Vascular and neurosensory evaluation in relation to lingual canal anatomy after mandibular midline implant installation in edentulous patients

Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate vascular and neurosensory complications in edentulous patients following the installation of mandibular midline single implants in relation to lingual canals. Materials and methods After performing a cone beam computed tomography scan for the 50 recruited patients, the relationship between the potential implant site and the lingual canals was assessed, and all vascular and neurosensory complications were recorded. Results Six patients (12%) reported profuse bleeding during implant placement, and 13 (26%) reported transient neurosensory changes, which were resolved after 3 months. According to the virtual implant planning, 44 patients (88%) would have their implants touching the lingual canals, six of them reported vascular changes (14%), and 12 out of 44 patients reported neurosensory changes (27%). For the six patients who would have their implants not touching the lingual canals, one patient reported transient neurosensory changes. Conclusions The mandibular lingual canals are constant anatomic landmarks. Injury to the supra-spinosum lingual canals may occur during midline implant placement, depending on the implant length and the bone height. Clinical relevance Despite that injury to the supra-spinosum lingual canals during implant insertion does not result in permanent vascular or neurosensory complications, caution is required to avoid the perforation of the lingual cortices.

Radiographic Landmarks for Ideal Port Placement in Wrist Arthroscopy

Background The placement of wrist arthroscopy portals is traditionally performed using distances from anatomic landmarks. We sought to evaluate the safety of traditional portal placement and determine if radiographic landmarks could provide an additional method of identifying tendon intervals. Methods Six cadaveric specimens were used to evaluate the accuracy of portal placement based on anatomic and radiographic landmarks. Fluoroscopic images were used to document the location of previously described surface landmarks. Soft tissue was dissected away to identify the relationship between the transcutaneously placed portals and the extensor tendons. With soft tissue removed, tendon intervals were identified in relationship to anatomic carpal bone landmarks, and interval distances measured. Portals were then placed under radiographic imaging on the final three specimens and accuracy was examined by the removal of overlying soft tissue to confirm accurate interval placement Results The 3,4 portal was safely placed using only surface anatomic landmarks, however the 4,5 and midcarpal ulnar (MCU) portal sites were not consistently placed in the intended tendon interval, especially in larger wrists. Radiographic interval targets for the 3,4 portal were identified at the ulnar aspect of the scaphoid and the 4,5 portal at the ulnar one-third of the lunate. The radiographic site for the MCR was located at the inferior radial one-third of the capitate and the MCU portal was located at the radial aspect of the hamate. The 6R portal radiographic landmark is at the radial aspect of the triquetrum and 6U at the ulnar aspect of the triquetrum. Conclusion Portal placement in wrist arthroscopy based on anatomic landmarks alone can be unreliable in larger wrists. Radiographic imaging based on carpal bone landmarks provides an additional tool for consistent placement of portals in wrist arthroscopy and may limit unintended injury to extensor tendons. Level of Evidence This is a Level VI study.

Pyeloplasty effectiveness in cases of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children: methodology and assessment parameters

The article presents the analysis of published data (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed/MedLine, The Cochrane Library, and eLIBRARY databases) devoted to the study of existing criteria for assessment of pyeloplasty effectiveness. Published sources most often refer to the dynamics of reduction of the renal collecting system (RCS) and postoperative renal functional status as the assessment criteria. However, there are no consistent values, which could be employed as assessment criteria indicating success as soon as they are registered. The tools used to estimate RCS reduction are not standardized in terms of research techniques, projection of RCS dilatation measurement, and the locations between which renal and pelvic anatomic structures are measured. A variety of approaches to measuring the anteroposterior renal pelvis dimension in children with hydronephrosis tends to blur the analysis of actual pyeloplasty results. This review of published sources demonstrates the lack of agreement as regards the criteria for assessment of pyeloplasty effectiveness. There is a pressing need for appropriate steps to harmonize ultrasonography methods, to standardize the anatomic landmarks for measurement, and to define the criteria to be used to assess the effectiveness of pyeloplasty.

Safety of Bedside Placement of Tunneled Hemodialysis Catheters in the Intensive Care Unit: Translating from the COVID-19 Experience

Background: Critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and kidney dysfunction often require tunneled hemodialysis catheter (TDC) placement for kidney replacement therapy, typically under fluoroscopic guidance to minimize catheter-related complications. This entails transportation of patients outside the intensive care unit to a fluoroscopy suite, which may potentially expose many healthcare providers to COVID-19. One potential strategy to mitigate the risk of viral transmission is to insert TDCs at the bedside, using ultrasound and anatomic landmarks only, without fluoroscopic guidance. Methods: We reviewed all COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit who underwent right internal jugular TDC insertion at the bedside between April and December 2020. Outcomes included catheter placement-related complications such as post-procedural bleeding, air embolism, dysrhythmias, pneumothorax/hemothorax, and catheter tip malposition. TDC insertion was considered successful if the catheter was able to achieve blood flow sufficient to perform either a single intermittent or 24 h of continuous hemodialysis treatment. Results: We report a retrospective, single-center case series of 25 patients with COVID-19 who had right internal jugular TDCs placed at the bedside, 10 of whom underwent simultaneous insertion of small-bore right internal jugular tunneled central venous catheters for infusion. Continuous veno-venous hemodialysis was utilized for kidney replacement therapy in all patients, and a median catheter blood flow rate of 200 mL/min (IQR: 200–200) was achieved without any deviation from the dialysis prescription. No catheter insertion-related complications were observed, and none of the catheter tips were malpositioned. Conclusions: Bedside right internal jugular TDC placement in COVID-19 patients, using ultrasound and anatomic landmarks without fluoroscopic guidance, may potentially reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among healthcare workers without compromising patient safety or catheter function. Concomitant insertion of tunneled central venous catheters in the right internal jugular vein for infusion may also be safely accomplished and further help limit personnel exposure to COVID-19.

