METHODS: This single-center prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted at University Malaya Medical Centre from July 2019 to July 2021. The likelihood of prolonged ventilation was determined objectively using the TRACH score and the patient's clinical presentation. The outcomes measured were days of mechanical ventilation post-tracheostomy, days of neuro-intensive care unit stay, and days of hospital stay. Tracheostomy-related complications were collected. The data collected were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).
RESULTS: In all, 39 patients were randomly assigned. Of these, 20 were allocated to the early tracheostomy group (ET) and 19 were allocated to the standard tracheostomy group (ST). The demographic characteristics were similar between the groups. The primary outcome, mean (SD) days of mechanical ventilation post-tracheostomy, was statistically different in the 2 groups- early 11.9 (9.3) days, standard 18.9 (32.5) days; p = 0.014. There were comparable tracheostomy-related complications in both groups.
CONCLUSION: Early tracheostomy is associated with a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation in a neurosurgical intensive care unit setting.
METHODS: Two 3D printed models were designed and fabricated using actual patient imaging data with reference marker points embedded artificially within these models that were then registered to a surgical navigation system using 3 different methods. The first method uses a conventional manual registration, using the actual patient's imaging data. The second method is done by directly scanning the created model using intraoperative computed tomography followed by registering the model to a new imaging dataset manually. The third is similar to the second method of scanning the model but eventually uses an automatic registration technique. The errors for each experiment were then calculated based on the distance of the surgical navigation probe from the respective positions of the embedded marker points.
RESULTS: Errors were found in the preparation and printing techniques, largely depending on the orientation of the printed segment and postprocessing, but these were relatively small. Larger errors were noted based on a couple of variables: if the models were registered using the original patient imaging data as opposed to using the imaging data from directly scanning the model (1.28 mm vs. 1.082 mm), and the accuracy was best using the automated registration techniques (0.74 mm).
CONCLUSION: Spatial accuracy errors occur consistently in every 3D fabricated model. These errors are derived from the fabrication process, the image registration process, and the surgical process of registration.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the genetic architecture of EOPD in a multi-ethnic Malaysian cohort.
METHODS: 161 index patients with PD onset ≤50 years were recruited from multiple centers across Malaysia. A two-step approach to genetic testing was used, combining a next-generation sequencing-based PD gene panel and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA).
RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (21.7%) carried pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants involving (in decreasing order of frequency): GBA1, PRKN, PINK1, DJ-1, LRRK2, and ATP13A2. Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in GBA1 were identified in thirteen patients (8.1%), and were also commonly found in PRKN and PINK1 (11/161 = 6.8% and 6/161 = 3.7%, respectively). The overall detection rate was even higher in those with familial history (48.5%) or age of diagnosis ≤40 years (34.8%). PRKN exon 7 deletion and the PINK1 p.Leu347Pro variant appear to be common among Malay patients. Many novel variants were found across the PD-related genes.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel insights into the genetic architecture of EOPD in Southeast Asians, expands the genetic spectrum in PD-related genes, and highlights the importance of diversifying PD genetic research to include under-represented populations.