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Purpose Patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have limited treatment options due to increased disease burden and diminished hepatic perfusion. 90Y-microspheres may be better tolerated than chemoembolization in these patients. Here we review the safety and efficacy of 90Y-microsphere use for HCC with major PVT. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of HCC with main (n=10) or first (n=12) branch PVT treated with 90Y-microspheres (n=22) was conducted. CLIP scores ranged from 2 to 5 with 18% scoring 4 or greater. Response was determined 8-12 weeks following treatment using magnetic resonance or computed tomography and RECIST criteria. Overall survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results 32 treatments (26 glass, 6 resin) were administered to 22 patients. Common grade 1–2 toxicities included abdominal pain (38%), nausea (28%), fatigue (22%). Four post-therapy hospitalizations occurred, all <48hrs in duration. 1 death occurred 10 days following therapy Response data: 2 partial responses, progressive disease 42%, stable disease 50% of treatments. Median overall survival (OS) was 7 months from time of initial 90Y-microsphere treatment. Child-Pugh A patients had a median OS of 7.7 months; B and C = 2.7 months (p = 0.01). Median OS for CLIP scores 2–3 was 7 months versus 1.3 months for scores 4–5 (p = 0.04). Conclusions 90Y-microspheres are tolerated in patients with HCC and major PVT. Compared with chemoembolization, rates of severe adverse events appear low. Radiographic response rates are low. Median OS of 7 months is promising and warrants further study versus systemic therapy.

We observed an inverse association of RDW and 30-day VFD, despite controlling for demographics, nutritional factors, and severity of illness. This supports the need for future studies to validate our findings, understand the physiologic processes that lead to elevated RDW in patients with respiratory failure, and determine whether changes in RDW may be used to support clinical decision-making.

Further research and evidence are needed for the development of accepted perioperative pathways to address obesity and related comorbidities including sleep disordered breathing and metabolic syndrome as well as evidence-based strategies to reduce surgical infections. Rather than BMI alone, an improved index for obesity risk assessment is needed.

Presented is a case of persistent high-output cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak following epidural catheter removal on postoperative day 5 for a 64-year-old patient after exploratory laparotomy. Epidural catheter placement required multiple attempts preoperatively and was complicated by a "wet tap". Diagnosis of CSF leak was made with glucose, protein and beta-2 transferrin testing. In our review of 30 cases with reported CSF-cutaneous fistula, a trend towards requiring epidural blood patch for symptom relief exists when larger bore needles are used (all 9 reports involving 14 gauge or larger needles and 2 reports of fistulas resulting from a surgical defect) and duration of catheter stay is long. Notably, there were 3 case reports of CSF-cutaneous fistulas occurring without the placement of a catheter. Among 9 cases of fistula reported in the obstetric population, only one patient needed EBP for symptom control. Location of the needle/catheter insertion site at different levels of the neuraxium does not appear to affect the risk of developing a CSF-cutaneous fistula. CSF-cutaneous fistulas are a rare event that should be recognized early due to the potential for infections and neurologic complications. Glucose and protein testing offer a rapid but less specific means of diagnosing a possible CSF leak and can be used as guidance while awaiting results from beta-2 transferrin or beta-trace protein testing for definitive identification of CSF. With literature review, we propose an algorithm to help early detection and management of CSF-cutaneous fistula.

This study analyzed the data collected using a headache diary mobile application to characterize posttraumatic headaches (PTHs) in a sample of US veterans. Specifically, we measured patient engagement with the mobile application and compared our findings with previous literature regarding PTHs. Setting: A Headache Center of Excellence (HCoE) in a Veterans Health Administration facility. Participants: Forty-nine veterans currently being treated for ongoing PTH-related complaints with English fluency, reliable access to the internet, and a mobile phone. Design: Observational study of PTH characteristics using the mobile application over the course of 1 year. Measures: Main outcome measures were collected via a headache diary mobile application developed for patients to track headache-associated symptoms, headache location, triggers, type, intensity, and duration. Patients also completed a baseline Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) survey. Results: In total, 1569 entries were completed during the first year of application deployment. On average, patients completed 2.5 entries per week and used the application for 70 days. They frequently reported associated PTH symptoms of photophobia (56.7%) and headaches triggered by emotional stress (35.1%). Network analyses revealed patterns of co-occurrence in triggers of headache pain, associated symptoms, and headache pain location. Headache pain severity and impact ratings from the headache diary demonstrated convergent validity with the established HIT-6 measure. Conclusions: Headache diary mobile applications are a promising tool for monitoring and characterizing PTHs in veterans. Present results mirror past studies of PTH characteristics. Mobile application headache diaries may be used in both clinical and research settings to monitor headache symptoms and communicate the functional impact of headaches in real time.

Intensive care unit delirium is a complex problem associated with significant negative consequences on patient outcomes. Delirium is also known as acute brain dysfunction, reflecting the evolving paradigm that it is a manifestation of acute organ dysfunction in the setting of neurotransmitter imbalances, inflammation, and metabolic derangements. In recent years, strides have been made towards better understanding its management, although much work remains to be done. Here we review the current state of knowledge regarding diagnosis, pathophysiology, risk factors, prevention, and management as supported by recent literature and the 2013 clinical practice guidelines on pain, agitation, and delirium.

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