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Introduction To compare the clinical outcomes and complication rates of Convective Water Vapour Energy Ablation (Rezum®) and Prostatic Urethral Lift (Urolift®). To identify predictive factors for treatment failures in both treatments. Materials & Methods Prospective clinico-epidemiological data of patients who underwent Urolift® or Rezum® in a single institution for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) was collected. The choice of intervention depended on the preference of the patients after patient-centric discussions. Results From October 2019 to October 2022, 86 patients underwent Rezum® and 62 patients underwent Urolift®. Rezum® involved a longer indwelling catheter duration (12.38±5.548 versus 1.39±3.010 days, p<0.001) compared to Urolift®. Rezum® was associated with more complications compared to Urolift® (36 (41.9%) versus 10 (16.1%) cases, p<0.001). Rezum® had more cases of hematuria (17 (19.8%) versus 4 (6.5%) cases (p=0.022)) and urinary tract infections (27 (31.4%) versus 3 (4.8%) cases, p<0.001)), compared to Urolift®. There were no significant differences in Clavien-Dindo Grade 3-5 complications between the interventions. Urolift® was associated with higher re-operation rates (5 (8.1%) versus 0 (0%) cases, p=0.010) compared Rezum®. Rezum® had higher anti-cholinergic usage rates compared to Urolift® post-operation (22 (25.6%) versus 8 (12.9%) cases, p=0.024). Both interventions showed improvement in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life score, and peak velocity flow over the 2 years with no significant difference between the two. Based on receiver operating characteristic curve, pre-operation IPSS ≥ 16 had 95.7% sensitivity and 38.4% specificity to predict the probability of treatment failures after the interventions. Conclusions There was no difference in clinical outcomes of patients who underwent Rezum® and Urolift®. However, patients who had undergone Rezum® faced more minor complications and more required anti-cholinergic medications. Lastly, physicians should note that patients with IPSS≥16 would unlikely benefit from either intervention.

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BACKGROUND: Functional pituitary adenomas (PAs) manifest as intricate clinical syndromes, and surgery emerges as the principal intervention to mitigate associated morbidity and mortality. The endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETS) approach stands as the preferred method for addressing PAs, with postoperative remission acting as a pivotal prognostic factor. METHODS: This study seeks to evaluate the influence of different surgical techniques and complications of ETS on functional PAs, focusing on both Acromegaly and Cushing's disease (CD). Patient records, including characteristics, perioperative assessments, postoperative complications, and follow-up data, were systematically gathered. Tumor resection methods were categorized into: (I) complete pseudocapsule resection; and (II) complete piecemeal resection. Post-surgery, daily monitoring of serum cortisol levels continued for a consecutive 3-day period until values of 2 µg/dL or less were achieved. Growth hormone levels were reassessed 12 weeks later, targeting a level of <0.14 g/L. A follow-up enhanced magnetic resonance imaging examination was conducted 3 months post-surgery to confirm the absence of residual tumors. RESULTS: The study identified 46 patients (23 with acromegaly and 13 with CD) who underwent endoscopic surgery between 2020 and 2023. Twenty-six patients underwent piecemeal resection (January 2020 to December 2022), while 10 patients underwent complete pseudocapsule removal (January to December 2023). No significant changes in surgical complications were observed between the two techniques. No instances of carotid artery injury, epistaxis, intracranial infection, or loss of olfaction were reported. In the pseudocapsule group, one patient experienced transient vision loss. Notably, 80% of patients in the pseudocapsule group achieved remission as compared to 57.7% in the piecemeal group. CONCLUSIONS: Pseudocapsule-based resection exhibited a remarkable remission rate, a low complication rate, and an absence of recurrence in functional adenoma patients. Despite the limited number of cases and our early experience, further studies are warranted to validate its effectiveness and safety.

