Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-1353/1510028

Screening Mammography: A Continued Debate Over the Appropriate Guidelines

Danielle Sharek

Article Type: Short Commentary | First Published: July 21, 2016

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer among American women, and approximately one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Because screening mammography (periodic mammographic examination of both breasts in asymptomatic women to detect breast cancer) has been successful at reducing mortality from breast cancer by 30 to 40%, most medical organizations in the United States, have recommended yearly mammography starting at age 40 since t...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-1353/1510027

Socioeconomic Consequences of Maternal Death: A Qualitative Study in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Danielle Deboutte, Timothy O'Dempsey, Brian Faragher and Amuda Baba

Article Type: Research Article | First Published: July 20, 2016

Background: High user cost is a known barrier to emergency obstetric care for the poor, contributing to excessive maternal mortality. Financial concerns about seeking healthcare may be compounded by an underestimation of obstetric risk and the cost of losing a wife. Methods: Focus groups investigated the cost of marriage, obstetric care and maternal death in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2008....

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2572-4045.1510020

Donation Over Age 70 and Older İs an Obstacle for Kidney Transplantation?

Ethem Unal and Aylin Acar

Article Type: Editorial Letter | First Published: July 17, 2016

he profound organ shortage has resulted in longer waiting times and increased mortality for those awaiting kidney transplantation. Consequently, patients are turning to older living donors. It is unclear if an upper age limit for donation should exist, both in terms of recipient and donor outcomes. However, there is a fact that surgery can present additional risks for older patients; this requires physicians to be especially careful about who they deem fit to undergo donor transplant procedures....

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5769/1510021

Super Giant Coronary Aneurysm in an Algerian Boy with Kawasaki Disease

Houda Boudiaf, Manel Gherbi and Moussa Achir

Article Type: Case Report | First Published: July 22, 2016

The patient is a 5-year-old male with findings suggestive of Kawasaki disease. He was treated with intravenous gamma globulin (IVG) and oral aspirin. Because the fever persisted, he received additional IVG and intravenous methylprednisolone. Echocardiography showed diffuse dilatation of the right coronary artery (RCA; 13 mm) and proximal dilatation of the left main coronary artery (LMCA; 8 mm)....

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2572-4215.1510009

A Piriformis Syndrome Diagnosed with Lomber Disc Herniation: 3 Cases Report

Burcu Metin Okmen and Korgun Okmen

Article Type: Case Series | First Published: July 23, 2016

The piriformis syndrome is an entrapment neuropathy emerging with the compression of sciatic nerve by a muscle due to its close proximity with piriformis muscle. However its pathophysiology hasn't been understood clearly, it is thought that it arises from the oedema and inflammation in the piriformis muscle. This syndrome, which we meet with sciatica table clinically, is often likened to lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Multidisciplinary, the treatment of piriformis syndrome may include the adminis...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-2951/1410085

Progress in an Adult Male Suffering from Coronary Artery Ectasia as Assessed with Exercise Stress Testing: A Nine-Year Case Report

Charles Micallef

Article Type: Case Report | First Published: August 11, 2016

A nine-year history of a young to middle-aged male who was diagnosed with coronary artery ectasia after presenting with impaired vision in one of his eyes is presented. Throughout this period, four exercise stress tests were carried out and improvements were noted: from a positive stress test indicative of myocardial ischemia, the outcome gradually progressed to negative. A distinct feature of this case is that the patient was only on moderate statin and dual antiplatelet therapy and his cholest...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-2951/1410084

Dilated Cardiomyopathy due to Vitamin D Deficiency

Nalan Karabayir, Kelesoglu E, Helen Bornau, Kazim Oztarhan, Aktas D and Erdem A

Article Type: Case Series | First Published: August 06, 2016

Dilated cardiomyopathy, which mostly has an idiopathic etiology or is caused by genetic inheritance or infection, may cause irreversible congestive heart failure. Hypocalcemia is a rare etiology of reversible dilated cardiomyopathy. Cardiogenic shock related to hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy is a rare event. Here we report two cases with congestive heart failure who was diagnosed as having dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to hypocalcemia....

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-2951/1410083

Successful Surgical Embolectomy for Acute Massive Pulmonary Embolism in Pregnant Woman

Nobuhiko Hiraiwa, Kohei Abe, Kunihiko Yoshino, Manabu Yamasaki and Hiroyasu Misumi

Article Type: Case Report | First Published: July 30, 2016

A 28-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to our hospital with tonic seizure and dyspnea, and was diagnosed with acute massive pulmonary embolism. An emergency surgical embolectomy was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Several fragments of the thrombi were carefully removed from the right and the main pulmonary arteries, and sufficient back-flow from the pulmonary artery was established. The postoperative course was uneventful. After the embolectomy, the ratio of pulmonary to systemi...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-2951/1410082

Circulating Endothelial Cells, Flow Mediated Dilatation % as Markers of Endothelial Dysfunction in Paroxysmal Lone Atrial Fibrillation

Rania Gaber, Wessam Salah Ibrahim and Manal Hamesa

Article Type: Research Article | First Published: July 30, 2016

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the commonest arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice and is increasingly considered as an emerging health epidemic. Despite rapidly evolving treatment strategies, AF presents a complex management challenge to the physician and is now attracting substantial clinical and academic interest because of a strong association with substantial mortality and morbidity....

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-2951/1410081

Evaluation of Left Ventricular Systolic Function Immediately after Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients with Chronic Atrial Fibrillation using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Hisao Matsuda, Tomoo Harada, Yui Nakayama, Marika Yamada, Yasushi Takagi, Makoto Takano, Ikutarou Nakajima, Emi Nakano, Yukako Takimura, Satoru Nishio, Toshiyuki Furukawa, Hidekazu Miyazaki and Yoshihiro J Akashi

Article Type: Original Article | First Published: July 18, 2016

Background:The effect of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) on left ventricular (LV) function after restoration of sinus rhythm remains unclear in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF). This study aimed to evaluate LV systolic function in the early phase after PVI using speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods:Twelve patients with CAF could be restored to sinus rhythm by PVI and maintained sinus rhythm after PVI. Echocardiography was performed before, immediately after and 3 months afte...