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Rare disease: SHORT Syndrome

SHORT syndrome; a rare condition is characterized by multiple birth defects in various organ systems of the affected individual.

The syndrome is self-explanatory with each letter of SHORT syndrome represents one of the common findings in affected persons:

(S) = short stature

(H) = hyperextensibility of joints and/or hernia (inguinal)

(O) = ocular depression (deep-set eyes)

(R) = Rieger anomaly (defective development of the eye that often leads to glaucoma)

(T) = teething delay

However, not all of these five features are required to diagnose the condition.

Synonyms of SHORT Syndrome

Aarskog-Ose-Pande syndrome

lipodystrophy-Rieger anomaly-diabetes syndrome

Rieger anomaly-partial lipodystrophy syndrome

PIK3R1-associated syndromic insulin resistance with lipoatrophy

Symptoms

Symptoms include additional or distinctive facial features such as small, triangular-shaped face; prominent forehead; large ears; abnormal positioning of the ears; underdeveloped (hypoplastic) or thin nostrils; and thin, wrinkled skin that gives the impression of premature aging.  

Intelligence is often normal, but speech delay and other developmental delays are also seen in affected individual during childhood.

Affected infants have difficulty gaining weight and are prone to illnesses. Hearing loss is common. Individuals may also develop diabetes in the second decade of life

Causes

SHORT syndrome is a genetic disorder and inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. For such type of inheritance, one abnormal copy of the causative gene is sufficient to cause signs and symptoms of the syndrome.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is confirmed with the genetic testing showing a mutation in the PIK3R1 gene. In general, the facial features allow to make a suspicion of the diagnosis. The features most consistently observed in SHORT syndrome affected individuals include:

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)

Partial lipodystrophy

Short stature

Facial characteristics

Axenfeld-Rieger anomaly or related eye anomalies

Delayed dentition

Diabetes

Treatment:

Treatment is often symptomatic. No treatment is available for the condition.

Read more https://wcts.app/ShortSyndrome

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Does Hand Reflexology Help Fight Anxiety?

Hand reflexology is a kind of massage therapy founded on the belief that the entire body is connected through nerves in the hands.

Hand reflexology is the less popular sister therapy of foot reflexology, which involves applying pressure to nerve junctures and pressure points present on the hands, which are believed to be linked to other parts of the body.

This belief of applying pressure and stimulating blood flow to those areas on the hand leads to changes in other areas and organs of the body.

Benefits of Hand Reflexology

Some general benefits of the therapy are better supported with evidence; these include:

Improving Circulation: Several anecdotal reports and studies have shown an improvement in circulation with hand reflexology. This manipulation of pressure points and nerve endings can inherently boost circulation to given areas, so this claim is more widely believed than some others.

Relieving Anxiety Levels: Hand reflexology showed a positive effect on anxiety levels of patients undergoing coronary angiography as per the findings of a research study. This research has spurred other research on the efficiency of the therapy on more generalized anxiety.

Aiding Physical Relaxation: Similar to any form of massage, hand reflexology also has a relaxing aspect to it, when done correctly.

Reducing Inflammation: The manipulation of pressure points is believed to boost circulation and reduce those tight or swollen areas in the hands or feet. According to a review, the link between the hands and other parts of the body can aid inflammatory symptoms in non-localized regions as well.

PMS Symptoms: Studies related to hand reflexology found that women who underwent hand and foot reflexology experienced notably fewer symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Cancer-Related Symptoms: Researchers identified that reflexology when applied for patients undergoing chemotherapy, increases endurance and energy, lower anxiety levels, and reduce nausea and pain.

Alleviates Hand and Wrist Pain: Massage and pressure point manipulation on other parts of the body helps in increasing circulation and relieving tension/inflammation, thereby alleviating chronic pain.

Safety

One of the best things about hand reflexology is that there is no evidence of any harmful side effects of the therapy. It is a non-invasive therapeutic procedure that can be applied for a huge range of problems as complementary or secondary medicine.

