The Ventriculo-Gallbladder Shunt in the Treatment of Refractory Hydrocephalus: A Review of the Current Literature

2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 734-737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micah E. Girotti ◽  
R. Ramesh Singh ◽  
Bradley M. Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Case Series ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cerebrospinal Fluid Drainage ◽  
Chronic Hydrocephalus ◽  
Vp Shunt ◽  
Distal Obstruction ◽  
History Of ◽  
Low Incidence

The ventriculo-gallbladder (VGB) shunt has been reported on several occasions for the alleviation of ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) –shunt-refractory hydrocephalus. There is little data regarding VGB shunts and a need for delineating appropriate surgical therapy when cerebrospinal fluid drainage to the peritoneum becomes infeasible. We report our experience with VGB shunt placement in three patients with chronic hydrocephalus. All three had a history of prior VP-shunt placements and revisions due to distal obstruction or infection, or contraindications to alternative forms of ventricular drainage. In one patient, the VGB shunt functioned well for 9 years but was revised due to contamination during an unrelated operation. Neither of the other two patients have experienced VGB shunt-related complications. VP shunts are presently regarded as the standard of care for uncomplicated hydrocephalus. When VP shunts fail, the most common alternatives have been ventriculo-atrial and ventriculo-pleural shunts. In five case series involving 59 patients with VGB shunts, the long-term success rate was 62.7 per cent. Infection (10.2%) and obstruction (10.2%) were the most common complications. Based on durability and a low incidence of complications, it is the current consensus that VGB shunts are a viable alternative with good outcomes in the case of failed VP shunts.

Five-year Psychosocial Impact of Living in Post-Disaster Prefabricated Temporary Housing

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Tetsuya Akaishi ◽  
Tomomi Suzuki ◽  
Harumi Nemoto ◽  
Yusuke Utsumi ◽  
Moe Seto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
The Other ◽  
Temporary Housing ◽  
Psychiatric Status ◽  
History Of ◽  
Psychosocial Conditions ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Post Disaster

Abstract Objective: This study aims to evaluate the long-term impact of living in post-disaster prefabricated temporary housing on social interaction activities and mental health status. Methods: A total of 917 adult residents in a coastal town, whose residences were destroyed by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE), were enrolled for the assessment held five years after the disaster. They answered questions about their experience and consequence of living in prefabricated temporary housing after the disaster. Their present scores on five types of self-reported measures regarding the psychosocial or psychiatric status and their present and recalled social interaction activities were cross-sectionally collected. Results: A total of 587 (64.0%) participants had a history of living in prefabricated temporary housing, while the other 330 (36.0%) had not. The prevalence of social interaction activities significantly decreased after the GEJE. However, the experience of living in prefabricated temporary housing did not adversely affect the subsequent social interaction activities or mental conditions of the participants five years after the disaster. Conclusions: Living in post-disaster prefabricated temporary housing may not negatively impact subsequent psychosocial conditions or social interaction activities five years later.

scholarly journals Incidence and Risk Factors of Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism Following Foot and Ankle Surgery

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Marie Richey ◽  
Miranda Lucia Ritterman Weintraub ◽  
John M. Schuberth
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Hormone Replacement ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Foot And Ankle ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Ankle Surgery ◽  
History Of ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
Predictive Risk

Background: The incidence rate of venous thrombotic events (VTEs) following foot and ankle surgery is low. Currently, there is no consensus regarding postoperative prophylaxis or evidence to support risk stratification. Methods: A 2-part study assessing the incidence and factors for the development of VTE was conducted: (1) a retrospective observational cohort study of 22 486 adults to calculate the overall incidence following foot and/or ankle surgery from January 2008 to May 2011 and (2) a retrospective matched case-control study to identify risk factors for development of VTE postsurgery. One control per VTE case matched on age and sex was randomly selected from the remaining patients. Results: The overall incidence of VTE was 0.9%. Predictive risk factors in bivariate analyses included obesity, history of VTE, history of trauma, use of hormonal replacement or oral contraception therapy, anatomic location of surgery, procedure duration 60 minutes or more, general anesthesia, postoperative nonweightbearing immobilization greater than 2 weeks, and use of anticoagulation. When significant variables from bivariate analyses were placed into the multivariable regression model, 4 remained statistically significant: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for obesity, 6.1; history of VTE, 15.7; use of hormone replacement therapy, 8.9; and postoperative nonweightbearing immobilization greater than 2 weeks, 9.0. The risk of VTE increased significantly with 3 or more risk factors ( P = .001). Conclusion: The overall low incidence of VTE following foot and ankle surgery does not support routine prophylaxis for all patients. Among patients with 3 or more risk factors, the use of chemoprophylaxis may be warranted. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective case series.

scholarly journals Memorial Book of the Chechen Republic

2011 ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
Zarema H. Ibragimova
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Historical Events ◽  
Documentary Sources ◽  
Great Patriotic War ◽  
History Of ◽  
Working Out

On the history of the Memorial Book of the Chechen Republic as compared with preparation and publication of similar books in the other country’s regions. Working out of historical and documentary sources and present them a wide public in the long term reconstruction of historical events of the Great Patriotic War is actual.

Clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of lung lobe torsions in cats: a review of 10 cases (2000–2021)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1098612X2110548
Author(s):  
Catherine Tindale ◽  
Filippo Cinti ◽  
Matteo Cantatore ◽  
Alistair Freeman ◽  
Leonardo Cavaliere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intraoperative Complications ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Case Series ◽  
The Other ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Lung Lobe ◽  
Lung Lobes

Case series summary Lung lobe torsion is rare in cats. The aim of this multi-institution retrospective study was to describe clinical and diagnostic findings, treatments and outcomes of lung lobe torsion (LLT) in 10 cats. Dyspnoea and tachypnoea were the most common clinical signs. Pleural effusion was present in nine cats at presentation. Fluid analysis confirmed chylothorax in three cats. Nine cats underwent CT and five cats had thoracic radiographs taken. A diagnosis was made preoperatively in six cats, while in the other four cats it was made at exploratory thoracotomy. Affected lung lobes were the right cranial (n = 4/11), left cranial (n = 4/11) and right middle (n = 3/11). One cat had a concurrent torsion of two lung lobes. Lung lobectomy was successfully performed in all cases. Based on clinical, diagnostic and lung histopathology findings, three cats had idiopathic and seven cats secondary LLT. Intraoperative complications included hypotension and hypothermia in four and five cats, respectively. Postoperative complications occurred in six cats and lead to euthanasia or death in four cats, whereas complications resolved in the other two cats. Three cats were euthanased within 5 weeks of discharge. For the three cats surviving long term, including one euthanased at 252 days postoperatively, owner-described outcomes and quality of life were considered good to excellent. Relevance and novel information Secondary LLT associated with underlying thoracic pathology was associated with high complication rates and poor outcomes. Long-term outcomes of cats undergoing surgery for LLT and surviving the perioperative period were deemed good to excellent.

Introduction

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Anna von der Goltz
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Postwar Germany ◽  
Life Paths ◽  
Career Trajectories ◽  
German Student ◽  
History Of ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
Long Term Impact

This chapter introduces the book’s protagonists and main subject: the other ‘68ers, a group of centre-right activists who had participated in the West German student movement of the late 1960s and 1970s and later commemorated their efforts as a form of democratic resistance against left-wing radicals. It argues that a close examination of the other ‘68ers’ ideas, experiences, repertoires, and remarkable career trajectories enables us to rethink the history of 1968 and its afterlives in important ways. Studying the hitherto neglected role these individuals played at the time, as well as their life paths and long-term impact on West German political culture, opens up new vistas for understanding the history of protest in 1968, the late Federal Republic, and the role that generation played in postwar Germany. The Introduction also discusses the different sources used for this study, including the oral history methodology on which parts of the book are based.

scholarly journals Ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine, and psychosis: a systematic review of human studies

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 141-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael G. dos Santos ◽  
José Carlos Bouso ◽  
Jaime E. C. Hallak
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Family History ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Population Studies ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Lysergic Acid ◽  
Psychotic Illness ◽  
History Of ◽  
Low Incidence

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogen brew traditionally used for ritual and therapeutic purposes in Northwestern Amazon. It is rich in the tryptamine hallucinogens dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which acts as a serotonin 5-HT2A agonist. This mechanism of action is similar to other compounds such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. The controlled use of LSD and psilocybin in experimental settings is associated with a low incidence of psychotic episodes, and population studies corroborate these findings. Both the controlled use of DMT in experimental settings and the use of ayahuasca in experimental and ritual settings are not usually associated with psychotic episodes, but little is known regarding ayahuasca or DMT use outside these controlled contexts. Thus, we performed a systematic review of the published case reports describing psychotic episodes associated with ayahuasca and DMT intake. We found three case series and two case reports describing psychotic episodes associated with ayahuasca intake, and three case reports describing psychotic episodes associated with DMT. Several reports describe subjects with a personal and possibly a family history of psychosis (including schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorders, psychotic mania, psychotic depression), nonpsychotic mania, or concomitant use of other drugs. However, some cases also described psychotic episodes in subjects without these previous characteristics. Overall, the incidence of such episodes appears to be rare in both the ritual and the recreational/noncontrolled settings. Performance of a psychiatric screening before administration of these drugs, and other hallucinogens, in controlled settings seems to significantly reduce the possibility of adverse reactions with psychotic symptomatology. Individuals with a personal or family history of any psychotic illness or nonpsychotic mania should avoid hallucinogen intake.

scholarly journals Long-term outcomes of acromegaly treated with fractionated stereotactic radiation: case series and literature review

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-262
Author(s):  
Ryan Rhome ◽  
Isabelle M Germano ◽  
Ren-Dih Sheu ◽  
Sheryl Green
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Tumor Control ◽  
Pituitary Neoplasms ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Biochemical Control ◽  
Low Incidence

