavirus is obtained, including developing Coagulopathy-related manifestations, in the form of venous and arterial thromboembolism. Although arterial thrombosis a rare complication of this disease, it proves to be an effective factor in the mortality and morbidity of COVID-19 patients. The pathophysiology of thrombosis reveals a complex relation between hemostasis and immune system that can be disrupted by COVID-19. Thrombectomy, anticoagulant therapy, and thrombolysis are the main treatments in these patients. In addition, appropriate thromboprophylaxis treatment should be considered in COVID-19 patients. In this article, we have successfully reviewed the arterial thrombotic events in patients reported around the world, including the diagnostic and management method of choice.