Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a common cause of nosocomial diarrhea. The multi-modal infection control strategies designed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have had an unintended positive effect on other hospital-acquired infections. The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 prevention measures on healthcare-associated C. difficile infections in a large regional acute care center. Electronic databases were reviewed from the start of the pandemic (March) up to November 2020. Average values from the same months from 2019 and 2018 were used as controls. Using the ICD-10 discharge coding, 65 C. difficile cases per 25,124 patients were identified in 2020 compared to 151/43,126 from the 2018 and 2019 averages (P=0.0484). The C. difficile cases were found to be decreased after the implementation of COVID-19 infection control strategies compared to previous years, despite an increase in antibiotic use. Subset analysis during lockdown showed a clear decrease but the difference was not statistically significant. For the months of recovery after lockdown, the number of cases was comparable to previous years.

Endoscopic internal mammary artery (IMA) approach represents a well-established procedure in coronary bypass surgery. However, such techniques require highly trained skills that need to be mastered in experimental models before taken into the clinic. To attain such skills, our aim was to develop a training model of thoracoscopic approach for harvesting of the IMA in pig. Ten pigs of either sex, weighing 20-28 kg, were used. The thoracic cavity was accessed with the animal in a lateral decubit position, through two ports of 10 mm and 1 of 5 mm, inserted on the anterior and posterior axillary lines immediately below the infrascapular angle into the pleural cavity, and a 30 degrees Hopkins II telescope. The internal mammary artery (IMA) was identified and dissected from its origin in the subclavian artery until its distal part where it becomes the deep superior epigastric artery. Afterward, the arterial segment was clipped and harvested. The mean operative time was 73 min. Postoperative survival at 72 hours was 100% and 90% at 4 weeks. A mean length of 3.2 cm of IMA graft was obtained (2.8-4 cm). The pig IMA has no intercostal branches; thus, the mobilization of the vessel being greatly facilitated. The procedure has two critical steps: the proper trocar insertion and the dissection of the middle one-third of the IMA. Endoscopic-assisted IMA, harvesting in pigs, represents a useful tool for training in minimally invasive heart surgery and supports further development toward other clinical applications.

Background: Large recurrent phyllodes breast tumors are often malignant. Therefore, when taking the surgical decision, a simple mastectomy and immediate reconstruction must be considered. Case presentation: The patient, aged 40 years, with a benign phyllodes tumor in the left breast, having a recurrence 2 years after, with 4–7 cm conglomerate tumor masses, was subjected to skin-reducing mastectomy, breast reconstruction with a silicone mammary implant in the left breast, and symmetrization of the right breast. Discussion and conclusions: In the case of patients with breast hypertrophy and gigantomastia (cup size D–F), skin-reducing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with an implant can be the option. It is important for the resection specimen to include the skin tissue above the tumor. After 14 months of follow-up, there was no recurrence of the lesions on a clinical examination, ultrasonography, or MRI.