JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jun 2013
Disinfection of rigid nasal endoscopes following in vitro contamination with Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Haemophilus influenzae.
If not adequately cleaned, rigid nasal endoscopes (RNEs) have the potential to cause iatrogenic cross-contamination. ⋯ Most cleaning methods used in our trials appear to properly disinfect RNEs after in vitro inoculation with S aureus, S pneumoniae, and H influenzae. However, it appears that disinfectants may be less effective in cleaning rigid scopes experimentally inoculated with P aeruginosa. There is a paucity of published data regarding cross-contamination during rigid nasal endoscopy, and these results should guide future studies and to some extent practice to avoid iatrogenic spread of contamination.
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · May 2013
Comparative StudyHemispheric dominance and cell phone use.
A thorough understanding of why we hold a cell phone to a particular ear may be of importance when studying the impact of cell phone safety. ⋯ An association exists between hand dominance laterality of cell phone use (73%) and our ability to predict hemispheric dominance. Most right-handed people have left-brain LHD and use their cell phone in their right ear. Similarly, most left-handed people use their cell phone in their left ear. Our study suggests that AHD may differ from LHD owing to the difference in handedness and cell phone ear use. Literature suggests a possible relationship between cell phone use and cancer. The fact that few tumors were identified in this population does not rule out an association.
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · May 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyBlood loss during endoscopic sinus surgery with propofol or sevoflurane: a randomized clinical trial.
Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol has been associated with reduced operative time, decreased perioperative risks, and decreased intraoperative blood loss compared with inhalational anesthesia (IA). During endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), reduced bleeding from the mucosal surfaces could improve visualization of the anatomy and decrease the risk of serious complications. ⋯ In this comparative study, our results did not show any difference in blood loss and surgical conditions between the TIVA and IA groups. Even further study is not likely to show a difference in blood loss between TIVA and IA during ESS.
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · May 2013
Review Historical ArticleThe early history of the cochlear implant: a retrospective.
Histories of cochlear implant (CI) technology have often been inaccurate owing to the confusion of terms and anatomical situations or to biased reporting. This retrospective, published shortly after the death of inventor William F. House-and more than 50 years after placement of the first CI-offers a precise account of the early experimental period. ⋯ Inspired by French experiments with electrode implantation at the VIII nerve, the initial practical development of the CI is nonetheless a Californian story, divided between the House group at Los Angeles and teams at Stanford University and UCSF.
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · May 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyDexamethasone for the prevention of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and other complications after thyroid surgery: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Recurrent laryngeal nerve dysfunction and hypoparathyroidism are well-recognized, important complications of thyroid surgery. The duration of convalescence after noncomplicated thyroid operation may depend on several factors, of which pain and fatigue are the most important. Nausea and vomiting occur mainly on the day of operation. Glucocorticoids are well known for their analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulating and antiemetic effects. However, there is little information in the literature on the use of steroids in thyroid surgery, and the information that is available is conflicting. ⋯ Preoperative administration of dexamethasone, 8 mg, reduced postoperative temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and hypoparathyroidism rates and reduced pain, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting after thyroid surgery. However, these data require further analysis in randomized prospective studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01690806.