The efficacy of the treatment often depends on the practitioner, and there is a chance of discomfort or pain if the reflexologist is inexperienced.

Read more https://wcts.app/HandReflexology

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What Is The Most Common Indication For Percutaneous Vertebroplasty?

Percutaneous Vertebroplasty, also known as vertebral packing or vertebroplasty, is a procedure in which a medical grade cement is injected through a needle into a painful, fractured vertebral body. The procedure is aimed at preventing vertebral body collapse and pain in patients with bone failure. The procedure originated in the year 1984 has become popular, and many technical improvements have been made since then.

Indications

Severe painful osteoporosis with loss of height or compression fractures of vertebral bodies.

Painful compression fractures in patients with osteoporosis refractory to conservative therapy.

The ideal candidate for vertebroplasty presents within four months of fracture and has midline, nonradiating back pain that increases with weight-bearing and can be exacerbated by manual palpation of the spinous process of the involved vertebra.

Symptomatic vertebral angioma.

Painful vertebral body tumors and acetabular tumors.

In cancer patients, the technique is used mainly in the symptomatic treatment of osteolytic bone metastases and myeloma. As vertebroplasty is intended only to relieve pain weight-bearing bone, other specific tumor therapy should be given in conjunction.

The use of PMMA is reserved for the weight-bearing bone. In other locations, alcohol or other pain thermoablation techniques can be used to treat the pain.

Contraindications

Hemorrhagic diathesis

Infection

Lesions with epidural extension. These require a careful injection to prevent epidural overflow and spinal cord compression by the cement or displaced epidural tissue.

Patients with more than five or diffuse metastases

Overview of the procedure

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia combined with neuroleptanalgesia. The patient is placed in a prone position for lumbar and thoracic levels and supine position for cervical levels.

A 15-gauge needle is used for cervical vertebrae and a 10-gauge needle for thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. A dual-guidance CT and C-arm fluoroscopy or biplane fluoroscopy is used.

CT is used to determine the entry point and the pathway, avoiding the nerve root and visceral structures. The needle is safely guided under CT or biplane fluoroscopy.

The imaging mode is switched to fluoroscopy once the needle is held in the optimal position.

The acrylic cement mixed with tantalum (to increase radiopacity) is injected during the pasty polymerization phase to prevent distal venous migration.

The injection of cement is carefully controlled under strict lateral fluoroscopy. The injection is stopped when epidural or paravertebral opacification is observed or when the cement reaches the dorsal quarter of the vertebral body.

Complications

Cement leak is the most severe and frequent complication.

The second most serious complication is an infection.

Temporary pain might occur after the procedure.

Allergic reactions and hypertension are limited in these procedures as the quantity of cement injected in this procedure are far less than that used in orthopedic surgery.

Read more https://wcts.app/Vertebroplasty

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First Duodenoscope With Disposable Elevator End Piece Cleared By USFDA

FDA has given clearance to a duodenoscope that features a disposable elevator end piece, making it easier to guarantee that the scope is properly sterilized between patients.

The PENTAX Medical Video Duodenoscope ED34-i10T2 combines a sterile disposable elevator cap for single-patient use and simple disposal that advances the cleaning capability of the duodenoscope to help reduce the risk of cross-contamination and improve patient care with High-Definition image quality for detailed endoscopic visualization during ERCP procedures.

A few years ago, it was discovered that duodenoscopes are carriers of infections, because of design flaws and insufficient processing, causing multiple deaths as well as a shock to the scope industry.

Thanks to the disposable end piece of the new ED34-i10T2 duodenoscope, which has fewer parts to process when sterilizing.

Experts say that with the new device, there’s a 35% reduction in distal end reprocessing due to better access for cleaning and disinfection as well as disposability of the elevator.

Improving the safety of duodenoscopes is a top priority for the FDA since such devices remain critical to life-saving care for many patients.

