Acta Medica Port
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Wunderlich syndrome is a rare and possibly life-threatening haemorrhagic syndrome presenting as spontaneous nontraumatic renal rupture with subcapsular and perinephric haemorrhage. Apixaban, a direct oral anticoagulant recommended in patients with atrial fibrillation, has previously been associated with atraumatic solid organ rupture but, to date, no case of apixaban-related Wunderlich syndrome has been reported. We report a rare case of Wunderlich syndrome associated with apixaban while addressing the difficulties face by clinicians when managing anticoagulation in bleeding patients.
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The approach of surgical techniques has evolved significantly over the last decade, with natural orifice surgeries replacing traditional open approaches. In 2016, Angkoon Anuwong, in Thailand, demonstrated it was possible to perform thyroidectomies in a series of patients by a transoral endoscopic ap-proach - transoral endoscopy thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) - with similar complication rates when compared to conventional surgeries. This transoral surgery has become a safe alternative with better cosmetic results, compared to conventional open-route procedures, like Kocher cervi-cotomy. ⋯ Therefore, it is important to precisely define the preoperative eligibility criteria for this type of surgical approach. High-resolution ultrasound is the first imaging modality for the assessment of thyroid nodules, lymph node metastases and surgical field. The aim of this article is to outline the sonographic technique and the role of high-resolution ultrasound in the presurgical evaluation of TOETVA.
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Review
Co-Administration of Albumin and Furosemide in Acute Heart Failure with Diuretics Resistance.
Acute heart failure is a frequent cause of hospital admission in Portugal, and has an increasing tendency given the aging population. Although most admissions for acute heart failure are caused by congestive conditions, not all patients have a congestive phenotype, reflecting the complexity of a process with multiple pathophysiological pathways. The use of diuretics, usually loop diuretics, is the mainstay of treatment for congestion. ⋯ Despite its frequent use in clinical practice, the co-administration of albumin and furosemide remains controversial in the management of patients with acute heart failure, hypoalbuminemia, and diuretic resistance. This review addresses the pathophysiological mechanisms of congestion in patients with acute heart failure and explores the theoretical basis that supports the co-administration of albumin and furosemide in this clinical context. It is intended to clarify the potential benefit of the combined approach in this specific population and identify possible gaps in the literature that could be the subject of future studies.
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The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised has been developed to evaluate the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in both clinical and non-clinical individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version. ⋯ Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised has proved to be a consistent, valid, and reliable instrument with good psychometric properties to determine the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the Portuguese population.
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Multiple sclerosis is a disease with a heterogeneous evolution. The early identification of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis is a clinical challenge, which would benefit from the definition of biomarkers and diagnostic tools applicable in the transition phase from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. We aimed to reach a Portuguese national consensus on the monitoring of patients with multiple sclerosis and on the more relevant clinical variables for the early identification of its progression. ⋯ Consensus was obtained for the determination of the monitorization interval and for most of the clinical variables. Most questions that did not reach consensus were related with the confirmation of progression taking into account only one test/domain, reinforcing the multifactorial nature of multiple sclerosis.