The Laryngoscope
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Hypopharyngeal perforation near-miss during transesophageal echocardiography.
The traditional blind passage of a transesophageal echocardiography probe transorally through the hypopharynx is considered safe. Yet, severe hypopharyngeal complications during transesophageal echocardiography at several institutions led the authors to investigate whether traditional probe passage results in a greater incidence of hypopharyngeal injuries when compared with probe passage under direct visualization. ⋯ Optically guided trans-esophageal echocardiography results in significantly fewer hypopharyngeal injuries and fewer contacts than traditional, blind transesophageal echocardiography. The optically guided technique may result in decreased frequency of potentially significant complications and therefore in improved patient safety.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Middle ear pressure changes after nitrous oxide anesthesia and its effect on postoperative nausea and vomiting.
This study was designed to explore the relationship between changes in middle ear pressure associated with inhalational anesthesia and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). ⋯ Barometric changes in the middle ear contribute to the incidence of PONV induced by N2O.
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To identify the clinical predictors and assist surgeons in their clinical management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A prospective study with a new approach to analyze the static and dynamic upper airway morphology between patients with OSA and normal subjects. ⋯ Upper airway Mueller's studies are predictive and useful (independent samples t test/Mann-Whitney U test, ROC) in identifying patients with OSA. With these sex and anatomic-site specific OSA predictors/formulas and this innovative clinical method, we hope to assist other surgeons with quantitative clinical diagnosis, assessment, surgical planning, and outcome assessment tools for OSA patients.
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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly invasive and metastatic malignant tumor and is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection that exhibits type II latency. Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Our previous studies have indicated that interleukin (IL)-8 was over-expressed in many NPC tissues and was found to be significantly correlated with angiogenesis by immunohistochemistry. ⋯ LMP1 induces IL-8 mainly through the activation of NF-kappa B and partly through AP-1 in NPC model cell lines, NPC-KT, and this suggests that LMP1 plays an important role in the angiogenesis of NPC.