Read more https://wcts.app/Duodenoscope

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Digest Of Technology Updates

1. Surgeons Successfully Implant Donor Kidney Using Robot Through Single Port

Surgeons at the Cleveland Clinic managed to implant a donor kidney into a patient using a surgical robot, and all through one small incision. The technique, in which instruments, as well as the donor's kidney, can be passed through a four centimeter (1.6 inch) wide incision, is designed to make it easier to perform transplants on patients with difficult anatomies and to cause less collateral damage to internal and external tissues.

Click Here to read more about this interesting update

2. New Cervical Dilator Device Makes Access To Uterus Easier

A new cervical dilator instrument is designed for more comfortable and consistent access to the uterine cavities, which may not require the use of tenaculum pincers.  The device is names as Definity and developed by Hologic. The device is being released in the United States in three sizes (5 mm, 7 mm, and 9 mm).

Click Here to know more about the device

3. This Device Can Detect Carbohydrate Metabolism

Researchers developed the first portable, carbohydrate metabolism measurement device. Through the system, users can assess their carbohydrate metabolism ‘anywhere’ and at ‘anytime’. The product, which is expected to release soon, is a radial arterial pulse wave gyro sensor that analyzes pulse-wave patterns at the wrist. Researchers hope this new device will help with dietary monitoring and help users to manage conditions such as diabetes and pre-diabetes.

Click Here to read more about the device

4. PACIFIER to Measure Glucose in Newborns

Researchers from the University of California have developed a pacifier that consists of an in-built biosensor that can measure glucose concentrations in a newborn’s saliva in real-time. This technology has the potential to diagnose type 1 diabetes and other conditions in which glucose is a biomarker immediately post-birth.

Click Here to read more about this interesting update

5. Soft Auditory Brainstem Hearing Implants Developed!

Cochlear and middle ear implants do not help people with hearing loss due to inner ear damage or poor functioning of the auditory nerve. Auditory brainstem implants (ABI) bypass most of the hearing system and send signals to the auditory brainstem directly, are the best option for these patients.

Read more https://wcts.app/TechnologyUpdates

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A Melon-Size Tumor Was Removed From A Man's Neck

A melon-sized tumor in a man's neck was threatening to suffocate the patient. The cancer was identified as pleomorphic sarcoma, a type of cancer that can develop in blood vessels as well as in deep skin, fat, muscle, or nerve tissue.

This cancer is known to grow rapidly, usually in one part of the body, or it can even spread to the other parts of the body.

About the Case:

In this case, an 81-year-old man was diagnosed with soft-tissue cancer called pleomorphic sarcoma.

The tumor mass measured about 9 inches (23 centimeters) across and weighed about 3 kilograms.

At the time of diagnosis, the tumor was about the size of a large cherry tomato on the neck, but over the next month, the mass swelled to the size of an apple. This was when the patient decided to get it removed.

The patient consulted a surgeon who deemed the procedure to be too risky as the tumor had grown around the man's carotid artery. Removing the mass might sever the critical blood vessel, doctors worried.

It was finally when the patient was referred to Dr. Nazir Kahn, head and neck surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. By that time, the tumor growth has reached the size of a melon. The surgeon worried as any more growth might have suffocated the patient.

The procedure took about 7 hours to complete, which was shorter than expected, the surgeon told. The doctors had not had to reconstruct regions of the patient's neck, as they expected they might have to.

The patient is now recovering well and is expected to undergo further cancer treatment in the next few months.

Read more https://wcts.app/MelonSizeTumor

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A Rare Childhood Liver Tumor Successfully Managed With A Major Liver Resection

Hepatoblastoma is a rare childhood tumor that usually occurs in children younger than 3 years of age. It is usually managed by surgery with chemotherapy before or after surgery.

About the Case:

Gita a 2-year-old girl was brought to PACE hospitals with a tumor involving the right half of the liver with elevated Alfa-fetoprotein suggestive of hepatoblastoma.