Abstract Background Growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary adenomas represent an uncommon subset of pituitary neoplasms. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) have been used as primary or adjuvant treatment. The purpose of this study is to report the long-term tumor control and toxicity from our institution and to perform a systematic literature review of acromegaly patients treated with FSRT. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients treated with FSRT (median dose 50.4 Gray [Gy], range 50.4–54 Gy) between 2005 and 2012 who had: 1) GH-secreting adenoma with persistently elevated insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) despite medical therapy and 2) clinical follow up >3 years after FSRT. Patients were treated with modern FSRT planning techniques. Biochemical control was defined as IGF-1 normalization. Systematic review of the literature was performed for FSRT in acromegaly. Results With a median follow-up of 80 months, radiographic control was achieved in all 11 patients and overall survival was 100%. Long-term biochemical control was achieved in 10 patients (90.9%) with either FSRT alone (36.4%) or FSRT with continued medical management (45.5%). No patient experienced new hypopituitarism, cranial nerve dysfunctions, or visual deficits. Our systematic review found published rates of biochemical control and hypopituitarism vary, with uniformly good radiographic control and low incidence of visual changes. Conclusions Adjuvant FSRT offered effective long-term biochemical control and radiographic control, and there was a lower rate of complications in this current series. Review of the literature shows variations in published rates of biochemical control after FSRT for acromegaly, but low incidence of serious toxicities.

scholarly journals Memory and Alterity in Zar: Religious Contact and Change in the Sudan

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M Kenyon
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
The Other ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Life History Data ◽  
History Of ◽  
The One ◽  
Ninteenth Century ◽  
Dynamic Interplay

Drawing on long-term ethnographic research in the Blue Nile town of Sennar, supported by archival and historical documentation, this article explores the history of Zar spirit possession in Sudan, and the light this throws on the interplay of religions over the past 150 years. Life history data supports the argument that contemporary Zar is grounded in forms and rituals derived from the ranks of the ninteenth-century Ottoman army, and these remain the basis of ritual events, even as they accommodate ongoing changes in this part of Africa. Many of these changes are linked to the dynamic interplay of Zar with forms of Islam, on the one hand, and Christianity, on the other. In the former colonial periods, political power resided with the British, and Khawaja (European) Christian Zar spirits are remembered as far more important. Today that authority in Zar has shifted to spirits of foreign Muslims and local holy men, on the one hand, and to subaltern Blacks, on the other. These speak to concerns of new generations of adepts even as changes in the larger political and religious landscapes continue to transform the context of Zar.

scholarly journals The Constraints of Software

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-29
Author(s):  
Andrew Stuart Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Computer Software ◽  
Early History ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cd Rom ◽  
History Of ◽  
Software Distribution ◽  
Technological Constraints ◽  
At Will

Computer software media has long had intrinsic similarities to books...so why may one be borrowed in a library and not the other? The answer lies in the context and history of how computer media came to be. In this essay I explore the early history of software distribution, where many different proposals fought to succeed. I provide an overview of the software industry’s early embrace of copy-protected floppy disks as a distribution medium, and how they harmed the notion of software as a borrowable medium. Lastly, I cover how CD-ROM materials were treated as books by publishers and libraries, yet failed to realize this premise with long-term success. I argue that a combination of industry actions and technological constraints over four decades caused computer software to fail to succeed as a tangible medium that can be borrowed like a book, lent, or resold at will.

scholarly journals Diffuse Dermal Angiomatosis of the Breasts: A Case Series of 8 Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-306
Author(s):  
Landon Kaleb Hobbs ◽  
Darren Guffy ◽  
R. Hal Flowers
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Reduction Mammaplasty ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Smoking History ◽  
Potential Association ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
History Of

Background: Diffuse dermal angiomatosis (DDA) is a rare, reactive vascular disorder of the skin. Association with vascular disease, smoking, and large pendulous breasts has been reported. No standard of care exists but benefit with medication and reduction mammaplasty has been reported. Methods: We report a case of a 49-year-old obese female with a history of smoking who presented with DDA that improved with smoking cessation and pentoxifylline prior to reduction mammaplasty. We also performed a retrospective chart review of all patients with DDA seen at our institution between 2010 and 2020. Results: Eight female patients with DDA affecting the breasts were evaluated at our institution. The mean age was 49.5 years. Five of the patients noted symptoms at presentation. Obesity was seen in 7 (87.5%) patients and 5 (63%) had a smoking history. There was no significant difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic groups in regard to age, t4=-0.63, p=0.56, but BMI trended higher in the symptomatic group, t6=2.27, p=0.06. Three patients (38%) were noted to have fibromyalgia. All symptomatic patients saw improvement in their symptoms with treatments including reduction mammaplasty (1 patient), aspirin (1 patient), pentoxifylline (3 patients), smoking cessation (2 patients), and/or weight loss (1 patient). Conclusions: Our series is the second largest series of DDA of the breasts and confirms many reported associations including obesity, smoking, and large pendulous breasts. We report the first known case of improvement with weight loss as a sole intervention, as well as identify a novel potential association between DDA and fibromyalgia.

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