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BACKGROUND: Sinonasal tumors, occurring in less than 1% of the general population, represent a rare and challenging subset of pathologies. Lesions that affect the skull base present a varied range of pathological entities, posing significant therapeutic complexities for surgeons. CASE DESCRIPTION: This case series explores the surgical interventions performed on three patients with distinct histologic types of sinonasal tumors invading the skull base. These individuals presented with non-specific symptoms persisting for months to a year, including anosmia, nasal congestion, and epistaxis-all in the absence of neurological deficits. The management approaches were discussed on a multidisciplinary basis. Tumor excision was meticulously performed in a single session using a combination of endonasal endoscopic and transcranial approaches. The tumors were successfully excised, addressing both the intranasal and intracranial components. The pathological spectrum included olfactory neuroblastoma, neuroendocrine atypical carcinoid tumor, and paraganglioma with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production. Reconstruction of the skull base involved the utilization of split calvaria bone graft, fascia, Tisseel glue, and a vascularized nasoseptal mucosa flap. Lumbar drain was not used. None of the patients experienced postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks or new neurological deficits, with the only noted complication being a subdural hematoma in one patient at a site distant from the surgical field. Minimal residual tumor was detected on postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Patients remain in remission up to 12 months after completing adjuvant therapies. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of surgical expertise from otolaryngologists and neurosurgeons in a combined approach enables the removal of tumors from two different directions simultaneously. Proper usage of this multilayer pedicled "double flap" contributes to the success of skull base surgery. This approach is safe and effective. It improves the visualization of the tumor, enhances access to critical areas, increases tumor clearance, and also contributes to optimal oncological outcomes.

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There are unacceptable racial inequities in perinatal outcomes in the United States. Social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with health outcomes and contribute to disparities in maternal and newborn health. In this article, we (1) review the literature on SDOH improvement in the perinatal space, (2) describe the SDOH work facilitated by the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ILPQC) in the Birth Equity quality improvement initiative, (3) detail a hospital's experience with implementing strategies to improve SDOH screening and linkage to needed resources and services and (4) outline a framework for success for addressing SDOH locally. A state-based quality improvement initiative can facilitate implementation of strategies to increase screening for SDOH. Engaging patients and communities with specific actionable strategies is key to increase linkage to needed SDOH resources and services.

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BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading preventable cause of severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To assess the improvement in hospital care processes and patient outcomes associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy after introduction of a statewide Severe Maternal Hypertension Quality Improvement Initiative. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort design comparing outcomes before and after introduction of the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative statewide hypertension quality improvement initiative among 108 hospitals across Illinois. Participating hospitals recorded data for all cases of new-onset severe hypertension (>160 mm Hg systolic or >110 mm Hg diastolic) during pregnancy through 6 weeks postpartum from May 2016 to December 2017. Introduction of the statewide quality improvement initiative included implementation of severe maternal hypertension protocols, standardized patient education and discharge planning, rapid access to medications and standardized treatment order sets, and provider and nurse education. The main outcome measure was the reduction of severe maternal morbidity for pregnant/postpartum patients with severe hypertension. Key process measures include time to treatment of severe hypertension, frequency of provider/nurse debriefs, appropriate patient education, and early postpartum follow-up. RESULTS: Data were reported for 8073 cases of severe maternal hypertension. The frequency of patients with new-onset severe hypertension treated within 60 minutes increased from 41% baseline to 87% (P<.001) at the end of the initiative. The initiative was associated with increased proportion of patients receiving preeclampsia education at discharge (41% to 89%; P<.001), scheduling follow-up appointments within 10 days of discharge (68% to 83%; P<.001), and having a care team debrief after severe hypertension was diagnosed (17% to 59%; P<.001). Conversely, severe maternal morbidity was reduced from 11.5% baseline to 8.4% (P<.002) at the end of the study period. Illinois hospitals have achieved time to treatment goal regardless of hospital characteristics including geography, birth volume, and patient mix. CONCLUSION: Introduction of a statewide quality improvement effort was associated with improved time to treatment of severe hypertension and increased frequency of provider/nurse debriefs, appropriate patient education, and early postpartum follow-up scheduled at discharge, and reduced severe maternal morbidity.

