Conservative Treatment of Breast Cancer and Oncoplasty at the Teaching Hospital Mother and Child of Jeanne Ebori Foundation in Libreville (Gabon)

Introduction: Breast cancer is currently the most common malignant tumour in women worldwide. Objective: To evaluate conservative treatment of breast cancer and oncoplasty at the teaching hospital Mother and Child of Jeanne Ebori Foundation (CHUMEFJE). Patients and methods: This is an observational, descriptive study, which took place from August 2019 to December 2021 at CHUMEFJE. Data were collected using patients’ medical records, and operative and pathological anatomy reports. Results: Conservative treatment and oncoplasty were performed in 12 (34.2%) patients. Of these patients, 8 (66.7%) benefited from an external technique and 2 (16.7%) from a pamectomy. Post-operative complications were dominated by lymphocele in 5 (41.6%) patients. Ten (83.3%) patients were satisfied with the post-operative aesthetic result. At the time of updating the records, 1 (8.3%) patient had died and 11 (91.7%) were alive. Conclusion: Conservative treatment and oncoplasty are giving satisfactory results at the CHUMEFJE in Libreville.

Acupuncture therapies in combination with conservative treatments for postoperative ileus:a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background:Although acupuncture therapies have been widely used in combination with conservative treatments(CT)for postoperative ileus(POI),evidence of their safety and efficacy remains scarce.To evaluate and rank the efficacy of different acupuncture therapies combined with CT for POI.Methods:A comprehensive search was carried out in several databases(Embase,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Data,VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database and China Biology Medicine disc)for relevant randomized controlled trials(RCTs)investigating different acupuncture therapies for POI from inception to February 17,2023.The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to determine the risks of bias of the included RCTs.The primary outcomes included the time to first defecation,time to first flatus,and time to first bowel movement;and the secondary outcome was the response rate.Pairwise meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.3 software,and network meta-analysis was carried out by Stata v.15.0 software.The cumulative ranking curve was obtained with Stata v.15.0 and was utilized to rank the included treatments.Results:29 studies with 2,600 participants were included in this systematic review.This meta-analysis demonstrated that all acupuncture therapies combined with CT were superior to conservative treatments alone in time to first defecation,time to first flatus,time to first bowel movement,and response rate.Among 10 evaluated methods,auricular needle with CT was the most effective treatment to reduce the time to first defecation.Furthermore,moxibustion with CT was the most effective in reducing the time to first flatus,and warm needling with CT most markedly reduced the time to first bowel movement among 9 interventions.Moreover,manual acupuncture with CT showed the largest improvement in response rate.Conclusion:This meta-analysis revealed that all acupuncture therapies are effective and safe for POI,with warm needling+CT being the most effective way to relieve symptoms.These results indicated that acupuncture therapies combined with CT should be considered for POI patients.However,most of the included trials were ranked as moderate quality,and further large-scale,high-quality RCTs are required to confirm the optimal interventions for POI patients.

Medium-term efficacy of arthroscopic debridement vs conservative treatment for knee osteoarthritis of Kellgren-Lawrence grades I-III