Usually, most of these patients present in a more advanced stage and are managed by chemotherapy followed by surgery.

In this case, the tumor was involving 4 out of 8 segments of the liver so the doctor at PACE hospitals planned for a primary surgery followed by chemotherapy.

She underwent surgery in which approximately 65% of her liver involving the tumor was removed.

Post-operative recovery was smooth.

Kudos to the anesthetist and critical care team for helping the surgeons accomplish this rare surgery in a young child.

Read more https://wcts.app/LiverResection

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Most Common Cause Of Bleeding Between Menstrual Cycles: Endometrial Hyperplasia

Endometrial hyperplasia occurs when the endometrium of the uterus, becomes abnormally thick. It is not considered cancer; however, in some cases, it can lead to cancer of the uterus.

Endometrial hyperplasia is classified into 4 types depending on the number of abnormal cells and the presence of cell changes.

The types include:

Simple endometrial hyperplasia

Complex endometrial hyperplasia

Simple atypical endometrial hyperplasia

Complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia.

Symptoms

Abnormal menstrual bleeding is the primary symptom of endometrial hyperplasia. Other symptoms which require immediate medical attention include

Bleeding that is heavier or longer-lasting than usual.

Menstrual cycles that are shorter than 21 days.

Menstrual bleeding between menstrual periods.

Not having a period (pre-menopause).

Post-menopause uterine bleeding

Causes

Too much estrogen or not enough progesterone are the major causes of endometrial hyperplasia. Estrogen is responsible for the cell growth in the endometrium, while progesterone signals the shedding mechanism of the endometrial cells. A hormonal imbalance can lead to too many cells or abnormal cells.

Diagnosis

Abnormal uterine bleeding can be a symptom of many conditions. Examinations and tests, such as transvaginal ultrasound, are used to measure the thickness of the endometrium. A thick layer can indicate endometrial hyperplasia.

Doctors may suggest a biopsy of the endometrium cells to determine the presence of cancer.

Risk Factors

Long-term use of medicines that contain high levels of estrogen

Irregular menstrual cycles (infertility or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS))

Obesity

Use of tobacco

First menstrual cycle at an early age

Going through menopause at an older age

Never having been pregnant

Family history of uterine, ovarian, or colon cancer

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of endometrial hyperplasia. The most common treatment is a progestin. This can be taken in several forms, such as a pill, shot, vaginal cream, or an intrauterine device.

Atypical types of endometrial hyperplasia, especially complex, increases the risk of getting cancer. Doctors might consider a hysterectomy if the patient no longer wants to become pregnant.

There are also several more conservative treatments for younger women who do not wish to have a hysterectomy.

Read more https://wcts.app/MenstrualCycles

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Doctors' Perception On Patients Compliance To Medication, Follow-Up, & Treatment

Adherence to therapies is a primary determinant of treatment success. Patient compliance with follow-up also plays a key role in the medical surveillance of chronic diseases.

Failure to adherence is a serious problem which not only affects the patient but also the health care system. Medication non-adherence in patients leads to a substantial worsening of the disease, death and increased health care costs.

Objective:  Determining doctors’ perception of patients compliance to medication and follow up a treatment plan

A total of 124 doctors participated in the survey - Dentists (23%), ENT specialists (19%), Pediatricians (16%), Ophthalmologists (14%), MBBS Doctors (12%), Diabetologists (11%), Others (5%)

More than half of the doctors (52%) stated that the patients are highly compliant to the prescribed medications, while only 4% are the least complaint.

When the doctors were asked the most common barriers that influence medication compliance, 23% stated the medication cost, followed by fear of adverse side effects (17%), inadequate knowledge of the drug and its use (17%), poor patient-physician communication (16%) and long term drug regimen (14%).

29% of the doctors stated that identifying and addressing the problems related to medication adherence, followed by improved patient-physician communication (27%), assessing adherence during consequent follow-ups (20%) can provide an effective method to improve medication compliance.

