An Overview of Vietnamese Society of Interventional Radiology

Introduction

The Vietnamese Society of Interventional Radiology (VSIR) is one of the world's youngest interventional radiology (IR) societies, with more than 150 members. During the first decade of the development phase, in addition to a number of achievements, the VSIR has continued to address problematic circumstances.

Aim

This article aims to describe the current status of VSIR, to introduce VSIR to other IR societies.

Methods

We investigated VSIR, using internet sources and related academic and clinical papers.

Results

VSIR was founded in 2010 and has succeeded in advancing education and scientific research during the last 10 years.

Conclusion

VSIR is widely involved and accepted in Vietnamese medicine. We recommend the launch of an IR training program and support a unified global IR platform, for the benefit of both clinicians and patients in the near future.

Comparing the Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Laser Ablation for Chronic Venous Insufficiency in the Lower Extremities: a Vietnamese Report

Introduction:

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a chronic condition, triggered by reflux through the saphenous vein network.

Aim:

To determine the efficacy of endovenous laser ablation (LA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for CVI treatment in the lower extremities, at the Bach Mai Radiology Center.

Methods:

This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board of Bach Mai Hospital. The study recruited 49 people, from August 2016 to April 2018, with recurrent venous insufficiency in the lower extremities and measured 56 ablated veins.

Results:

In this study, 8 patients (10 veins, with a mean diameter of 5.83 ± 0.96 mm) were treated with RFA, and 41 patients (46 veins, with a mean diameter of 7.96 ± 3.47 mm) were treated with LA. The occlusion rates for LA- and RFA-treated veins were very effective, at 95.7% and 90%, respectively. No significant differences in occlusion rates or clinical improvements were observed between the two ablation methods. On the first day post-treatment, the visual analog score (VAS) value for the LA group was significantly higher than that for the RFA group. Furthermore, ecchymosis, 1 day after treatment, and hyperpigmentation, paresthesia, and numbness, 1 month after treatment, were only observed in the LA group.

Conclusion:

Both LA and RFA were minimally-invasive and safe therapies. No serious complications requiring further interventions were reported and the treatment effectively improved the clinical symptoms of patients. Based on our study, we recommend that RFA should be considered for moderate dilated saphenous vein cases, whereas LA should be indicated for large dilated saphenous vein cases, with or without aneurysm.

Impacts of Novel Vietnamese Government Regulations on Radiological PhD and Professorship Candidates: an Initial Report

INTRODUCTION

In Vietnam, the successful publication of research in indexed journals is mandatory to obtain academic appointments and promotions in medical colleges and institutions, according to the current guidelines established by the State Council for Professorship and Ministry of Education and Training.

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the impacts of novel Vietnamese government regulations on radiological PhD and professorship candidates.

METHODS

This study evaluated freely accessible data, available online, and, therefore, did not require institutional review board approval. We assessed the numbers of radiological PhD candidates at Hanoi Medical University and the numbers of published Vietnamese radiological papers, from 2012 to 2019, indexed in the SCImago database. In addition, we evaluated the numbers of qualified radiological professors and associate professors employed at universities during the same period. We did not include nuclear medicine PhD and professorship candidates, in this study. The data are presented as bar and line charts.

RESULTS

Following the enactment of 08/2017/TT-BGDĐT and 37/2018/QĐ-TTg, we observed that the numbers of radiological PhD and professorship candidates were significantly reduced. From 2012 to 2019, only one candidate qualified for appointment as a radiological professor. However, the number of radiological papers rose dramatically during the same time period.

CONCLUSION

The enactment of 08/2017/TT-BGDĐT and 37/2018/QĐ-TTg had strong impacts on the numbers of PhD and professorship candidates. Owing to these new regulations, the number of published, international, peer-reviewed radiological papers has increased; however, some undesired consequences may have occurred, such as papers being published in predatory or suspected predatory journals, double or triple submissions, and plagiarism.

A Case Series of Ethmoidal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas Treated by Endovascular Embolization with Onyx

Introduction:

Aim:

Results:

Conclusion:

Rice as a vehicle for dietary fluoride uptake

The objective of this study was to analyze aspects of the metabolism and bio-availability of fluoride after consumption of a sample of polished white rice containing 5.6 ppm fluoride ion. Up to 400 g of fluoridated rice was consumed by three volunteer adult subjects over specific time periods on two separate occasions. Saliva concentrations were elevated immediately and remained so 90 minutes following ingestion, among other indications. It was concluded that polished rice has the potential to be a useful vehicle for dietary fluoride transport.

A randomized controlled comparison of azithromycin and ofloxacin for treatment of multidrug-resistant or nalidixic acid-resistant enteric fever

To examine the efficacy and safety of short courses of azithromycin and ofloxacin for treating multidrug-resistant (MDR, i.e., resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and cotrimoxazole) and nalidixic acid-resistant enteric fever, azithromycin (1 g once daily for 5 days at 20 mg/kg/day) and ofloxacin (200 mg orally twice a day for 5 days at 8 mg/kg/day) were compared in an open randomized study in adults admitted to a hospital with uncomplicated enteric fever. A total of 88 blood culture-confirmed patients were enrolled in the study (86 with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and 2 with S. enterica serovar Paratyphi A). Of these, 44 received azithromycin and 44 ofloxacin. A total of 68 of 87 (78%) isolates were MDR serovar Typhi, and 46 of 87 (53%) were nalidixic acid resistant. The MIC(90) (range) of azithromycin was 8 (4 to 16) microgram/ml for the isolates. The MIC(90) (range) of ofloxacin for the nalidixic acid-sensitive isolates was 0.03 (0.015 to 0.06) microgram/ml and for the nalidixic acid-resistant isolates it was 0.5 (0.25 to 1.0) microgram/ml. There was no significant difference in the overall clinical cure rate with ofloxacin and azithromycin (38 of 44 [86.4%] versus 42 of 44 [95.5%]; P = 0.27) or in the patients infected with nalidixic acid-resistant typhoid (17 of 21 [81.0%] versus 24 of 25 [96.0%]; P = 0.16). However, patients with nalidixic acid-resistant typhoid treated with ofloxacin had a longer fever clearance time compared with those treated with azithromycin (174 [60 to 264] versus 135 [72 to 186] h; P = 0.004) and had positive fecal cultures after the end of treatment (7 of 17 [41%] versus 0 of 19 [0%]; P = 0.002). Both antibiotics were well tolerated. A 5-day course of azithromycin was effective for the treatment of enteric fever due to MDR and nalidixic-acid-resistant serovar Typhi, whereas the ofloxacin regimen chosen was less satisfactory for these strains.

Comparison of ofloxacin and ceftriaxone for short-course treatment of enteric fever

An open, randomized comparison of ofloxacin (200 mg, every 12 h) given orally for 5 days and ceftriaxone (3 g, once daily) given intravenously for 3 days in the treatment of uncomplicated enteric fever was conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Salmonella paratyphi type A was isolated from six patients. Salmonella typhi was isolated from 41 patients; 63% of these isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics: ampicillin, chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and tetracycline. Of the culture-confirmed cases, treatment with ofloxacin resulted in complete cure of all 22 patients, whereas 18 of 25 patients treated with ceftriaxone were completely cured (P < 0.01). In the ceftriaxone group, there were six acute treatment failures and one relapse. Mean +/- standard deviation fever clearance times were 81 +/- 25 h for ofloxacin and 196 +/- 87 h for ceftriaxone (P < 0.0001). Short-course treatment with oral ofloxacin (5 days) is significantly better than that with ceftriaxone (3 days) and will be of particular benefit in areas where multiresistant strains of S. typhi are encountered.