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BACKGROUND: Maternal deaths resulting from opioid use disorder have been increasing across the United States. Opioid use disorder among pregnant persons is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth, along with racial disparities in optimal opioid use disorder care. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate whether the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative implementation of the Mothers and Newborns affected by Opioids - Obstetric quality improvement initiative was associated with improvement in opioid use disorder identification, provision of optimal opioid use disorder care for birthing patients, and reduction in racial gaps in optimal opioid use disorder care. STUDY DESIGN: Using a prospective cohort design, hospitals reported monthly key measures for all patients with opioid use disorder at delivery between July 2018 and December 2020. The Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative facilitates collaborative learning opportunities, rapid response data, and quality improvement support. Generalized linear mixed-effects regression models were used to evaluate improvement in optimal opioid use disorder care, including increases in linkages to medication-assisted treatment, recovery treatment services, and naloxone counseling across time, and to determine whether optimal opioid use disorder care was associated with positive outcomes, such as lower odds of preterm birth. RESULTS: A total of 91 hospitals submitted data on 2095 pregnant persons with opioid use disorder. For the primary outcomes, the rates of patients receiving medication-assisted treatment and recovery treatment services improved across the initiative from 41% to 78% and 48% to 67%, respectively. For the secondary outcomes, the receipt of recovery treatment services and both recovery treatment services and medication-assisted treatment provided prenatally before delivery admission was associated with lower odds of preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio: 0.67 [95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.91] and 0.49 [95% confidence interval, 0.31-0.75], respectively). During the first quarter of the initiative, Black patients with opioid use disorder were less likely to be linked to medication-assisted treatment than White patients (23% vs 48%, respectively); however, an increase in medication-assisted treatment rates across the initiative occurred for all patients, with the greatest improvement for Black patients with an associated reduction in this disparity gap with >70% of both Black and White patients linked to medication-assisted treatment. CONCLUSION: The Mothers and Newborns affected by Opioids - Obstetric initiative was associated with improvement in optimal opioid use disorder care for pregnant patients across Illinois hospitals, additionally racial disparities in opioid use disorder care was reduced across the initiative. Our findings implicate how optimal opioid use disorder care can improve pregnancy outcomes and close persistent racial gaps for pregnant individuals with opioid use disorder.

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PURPOSE: Many maternal deaths occur beyond the acute birth encounter. There are opportunities for improving maternal health outcomes through facilitated quality improvement efforts in community settings, particularly in the postpartum period. We used a mixed methods approach to evaluate a collaborative quality improvement (QI) model in 6 Chicago Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) that implemented workflows optimizing care continuity in the extended postpartum period for high-risk prenatal patients. METHODS: The Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative focused on the implementation of a registry of high-risk prenatal patients to link them to primary care and was implemented in 2021; study data were collected in 2021-2022. We conducted a quantitative evaluation of FQHC-reported aggregate structure, process, and outcomes data at baseline (2020) and monthly (2021). Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews of participating FQHC staff focused on the experience of participating in the collaborative. RESULTS: At baseline, none of the 6 participating FQHCs had integrated workflows connecting high-risk prenatal patients to primary care; by the end of implementation of the QI intervention, such workflows had been implemented at 19 sites across all 6 FQHCs, and 54 staff were trained in using these workflows. The share of high-risk patients transitioned to primary care within 6 months of delivery significantly increased from 25% at baseline to 72% by the end of implementation. Qualitative analysis of interviews with 11 key informants revealed buy-in, intervention flexibility, and collaboration as facilitators of successful engagement, and staffing and data infrastructure as participation barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that a flexible and collaborative QI approach in the FQHC setting can help optimize care delivery. Future evaluations should incorporate the patient experience and patient-level data for comprehensive analysis.

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for osteoporosis screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eligible patients who had and had not undergone DXA screening were identified from among those aged 50 years or older at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. Age, sex, screening year (index year), and Charlson comorbidity index of the DXA and non-DXA groups were matched using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) for propensity score analysis. For cost-effectiveness analysis, a societal perspective, 1-year cycle length, 20-year time horizon, and discount rate of 2% per year for both effectiveness and costs were adopted in the incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) model. RESULTS: The outcome analysis included 10337 patients (female:male, 63.8%:36.2%) who were screened for osteoporosis in southern Taiwan between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021. The DXA group had significantly better outcomes than the non-DXA group in terms of fragility fractures (7.6% vs. 12.5%, P < 0.001) and mortality (0.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.001). The DXA screening strategy gained an ICER of US$ -2794 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) relative to the non-DXA at the willingness-to-pay threshold of US$ 33004 (Taiwan's per capita gross domestic product). The ICER after stratifying by ages of 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and ≥ 80 years were US$ -17815, US$ -26862, US$ -28981, and US$ -34816 per QALY, respectively. CONCLUSION: Using DXA to screen adults aged 50 years or older for osteoporosis resulted in a reduced incidence of fragility fractures, lower mortality rate, and reduced total costs. Screening for osteoporosis is a cost-saving strategy and its effectiveness increases with age. However, caution is needed when generalizing these cost-effectiveness results to all older populations because the study population consisted mainly of women.