48% of the doctors stated that the patients are moderately compliant with their followup plan, while 32% are highly compliant.

The majority of the doctors (45%) stated that patients visit for follow up only when their condition worsens, while 30% visit randomly.

When the doctors were asked factors affecting the follow-up plan, 51% stated lack of awareness, followed by the cost of treatment (35%).

In our survey, most of the doctors stated that the medication cost, fear of adverse side effects, inadequate knowledge of the drug and its use and poor patient-physician communication are the most common barriers that influence medication compliance in their patients. They also mentioned that the lack of awareness and cost of the treatment are the two main factors that affect the follow-up treatment plan.

Although patient education is the key to improving compliance; the use of compliance aids, proper motivation and support may help to increase compliance to medication and follow up a treatment plan. Certain tools/apps can also be introduced where the patients are educated on adherence, set reminders, receive refill alerts, know the side effects, etc.

Therefore, a single method cannot improve compliance, instead, a combination of various techniques like identifying and addressing the problems related to medication adherence and improving patient-physician communication should be implemented to improve patient’s compliance with their prescribed treatment.

Read more https://wcts.app/Medication

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A Giant Parathyroid Adenoma of 7.7 Grams Was Excised From An Indian Woman

Giant parathyroid adenoma is a rare type of parathyroid tumor in which the gland is weighing more than 3.5 g, where a normal parathyroid gland weighs only about 50-70 mg.

Patients with this condition present with primary hyperparathyroidism with more elevated laboratory findings and severe clinical presentations due to the larger tissue mass.

A rare case of Giant parathyroid adenoma was reported by Dr. Mohamed S. Al-Hassan and colleagues at the Department of General Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar which appeared in the Journal of Medical Case Reports.

This case of non-ectopic GPTA is unusual as it presented mainly with a visible, palpable right-sided neck mass, which was significant to the extent that the initial ultrasound suggested that it could be a thyroid nodule.

About the Case:

A 52-year-old woman from India was referred to the Surgical Endocrinology clinic with complaints of swelling in the neck and generalized fatigue.

The patient’s past social, environmental, family, and employment history were unremarkable.

Laboratory results showed hypercalcemia and elevated PTH.

The patient was abstinent from smoking or consuming alcohol. No past history of symptomatic kidney stones was observed.

A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a 2 mm non-obstructing calculus in the lower pole calyx of her right kidney with no hydroureteronephrosis.

Past medical history indicated dyslipidemia, controlled with medication.

Physical examination revealed an obvious right-sided neck swelling,  further investigations revealed a mobile non-tender nodule of approximately 3 cm in size was felt on palpitation.

The rest of the physical examination was unremarkable. A neurological examination was unremarkable. On admission, her pulse, blood pressure, and temperature were normal.

Ultrasound showed a complex nodule with solid and cystic components, and a Sestamibi nuclear scan confirmed a GPTA.

The patient underwent a focused surgical neck exploration, and a GPTA weighing 7.7 gm was excised.

Read more https://wcts.app/ParathyroidAdenoma

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Know The Risks And Benefits Of Investing In Shares

Investing in shares, like any investment, can come with a certain amount of risk. The stock market is one investment option, which though risky can give you huge benefits.

However, understanding the risks and benefits of investing in shares can be beneficial. Investing in shares can be highly lucrative and can set up a bright financial future. The benefits of investing in shares are:

Capital Growth: This occurs when an individual experiences a significant rise in share prices and is one of the long-term objectives of investing in shares.

Dividends: It is a cash reward given out to shareholders as part of the profit made by the company at the end of each financial year.

Liquidity: By nature, shares are a very liquid product and can be bought and sold quickly over an exchange platform.

The primary risk of investing is that it can result in a loss of capital. When a company is not performing good or when the market perception of the company is negative, the share price may fall below the price which you originally paid for the share or even to zero.

Few other risks could be:

Volatility Risk: Share prices can be volatile and investors should be aware that their shares may fluctuate significantly in price in short periods.