BACKGROUND Arthroscopic debridement is a mature treatment for knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Due to the differences in the research subjects,methods,and efficacy evaluation indexes,there are great differences in the surgical efficacy reported in the literature.AIM To compare the medium-term efficacy of arthroscopic debridement and conservative treatment for KOA of Kellgren-Lawrence grades I-III.METHODS Patients with KOA of Kellgren-Lawrence grades I-III who were admitted to the orthopedic clinic of our hospital from July 2018 to December 2018 and agreed to undergo arthroscopic surgery were included in an arthroscopic debridement group,and those who refused surgical treatment were included in a conservative treatment group.Gender,age,body mass index(BMI),side of KOA,American hospital for special surgery knee score(HSS score)before treatment,visual analogue scale(VAS)score during walking and rest before treatment,conservative treatment content,and surgical procedure were recorded.Outpatient visits were conducted at the 1st,3rd,6th,12th,and 24th mo after treatment in the two groups.The changes of HSS score and VAS score in each group before and after treatment were statistically analyzed,and the differences of HSS score and VAS score in different treatment stages between the two groups were also compared.RESULTS In the conservative treatment group,there were 80 patients with complete followup data,including 20 males and 60 females,aged 58.75±14.66 years old.And in the knee arthroscopic debridement group,there were 98 patients with complete follow-up data,including 24 males and 74 females,aged 59.27±14.48 years old.There was no statistically significant difference in the general data(gender,age,BMI,side of KOA,Kellgren-Lawrence grade distribution,HSS score,and VAS score)between the two groups before treatment.The HSS scores of the conservative treatment group at the 1st,3rd,6th,12th,and 24th mo after treatment were significantly higher than that before treatment(P<0.05).There was no statistical difference in HSS score of the conservative treatment group among the 1st,3rd,6th,12th,and 24th mo(P>0.05).The HSS score of the knee arthroscopic debridement group at the 1st mo after surgery was significantly higher than that before surgery(P<0.05).HSS scores of the knee arthroscopic debridement group at the 3rd,6th,12th,and 24th mo were significantly higher than those before surgery and at the 1st mo after surgery(P<0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in HSS scores at the 3rd,6th,12th,and 24th mo after surgery(P>0.05).HSS scores at the 3rd,6th,12th,and 24th mo were significantly higher in the arthroscopic debridement group than in the conservative treatment group(P<0.05).There was no statistical difference in HSS scores between the two groups before treatment and at the 1st mo of follow-up(P>0.05).VAS scores during walking and rest were significantly decreased in both groups,and the VAS score during rest was significantly lower in the arthroscopic debridement group than in the conservative treatment group,but there was no significant difference in the VAS score during walking between the two groups after treatment.CONCLUSION Compared with conservative treatment,arthroscopic debridement can significantly improve the knee resting pain and knee functional status of patients with KOA of Kellgren-Lawrence grades I-III within 2 years after treatment.

Role of orthoptics and scoring system for orbital floor blowout fracture:surgical or conservative treatment

AIM:To assess the role of orthoptics in referring patients with orbital floor blowout fracture(OFBF)for conservative or surgical treatment and based on the results,to propose a scoring system for such decision making.METHODS:A retrospective analysis of 69 patients with OFBF was performed(35 treated conservatively,34 surgically).The role of orthoptics in referring to surgery or conservative treatment was retrospectively evaluated,the factors with the highest significance for decision making were identified,and a scoring system proposed using Logistic regression.RESULTS:According to defined criteria,the treatment was unsuccessful in 2(6%)surgically treated and only in one(3%)conservatively treated patient.The proposed scoring system includes the defect size and several values resulting from the orthoptic examination,the elevation of the eyebulb measured on Lancaster screen being the most significant.CONCLUSION:The study demonstrates the benefits of orthoptic examination when making decisions on conservative or surgical treatment and for diagnosing ocular motility disorder(with or without binocular diplopia)in OFBF patients.The proposed scoring system could,following verification in a prospective study,become a valuable adjunctive tool.

Treatment of Pathological Fractures of the Proximal Femur Due to Advanced Metastasis of Highly Malignant Tumors: A Clinical Controlled Study of Enterostenosis Reconstruction and Conservative Treatment

Objective: To investigate whether different treatment methods have an impact on the quality of life and life span after fracture of patients with proximal femoral pathological fractures caused by advanced metastasis of highly malignant tumors. Methods: Karnofsky performance status (KPS) and visual analogue score (VAS) were counted at the time of admission and 2 months after the treatments. Survival analysis was implemented to compare the median survival time and 6-month survival rate of the 2 groups. Musculoskeletal score (MSTS) was used to evaluate limb function in the surgical group at 2 months after the treatment. Results: There was no significant difference in KPS score and VAS score between the two groups at the time of admission (p > 0.05). At 2 months after treatment, the KPS score of the surgical group was higher than that of the conservative group (P < 0.05), and the VAS score of the survivors of the surgical group was lower than that of the conservative group (P < 0.05). Survival analysis showed that the median survival time and 6-month survival rate after fracture in the surgical group were higher than those in the conservative group (P < 0.05). After 2 months of treatment, the average MTST score of survivors in the surgical group was 20.38 ± 0.9 (16 - 26 points). Conclusion: Surgical intervention can benefit patients with pathological fractures of the proximal femur due to metastasis of highly malignant tumors in terms of quality of life and survival. Local tumor resection and endoparasitic replacement, which can be tolerated by most patients, can effectively reconstruct the limb function of these patients and restore their self-care ability.

