Institutional analysis of intra- and post-operative tracheostomy management for risk reduction.

Objectives: Determine variability in intra- and post-operative management of tracheostomies (trachs) at our institution as existing literature suggests that trachs are a frequent trigger for airway-related emergencies. Catalyze the development of an institution-wide protocols for trach care.

Methods: A 39-question online survey was sent to 55 providers who perform open and percutaneous trachs at three of the hospitals within our large, urban, academic medical center.

Nuances and Management of Hilar Submandibular Sialoliths With Combined Transoral Robotic Surgery-Assisted Sialolithotomy and Sialendoscopy.

Objective: To describe the management, technical nuances, and success rates of transoral robotic surgery (TORS)-assisted sialolithotomy.

Study Design: Retrospective database review.

Setting: Quaternary academic medical center.

Outcomes After Tracheostomy in COVID-19 Patients.

Objective: To determine the outcomes of patients undergoing tracheostomy for COVID-19 and of healthcare workers performing these procedures.

Background: Tracheostomy is often performed for prolonged endotracheal intubation in critically ill patients. However, in the context of COVID-19, tracheostomy placement pathways have been altered due to the poor prognosis of intubated patients and the risk of transmission to providers through this highly aerosolizing procedure.

Animal Welfare Policy: Implementation in the Context of Wildlife Research--Policy Review and Discussion of Fundamental Issues.

The use of vertebrate animals in research and education in the United States is subject to a number of regulations, policies, and guidelines under the immediate oversight of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs), which are charged with ensuring the ethical and appropriate use of the animal subjects. In almost all instances, this regulatory and oversight landscape of animal use has been developed around domesticated animals in biomedical research environments. When the research activities involve wild species, especially in their natural habitat rather than a laboratory, oversight personnel and investigators alike struggle with determining what constitutes ethical and appropriate activities.

Wildlife researchers running the permit maze.

The study of wildlife, whether in the field or in the lab, may start with a hypothesis, a literature search, or a grant proposal, but in many cases, the work will never happen unless the researcher successfully navigates a maze of permit requirements. A single project can involve multiple permits at the national and state levels, and it can take months to obtain any one permit. Therefore, permits may not have been issued at the time of protocol review, but Public Health Service Policy makes accommodations for this situation.

Fundamental differences between wildlife and biomedical research.

Non-human animals have starred in countless productions of biological research. Whether they play the lead or supporting role depends on the nature of the investigation. These differences in the roles of animals affect nearly every facet of animal involvement, including: the choice of species, the sample size, the source of individuals, and the settings in which the animals are used.