Chest
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There are concerns that starting nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the immediate perioperative period may negatively impact wound healing. We investigated the association of NRT with postoperative outcomes among smokers hospitalized for a surgical procedure. ⋯ This is the first large observational study of surgical patients to demonstrate that perioperative NRT is not associated with adverse outcomes after surgery. These results strengthen the evidence that NRT should be prescribed routinely in the perioperative period.
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High-resolution chest CT (HRCT) scan is recommended after pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) embolotherapy to assess for PAVM persistence and untreated PAVM growth. Graded transthoracic contrast echocardiography (TTCE) predicts the need for embolotherapy in PAVM screening. This study sought to determine whether postembolotherapy graded TTCE can similarly predict the need for repeat embolotherapy. ⋯ Postembolotherapy graded TTCE can predict the need for repeat embolotherapy on HRCT scan. Patients with negative TTCE and grade 1 shunt may not require HRCT follow-up and can potentially be followed with serial graded TTCE.
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Signs of both motor and sensory nervous lesions have previously been shown in the upper airway of patients with OSA and habitual snorers. Snoring per se may damage all upper airway neurons over time, thereby causing progression to manifest sleep apnea. To test this hypothesis, nonsnoring subjects, untreated snorers, and CPAP-treated patients underwent repeated sensory testing of the soft palate in a prospective long-term study. ⋯ CDT worsened considerably over time in untreated snorers, significantly more than in nonsnoring control subjects and CPAP-treated patients. Untreated snorers therefore risk developing poor sensitivity in the upper airway. In contrast, efficient treatment of OSA seems to protect the sensory innervation, as the CPAP-treated group maintained their sensitivity to cold and, in some cases, the sensitivity even improved.