Novel management indications for conservative treatment of chylous ascites after gastric cancer surgery

BACKGROUND Chylous ascites(CA) presents a challenge as a relatively common postoperative complication in gastric cancer(GC). Primary conservative therapy involved total parenteral nutrition, continuous low-pressure drainage, somatostatin, and a lowfat diet. Drainage tube(DT) clamping has been presented as a potential alternative conservative treatment for GC patients with CA.AIM To propose novel conservative treatment strategies for CA following GC surgery.METHODS The data of patients with CA after GC surgery performed at the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between 2006 and 2021 were evaluated retrospectively.RESULTS 53 patients underwent surgery for GC and exhibited postoperative CA during the study period. Postoperative hospitalization and time of DT removal showed a significant positive association(R~2 = 0.979, P < 0.001). We further observed that delayed DT removal significantly extended the total and postoperative hospitalization, antibiotic usage duration, and hospitalization cost(postoperative hospitalization: 25.8 d vs 15.5 d, P < 0.001;total hospitalization: 33.2 d vs 24.7 d, P < 0.01;antibiotic usage duration: 10.8 d vs 6.2 d, P < 0.01;hospitalization cost: ￥9.2 × 104vs ￥6.5 × 104, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that postoperative infection and antibiotic usage were independent factors for delayed DT removal.Furthermore, DT removal times were shorter in seven patients who underwent DT clamping(clamped DT vs normal group, 11.8 d vs 13.6 d, P = 0.047;clamped DT vs delayed group, 13.6 d vs 27.4 d, P < 0.001). In addition, our results indicated that removal of the DT may be possible after three consecutive days of drainage volumes less than 300 mL in GC patients with CA.CONCLUSION Infection and antibiotic usage were vital independent factors that influenced delayed DT removal in patients with CA. Appropriate standards for DT removal can significantly reduce the duration of hospitalization. Furthermore, DT clamping might be a recommended option for conservative treatment of postoperative CA.

Spontaneous healing after conservative treatment of isolated grade IV pancreatic duct disruption caused by trauma:A case report

BACKGROUND Trauma is a common cause of pancreatic duct disruption.Surgical treatment is recommended in current clinical guidelines for adult pancreatic injury because non-surgical treatments have higher risks of serious complications or even death compared with surgical treatment.CASE SUMMARY A 22-year-old woman was admitted to Tiantai People’s Hospital of Zhejiang Province after 1-h duration of abdominal pain and distension following trauma.The diagnosis was“traumatic pancreatic rupture”.The patient’s symptoms were not severe,her vital signs were stable,and signs of peritonitis were not obvious.Therefore,conservative treatment could be considered,with the possibility of emergency surgery if necessary.After 2 mo of conservative treatment with duct drainage,the pancreatic duct healed spontaneously with no significant complications.CONCLUSION We report a case of pancreatic duct disruption in the head and neck caused by trauma that was treated conservatively and healed spontaneously,providing a new choice for clinical practice.For isolated pancreatic injury with rupture of the pancreatic duct in the head and neck,conservative treatment under close observation is feasible.