Market Risk: Market risk is influenced by outside factors such as interest rate changes.

Timing Risk: This is the risk that you buy or sell a share at the wrong time. Not all sectors of the market follow the same price cycles. Understanding business cycles and how different companies perform can help to manage the effects of timing risk.

Therefore, while there are definite risks to investing in shares, there is also the possibility of disproportionately high returns, which exceeds the bank rate of interest.

Read more https://wcts.app/BenefitsOfInvesting

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World AIDS Day

HIV is a major public health concern, affecting 37.9 million people worldwide. World AIDS Day aims to provide better awareness about HIV/AIDS, to take preventative measures against it, and reducing the social stigma that comes with being diagnosed as HIV-positive.

World AIDS Day is observed on 1st December every year and the theme for this year is “Communities make the difference”. This year’s theme highlights the difference these communities are making to end the HIV epidemic while drawing global attention to the need for their broader engagement in strengthening primary health care.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a combination of three or more drugs used for the effective treatment of HIV and its complications. It should be emphasized that the right treatment can allow people with HIV to lead relatively normal lives.

Psychological counseling and support must be provided after HIV diagnosis to help patients cope with it. Educating people about safe sex practices and other preventive measures is essential to combat the HIV epidemic.

Awareness about HIV/AIDS is also very important among healthcare professionals, due to the risk of needle stick injuries and contact with infected body fluids. Post-exposure prophylaxis protocols must be followed stringently to reduce the risk of HIV infection in healthcare professionals.

Read more https://wcts.app/WorldAIDSDay

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Case Buzz: Iris Transillumination Defects in Pigment Dispersion Syndrome

Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) is a disorder that can lead to pigmentary glaucoma, which is one of the forms of glaucoma. When the damage happens to the optic nerve fibers, the vision loss that occurs is irreversible and painless.

Posterior bowing of the iris causes chafing of zonular fibers of the lens and release of pigment, which impart color to the eye. The released pigment accumulates in the trabecular meshwork of the eye and prevents aqueous humour drainage, leading to increases in IOP and subsequent optic nerve damage known as pigmentary glaucoma.

The condition is more common in people with nearsightedness. Although rare, PDS and pigmentary glaucoma occur at a younger age than primary open-angle glaucoma.

This rare case was reported by Dr. Lance Lyons and Dr. Alec Amram at the University of Texas Medical Branch, which appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine.

About the Case:

A 44-year-old man with a family history of glaucoma was presented to the ophthalmology clinic to reestablish care after relocating.

The patient was using timolol, brimonidine, and brinzolamide, for increased intraocular pressure (IOP). His measured IOP was 21 mm Hg in each eye, and his visual acuity was 20/25 in each eye.

Examination of both the eye revealed circumferential spoke-like iris transillumination defects.

Gonioscopy of the anterior chamber revealed an open, heavily pigmented, iridocorneal angle and a cup-to-disk ratio of 0.4 in the right and 0.6 in the left eye.

Doctors diagnosed the condition as pigment dispersion syndrome.

A selective laser trabeculoplasty was performed on the patient he was suggested to continue using pressure-lowering eye drops to manage intraocular pressure.

Read more https://wcts.app/TransilluminationDefects

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Sinusitis: Know The Symptoms, Causes and More?

Sinuses are the cavities that produce the mucus necessary for the nasal passages to work effectively. Sinusitis or sinus infection is the inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Sinusitis interferes with the way mucus normally drains and makes the nose stuffy.

Types of sinusitis

Acute: This is the most common type and lasts for about 2-4 weeks

Subacute: The sinus inflammation usually lasts 4 to 12 weeks.

Chronic: Lasts for a long time, usually longer than 12 weeks.

Recurrent sinusitis: It happens several times a year.

