Automatic speech analysis for the assessment of patients with predementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Background: To evaluate the interest of using automatic speech analyses for the assessment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Healthy elderly control (HC) subjects and patients with MCI or AD were recorded while performing several short cognitive vocal tasks. The voice recordings were processed, and the first vocal markers were extracted using speech signal processing techniques.

Anterolateral approach to the lower cervical spine: a step-by-step description.

The anterolateral approach is a popular and safe method of exposing the lower cervical spine (levels C3 to T1) for management of cervical spine disease. We present a description of the technique we use in conducting the procedure, a review of the literature, and a retrospective chart review of 30 consecutive patients who underwent cervical spine exposure via a left anterolateral approach. All patients had an uneventful perioperative course, and the two patients who experienced postprocedure symptoms recovered completely within 1 month without treatment.

Recurrent periorbital cellulitis: an unusual clinical entity.

Objectives: To discuss the cause and management of recurrent periorbital cellulitis (RPOC).

Study Design: Retrospective case series and review of literature.

Materials And Methods: In the past 11 years, we have treated 6 patients for recurrent periorbital cellulitis (RPOC).

Ambulatory powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children younger than 3 years.

Objectives: (1) To assess the safety and efficacy of outpatient intracapsular tonsillectomy, which has been recently described as a less invasive means of treating obstructive tonsillar hypertrophy, in children younger than 3 years; and (2) to challenge the standard dictum that children younger than 3 years should be admitted to the hospital after tonsil and adenoid surgery.

Design: Retrospective cohort study via medical chart review and telephone interview.

Setting: Pediatric otolaryngology group practice with academic affiliation.

Predicting decannulation outcomes after distraction osteogenesis for syndromic micrognathia.

Objectives: To characterize the airway anatomy by upper endoscopy in children with syndromal mandibular hypoplasia and to determine whether predistraction endoscopy is predictive of the likelihood of successful outcomes after mandibular distraction.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Methods: Assessment of the upper airway by subsites was qualitatively extrapolated into a devised 4-point scale.

Surgical management of complications after hearing aid fitting.

Objectives: Standard procedures for hearing aid fitting performed in accordance with established guidelines are well tolerated, safe, and effective. In this article, we present unusual complications after hearing aid fitting that required surgical management.

Methods: Four otologists at a major university center with a combined 65 years of experience performed a retrospective analysis of their surgical practice.

Complications of microdebrider-assisted powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

Objectives: To study complications of powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (PITA) in pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Study Design: Retrospective chart review and long-term follow-up in office or by telephone interview.

Methods: We studied 278 patients who underwent PITA between September 2000 and October 2002.

Revision stapes surgery: the malleus to oval window wire-piston technique.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the malleus to oval window wire-piston revision stapes surgery technique.

Study Design: A retrospective analysis of 243 stapes procedures performed by the senior author over a 10-year period identified 15 revisions. Five patients underwent a malleus to oval window wire-piston technique.