Sweet syndrome with bitter outcomes in cervical cancer: A case report.

Background: Sweet Syndrome, or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a non-infectious, painful rash accompanied by fever, leukocytosis and skin biopsy showing neutrophilic dermal inflammation. It is either idiopathic, drug-induced or malignancy associated (MASS). MASS is uncommon in cervical cancer, and usually signals diagnosis, progression or recurrence.

Analysis of chemosensory function in patients with chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction prior to and after balloon dilatation.

Objective: Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) affects approximately 1% of adults in the general population. Non treated Eustachian tube dysfunction can result in chronic middle ear diseases, which have been shown to significantly affect taste sensitivity. A promising treatment is balloon dilatation of the Eustachian tube.

The role of advanced practice providers in pediatric otolaryngology academic practices.

Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the roles of Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in pediatric academic otolaryngology programs to provide a better understanding of their scope of practice, levels of autonomy, clinical duties, teaching opportunities and research participation.

Design: An anonymous web-based electronic survey tool was sent to all pediatric otolaryngology fellowship program directors in the United States.

Results: Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants are utilized in approximately 3 out of every 4 pediatric otolaryngology practices.

Are outcomes and care processes for preterm neonates influenced by health insurance status?

Objective: The purpose of this work was to compare the processes of care and to evaluate outcomes of premature neonates delivered to women with Medicaid managed care versus private insurance.

Design/methods: All of the infants born at <37 weeks' gestation between January 2001 and August 2005 in the ParadigmHealth database were included in these analyses (n = 24151). Infants were categorized by maternal health insurance status as private insurance or Medicaid managed care and analyzed for differences in demographic data and length of stay.

Is IMRT needed to spare the rectum when pelvic lymph nodes are part of the initial treatment volume for prostate cancer?

Purpose: To assess whether a 4-field box technique (4FBT), along with its technical refinements, is an adequate approach in terms of rectal sparing and target coverage for patients with localized prostate cancer undergoing whole-pelvic radiotherapy followed by a prostate boost and whether or not intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is needed.

Methods And Materials: For 8 patients, 31 plans were generated, each of them differing in one or more features, including prescription (dose/volume) and/or technical factors. For the latter, several "solutions" to try to reduce the amount of irradiated rectal volume were addressed, including modifications of the 4FBT and the use of sequential IMRT.