Causes

Sinusitis can be caused due to

Viral infections

Bacterial infections

Fungal infections or

Pollutants

Risk factors

People are at an increased risk of sinusitis who had

Previous respiratory tract infection

Nasal polyps

Allergies

Structural problems in the septum (deviated septum)

Weakened immune system

Asthma

Symptoms

Common signs and symptoms of sinusitis include:

Reduced sense of smell and taste

Nasal discharge

Nasal obstruction or congestion, causing difficulty in breathing

Pain, tenderness and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead

Other signs and symptoms include:

Headache

Ear pain

Sore throat

Fatigue

Bad breath

Diagnosis

The condition is diagnosed with the help of

Imaging tests: CT or MRI scans can show the details of sinuses and nasal area and any inflammation in sinuses.

Nasal endoscopy: A thin, flexible tube with a fiber-optic light is inserted through the nose to examine the inside of the sinuses

An allergy test: A skin test is safe and quick to help detect what allergen is responsible for the nasal flare-ups

Samples from the nasal and sinus: A swab is placed inside the nose to collect samples that might help determine the cause (a bacterial or fungal or viral infection)

Treatment

Treatment usually depends on the severity of the condition. Acute sinusitis doesn’t require any treatment beyond symptomatic relief. Other treatments include:

Antibiotic therapy: If the cause is a bacterial infection

Saline nasal spray: Nasal sprays or solutions helps to reduce the drainage and rinse away irritants and allergies

Nasal corticosteroids: The nasal sprays with corticosteroids may help to prevent and treat inflammation

Nasal decongestants: These medications are available over-the-counter (OTC), and should be used only when prescribed

Surgery: When the above treatments fail, surgery may be recommended

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5 Unique Surgical Procedures - Weird or Wonderful?

Since the first human heart transplant in 1967, there are thousands of surgical procedures evolved, transforming people's lives every day.

Apart from those, we take a look at five of the most bizarre surgical procedures.

1) Ankle to knee Surgery

Rotationplasty is an extraordinary reconstructive surgery, where the ankle is used as a knee joint.

In this procedure, the bottom of the femur, the knee, and the upper tibia are surgically removed, and the lower part of the leg is then rotated 180 degrees and attached to the thigh.

In simple terms, the foot is attached to the knee backward.

After fitting the prosthesis, the ankle of the foot functions as a knee.

2) Tooth-in-eye surgery

Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis is just using the tooth to restore the sight of a patient.

OOKP is used for patients whose blindness is caused by irreversible damage to the cornea and for whom other treatment methods have failed. The patient's tooth is used as the body is unlikely to reject it.

The patient's canine or premolar tooth, and the surrounding bone is removed for the technique. Firstly, a hole is drilled in the tooth, and a plastic lens is inserted in the hole. To grow new blood vessels, the lens-tooth structure is implanted into the patient's cheek for a few months.

Finally, the structure is removed from the cheek and implanted into the eye. Light travels through the lens, thereby restoring the patient's vision.

3) Removing half of the brain

Hemispherectomy is the partial or total removal or disconnection of one of the two hemispheres of the brain. It seems beyond impossible that removing half of the brain can be a feasible, effective surgical solution for certain neurological conditions, but yes, in some cases, it is.

Hemispherectomy is considered a radical procedure, which can take as long as 12 hours to complete. It is usually performed on patients with neurological disorders that lead to seizures on one side of the brain.

Those neurological disorders include severe epilepsy, perinatal stroke, hemimegalencephaly, Sturge-Weber-Dimitri disease, and Rasmussen's encephalitis (inflammation of the cerebral cortex).

Patients who are undergoing hemispherectomy experience paralysis on the side of their body, opposite to their removed hemisphere. As the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks and side effects, the procedure is opted in certain conditions.

4) Heterotopic heart transplant

The procedure is also known as "piggyback" heart transplantation. The surgical implantation of a healthy donor heart on the right side of the recipient's damaged heart where both the hearts are surgically attached is known as a heterotopic heart transplant.

The surgical connection between both hearts allows blood from the damaged heart to flow into the new heart, then the new heart can pumps blood around the body.

