Digital ureteroscopes are the latest trend in the evolution of endourology. It appears that a disposable ureteroscope may be cost beneficial at centers with a lower case volume per year. However, institutions with a high volume of cases may find reusable ureteroscopes cost beneficial.
Shiitake dermatitis is a rare cutaneous reaction to lentinan, a polysaccharide component in the cell walls of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes). Herein, we systematically review the case report and case series English-language literature on shiitake dermatitis, which refers to a total of 50 patients (38 males, 12 females; mean age: 44.58 years). The majority of cases occurred after the consumption of raw mushrooms, whereas 22% of cases were caused by the eating of lightly or undercooked mushrooms. The most common clinical presentations, localized symptoms, and systemic findings include linear flagellated dermatitis (98%), pruritus (78%), and fever, diarrhea, and mucosal ulcers, respectively. The diagnosis of this entity continues to be based on clinical findings as laboratory abnormalities, and the findings of skin biopsies and patch/prick tests are nonspecific and inconsistent. The condition is self-limiting, resolving in approximately 12.5 d without treatment. Based on the included case reports, it appears that medical treatment may slightly shorten the course of disease (to 9-11 d, varying by therapy) but should be considered on an individual patient basis. However, the treatment of symptoms, reassurance, and the avoidance of re-exposure are sufficient treatment recommendations for this condition.
Acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN) is a chronic inflammatory condition that leads to fibrotic plaques, papules and alopecia on the occiput and/or nape of the neck. Traditional medical management focuses on prevention, utilization of oral and topical antibiotics, and intralesional steroids in order to decrease inflammation and secondary infections. Unfortunately, therapy may require months of treatment to achieve incomplete results and recurrences are common. Surgical approach to treatment of lesions is invasive, may require general anesthesia and requires more time to recover. Light and laser therapies offer an alternative treatment for AKN. The present study systematically reviews the currently available literature on the treatment of AKN. While all modalities are discussed, light and laser therapy is emphasized due to its relatively unknown role in clinical management of AKN. The most studied modalities in the literature were the 1064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser, 810-nm diode laser, and CO2 laser, which allow for 82–95% improvement in 1–5 sessions. Moreover, side effects were minimal with transient erythema and mild burning being the most common. Overall, further larger-scale randomized head to head control trials are needed to determine optimal treatments.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.