Venous vascular malformation of the parotid gland.

Venous vascular malformations of the parotid gland are very rare vascular tumors, especially among adults. This case report discusses the presentation and challenges of diagnosing a venous vascular malformation of the parotid gland in a patient with previous oncologic history. Our patient is a 45-year-old female with a history of breast cancer, meningioma, and secreting pituitary adenoma who presented with a malformation on magnetic resonance imaging, incidentally demonstrating a T2 intense mass in the superficial lobe of the right parotid gland.

Characterization of cerebral radiation necrosis following the treatment of sinonasal malignancies.

Objectives: Our study aims to determine the incidence and potential risk factors for cerebral radiation necrosis (CRN) following treatment of sinonasal malignancies.

Methods: One hundred thirty-two patients diagnosed with sinonasal malignancies over an 18-year period were identified at two institutions. Forty-six patients meeting inclusion criteria and treated with radiation therapy were included for analysis.

Estimation of Left Ventricular Stroke Work for Rotary Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Continuous monitoring of left ventricular stroke work (LVSW) may improve the medical management of patients with rotary left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). However, implantable pressure-volume sensors are limited by measurement drift and hemocompatibility. Instead, estimator algorithms derived from rotary LVAD signals may be a suitable alternative.

Predictors of Survival in Veterans with Head and Neck Cancer Treated Surgically.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for 90% of all head and neck cancers. In veterans, the prevalence of head and neck SCC is nearly twice as high compared with the civilian population. Neck dissection plays an important role in the treatment algorithm for patients with head and neck SCC.

A mock circulation loop to evaluate differential hypoxemia during peripheral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Introduction: Peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) creates a retrograde flow along the aorta competing with the left ventricle (LV) in the so-called 'mixing zone' (MZ). Detecting it is essential to understand which of the LV or the ECMO flow perfuses the upper body - particularly the brain and the coronary arteries - in case of differential hypoxemia (DH).

Methods: We described a mock circulation loop (MCL) that enabled experimental research on DH.

Increased body mass index predicts prolonged survival in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Higher body mass index (BMI) may have a protective effect on survival in patients with head and neck cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of BMI on overall survival (OS) in veterans with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods: A cohort of 702 patients diagnosed with HNSCC between 1995 and 2019 were identified at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and 342 patients were included for analysis.

Needle in the Haystack: Wire Bristle Foreign Body Presenting Deep Within the Tongue Base.

Objectives: To report a case of ingested wire bristle embedded within the extrinsic musculature of the tongue requiring a transcervical approach for removal and to provide a revised algorithm for the management of ingested wire bristles.

Methods: The clinical record of 1 patient who ingested a grill brush wire bristle was reviewed. A literature review was also conducted to refine a treatment algorithm for managing ingested wire bristles.

HeartWare HVAD Flow Estimator Accuracy for Left and Right Ventricular Support.

This study investigated the accuracy of the HeartWare HVAD flow estimator for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support and biventricular assist device (BiVAD) support for modes of reduced speed (BiVAD-RS) and banded outflow (BiVAD-B). The HVAD flow estimator was evaluated in a mock circulatory loop under changes in systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance, heart rate, central venous pressure, and simulated hematocrit (correlated to viscosity). A difference was found between mean estimated and mean measured flow for LVAD (0.

Variability of Paranasal Sinus Pneumatization in the Absence of Sinus Disease.

Paranasal sinus pneumatization is a complex process, and numerous computed tomography (CT) studies document developmental variations in the setting of underlying sinus disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate variation in paranasal sinus pneumatization in a population of nondiseased subjects using a metric validated for tracking individual anatomic variants as well as total sinus volume. A total of 591 consecutive sinus and maxillofacial CT scans were considered for study inclusion.

Haemodynamic Effect of Left Atrial and Left Ventricular Cannulation with a Rapid Speed Modulated Rotary Blood Pump During Rest and Exercise: Investigation in a Numerical Cardiorespiratory Model.

Purpose: The left atrium and left ventricle are the primary inflow cannulation sites for heart failure patients supported by rotary blood pumps (RBPs). Haemodynamic differences exist between inflow cannulation sites and have been well characterized at rest, yet the effect during exercise with the same centrifugal RBP has not been previously well established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic effect of inflow cannulation site during rest and exercise with the same centrifugal RBP.

An advanced mock circulation loop for in vitro cardiovascular device evaluation.