Comparative Analysis and Exploration of Clinical Value of Kyphoplasty and Conservative Treatment for Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures

Objective:To explore the clinical value of kyphoplasty and conservative treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.Methods:40 patients with Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture from May 2019 to November 2021 were selected.The control group was treated with conservative treatment and the experimental group was treated with kyphoplasty.Results:Compared with the control group,the experimental group had higher total effective rate(95.00%),better recovery of Cobb Angle and vertebral height,and higher quality of life score.The data was more meaningful(P<0.05).Conclusion:For patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures,the application of kyphoplasty can improve the treatment effect,accelerate the recovery of vertebral body function and enhance the quality of life,which is worthy of popularization.

Meta analyses of surgical and conservative treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage

Objective To evaluate the efficacy between surgical treatment and conservative treatment in intracerebral hemorrhage by meta analysis. Methods We identified randomized controlled trials (RCT) of intracerebral hemorrhage. And meta-analysis was conducted on homogeneous studies. Results Thirteen RCTs(2 842 patients) were included.

Comparison of above elbow and below elbow immobilisation for conservative treatment of distal end radius fracture in adults:A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Purpose:The aim of this study was to analyze if any difference exists on the type of immobilisation(above elbow vs.below elbow)in the conservative treatment of distal end radius fractures in adults.Methods:The study was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses.An electronic literature search was performed up to 1st October 2021 in Medline,Embase,Ovid and Cochrane database using the search terms,"distal end radius fractures OR fracture of distal radius","conservative treatment OR non-surgical treatment","above elbow immobilisation"and"below elbow immobilisation".Randomized clinical trials written in English,describing outcome of distal end radius fractures in adults by conservative or non-surgical means using above elbow immobilisation or below elbow immobilisation were included and assessed according to the risk of bias assessment(RoB2)tool by Cochrane collaboration.Non-randomized clinical trials,observational studies,retrospec-tive studies,review articles,commentaries,editorials,conference presentations,operative techniques and articles without availability of full text were excluded from this review.The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager version 5.4.1(The Cochrane Collaboration,Copenhagen,Denmark).Results:Six randomized clinical trials were included for quantitative review.High heterogeneity(I2>75%)was noted among all the studies.The standard mean difference(MD)between the disability of the arm,shoulder and hand scores in both the groups was 0.52(95%CI:-0.28 to 1.32)which was statistically non-significantt.There was no statistical difference in the radial height(MD=0.10,95%CI:-0.91 to 1.12),radial inclination(MD=0.5,95%CI:-1.88 to 2.87,palmar tilt(MD=1.06,95%CI:-0.31 to 2.43)and ulnar variance(MD=0.05,95%CI:-0.74 to 0.64).It was observed that shoulder pain occurred more commonly as a complication in above elbow immobilisation and the values were statistically significant(above elbow:38/92,41.3%;below elbow:19/94,20.2%).Conclusion:This two-armed systematic review on the above elbow or below elbow immobilisation to be used for conservative treatment of the distal end radius fracture in adults resulted in non-significant differences in terms of functional and radiological scores among the 2 groups but significant increase in the complication rates in the above elbow group.

Surgical Treatment of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Using Minimally Invasive Surgical Drilling and Cancellous Grafting at Brazzaville University Hospital

Introduction: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONTF) is a debilitating condition. Several treatments have been proposed with controversial results. The aim of our study was to evaluate treatment by surgical drilling coupled with in situ cancellous grafting. Materials and methods: Our study was a case-control study conducted at Brazzaville University Hospital from 1st January 2018 to 31 December 2023. It compared two groups of patients with ONTF: non-operated (13 patients, 20 hips) and operated (22 patients, 35 hips). We used the visual digital scale (VDS) for pain assessment, the Merle D’Aubigne-Postel (MDP) scoring system for clinical and functional assessment, and the evolution of necrosis. Results: The group of non-operated patients had a mean age of 35.69 ± 3.4 years, no improvement in pain with an EVN above seven at the last recoil and a mean global MDP score falling from 12.7 before offloading to 10.13 at one year. The group of patients operated on had a mean age of 37.86 ± 7.02 years, a significant reduction in pain (p = 0.00004) and a significantly increased MDP score (p = 0.0034). A comparison of the two groups of patients showed significant stabilization of the necrotic lesions in the operated patients (p = 0.00067), with better satisfaction in the same group. Conclusion: Surgical drilling combined with grafting in the treatment of early-stage ONTF has improved progress in our series. The technique is reproducible and less invasive. It has made it possible to delay unfavorable progression and, consequently, hip replacement surgery.

