Tracheotomy in COVID-19 patients: Optimizing patient selection and identifying prognostic indicators.

Background: Tracheotomy, through its ability to wean patients off ventilation, can shorten ICU length of stay and in doing so increase ICU bed capacity, crucial for saving lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, there is a paucity of patient selection criteria and prognosticators to facilitate decision making and enhance precious ICU capacity.

Methods: Prospective study of COVID-19 patients undergoing tracheotomy (n = 12) over a 4-week period (March-April 2020).

VEGF-A165 potently induces human blood-nerve barrier endothelial cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and wound healing in vitro.

Several mitogens such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been implicated in mammalian vascular proliferation and repair. However, the molecular mediators of human blood-nerve barrier (BNB) development and specialization are unknown. Primary human endoneurial endothelial cells (pHEndECs) were expanded in vitro and specific mitogen receptors detected by western blot.