A semi-automatic approach for longitudinal 3D upper airway analysis using voxel based registration

Objectives: To propose and validate a reliable semi-automatic approach for three-dimensional (3D) analysis of the upper airway (UA) based on voxel-based registration (VBR). Methods: Post-operative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of ten orthognathic surgery patients were superimposed to the pre-operative CBCT scans by VBR using the anterior cranial base as reference. Anatomic landmarks were used to automatically cut the UA and calculate volumes and cross-sectional areas (CSA). The 3D analysis was performed by two observers twice, at an interval of two weeks. Intraclass correlations and Bland-Altman plots were used to quantify the measurement error and reliability of the method. The relative Dahlberg error was calculated and compared with a similar method based on landmark re-identification and manual measurements. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) showed excellent intra- and inter observer reliability (ICC ≥0.995). Bland-Altman plots showed good observer agreement, low bias and no systematic errors. The relative Dahlberg error ranged between 0.51–4.30% for volume and 0.24–2.90% for CSA. This was lower when compared with a similar, manual method. Voxel-based registration introduced 0.05–1.44% method error. Conclusions: The proposed method is shown to have excellent reliability and high observer agreement. The method is feasible for longitudinal clinical trials on large cohorts due to being semi-automatic.

Breast clinical target volume: HU-based glandular CTVs and ESTRO CTVs in modern and historical radiotherapy treatment planning

Purpose The current study aimed to compare contouring of glandular tissue only (gCTV) with the clinical target volume (CTV) as defined according to European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) guidelines (eCTV) and historically treated volumes (marked by wire and determined by palpation and anatomic landmarks) in breast cancer radiotherapy. Methods A total of 56 consecutive breast cancer patients underwent treatment planning based solely on anatomic landmarks/wire markings (“wire based”). From these treatment plans, the 50% and 95% isodoses were transferred as structures and compared to the following CT-based volumes: eCTV; a Hounsfield unit (HU)-based automatic contouring of the gCTV; and standardized planning target volumes (PTVs) generated with 1‑cm safety margins (resulting in the ePTVs and gPTVs, respectively). Results The 95% isodose volume of the wire-based plan was larger than the eCTV by 352.39 ± 176.06 cm3 but smaller than the ePTV by 157.58 ± 189.32 cm3. The 95% isodose was larger than the gCTV by 921.20 ± 419.78 cm3 and larger than the gPTV by 190.91 ± 233.49 cm3. Patients with larger breasts had significantly less glandular tissue than those with small breasts. There was a trend toward a lower percentage of glandular tissue in older patients. Conclusion Historical wire and anatomic landmarks-based treatment planning sufficiently covers the glandular tissue and the theoretical gPTV generated for the glandular tissue. Modern CT-based CTV and PTV definition according to ESTRO results in a larger treated volume than the historical wire-based techniques. HU-standardized glandular tissue contouring results in a significantly smaller CTV and might be an option for reducing the treatment volume and improving reproducibility of contouring between institutions.

Safety of Bedside Placement of Tunneled Hemodialysis Catheters In The Intensive Care Unit: Translating From The Covid-19 Experience – Retrospective Single-Center Case Series

Background: Critically-ill patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and kidney dysfunction often require tunneled hemodialysis catheter (TDC) placement for kidney replacement therapy (KRT), typically under fluoroscopic guidance to minimize catheter-related complications. This entails transportation of patients outside the intensive care unit (ICU) to a fluoroscopy suite, which may potentially expose many healthcare providers to COVID-19. One potential strategy to mitigate the risk of viral transmission is to insert TDCs at the bedside, using ultrasound (US) and anatomic landmarks only, without fluoroscopic guidance. Methods: We reviewed all COVID-19 patients in the ICU who underwent right internal jugular (RIJ) TDC insertion at the bedside between April and December 2020. Outcomes included procedural complications such as bleeding, venous air embolism, arrhythmias, pneumothorax and catheter tip malposition. TDC insertion was considered successful if the catheter was able to achieve blood flow sufficient to perform a single hemodialysis treatment. Results: We report a retrospective single-center case series of 25 patients with COVID-19 who had RIJ TDCs placed at the bedside, 10 of whom underwent simultaneous insertion of small-bore RIJ tunneled central venous catheters (T-CVC). Continuous veno-venous hemodialysis was the KRT modality employed in all patients. A median catheter blood flow rate of 200 ml/min (IQR:200-200) was achieved in all patients without any deviation from the dialysis prescription. No catheter-related complications were observed and none of the catheter tips were mal-positioned. Conclusions: Bedside RIJ TDC placement in COVID-19 patients, using US and anatomic landmarks without fluoroscopic guidance, may potentially reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission amongst healthcare workers without compromising patient safety or catheter function.