Postpartum pubic symphysis diastasis-conservative and surgical treatment methods, incidence of complications: Two case reports and a review of the literature

BACKGROUND Widening of the pubic joint of more than 10 mm is diagnostic and defined as pubic symphysis diastasis and is considered a complication of vaginal childbirth or pregnancy.As it is a rare pathology(ranging from 1 in 300 to 1 in 30000 pregnancies),no gold standard treatment has been defined.CASE SUMMARY This study examines two cases,a 27-year-old woman(gravida 1,para 1)and a 32-year-old woman(gravida 2,para 2),who presented to the clinic after uneventful vaginal deliveries.A normal pregnancy with no complications was observed in both patients.Severe pain in the pubic region occurred after labour and was accompanied by complicated locomotion.Pubic symphysis diastasis was confirmed radiologically and bed rest with lateral decubitus positioning was recommended.Oral non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs were administered to relieve pain exacerbations.The symptoms decreased after treatment.Posttreatment magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)in the first case showed a reduction in symphyseal separation with no signs of osteitis.Three years later the symptoms recurred;MRI examination showed no further symphyseal widening or signs of osteitis.A relapse of symphyseal separation was diagnosed and conservative treatment was re-administered resulting in successful recovery.In the second case,pain recurred when the patient conceived for the second time.This time no benefit following conservative treatment was observed.Persistent pain and complicated locomotion led to scoliotic deformation of the lumbar part of the spine and leg length discrepancy,thus surgical treatment was chosen and internal pubic synthesis was performed.CONCLUSION Overall,surgical treatment resulting from insufficient conservative treatment showed a high risk of postoperative complications following the treatment of postpartum pubic symphysis diastasis.

Conventional craniotomy versus conservative treatment in patients with minor spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in the basal ganglia

Background:The treatment for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH)is still controversial,especially for hematomas in the basal ganglia.A retrospective case-control study with propensity score matching was performed to compare the outcomes of conventional craniotomy and conservative treatment for patients with minor ICH in the basal ganglia.Methods:We retrospectively collected the data of consecutive patients with minor basal ganglia hemorrhage from January 2018 to August 2019.We compared clinical outcomes of two groups using propensity score matching.The extended Glasgow outcome scale obtained by phone interviews based on questionnaires at a 12-month follow-up was used as the primary outcome measure.According to a previous prognosis algorithm,patients were divided into good and poor prognosis groups to obtain a dichotomized(favorable or unfavorable)outcome as the primary outcome.Secondary outcomes included hospitalized complications,mortality,and modified Rankin score at 12 months.Results:A total of 54 patients were analyzed,and the baseline characteristics of patients in the surgery and conservative treatment groups were well matched.The primary favorable outcome at 12 months was significantly higher in the conservative treatment group than in the surgery group(81%vs 44%;OR 1.833,95%CI 1.159-2.900;P=0.005).The incidence of pneumonia in the surgery group was significantly higher than that in the conservative treatment group(P=0.005).Conclusions:It is not recommended to undertake conventional craniotomy for patients with a minor hematoma(25-40 ml)in the basal ganglia.An open craniotomy might induce worse long-term functional outcomes than the conservative treatment.

Conservative management of multi-trauma induced peritonitis:Experience,outcomes,and indications

BACKGROUND The concept of mandatory laparotomy in treating traumatic peritonitis has been increasingly questioned recently.AIM To summarize and share the experience of conservative treatment of patients with multi-trauma induced peritonitis.METHODS A retrospective review was performed on patients with multiple injury induced traumatic peritonitis.RESULTS A total of 184 patients with multiple injury induced traumatic peritonitis were reviewed.46 of them underwent conservative treatment.None of the 46 patients with conservative treatment switched to surgical treatment,and all of them were cured and discharged after successful conservative treatment.No significant abnormal findings were observed at regular follow-up after discharge.CONCLUSION Conservative management is safe,effective,feasible,and beneficial in hemodynamically stable patients with traumatic peritonitis if there is no definite evidence of severe abdominal visceral organ injury.