Controlled and repeatable in vitro evaluation of cardiovascular devices using a mock circulation loop (MCL) is essential prior to in vivo or clinical trials. MCLs often consist of only a systemic circulation with no autoregulatory responses and limited validation. This study aimed to develop, and validate against human data, an advanced MCL with systemic, pulmonary, cerebral, and coronary circulations with autoregulatory responses.

A Starling-like total work controller for rotary blood pumps: An in vitro evaluation.

Due to improved durability and survival rates, rotary blood pumps (RBPs) are the preferred left ventricular assist device when compared to volume displacement pumps. However, when operated at constant speed, RBPs lack a volume balancing mechanism which may result in left ventricular suction and suboptimal ventricular unloading. Starling-like controllers have previously been developed to balance circulatory volumes; however, they do not consider ventricular workload as a feedback and may have limited sensitivity to adjust RBP workload when ventricular function deteriorates or improves.

The Unified Airway: Does Asthma Influence Paranasal Sinus Pneumatization?

Asthma has been implicated as a driving force in lower airway remodeling; however, its effect on upper airway development has not been studied. Clinical disease, particularly cystic fibrosis (CF), has been associated with anatomical paranasal sinus variation, although the mechanism for these variations remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether asthma is associated with altered sinus pneumatization.

Evaluation of an intraventricular balloon pump for short-term support of patients with heart failure.

The high cost of ventricular assist devices results in poor cost-effectiveness when used as a short-term bridging solution, thus a low-cost alternative is desirable. The present study aimed to develop an intraventricular balloon pump (IVBP) for short-term circulatory support, and to evaluate the effect of balloon actuation timing on the degree of cardiac support provided to a simulated in vitro severe heart failure (SHF) patient. A silicone IVBP was designed to avoid contact with internal left ventricular (LV) features (ie, papillary muscles, chordae, aortic, and mitral valves) based on LV computed tomography data of 10 SHF patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Epistaxis Risk Associated with Intranasal Corticosteroid Sprays: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: Intranasal corticosteroids (INCSs) are widely utilized for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Epistaxis is a known adverse effect of INCSs, but it is not known if the risk of epistaxis differs among INCSs.

Data Sources: Systematic review of primary studies identified through Medline, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed Central, and Cochrane databases.

Detection of laryngeal carcinoma in the U.S. elderly population with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background: An association is suggested between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and malignancy of the larynx in elderly patients in the United States. Early detection with flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy (FFL) or CT remains poorly defined.

Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database was queried from 2003 to 2011.

Gastroesophageal and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Associated With Laryngeal Malignancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: Gastric reflux may lead to chronic mucosal inflammation and contribute to development of laryngeal malignancies, although there is controversy over this association. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess this relationship and determine the risk of laryngeal malignancy in patients with reflux disease.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from 1900 through April 9, 2018, for observational studies of adults reporting associations between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or laryngopharyngeal reflux and the risk of having or developing laryngeal malignancies.

Robotic Neck Surgery in the Pediatric Population.

Introduction: Thyroid, parathyroid, and thymus surgeries are traditionally performed via a cervical approach. However, robot-assisted procedures can provide a safe alternative for neck surgeries. We report our experiences with robotic transaxillary and retroauricular approaches in pediatric patients.

The Influence of Rotary Blood Pump Speed Modulation on the Risk of Intraventricular Thrombosis.

Rotary left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are commonly operated at a constant speed, attenuating blood flow pulsatility. Speed modulation of rotary LVADs has been demonstrated to improve vascular pulsatility and pump washout. The effect of LVAD speed modulation on intraventricular flow dynamics is not well understood, which may have an influence on thromboembolic events.

Association of Gastroesophageal Reflux With Malignancy of the Upper Aerodigestive Tract in Elderly Patients.

Importance: Chronic inflammatory states have been linked to the development of malignancy. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a known risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma as the end result of chronic inflammatory changes.

Objective: To investigate the association of GERD with the risk of malignancy in the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT).

Pulmonary Valve Opening With Two Rotary Left Ventricular Assist Devices for Biventricular Support.

Right ventricular failure is a common complication associated with rotary left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. Currently, there is no clinically approved long-term rotary right ventricular assist device (RVAD). Instead, clinicians have implanted a second rotary LVAD as RVAD in biventricular support.

Chronic sinonasal tract inflammation as a precursor to nasopharyngeal carcinoma and sinonasal malignancy in the United States.

Background: Chronic inflammatory states have been linked to the development of malignancy. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and allergic rhinitis (AR) have been associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in population-based studies in Asia. A similar association with NPC and paranasal sinus malignancy (PSM) has not been defined in a North American population.