The coronary artery calcium score is considered the most useful marker for predicting coronary events. The high score reflects heavy calcification in the vessel, which is more challenging to treat with the percutaneous intervention (PCI). To prepare this type of heavily calcified lesion intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) technology can be used prior to PCI, which is based on the concept of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. It harmlessly and selectively disrupts both the shallow and deep deposits of calcium. The balloonbased catheters of this system emit sonic waves that transfer to the adjacent tissue resulting in improvement in vessel compliance with the slightest soft tissue loss. Therefore, making the treatment of calcified lesions more feasible, effective, and also simplify complex lesions. The lesions considered for lithotripsy-enhanced balloon dilation include calcified coronary lesions and peripheral vasculature lesions. This article reviews the use of IVL in calcified coronary artery disease, its advantages, and disadvantages while comparing it with other techniques like high-pressure balloons and rotational atherectomy devices. A thorough search of databases like PubMed and Google Scholar was performed, which uncovered 35 peer review articles. Keywords utilized in the data search were calcified coronary artery disease, coronary lithotripsy, calcification, and calcified atherosclerotic plaque. According to rotational atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy trials, the latter was safer, mainly by decreasing atheromatous embolization risk. Deciphering these studies, it seems like IVL is better at parameters like procedural and clinical success rate, acute lumen gain, and less residual stenosis except in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which was better in rotational atherectomy (RA). However, when lesion crossings are present, the atherectomy technique is still considered as first-line therapy. In clinical practice, despite these encouraging data for treating calcified lesions, IVL is grossly underutilized because of substantial costs and perceived significant procedural risk effects on the cardiac rhythm like causing 'shock topics' and asynchronous cardiac pacing. More longer-term clinical data and extensive researches are required to validate its safety and efficiency.
Little has been documented in existing literature regarding incidentally found gallbladder (GB) polyps. These clinically asymptomatic lesions are mostly benign, with only 5% progressing to malignancy. GB cancer, although rare, presents as an end-stage incurable disease. According to the current guidelines, cholecystectomy is recommended for polyps >10 mm in size for a better outcome. Thus, it is essential to know the clinical picture, surveillance, and treatment of these polyps earlier in the course of the disease to avoid the advancement of polyps to malignancy. This paper discusses the signs and symptoms, surveillance, treatment, and prognosis of GB polyps.
Armenta-Quiroga et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 4.0., which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Herpes simplex (HSV) esophagitis is usually identified in patients with significant immunosuppressive conditions such as AIDS. Short course of immunosuppressive therapy is an uncommon risk factor for this condition. We present a case of acute gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to HSV type 1-induced esophageal ulcers. A 63-year-old woman developed acute hypoxic hypercapnic respiratory failure. Past medical history was significant for COPD for which the patient was taking short-acting bronchodilator inhalers. The patient was intubated and started on mechanical ventilation. Intravenous Solu-Medrol 40 mg Q6 was started. Hospital course was complicated by sepsis of unknown source. Empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy was started. On the 11th hospital day, the patient experienced multiple episodes of coffee ground emesis. There was abdominal tenderness on physical examination. Significant laboratory results were lipase 1,911 U/L and lymphopenia (ALC = 300/mm<sup>3</sup>). Endoscopy revealed severe erosive esophagitis and multiple punched-out ulcerations of the esophagus. Empiric treatment with valacyclovir 500 mg OD was started. The patient required PEG tube insertion for dysphagia. Complete resolution of esophagitis was noted then. Immunohistochemical staining for HSV was strongly positive in the cells with inclusions. Short course of intravenous corticosteroids is an uncommon cause of HSV-1 esophagitis. Corticosteroid-induced lymphopenia impedes underlying cellular immunity, which might explain the reactivation of latent herpes and esophageal ulcer formation. Given the rarity of the disease, evidence of treatment is available from case reports only. We found complete resolution of esophageal ulcers after the patient received valacyclovir therapy for 10 days.
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