Treatment of leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata with goserelin acetate: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata(LPD)is a rare condition characterized by multiple pelvic and abdominal nodules,which are composed of smoothmuscle cells.To date,no more than 200 cases have been reported.The diagnosis of LPD is difficult and there are no guidelines on the treatment of LPD.Currently,surgical excision is the mainstay.However,hormone blockade therapy can be an alternative choice.CASE SUMMARY A 33-year-old female patient with abdominal discomfort and palpable abdominal masses was admitted to our hospital.She had undergone four surgeries related to uterine leiomyoma in the past 8 years.Computed tomography revealed multiple nodules scattered within the abdominal wall and peritoneal cavity.Her symptoms and the result of the core-needle biopsy were consistent with LPD.The patient refused surgery and was then treated with tamoxifen,ulipristal acetate(a selective progesterone receptor modulator),and goserelin acetate(a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist).Both tamoxifen and ulipristal acetate were not effective in controlling the disease progression.However,the patient achieved an excellent response when goserelin acetate was attempted with relieved syndromes and obvious shrinkage of nodules.The largest nodule showed a 25%decrease in the sum of the longest diameters from pretreatment to posttreatment.Up to now,2 years have elapsed and the patient remains asymptomatic and there is no development of further nodules.CONCLUSION Goserelin acetate is effective for the management of LPD.The long-term use of goserelin acetate is thought to be safe and effective.Hormone blockade therapy can replace repeated surgical excision in recurrent patients.

Ventral hernia after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for uterine fibroids treatment:A case report

BACKGROUND High-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU) ablation is a minimally invasive approach in gynecology that is used to manage uterine fibroids.Although this procedure is safe and effective,adverse outcomes are becoming a major problem.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of ventral hernia that occurred as a rare and delayed complication of HIFU ablation for uterine fibroids treatment.The patient came to the hospital with abdominal bloating that occurred 6 mo after ultrasound-guided HIFU ablation for managing uterine fibroids.The ventral hernia,which occurred due to atrophied muscle layers following the procedure,was confirmed by imaging studies and intraoperative findings.She required a hernia repair with mesh and hysterectomy for definitive treatment of uterine fibroid.CONCLUSION High-intensity ultrasound ablation should be performed only on appropriate candidates.Patients should be educated about potential complications of the procedure and the possibility of subsequent treatment.Post-procedural long-term follow-up for detecting delayed adverse effects is important.

Conservative management of chronic gastric volvulus:44 cases over 5 years

AIM:To investigate clinical outcomes of patients with chronic gastric volvulus(GV)who were managed conservatively over a 5-year period.METHODS:A total of 44 consecutive patients with chronic GV,as diagnosed by barium study between October 2002 and July 2008 were investigated.All of these patients received conservative management initially without anatomical correction.Their clinical manifestations,diagnostic work-ups,and clinical outcomes were analyzed.We sought to identify independent risk factors for poor outcome by using the Cox proportional hazards model.RESULTS:The enrolled patients were predominantly male(n=37,84%)and of advanced age(median: 71 years old,interquartile range:57.5-78 years).Abdominal pain and fullness were the most common presentations.During the follow-up period(median:16 mo,up to 69 mo),there was no severe complication,but symptomatic recurrence was noted in 28 patients(64%).Only one patient turned to elective surgery for frequent symptoms.Peritoneal adhesion was the only independent risk factor associated with recurrence(hazard ratio:2.58,95%CI:1.08-6.13,P=0.033).CONCLUSION:Symptomatic recurrence of chronic GV is very common although serious complications infrequently occur with conservative management.Peritoneal adhesion is independently associated with recurrence.

