Long-term functional donor site morbidity of the free radial forearm flap in head and neck cancer survivors.

Background: To assess the functional donor site morbidity of the forearm free flap in patients surviving at least 2 years after ablative head and neck cancer surgery in a tertiary care centre.

Methods: This study involved nine long-term survivors (2 year post-operative) who had forearm free flaps to reconstruct head and neck defects. All flaps were raised from the non-dominant arm.

Pulmonary complications after major head and neck surgery: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives/hypothesis: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) following head and neck surgery are common. Patients undergoing tracheostomy, free tissue transfer reconstruction, and postoperative ventilation in an intensive care unit (ICU) have a high incidence of PPCs. We sought to define the incidence of PPCs in this cohort and to determine what factors PPCs correlate with.

Complementary and alternative medicine use in the thyroid patients of a head and neck practice.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among patients being investigated for thyroid nodules in a head and neck oncology practice. Subsequently, to determine whether the common therapies used were likely to interfere with the planned patient's care and whether the predominance was significant to warrant inclusion in routine history assessments.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Simple mass loading of the tympanic membrane to alleviate symptoms of patulous eustachian tube.

Background: Patulous eustachian tube (PET) has a major impact on a patient's quality of life. The purpose of this study was to understand mechanisms behind the symptoms, develop treatments based on these, and develop and use a questionnaire to measure changes in PET symptoms with a novel intervention. Our hypothesis is that PET symptoms can be addressed at the level of the eardrum more easily than at the level of the eustachian tube.

Do we measure up? Is an objective measuring device necessary for the accurate assessment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal lesions?

Objectives: The T stage of oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer lesions has a significant impact on patient treatment and overall outcome. Determining the presence and size of palpable lymph nodes also plays an important role in the complex staging of oral cancer. Oral cavity lesions and lymph nodes are often assessed by visual approximation and palpation.

Informed consent in otologic surgery: prospective randomized study comparing risk recall with an illustrated handout and a nonillustrated handout.

Objective: Following consent, do pictures in a handout improve patients' recall of otologic surgical risks?

Study Design: Prospective, randomized trial in a tertiary care centre.

Methods: Patients undergoing otologic surgery were consented with a standardized checklist of risks by two surgeons. They were randomized (stratified by educational level) to receive either a pure text or a text and pictures handout outlining the risks of surgery.