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OBJECTIVE: This study examines improvement in birth certificate accuracy during a statewide quality improvement initiative. STUDY DESIGN: Participating hospitals systematically sampled 10 delivery medical records per month and compared them to corresponding birth certificates for accuracy. Accuracy was computed before implementing the initiative (Aug-Oct 2014), end of phase 1 (July 2015) and end of phase 2 (Nov-Dec 2015). Accuracy data was aggregated and compared across time points using a linear mixed model and by hospital characteristics. RESULTS: 105 hospitals participated. Birth certificate accuracy increased between baseline (89.59%) and end of phase 2 (97.00%, p < 0.001). Percent accuracy at baseline was lowest in hospitals serving at-risk populations (p < 0.01). These hospitals showed relatively greater increases in overall accuracy with no difference in accuracy by the end of the initiative. CONCLUSIONS: A statewide QI effort contributed to improvements in birth certificate accuracy. Hospitals serving at-risk populations exhibited the greatest benefit and improvement.

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Taste disorders are uncommon and frequently unrecognised during neurological and even oral examinations. Nevertheless, understanding taste pathway, its disorders, as well as assessment of taste are crucial as it can reveal various oral, systemic and neurological pathologies that manifest as an alteration of taste. Multiple taste examination techniques have been described in the literature; however, certain techniques are complicated and may not be feasible. This paper describes the adoption of a relatively simple technique for taste assessment that can be performed at the bedside. The bedside detection of taste disorders will allow examiners to assign the patient for more detailed and invasive taste assessments.

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BACKGROUND: Muscle stretching exercises preserve corporal flexibility and decrease the retraction and shortening of myofascial and articular structures. These exercises are recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM). The purpose of the study was to verify and compare the effect of muscle stretching exercises on FM patients based on the global posture reeducation method against segmental muscle stretching exercises, both used in concert with an educational approach rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy. METHODS: Forty adults with FM were randomly allocated into two groups: global and segmental. The two kinds of therapies were performed in 10 individual sessions once a week. Two assessments were made: one at baseline and one at the end of therapy. The primary outcome variable was pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale). The secondary outcome variables were multidimensional pain (McGill Pain Questionnaire), the pain threshold at tender points (dolorimetry), attitudes toward chronic pain (Survey of Pain Attitudes-Brief Version), body posture (Postural Assessment Software Protocol), postural control (Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), the impact of FM on quality of life (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, FIQ), and self-reported perceptions and body self-care. RESULTS: At the end of treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the outcome variables. Furthermore, the groups presented lower pain intensity (baseline vs. final; global group: 6 ± 1.8 vs. 2.2 ± 1.6 cm, p<0.01; segmental group: 6.3 ± 2.1 vs. 2.5 ± 1.7 cm, p<0.01), higher pain threshold (p ≤ 0.01), lower total FIQ score (p < 0.01), and greater postural control (p < 0.01) after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Muscle stretching exercises based on global posture reeducation and segmental muscle stretching exercises, both used in concert with an educational approach rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy, reduced the pain intensity and impact of FM on quality of life. These exercises also improved FM patients' pain threshold at tender points, attitudes toward chronic pain, and postural control. There were no differences between global posture reeducation and segmental muscle stretching exercises. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02384603 . Registered on 10 March 2015.

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This study investigated the relationship between body composition parameters and changes in future liver remnant volume (FLRV) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing portal vein embolization (PVE) in preparation for right hepatectomy. This retrospective study enrolled 21 patients between May 2013 and October 2020. Body composition parameters, including skeletal muscle attenuation (SMA), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC), and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR), were measured by computed tomography (CT) prior to PVE. Liver volumetry was measured before and at least 5 weeks after PVE. The mean interval between two CT volumetries was 9.1 ± 4.9 weeks, the mean value of increase in FLRV (ΔFLRV) was 236.0 ± 118.3 cm3 , the ratio of increased FLRV (ΔFLRV%) was 55.7 ± 29.4%, and the rate of increased FLRV was 31.0 ± 18.8 (cm3 /week). Subjects with high IMAC showed significantly lower (p = 0.044) ΔFLRV% than those with normal IMAC. Furthermore, ΔFLRV% was linearly reduced (p for trend = 0.043) among those with low Ishak fibrosis stage (<3) + normal IMAC (76.1 ± 36.8%), those with low Ishak fibrosis stage (<3) + high IMAC or high Ishak fibrosis stage (>3) + normal IMAC (54.0 ± 24.1%), and those with high Ishak fibrosis stage (>3) + low IMAC (28.7 ± 1.6%) (p for trend = 0.043). Our data indicated that high IMAC with a high Ishak fibrosis stage (>3) had a significant negative effect on ΔFLRV%.

