We suggest that muscle ultrasonography provides physiatrists with a practical and accurate tool for identifying individuals with low muscle mass. However, the usability of cut-off values established in our group of healthy younger subjects of white ethnicity to identify low muscle mass in older individuals of different ethnic groups remains to be demonstrated in future studies.

No abstract

In ICD patients thromboembolic events (TEEs) are described as possible complications at implant or during the follow-up. We report four cases of TEEs (two peripheral and two cerebral; 6.5% of patients) that occurred in our series during a mean follow-up of 19.4 months. The patients had chronic postinfarction LV aneurysm (3) and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (1). None had previous embolisms nor evidence of left atrial or LV clots at standard preoperative transthoracic echocardiography. No paroxysms of atrial fibrillation were documented prior or after ICD implant. We discuss the possible causes of embolization and the suitability of anticoagulant therapy in ICD patients.

No abstract

In the context of spreading interest in textbook outcome (TO) evaluation in different fields, we aimed to investigate an uncharted procedure, that is, laparoscopic microwave ablation (MWA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Absence of post-MWA complications, a hospital stay of three days, no mortality nor readmission within 30 days, and complete response of the target lesion at post-MWA CT scan defined TO achievement. Patients treated between January 2014 and March 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, and of the 521 patients eligible for the study, 337 (64.7%) fulfilled all the quality indicators to achieve the TO. The absence of complications was the main limiting factor for accomplishing TO. At multivariable analysis, Child–Pugh B cirrhosis, age of more than 70 years old, three nodules, and MELD score ≥ 15 were associated with decreased probabilities of TO achievement. A score based on these factors was derived from multivariable analysis, and patients were divided into three risk groups for TO achievement. At survival analysis, overall survival (OS) was significantly (p = 0.001) higher in patients who achieved TO than those who did not. Moreover, OS evaluation in the three risk groups showed a trend coherent with TO achievement probability. The present study, having assessed the first TO for laparoscopic MWA for HCC, encourages further broader consensus on its definition and, on its basis, on the development of clinically relevant tools for managing treatment allocation.