Rejected

The purpose of the present study was to assess nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC) and sinonasal symptoms of healthcare professionals wearing filtering facepiece-3 (FFP3) respirators.

A 9-year-old male presented to the Children's Colorado Emergency Department (ED) after losing consciousness and falling face-first onto a sidewalk while being escorted from a 4th of July parade. He had a mild headache and nausea that worsened as the parade progressed. En route to the hospital, his temperature was 105℉ and he had a tonic-clonic seizure. He had had a head injury one week prior. He had been jumping on a trampoline with siblings when his sister landed on his head. There was no loss of consciousness and he denied headache or nausea afterward. Computed tomography (CT) of his head (not shown) had been reportedly negative. By the time he arrived at the ED this time, he was awake but still had a headache and nausea. On examination, he had nuchal rigidity with gait ataxia and positive Romberg testing. Head CT (Fig. 1A) showed a focal linear hyperdensity in the region of the left Sylvian fissure. There was concern for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) given his two recent head injuries. Later, the same hyperdensity was retrospectively noted on his previous CT. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging with angiography (MRI/MRA) (Fig. 1B) revealed the hyperdensity to be a large left temporal lobe developmental venous anomaly (DVA). There was no aneurysm. By the next morning, the patient's symptoms and findings had all resolved. It was thought that he had suffered acute hyperthermia. Developmental venous anomalies of the brain are congenital abnormalities that arise from incomplete development of the venous system. They can be found in up to 2.6 % of autopsy studies and are thought to be harmless. They can be associated with sporadic cerebral cavernous malformations. Rare cases of hemorrhage have been reported, but usually in association with cavernous malformations. As DVAs provide venous drainage to the brain, it is important not to damage them during resection of cavernous malformations. The Sylvian fissure is a common place for both posttraumatic and aneurysmal SAH. Sometimes, after trauma, it is unclear whether SAH resulted from the trauma or from aneurysmal rupture. As shown in this report, however, hyperdensity in the region of the Sylvian fissure on CT may not represent SAH. In certain circumstances, if further imaging is being contemplated to search for the source of SAH, providers may consider MRI/MRA with contrast versus CT or catheter angiography, as other lesions will be better seen on MR imaging.

Enhanced recovery programmes in laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LCS) employ combined approaches to achieve postoperative analgesia. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a locoregional anaesthetic technique that may reduce postoperative pain.

Use of multimodal analgesia (MMA) prior to orthopedic surgery has been adopted by many practitioners as a strategy to minimize use of opioid medications. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the effect of a preemptive three-drug regimen (acetaminophen, celecoxib, and gabapentin) in terms of post-operative opioid consumption and pain control in the field of total joint arthroplasty.

The past 5 years have witnessed a concerted national effort to assuage the rising tide of the opioid misuse in our country. Surgical procedures often serve as the initial exposure of children to opioids, however the trajectory of use following these exposures remains unclear. We hypothesized that opioid exposure following appendectomy would increase the risk of persistent opioid use among publicly insured children.

Homelessness is a public health crisis and there is a paucity of information about patients with rheumatic disease experiencing homelessness. We sought to develop approaches to improve care for this unique patient population. We previously reported observations on 17 homeless patients with inflammatory arthritis (15 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 2 psoriatic arthritis (PsA)). We obtained follow-up information from our original 17 patients and compared this to data summarized and published about them from 12 months previously. We also created and administered a 100-question needs assessment survey. Follow-up 12-month clinical information was available from 13/17 homeless and 13/17 non-homeless controls. Homeless patients remained less well with more disease than non-homeless patients-poorer access to clinic appointments (80% vs 91%, p < 0.05), more emergency services use (20 vs 5 ED visits), less DMARDs use (43% vs 100%, p < 0.01), and more steroid use (29% vs 0%, p < 0.01). Homeless patients also had higher inflammatory markers than non-homeless patients (ESR 32 vs 26 mm/h and CRP 17 vs 5 mg/L), although these findings were not statistically significantly different. Seventy-eight percent of homeless patients were stable, 14% improved, and 7% worse; 21% had stable controlled and 57% stable active disease vs 62% and 0% of non-homeless (p < 0.01). Among the homeless, 6 (4 RA, 2 PsA) completed the survey, 2 declined, and 9 could not be reached. All 6 had found housing although all still had housing insecurity; 4 (67%) were homeless in the past. Three out of six (50%) obtained housing from social assistance during hospitalization following disease exacerbation while homeless. The average monthly income was $873. 5/6 (83.3%), were unable to work due to health, and were in considerable pain that adversely impacted their physical and mental health and ability to perform ADLs. Their perceived "greatest need" included dental care, physical therapy, knee surgery, employment, socialization secondary to isolation, and stable housing. Our understanding of the unique challenges of patients with rheumatic disease experiencing homelessness is improved, but not complete. Strengthened collaboration between street medicine providers and rheumatologists is necessary to improve care for homeless patients, especially given poorer outcomes compared with non-homeless counterparts. Key Points • We report 12-month follow-up information from our original 17 homeless patients with inflammatory arthritis (related in this journal in 2021) and their responses to an extensive needs assessment survey designed to identify barriers to care. • Homeless patients with inflammatory arthritis continued to have worse disease outcomes, use more corticosteroids and less DMARDs, and be seen less often in rheumatology clinics and more frequently in emergency departments than their non-homeless counterparts. • Survey data indicated that social assistance during hospitalization was a key area where healthcare providers could intervene to provide housing security for homeless patients and improve outcomes. Patients perceived "greatest needs" went beyond housing and rheumatological care and critically included access to social/specialty services. • Street medicine is the direct delivery of healthcare to people experiencing homelessness wherever they reside. Our observations, obtained in collaboration with street medicine colleagues, suggest important and salutary opportunities for this partnership to improve care for these particular patients.

Osteoarthritis is a syndrome characterised by joint pain, resulting in functional limitation and a decreased quality of life. This chronic condition is one of the major public health problems facing society today and is likely to become more prevalent. The expected increase is because of the primary causative factors, advancing age and obesity, becoming increasingly prevalent in society. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis can be made clinically when activity related joint pain is present, alongside morning joint stiffness that lasts for less than 30 minutes. However, a radiological diagnosis can also be made. This article examines the current management strategies, as outlined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for osteoarthritis. Although numerous surgical options are available, this article focuses on the non-operative strategies currently used. The emphasis in this article is on general principles of treatment rather than treatment options for specific joints.

Spondylolysis remains one of the most common causes of lower back pain in the pediatric and adolescent populations and is particularly prevalent in young sporting individuals. Despite this, approaches to diagnostic imaging and both conservative and surgical treatment vary widely among surgeons. The current review investigates recent literature on the etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of spondylolysis. In particular, it interrogates the use of various advanced imaging modalities (CT, MRI, SPECT) in diagnosis as well as common surgical approaches to the condition.

Natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) is a technique that involves collecting a specimen for extraction through a natural opening avoiding a mini-laparotomy incision. The aim of this study was to compare NOSE and transabdominal specimen extraction in laparoscopic (LAP) colorectal cancer surgery for postoperative outcomes and oncological safety.