Operative vs nonoperative treatment of displaced intraarticular calcaneal fracture: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM: To investigate clinical efficacy of displaced intraarticular calcaneal fracture(DIACF) following operation and nonoperation. METHODS: Literature search was performed of Pub Med and Cochrane Library by two independent authors to identify randomized controlled trials(RCTs) comparing operative vs nonoperative treatment of DIACF from inception to December 31 st, 2013. RCT quality was evaluated by the modified Jadad scale. Dichotomous variables were pooled using risk ratios by review manager 5.3 software. Fixed-effects or randomeffects models were adopted with P > 0.05 or P ≤ 0.05 for heterogeneity tests, respectively.RESULTS: Eight RCTs comprising 767 cases met inclusion criteria. Results revealed that more surgically treated patients could resume pre-injury job(P = 0.006). No statistical differences were found between the two groups in residual pain(P = 0.33), shoe fitting problems(P = 0.07), limited walking distance(P = 0.56) or secondary late arthrodesis(P = 0.38). However, operative treatment was associated with a higher complication rate(P = 0.003). Subgroup analyses of specific complications revealed that except for a higher risk of superficial wound problems(P < 0.0001) in operative group, the two groups had similar complication rate in deep wound infection(P = 0.34),compartment syndrome(P = 0.46), thromboembolism(P = 0.32), reflex sympathetic dystrophy(P = 0.51) or traumatic arthritis secondary to DIACF(P = 0.43).CONCLUSION: Current evidence demonstrates that compared with operative treatment, conservative treatment of DIACF lead to similar clinical outcomes regarding residual pain, shoe fitting, walking distance and secondary subtalar arthrodesis but a significantly lower complication rate.

Conservative Approach Might Be the Strategy by Default in Stable Angina Patients: A Case Report

Management of stable angina is still a matter of debate. Whether a conservative or invasive approach is better remains unclear. Even though recent large-scale randomized trials depict the conservative strategy as safe and efficient. In this report, we present a case of a 53-year-old male patient with cardiovascular risk factors of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. He complained about typical chest pain at exertion. The coronary angiogram (CA) revealed severe stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) ostium. After heart team discussion, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) was advocated. However, due to a lack of means, the CABG was postponed. Meanwhile, he was managed with guideline-based medical therapy. In addition, he exercised regularly and adopted a healthy diet. Evolution was favorable with excellent symptoms control. A regular follow-up was organized with his cardiologist. A new CA before an eventual CABG six years later showed a significant plaque volume regression of the proximal LAD. We decided to continue conservative management. The stress echocardiogram to assess symptoms and exercise tolerance was normal. Our patient was sent to surgery on top of optimal medical therapy even though angioplasty was a good indication and was feasible. However, while he was struggling to afford the CABG procedure, he adopted a very healthy lifestyle along with medical therapy. Six years later, the result of that approach was without appeal, suggesting and reinforcing the conservative management of stable heart disease over invasive strategy. The recent ISCHEMIA trial is a major argument supporting that approach.

A Five-Year Experience of Sparing Treatment of Descending Aortic Atherosclerotic Aneurysms

A growing number of specialists are now beginning to ascertain that treatment of individuals with descending aortic atherosclerotic aneurysms must be provided by cardiologists on a scheduled basis. Surgery is feasible when there is a risk of aneurysm rupture. It requires for the development of conservative treatments and elaboration of indications for surgery. A total of 97 patients with thoracic aortic atherosclerotic aneurysms (TAAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) have been examined over a 5-year period. They received multifaceted anti-inflammatory medical treatment to strengthen the aortic wall and control its possible expansion. Operative treatment was offered only if there was a risk of aneurysm rupture. One of the principal factors adversely affecting mortality is the presence of co-morbidities requiring permanent medical corrective treatment irrespective of surgical or medical treatment provided. It is also important to outline the indications for surgery based on multifactorial pathogenetic manifestations. Treatment aiming at the reversal of ethiopathogenic mechanisms of disease progression contributes to a significant longer survival in DAA patients.