This study assessed the efficacy of percutaneous contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in localization sentinel lymph node (SLNs) for biopsy and diagnosis of metastatic SLNs in patients with early breast cancer. From January to November 2017, seventy-five patients with early breast cancer confirmed by pathology were enrolled in this study. CEUS was performed after subdermal injection of ultrasound contrast agent (SonoVue, 2.0 ml in total dose) around the areola on the ipsilateral side of the breast. The contrast-enhanced lymphatic vessels and associated SLNs were observed and traced in real time. The lymphatic vessels and SLN were mapped and labeled on the skin surface. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was performed after injection of 2.0 ml methylene blue at same injection site of SonoVue. The accuracy of percutaneous CEUS localization of SLNs was determined compared to blue dye injection technique. The pathological results under blue dye guided biopsy were used as the reference standard to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of SLNs. A total of 163 SLNs obtained through SLNB following methylene blue tracing in 75 patients. There were 116 SLNs identified by percutaneous CEUS. The difference of detection rates between blue dye and CEUS was statistically significant (Z = −2.651, P = 0.008). The identification rate of SLNs by CEUS was 71.17% (116/163). The accuracy of percutaneous CEUS localization of axillary SLNs was 94.67% (71/75) compared to blue dye-guided biopsy. Among the 116 SLNs detected by percutaneous CEUS, pathologic results showed 51 positive SLNs and 65 negative SLNs whiles CEUS findings indicated 83 positive SLNs and 33 negative SLNs. Only 50 of 83 SLNs had metastasis on pathology, while 33 were detected as false positive. The sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of metastatic SLN was 98.04%(50/51) and 49.23%(32/65), respectively. Percutaneous CEUS can be used as an effective method to localize the SLNs for guiding SLNB. This method has excellent sensitivity for identifying the SLNs but lower specificity for detecting metastatic SLNs in patients with early stage breast cancer.

Background Gross deformity of the foot in Charcot neuroarthropathy can lead to foot collapse and subsequent ulceration, infection, amputation, or premature death. Total-contact casting (TCC) is a well-established treatment for neuropathic diabetic plantar foot ulcers. It was hypothesized that arthrodesis plus TCC may have advantages over TCC alone. This pilot study compared the effectiveness of arthrodesis plus TCC with TCC alone for the prevention, treatment, and recurrence of midfoot ulcerations associated with Charcot neuroarthropathy. Material/Methods Twenty-one subjects with plantar ulcers associated with unilateral diabetic Charcot midfoot neuroarthropathy were randomly assigned to ADS or TCC groups. The ADS group underwent an extended medial column arthrodesis procedure and TCC; ulcers were sutured directly. The TCC group underwent TCC alone with dressing changes. All patients underwent nerve conduction studies and quantitative sensory testing at baseline and during follow-up (6 and 12 months). Healing time and ulcer relapse rate were evaluated. Result Compared with the TCC group, there were fewer lesions in the ADS group after treatment (P<0.05). Temperature testing and vibration perception threshold improved significantly after ADS (P<0.05). Although the number of patients positive for pinprick and light touch sensations increased after surgery, not all patients recovered these sensations. Healing time was not significantly different between the 2 groups (24.25±3.89 vs. 25.89±2.84 days, P>0.05). There was no ulcer recurrence after 12 months in the ADS group compared with 33.3% in the TCC group. Conclusions An extended medial column arthrodesis may partly improve sensory impairments and restore protective sensation in patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy.

IntroductionThe full-endoscopic spinal surgery (FESS) procedure is widely accepted and welcomed in China. With the continuous development of minimally invasive surgery, the further expansion of indications and the greater diversity of techniques, spinal endoscopic surgery currently accounts for more than 10% of spinal surgery in China, ranking among the top in the world. However, the admission system and standardised training system for spinal endoscopic surgery are not perfect, which presents a challenge and disadvantage for novices.Methods and analysisExploratory mixed methods are applied for designing this study. First, we will collect questions from novices by allowing them to openly list their concerns to those who have completed FESS. These qualitative questions will be categorised using NVivo software. To produce the qualitative results, a questionnaire for the sequential two-round Delphi approach will be developed to identify the 20 most important questions from novices. This study is planned to be started at April 2021, and completed at March 2022.Ethics and disseminationThe Research Ethics Committee of Peking University Third Hospital provided a waiver for this Delphi protocol. We expect that the findings will be published in a clinical journal and presented at conferences. Furthermore, we hope that the results can contribute to answering the questions raised by novices of spinal endoscopy in the form of books and to improving the training system for spinal endoscopy surgery.

Background To investigate the safety and effectiveness of tubal inflammatory drugs in patients with incomplete tubal obstruction of at least 1 side after four-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast-sonography (4D-HyCoSy) examination. Methods 215 cases of tubal insufficiency were diagnosed by ultrasonography from February 2019 to November 2020.According to retrospective analysis,the patients in this study were divided into experimental and control groups; the experimental group was treated with a push of salpingitis drugs, and the control group received blank control. Basic information, degree of pain, postoperative complications, and pregnancy rate were then compared between the 2 groups. Result(s) : Compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in the basic information; preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative pain; or in postoperative complications (P > 0.05). The cumulative pregnancy rate of the experimental group (28.0%) was statistically different from that of the control group (15.3%) (P < 0.05). Conclusion(s): We observed that for infertile patients with incomplete obstruction of at least one fallopian tube as diagnosed by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, salpingitis-treatment drugs effectively improved the pregnancy rate postoperatively, with high effectiveness and safety. This regimen is thus worthy of further investigation and promotion in the future.