BACKGROUND This is a single-institution prospective study in a tertiary care center to evaluate feasibility, completeness of resection, and functional outcomes for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) treated primarily with transoral robotic-assisted resection. METHODS Thirty-five patients with T1 and T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx were included. They underwent transoral ...

e increasing prevalence of the use of enteral feeding tubes during critical illness leads to the increased potential for malposition of the tube [1], which may result in severe complications. We report tracheo-bronchial malposition of feeding tubes in six mechanically ventilated patients. six multiple trauma patients with mechanical ventilation in the emergency ICU were included in this study. ...

OBJECTIVE To compare the effect of early tracheotomy (ET) and late tracheotomy (LT) on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) incidence and short-term mortality in critically ill patients who received mechanical ventilation. DATA SOURCES We searched databases of PubMed, Embase, and others for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared ET (≤ 8 days after admission to the intensive care u...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the need for a tracheotomy and its timing during the evolution of an association of malformations, including coloboma, heart defects, choanal atresia, developmental and growth retardation, genitourinary malformation, and ear anomalies (CHARGE association). DESIGN Retrospective study from January 1988 through December 1997. SETTING Four academic tertiary care centers. ...

INTRODUCTION We investigated the potential benefits of early tracheotomy performed before day eight of mechanical ventilation (MV) compared with late tracheotomy (from day 14 if it still indicated) in reducing mortality, days of MV, days of sedation and ICU length of stay (LOS). METHODS Randomized controlled trial (RCT) including all-consecutive ICU admitted patients requiring seven or more d...

BACKGROUND Successful "critical pathway" design and implementation are dependent on appropriate patient stratification according to those factors that are primary determinants of resource utilization. OBJECTIVES To test the validity of our previously reported critical pathway design and to determine whether tracheotomy and microvascular reconstruction (MR) are primary determinants of resource...

Central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome (CAHS) is a rare and potentially fatal condition. However, respiratory care for patients with CAHS caused by lateral medullary infarction (CAHS-LMI) remains an important unsolved problem. We describe 2 patients with CAHS-LMI and review the case reports for 17 previously described patients. Patient 1 was a 78-year-old man who was referred to our hospital...