Arch Otolaryngol
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Construct validity of the endoscopic sinus surgery simulator: II. Assessment of discriminant validity and expert benchmarking.
To establish discriminant validity of the endoscopic sinus surgery simulator (ES3) (Lockheed Martin, Akron, Ohio) between various health care provider experience levels and to define benchmarking criteria for skills assessment. ⋯ This study completes the construct validity assessment of the ES3 by demonstrating its discriminant capabilities. It establishes expert surgeon benchmark performance criteria and shows that the ES3 can train novice subjects to attain those. The refined analysis of trial performance scores could serve educational and skills assessment purposes. Current studies are evaluating the transfer of surgical skills acquired on the ES3 to the operating room (predictive validity).
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To further validate a questionnaire about symptoms of childhood obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to compare the questionnaire with polysomnography in their ability to predict outcomes of adenotonsillectomy. ⋯ The SRBD scale predicts polysomnographic results to an extent useful for research but not reliable enough for most individual patients. However, the SRBD scale may predict OSA-related neurobehavioral morbidity and its response to adenotonsillectomy as well or better than does polysomnography.
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To examine the risk of pneumococcal meningitis in healthy rats that received a severe surgical trauma to the modiolus and osseous spiral lamina or the standard insertion technique for acute cochlear implantation. ⋯ Severe inner ear surgical trauma to the osseous spiral lamina and modiolus can increase the risk of pneumococcal meningitis. Therefore, every effort should be made to ensure that cochlear implant design and insertion technique cause minimal trauma to the bony structures of the inner ear to reduce the risk of pneumococcal meningitis.
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To describe the common otolaryngologic manifestations in patients with achondroplasia. ⋯ Patients with achondroplasia often present with common diagnoses such as otitis media and adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and familiarity with the condition and its common otolaryngologic manifestations improves the likelihood of successful patient care.
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To study the feasibility of using laryngeal mask anesthesia (LMA) with bronchoscopic evaluation of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) integrity when stimulated. ⋯ Direct visualization of vocal cords using a fiberoptic bronchoscope via an LMA provides a safe and feasible method of laryngeal assessment following thyroid dissection. Continuous real-time video monitoring may be the next step in development of this technique as a patient safety measure for thyroid and parathyroid surgery.