Bilateral ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block in a patient with severe electrocution injuries of the upper extremities.

The performance of bilateral supraclavicular brachial plexus nerve blocks is controversial. We present the challenging case of a 29-year-old male who suffered bilateral high-voltage electrocution injuries to the upper extremities, resulting in severe tissue damage, sensory and motor deficits, and wounds in both axillae. This injury necessitated bilateral below-elbow amputations.

Intraoperative and Postoperative Blood Glucose Concentrations in Diabetic Surgical Patients Receiving Lactated Ringer's Versus Normal Saline: A Retrospective Review of Medical Records.

Background: Hyperglycemia is associated with poor postoperative outcomes after carotid endarterectomy. This retrospective study examined the effect of lactated Ringer's and normal saline solutions on intraoperative blood glucose control in diabetic patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

Methods: The anesthetic and surgical records of type 2 diabetic patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy and received either lactated Ringer's solution or normal saline exclusively during the case were reviewed, and 20 patients were randomly selected from each group for further analysis.

Mandibular advancement for obstructive sleep apnea: relating outcomes to anatomy.

Importance: This study provides insight into the response and cure rates of oral appliances (OAs) in patients with primary retropalatal, retroglossal, or retroepiglottic obstruction, as well as the effect of minimal cross-sectional area on the overall decrease in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) across all anatomical locations of collapse.

Objective: To examine the role of regional upper airway obstruction measured with acoustic pharyngometry as a determinant of OA success.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective case-series included patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome at a tertiary care center.

Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea by peripheral arterial tonometry: meta-analysis.

Importance: Efficient diagnosis and early treatment of obstructive sleep apnea may help prevent the development of related morbidity and mortality. Compared with polysomnography (PSG), ambulatory sleep study devices offer the possibility of an accurate diagnosis with convenience and low cost.

Objective: To assess the correlation between sleep indexes measured by a portable sleep-testing device (peripheral arterial tonometry [PAT]) and those measured by PSG.

Effects of Pillar implants for sleep-related breathing disorders on middle ear function.

Pillar implants provide a reasonable outcome with minimal post-operative morbidity and complications in treating patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) who had obvious palatal obstruction. The palatal structure is responsible for a normal functioning Eustachian tube; however, little is known if there is any potential otologic implication of minimally invasive palatal stiffening surgery for SDB. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Pillar implantation on middle ear function.

Diagnostic value of the Friedman tongue position and Mallampati classification for obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To assess the association between the Mallampati classification and Friedman tongue position for obstructive sleep apnea severity as determined by apnea-hypopnea index and to determine which method is most closely correlated with prediction of obstructive sleep apnea severity.

Data Sources: English-language searches of PubMed, MedLine, and the Cochrane database. Reference sections of identified studies were examined for additional articles.

Effect of continuous positive airway pressure on C-reactive protein levels in sleep apnea: a meta-analysis.

Objective: Evaluate the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, reported either as a primary or secondary end point among patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) based on a meta-analysis of published studies.

Data Sources: English-language searches of PubMed, Ovid, and the Cochrane databases were completed. Reference sections of identified studies were also examined for additional relevant articles to review.

Modified adenotonsillectomy to improve cure rates for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of adenotonsillectomy (T&A) with and without pharyngoplasty (tonsillar pillar closure) in the treatment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Study Design: Randomized single-blind controlled study.

Setting: Tertiary care center.

Compliance and efficacy of titratable thermoplastic versus custom mandibular advancement devices.

Objective: To share our experiences treating patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) with titratable thermoplastic (TPD) and custom-made mandibular advancement devices (MAD) and to compare these devices in terms of objective improvement and cure and treatment success (improvement/cure plus adherence at 6 months).

Study Design: Case series with planned data collection.

Setting: Tertiary care center.

Dead Sea salt irrigations vs saline irrigations with nasal steroids for symptomatic treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis: a randomized, prospective double-blind study.

Background: Intranasal steroids are 1 of the most frequently prescribed medications for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), and saline irrigations are commonly used as an adjunct to medical therapy. We aimed to compare the efficacy of Dead Sea salt (DSS) irrigations and DSS nasal spray vs saline irrigations and topical nasal steroid spray in the treatment of symptoms of CRS.

Methods: A total of 145 symptomatic adult patients without acute infection were initially enrolled and 114 completed the study.

The value of routine pH monitoring in the diagnosis and treatment of laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Objective: To assess the need for pH testing in diagnosing laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).

Study Design: Case series with planned data collection.

Setting: Tertiary care center.

Transoral robotic glossectomy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

Objective: In previous reports of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), patients underwent routine tracheotomy. We aim to assess the feasibility of performing robotically assisted partial glossectomy without tracheotomy and to assess efficacy by comparing OSAHS outcomes with those of established techniques.

Study Design: Historical cohort study with planned data collection.

Aberrant angiogenic characteristics of human brain arteriovenous malformation endothelial cells.

Objective: To identify and characterize the phenotypic and functional differences of endothelial cells derived from cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM), as compared with endothelial cells derived from a normal brain.

Methods: Isolated AVM brain endothelial cells and control brain endothelial cells were evaluated immunohistochemically for expression of the endothelial cell markers von Willebrand factor and CD31, as well as angiogenic factors including vascular endothelial growth factor A, interleukin-8, and endothelin-1. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1 and 2 were also evaluated using immunohistochemistry techniques.

Therapeutic vaccination against malignant gliomas based on allorecognition and syngeneic tumor antigens: proof of principle in two strains of rat.

In the present study we investigated whether allogeneic glioma cells can be utilized to evoke prophylactic or therapeutic immune-mediated elimination of syngeneic glioma in two rat strains. Fisher 344 and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were injected with two syngeneic glioma cell lines, 9L and C6, respectively, resulting in progressive tumor growth. 9L is syngeneic to the Fisher 344 and allogeneic to the SD rats, while C6 cells are syngeneic to SD rats and allogeneic to Fisher 344 rats.

Irinotecan: a potential new chemotherapeutic agent for atypical or malignant meningiomas.

Object: There is currently no effective chemotherapy for meningiomas. Although most meningiomas are treated surgically, atypical or malignant meningiomas and surgically inaccessible meningiomas may not be removed completely. The authors have investigated the effects of the topoisomerase I inhibitor irinotecan (CPT-11) on primary meningioma cultures and a malignant meningioma cell line in vitro and in vivo.