Rejected

Hemorrhagic vestibular schwannoma (HVS) consisting of acute intratumoral and subarachnoid hemorrhage is a rare phenomenon. We present the case of a 31-year-old woman who attended the Otorhinolaryngology department with right-sided intense tinnitus, dizziness, imbalance, and headache. Brain computed tomography revealed a spontaneous hyperdensity in the posterior fossa with marked deformation of the brainstem, middle cerebral peduncle, and cerebellum, with the near collapse of the fourth ventricle. Ophthalmology evaluation confirmed bilateral papilledema. Brain magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a voluminous 33 x 28 x 29 mm extra-axial lesion centered on the right pontine-cerebellar angle cistern, extending from the plane of the trigeminal nerve/tent of the cerebellum. The acoustic pore was enlarged. The patient underwent retrosigmoid craniotomy and microscopic tumor resection showing significant improvement in the follow-up. Pathological findings confirmed HVS. Delayed treatment of HVS can increase morbidity or even be fatal. The objective of this work is to describe and revise HVS, in order to bring awareness to this uncommon entity.

While total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most common and successful orthopedic surgeries, some patients may experience persistent, recurrent, or new hip pain despite successful THA. Dry needling (DN) is a common treatment for musculoskeletal pain, yet little data has been published on the use of DN on hip pain after THA. This series highlights two patients with prior THA and current hip pain that improved with DN used alongside conventional physiotherapy exercises. Patient 1, a 70-year-old male four years post left THA, presented to a physical therapist with a three-year history of left hip pain. Patient 2, a 65-year-old female 10 years post right THA, presented with a one-month history of right hip pain after a fall. Both patients were reported to have a stable prosthesis without clinical or radiological evidence of loosening or other major complications. Examination of both patients revealed decreased hip range of motion, decreased hip strength, and lateral hip trigger points suggestive of a muscular origin of pain. The physical therapist treated both patients with DN alongside strengthening and stretching exercises, yielding significant improvements in pain severity, function, and range of motion. These cases illustrate the successful use of DN alongside conventional physiotherapy to alleviate hip pain in patients with previous THA. Further research is needed to examine the efficacy and safety of DN for hip pain in individuals with prior THA.

Postoperative pain following shoulder surgery is a devastating situation. Several approaches, including regional nerve blocks such as combined suprascapular nerve block and axillary nerve block (SSNB+ANB) and peri-articular infiltration (PAI) analgesia, have been investigated to manage postoperative pain. This study aimed to compare the effects of PAI and SSNB+ANB on postoperative pain scores and analgesic consumption after arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

CLCN2-related leukoencephalopathy (CC2L OMIM#: 615651) is a recently identified rare disorder. It is caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the gene and leads to the dysfunction of its encoded CLC-2 chloride channel protein with characteristic brain MRI features of leukoencephalopathy. We report the first Tunisian patient with clinical features of ClCN-2-related leukoencephalopathy. A 54-year-old female with a family history of leukemia, male infertility, motor disability, and headaches who initially presented with a tension-type headache and normal physical examination. At the follow-up, she developed mild gait ataxia and psycho-cognitive disturbances. A previously reported homozygous NM_004366.6(CLCN2):c.1709G > A (p.Trp570Ter) stop gained mutation was identified. This report expands the knowledge related to CC2L and highlights the clinical features in affected individuals of African descent.

The utilization of art for therapeutic purposes in the formal healthcare setting is gradually gaining prominence in Nigeria. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions. Therefore, we explored the pooled effect of the various arts-based interventions in managing clinical disorders in hospitalized and out-patients in Nigeria. An electronic search of PubMed, African Journal Online, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases was carried out from the inception of the databases to October 31, 2021. Three researchers using Rayyan QCRI software independently screened and de-duplicated the identified studies. Eight eligible studies were selected for this review, with a total of 541 participants. The earliest study was published in 2012. Seven of the eight studies were conducted in the Southern part of Nigeria. There were four quasi-experimental studies, two randomized controlled trials, and two comparative cross-sectional studies. The predominant art forms were music (three) and dance/movement (three), followed by visual art (two). The groups of patients in the identified studies were managed for mental health problems (two), hypertension (two), Parkinson's disease (one), spinal cord injury (one), autistic spectrum disorder (one), and chronic back pain (one). In all the studies, the art-based intervention significantly improved the overall outcome of the patients. The findings of the available studies have proven to yield a significant positive outcome in managing different health conditions. However, there is a need to conduct more high-quality research in this field in Nigeria.

Pott's puffy tumor, a rare condition, is an osteomyelitis involving the frontal bone with accompanying subperiosteal abscess. Patients typically present with swelling of the scalp and forehead, headache, fever, tenderness of the frontal sinus, and nasal discharge. MRI is the modality of choice for diagnosis and assessment. The standard of care is incision and drainage with long-course antibiotics. The prognosis is excellent; however, complications from a hematogenous spread can lead to meningitis or epidural spaces if not treated properly.

Hip fractures are common causes of disability, with mortality rates reaching 30% at one year. Nonmodifiable risk factors include lower socioeconomic status, older age, female sex, prior fracture, metabolic bone disease, and bony malignancy. Modifiable risk factors include low body mass index, having osteoporosis, increased fall risk, medications that increase fall risk or decrease bone mineral density, and substance use. Hip fractures present with anterior groin pain, inability to bear weight, or a shortened, abducted, externally rotated limb. Plain radiography is usually sufficient for diagnosis, but magnetic resonance imaging should be obtained if suspicion of fracture persists despite normal radiography. Operative management within 24 to 48 hours of the fracture optimizes outcomes. Fractures are usually managed by surgery, with the approach based on fracture type and location; spinal or general anesthesia can be used. Nonsurgical management can be considered for patients who are not good surgical candidates. Pre- and postoperative antistaphylococcal antibiotics are given to prevent joint infection. Medications for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis are also recommended. Physicians should be alert for the presence of delirium, which is a common postoperative complication. Early postoperative mobilization, followed by rehabilitation, improves outcomes. Subsequent care focuses on prevention, with increased physical activity, home safety assessments, and minimizing polypharmacy. Two less common hip fractures can also occur: femoral neck stress fractures and insufficiency fractures. Femoral neck stress fractures typically occur in dancers 20 to 30 years of age, endurance athletes, and military service members, often because of training overload. Insufficiency fractures due to compromised bone strength occur without trauma in postmenopausal women. If not recognized and treated, these fractures can progress to complete and displaced fractures with high rates of nonunion and avascular necrosis.

Spontaneous lens dislocation without genetic factors is rare. In this case, spontaneous lens dislocation occurred without an apparent trigger and resulted in secondary angle-closure glaucoma. A head computed tomography (CT) scan showed lens dislocation. It is critical to assess for lens dislocation during head CT scan for a sudden headache.

The Corona pandemic and ongoing mass vaccinations raise the question of the nocebo mechanisms involved. Since immunization is usually administered to healthy people as a preventive health measure, adverse events (AE) following immunization are less accepted and could contribute to vaccine hesitancy. Assuming that vaccinees experience nocebo responses, the aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effect sizes of solicited adverse events (or assumed reactogenicity) reported in placebo groups in RCTs on seasonal influenza vaccination.

Plexiform neurofibromas (PN) are benign nerve sheath tumours that are a frequent and potentially debilitating complication in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The objective of this study was to describe the natural history of PN in children, adolescents and adults with NF1.