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Quantifiable erectile dysfunction (ED) diagnosis involves the monitoring of rigidity and tumescence of the penile shaft during nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT). In this work, we introduce Erectile Dysfunction SENsor (EDSEN), a home-based wearable device for quantitative penile health monitoring based on stretchable microtubular sensing technology. Two types of sensors, the T- and R-sensors, are developed to effectively measure penile tumescence and rigidity, respectively. Conical models mimicking penile shaft were fabricated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material, using different base to curing agent ratios to replicate the different hardness properties of a penile shaft. A theoretical buckling force chart for the different penile models is generated to determine sufficiency criteria for sexual intercourse. An average erect penile length and circumference requires at least a Young's modulus of 179 kPa for optimal buckling force required for satisfactory sexual intercourse. The conical penile models were evaluated using EDSEN. Our results verified that the circumference of a penile shaft can be accurately measured by T-sensor and rigidity using the R-sensor. EDSEN provides a private and quantitative method to detect ED within the comfortable confines of the user's home.

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Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a heterogeneous group of acute immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy that typically presents with classic axonal or demyelinating sensory-motor type. However, there are variants of GBS with atypical presentation. We report a rare case of severe pharyngeal-sensory-ataxic variant of GBS associated with poor cardiac systolic function, elevated troponin, and positive anti-sulfatide IgM. The sensory symptom atypically started in the hands in an ascending pattern, which progressed to involve the trunk and face and, later, all limbs. It was associated with severe dysphagia, ataxia, and generalized areflexia but with preserved muscle strength in all extremities. Recognizing the atypical pattern of presentation and the ability to perform an accurate clinical localization are the utmost important initial steps in making the diagnosis. The patient showed complete recovery after immunoglobulin therapy.

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OBJECTIVES: To identify predictive factors for the development of sepsis/septic shock postdecompression of calculi-related ureteric obstruction using the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and to compare clinical outcomes and odd risk ratios of patients developing sepsis/septic shock following the insertion of percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) versus insertion of retrograde ureteral stenting (RUS). METHODS: Clinico-epidemiological data of patients who underwent PCN and/or RUS in two institutions for calculi-related ureteric obstruction were retrospectively collected from January 2014 to December 2020. RESULTS: 537 patients (244 patients in PCN group, 293 patients in RUS group) from both institutions were eligible for analysis based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients with PCN were generally older, had poorer Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, and larger obstructive ureteral calculi compared to patients with RUS. Patients with PCN had longer durations of fever, the persistence of elevated total white cell and creatinine, and longer hospitalization stays compared with patients who had undergone RUS. RUS up-front has more unsuccessful interventions compared with PCN. There were no significant differences in the change in SOFA score postintervention between the two interventions. In multivariate analysis, the higher temperature just prior to the intervention (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.039, p = 0.003) and Cardiovascular SOFA score of 1 (adjusted OR:4.037, p = 0.012) were significant independent prognostic factors for the development of septic shock postdecompression of ureteral obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that both interventions have similar overall risk of urosepsis, septic shock and mortality rate. Despite a marginally higher risk of failure, RUS should be considered in patients with lower procedural risk. Patients going for PCN should be counseled for a longer stay. Post-HDU/-ICU monitoring, inotrope support postdecompression should be considered for patients with elevated temperature within 1 h preintervention and cardiovascular SOFA score of 1.

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Deep learning algorithms have yet to be used for predicting clinical prognosis after cancer surgery. Therefore, this study compared performance indices and permutation importance of potential confounders in three models for predicting 5-year recurrence after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resection: a deep-learning deep neural network (DNN) model, a recurrent neural network (RNN) model, and a Cox proportional hazard (CPH) regression model. Data for 725 patients who had received HCC resection at three medical centers in southern Taiwan between April, 2011, and December, 2015, were randomly divided into three datasets: a training dataset containing data for 507 subjects was used for model development, a testing dataset containing data for 109 subjects was used for internal validation, and a validating dataset containing data for 109 subjects was used for external validation. Feature importance analysis was also performed to identify potential predictors of recurrence after HCC resection. Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify potential significant predictors of 5-year recurrence after HCC resection, which were included in the forecasting models (P < 0.05). All performance indices for the DNN model were significantly higher than those for the RNN model and the conventional CPH model (P < 0.001). The most important potential predictor of 5-year recurrence after HCC resection was surgeon volume followed by, in order of importance, hospital volume, preoperative Beck Depression Scale score, preoperative Beck Anxiety Scale score, co-residence with family, tumor stage, and tumor size. The feature importance analysis performed to investigate interpretability in this study elucidated the potential use of deep learning models for predicting recurrence after HCC resection and for identifying predictors of recurrence. Further experiments using the proposed DNN model would clarify its potential uses for developing, promoting, and improving health policies for treating HCC patients after surgery.

