Rejected

Intestinal obstruction considered to be one of the most common surgical presentation. Adhesions secondary to previous operations, hernias, neoplasms, inflammatory bowel disease, intussusception, or volvulus are the usual causes of intestinal obstruction but bezoar can presents in 0.4-4%. Bezoar can be trapped in different locations throughout the gastrointestinal tract and it can be solitary or multiple lesions.

There remains a paucity of literature on hypothalamic cavernous malformations (HCMs). Here, the authors present the largest series of HCMs to date and review the literature to gain additional insight into this rare disease subset.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are associated with increased self-reported disability and psychosocial issues, although little is known about those who specifically experience mechanical signs and symptoms such as clicking and locking. Understanding the lived experiences of individuals with persistent intra-articular TMD is an important first step to gaining insight into specific domains of self-reported disability associated with these conditions. This information can be helpful to improve clinical management of this subgroup.

The craniocervical junction (CCJ) is anatomically complex and comprises multiple joints that allow for wide head and neck movements. The thecal sac must adjust to such movements. Accordingly, the thecal sac is not rigidly attached to the bony spinal canal but instead tethered by fibrous suspension ligaments, including myodural bridges (MDBs). The authors hypothesized that pathological spinal cord motion is due to the laxity of such suspension bands in patients with connective tissue disorders, e.g., hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).

The aim of this article is to assess the outcomes of a low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LiESWT) protocol for the treatment of Peyronie's disease (PD). Patients treated for PD were prospectively recorded, and data were retrospectively reviewed. Age, characteristics of fibrous plaques, concomitant treatments, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Lue score, and pain score on Likert scale were collected. Patients in acute phase of PD and an angulation of <40° were included. The protocol consisted of 6 weekly sessions of 4000 pulses each, applied from different directions, with a maximal power of 20 W and 8 Hz frequency. We included 39 patients (median age: 56.8 years, interquartile range [IQR]: 35.8-62.2 years). The median number of sessions received per patient was 7.2. After treatment, the median Lue score decreased from 6.8 initially to 3.3 (P = 0.003), the median Likert pain score dropped from 1.8 to 0.7 (P = 0.004), the median plaque size was reduced from 2 cm to 1.2 cm (P = 0.08), and the median penile curvature diminished from 31° to 17° (P = 0.07). On univariate and multivariate analysis, the only predictors of success were younger age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.95, P = 0.03 and OR = 0.91, P = 0.04, respectively) and concomitant use of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i; OR = 0.92, P = 0.02 and OR = 0.93, P = 0.01, respectively). LiESWT had a favorable impact on Lue score and notably penile pain, curvature, plaque size, and erectile function in patients treated for PD during the early inflammatory phase, with no side effects. Younger age and concomitant use of PDE5i were the only success predictors.

The authors aimed to describe the natural history and optimal management of persistent syringomyelia after suboccipital craniectomy for Chiari malformation type I (CM-I).

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and anorexia, are frequently observed in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the pathophysiological mechanisms connecting these GI symptoms to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections remain elusive. Previous studies indicate that the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into intestinal cells leads to downregulation of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors resulting in impaired barrier function. While intestinal ACE2 functions as a chaperone for the amino acid transporter B0AT1, the B0AT1/ACE2 complex within the intestinal epithelium acts as a regulator of gut microbiota composition and function. Alternations to the B0AT1/ACE2 complex lead to microbial dysbiosis through increased local and systemic immune responses. Previous studies have also suggested that altered serotonin metabolism may be the underlying cause of GI disorders involving diarrhea. The findings of elevated plasma serotonin levels and high fecal calprotectin in COVID-19 patients with diarrhea indicate that the viral infection evokes a systemic inflammatory response that specifically involves the GI. Interestingly, the elevated proinflammatory cytokines correlate with elevated serotonin and fecal calprotectin levels further supporting the evidence of GI inflammation, a hallmark of functional GI disorders. Moreover, the finding that rectal swabs of COVID-19 patients remain positive for SARS-CoV-2 even after the nasopharynx clears the virus, suggests that viral replication and shedding from the GI tract may be more robust than that of the respiratory tract, further indicating fecal-oral transmission as another important route of viral spread. This review summarized the evidence for pathophysiological mechanisms (impaired barrier function, gut inflammation, altered serotonin metabolism and gut microbiota dysbiosis) underlying the GI symptoms in patients with COVID-19.

There is no effective evidence-based non-pharmacological treatment for severe neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). Paired associative stimulation (PAS) has been used in motor rehabilitation of patients after SCI. In the SCI-PAS protocol for tetraplegic patients, peripheral and central nerve tracts are activated with subject-specific timing, such that ascending and descending signals appear simultaneously at the cervical level. The effect on motor rehabilitation is thought to arise via strengthening of cervical upper and lower motoneuron synapses. We have observed an analgesic effect of PAS on mild-to-moderate neuropathic pain in tetraplegic patients receiving PAS for motor rehabilitation. Here, we applied PAS to a patient with severe drug-resistant neuropathic pain.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated inflammatory condition that causes symptoms of sneezing, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, and nasal itch. Although subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for the treatment of AR has been in use and well established as a treatment modality, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is increasingly considered to be the safer and more convenient alternative. Thus, the objective of this review is to describe recent findings pertaining to the use of SLIT tablets (SLIT-T) for AR.

Refractory migraine (Ref-M) represents a conundrum that headache experts have to face with. We aim to investigate whether a peculiar profile may characterize patients with Ref-M according to 2020 European Headache Federation criteria. Furthermore, to substantiate a dysfunctional dopaminergic pathway involvement in these patients, we explored the effectiveness of olanzapine.