OBJECTIVE We developed and implemented clinical practice guideline (CPG) using computerized tomography (CT) as the initial imaging method in the emergency department management of scaphoid fractures. We hypothesized that this CPG would decrease unnecessary immobilization and lead to earlier return to work. METHODS This observational study evaluated implementation of our CPG, which incorporate...

Although complications related to vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty are few, we treated 2 patients with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty for pain, presumed to be due to vertebral compression fractures, which were subsequently found to be due to occult osteomyelitis/diskitis. The onset of their infections appeared to have preceded their vertebral body augmentation procedures and was possibly due to pri...

Molecular mechanisms related to occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, particularly those based on genotype C infection, have rarely been determined thus far in the ongoing efforts to determine infection mechanisms. Therefore, we aim to elucidate the mutation patterns in the surface open reading frame (S ORF) underlying occult infections of HBV genotype C in the present study. Nested PCRs we...

PURPOSE To present the case of a 14-year-old boy with clinical and radiographic features of pseudorheumatoid chondrodyspalsia with additional, potentially serious, cervical malformations. METHODS Detailed clinical and radiological examinations were undertaken with emphasis on the usefulness of 3D-CT scanning. RESULTS There was synchondrosis between the odontoid and the body of the axis and ...

OBJECTIVE Current data on the prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in HIV-positive individuals conflict. As occult HBV infection could have an impact on the outcome of liver disease in HIV-positive patients, we investigated a large number of HIV-positive/HBV-surface-antigen (HBsAg) negative subjects with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by using the 'gold standard' approach f...

Occult HBV infection is defined as the persistence of HBV DNA in individuals negative for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), and many different mechanisms have been reported in different countries. However, in China, one of the endemic areas for HBV infection, no reports have been published on occult HBV infection. The present study investigated the virological features and the mechanism of occult HB...

Skeletal scintigraphy (bone scanning) is a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of disease states, such as osteomyelitis, and in the evaluation of occult fractures. Certain conditions can alter the appearance of bone scans, such as age of the patient, prior use of antibiotics, concomitant diseases, and disruption of the vascular supply. Three patients whose clinical problems highlight diagnostic pro...

Background and study aims: Chronic hemodialysis patients are susceptible to a lot of complications. Gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most serious and important complications in these patients result from many contributing factors like chronic uremia, stress and drugs. The present study is concerned with assessment the magnitude of occult gastrointestinal bleeding in chronic hemodialysis ...

Immunological Response and Prevalence of Occult HCV Genotype 4 Among Patients Receiving Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) Drugs: A Cross-Sectional Study

We report the case of a 20-year-old patient with a C5 cervical spine fracture and an undetected ligamentous lesion between C1 and C2. Cervical spine lesion protocols and the rates of lesions that are not diagnosed with standard evaluation protocols are reviewed, with particular emphasis on comatose patients. Dynamic studies during the surgical procedure for fixation of the fracture are recommen...