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Social forums offer a lot of new channels for collecting patients' opinions to construct predictive models of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) for post-marketing surveillance. However, due to the characteristics of social posts, there are many challenges still to be solved when deriving such models, mainly including problems caused by data sparseness, data features with a high-dimensionality, and term diversity in data. To tackle these crucial issues related to identifying ADRs from social posts, we perform data analytics from the perspectives of data balance, feature selection, and feature learning. Meanwhile, we design a comprehensive experimental analysis to investigate the performance of different data processing techniques and data modeling methods. Most importantly, we present a deep learning-based approach that adopts the BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) model with a new batch-wise adaptive strategy to enhance the predictive performance. A series of experiments have been conducted to evaluate the machine learning methods with both manual and automated feature engineering processes. The results prove that with their own advantages both types of methods are effective in ADR prediction. In contrast to the traditional machine learning methods, our feature learning approach can automatically achieve the required task to save the manual effort for the large number of experiments.

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BACKGROUND: Penile schwannoma is a rare tumor. They commonly present as an asymptomatic, painless and slow growing mass. Other presentations include sexual dysfunction, most commonly dyspareunia, followed by erectile dysfunction, abnormal penile curvature or pain with ejaculation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 26-year-old male presented atypically with painful nocturnal penile tumescence, along with multiple nodules over the dorsal penis. Excision of multiple penile tumors under general anaesthesia was performed and histopathologic examination revealed benign schwannoma. CONCLUSION: Our hypothesis is that the schwannoma lies along the axis of the dorsal penile nerve, and compression of this nerve occurs during his erection causing pain. However, there are limited presentations of painful erections in penile schwannomas, and we hope that future studies can help confirm this theory.

ABSTRAITE: CONTEXTE: Le schwannome pénien est. une tumeur rare. Il se présente généralement comme une masse asymptomatique, indolore et à croissance lente. D'autres présentations incluent la dysfonction sexuelle, le plus souvent la dyspareunie, suivie de la dysfonction érectile, de la courbure anormale du pénis ou de la douleur à l'éjaculation. PRéSENTATION DU CAS: Un homme de 26 ans s'est. présenté de façon atypique avec une tumescence pénienne nocturne douloureuse, ainsi que de multiples nodules sur la face dorsale du pénis. L'excision de plusieurs tumeurs du pénis a été réalisée sous anesthésie générale et un examen histopathologique a révélé un schwannome bénin. CONCLUSION: Notre hypothèse est. que le schwannome se trouve localisé le long de l'axe du nerf pénien dorsal, et que la compression de ce nerf se produit pendant l'érection, constituant la source des douleurs. Cependant, il existe peu de présentations d'érections douloureuses dans les schwannomes péniens, et nous espérons que de futures études pourront aider à confirmer cette théorie.

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This study aimed to describe our experience and discuss the results, controversies, and the use of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) in patients with biliary complications after liver transplantation (LT). Between November 2009 and August 2020, 76 consecutive patients who underwent 77 LTs (44 deceased donor LTs and 33 living donor LTs [LDLT]) were enrolled retrospectively. Endoscopic therapy as initial approach and PTBD as rescue therapy were used for patients with biliary complications. There were 31 patients (31/76, 40.8%) with biliary complications, and two of them died (2/31, 6.5%). Clinical success rate of endoscopic therapy alone was 71.0% (22/31). The remaining nine patients received salvage PTBD and their clinical results were observed according to whether their intrahepatic bile ducts (IHBDs) was dilated (group A, n = 5) or not (group B, n = 4). In group A, the technical and long-term clinical success rates of PTBD were 100% and 20%, respectively. These five patients received PTBD ranging from 75 to 732 days after their LTs, and no procedure-related complications were encountered. In group B, the technical and long-term clinical success rates of PTBD were 50% and 25%, respectively. Three group B patients (75%) underwent PTBD within 30 days after LDLT and had lethal complications. One patient had graft laceration and survived after receiving timely re-transplantation. The other two patients died of sepsis due to PTBD-related bilioportal fistula or multiple liver abscesses. Our experience showed salvage PTBD played a limited role in biliary complications without dilated IHBDs within 1 month after LT.

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