5) Head transplant

The procedure is named as HEAVEN-GEMINI will involve removing the heads of the recipient and a healthy donor using an "ultra-sharp blade," to avoid spinal cord damage.

The recipient's head and the donor body are placed into deep hypothermia for about 45 mins to reduce nerve damage. The recipient's head will then be attached to the donor body using spinal cord fusion.

The entire surgical procedure is expected to take around 36 hours, and it will require the skills of about 150 surgeons and nurses.

Later, the recipient is kept in a coma for 3-4 weeks to minimize movement and ensure the nerve connections between the neck and the spine have time to fuse.

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Digest of Recent Drug Approvals

1. New Drugs Were Approved for H.Pylori Infection, Chemotherapy Induced Neutropenia

US Food and Drug Administration has recently approved Talicia (amoxicillin, omeprazole, and rifabutin) Delayed-Release Capsules for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in adults.

USFDA also approved Ziextenzo a PEGylated growth colony-stimulating factor indicated to reduce the incidence of febrile neutropenia in patients who underwent chemotherapy.

Click Here to read in detail about these drugs.

2. A New Drug Was Approved For Multiple Sclerosis

Vumerity consists of diroximel fumarate which is recently approved for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease and active secondary progressive disease.

Click Here to read in detail about Vumerity.

3. New Drugs Were Announced for Hypotension, Acne, Cystic Fibrosis

USFDA has announced the approval of Trikafta (elexacaftor, ivacaftor and tezacaftor) a triple combination regimen for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, Amzeeq (minocycline topical foam) for the treatment of inflammatory lesions of non-nodular moderate to severe acne vulgaris.

USFDA also announced the ready-to-use formulation of phenylephrine injection Biorphen for the treatment of clinically important hypotension resulting primarily from vasodilation in the setting of anesthesia.

Click Here for details about these drugs

4. New Drugs Were Approved For Migraine, Schizophrenia, Erythropoietic Protoporphyria

FDA has approved Reyvow (lasmiditan) with a unique mechanism of action for the acute treatment of migraine, with or without aura, in adults.

It has also approved Secuado (asenapine) the first and only transdermal patch for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Scenesse (afamelanotide) which is approved by FDA increases the pain-free light exposure in adult patients with a history of phototoxic reactions from erythropoietic protoporphyria.

Click Here to read in detail about these drugs

5. New FDA Approvals for Macular Degeneration, Osteoporosis, Acne

FDA approved Beovu (brolucizumab-dbll) injection for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Bonsity (teriparatide) Injection for the treatment of osteoporosis in people with a higher risk of fracture, and Aklief (trifarotene) Topical Cream, 0.005% for the treatment of acne.

Read more https://wcts.app/Drug

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A 5-Inch-Long Tapeworm In This Man's Brain Troubled Him For Almost A Decade

A man in China reported seizures and other CNS related symptoms for years before doctors could figure out this weird cause that a rare parasite was living in his brain for years.

About the case:

The man from China reported that he began to feel numbness on the left side of his body since 2007.

In the following years, he started developing more worrying symptoms, such as blackouts and seizures.

Doctors failed to find the exact cause of his illness. It was in 2018 the doctors finally discovered a 5-inch-long tapeworm in the patient's brain.

The condition was diagnosed to be sparganosis, an infection caused by a type of tapeworm larvae known as Spirometra. According to the CDC, humans are rarely infected with Spirometra, they are accidental hosts, and the parasite can live for almost 20 years in humans.

The Spirometra larvae can migrate anywhere in the body, which includes eyes, urinary tract, lungs, abdomen, and, also, the central nervous system.

Brain infections can cause a variety of symptoms such as weakness, headache, seizures, and numbness or tingling.

In a 2- hour long surgery, the doctors removed the tapeworm from the man's brain.

The surgery was risky as the live tapeworm was moving in his brain, and the surgeons had to remove all of it; otherwise, the leftover part could grow again.

Read more https://wcts.app/Tapeworm