Updates in Free Muscle Transfers for Smile Reanimation.

Facial paralysis severely impacts a person's ability to interact with the world. Advances in microsurgery, especially free neurotized muscle transfers, have greatly improved reanimation outcomes. The gracilis free muscle transfer, introduced in 1971, is the most widely used procedure for long-standing flaccid paralysis.

Factors Influencing Delay in Diagnosis of Head and Neck Cancer in Rwanda.

Objective: Head and neck cancer is a significant contributor to global otolaryngologic disease burden, with a disproportionate impact on low- and middle-income countries. This study investigates the factors contributing to delays in head and neck cancer diagnosis at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK).

Methods: Cross-sectional study of all patients with a pathologic diagnosis of head and neck cancer presenting to CHUK between January 2021 and June 2022.

The Impact of Venous Anastomosis Technique on Outcomes of Free Tissue Transfer to the Head and Neck.

To evaluate the impact of different techniques of microvascular venous anastomosis on the outcome of free tissue transfer to the head and neck. Retrospective case series of patients undergoing microvascular free tissue transfer (MFTT) from January 2006 to September 2021. Chi-square tests and -tests were utilized to identify differences in flap outcomes by technique, and log-binomial regression analyses were utilized to identify differences in flap outcomes by technique.

International Collaboration Trends in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Systematic Bibliometric Scoping Review.

Importance: Research in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (FPRS) in the global health setting, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is increasing year by year. As this work progresses, it will be crucial to include voices and perspectives of individuals living in the LMICs being studied.

Objective: To characterize and understand international collaborations in published literature on FPRS care in a global health setting and report patterns in whether these articles included authors from the LMICs in which the studies took place.

Outcomes of Vascularized Versus Nonvascularized Adipofascial Grafts for Parotidectomy Reconstruction.

Parotidectomy defects can leave patients with considerable functional and cosmetic deformities. We aim to compare the success rates and complications associated with vascularized versus nonvascularized adipofascial grafts for reconstruction, including flap failure, return to surgery, infection, and delay to adjuvant treatment. Retrospective case series of patients undergoing either adipofascial anterolateral thigh (AFALT) free tissue transfer or free fat transfer (FFT) after parotidectomy from January 2010 to January 2020.

Effect of Delay of Care for Patients with Craniomaxillofacial Trauma in Rwanda.

Objectives: Craniomaxillofacial (CMF) trauma represents a significant proportion of global surgical disease burden, disproportionally affecting low- and middle-income countries where care is often delayed. We investigated risk factors for delays to care for patients with CMF trauma presenting to the highest-volume trauma hospital in Rwanda and the impact on complication rates.

Study Design: This prospective cohort study comprised all patients with CMF trauma presenting to the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Rwanda, between June 1 and October 1, 2020.

Density of Health Workforce Correlates to Disease Outcomes: Evidence From Global Data in Otolaryngology.

Objective: To better understand the impact of the otolaryngology-specific workforce on the burden of related diseases.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of existing workforce density data as compared with the incidence, mortality, and morbidity data for 4 otolaryngologic diseases.

Setting: An overall 138 countries with known otolaryngology-head and neck surgery workforce and epidemiologic data.

Adjuvant therapy improves survival in pT4aN0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with bone invasion.

Objective: The prognostic significance of bone invasion in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) after accounting for tumor size, nodal spread, and surgical margins is controversial. The aim of this study is to determine whether patients with pT4aN0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with bone invasion have improved overall and disease-free survival with adjuvant treatment.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records from 64 patients with stage pT4aN0 due to mandibular involvement who underwent surgery from 2000 to 2020.

Mandibular Angle Fractures.

Angle fractures are the most common among the mandibular fractures. History and physical examination are crucial in guiding time course and specifics of management. Computed tomography (CT) has become the gold standard for diagnosis of mandible fractures, offering advantages for both surgical planning and assessing dental involvement.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Split-Thickness Skin Grafts for Floor of Mouth Cancer Reconstruction.

Introduction: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) on quality of life (QOL) for early-stage floor of mouth carcinoma (FOM-CA) undergoing surgical resection and split-thickness skin graft (STSG) reconstruction have not been established. We have performed a cross-sectional QOL analysis of such patients to define functional postoperative outcomes.

Methods: Patients with pathologic stage T1/T2 FOM-CA who underwent resection and STSG reconstruction at a tertiary academic cancer center reported outcomes with the University of Washington QOL (v4) questionnaire after at least 6 months since surgery.

Predicting Adverse Histopathology and Need for Postsurgical Adjuvant Therapy for Human Papilloma Virus-Associated Oropharynx Carcinoma.

Objective: For human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx carcinoma treated with definitive surgery, we aimed to find predictors of adverse histopathology indicating the possible need for adjuvant therapy.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: National Cancer Database.

Patterns of Nodal Metastases and Predictors of Occult Disease in HPV-Associated Oropharynx Cancer.

Objective: For human papilloma virus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+ OPSCC), we evaluated the distribution of neck-level lymph node (LN) metastasis, based on postsurgical histopathology, and the incidence of and risk factors for occult LN metastases, as these patterns need clarification for this newer cancer subset.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Patient-Reported Quality of Life After Resection With Primary Closure for Oral Tongue Carcinoma.

Objectives/hypothesis: For early-stage oral tongue carcinoma and carcinoma in situ (ESOTCCIS), we evaluated patient-reported quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes following resection with primary closure (R-PC).

Study Design: Retrospective review at an academic cancer center.

Methods: Thirty-nine ESOTCCIS patients (Tis, T1, T2) who underwent R-PC without radiation completed the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire Version 4 (UW-QOL) at least 6 months since R-PC (mean = 2.

Predictors of Mortality in HPV-Associated Oropharynx Carcinoma Treated With Surgery Alone.

Objective: Survival outcomes for human papillomavirus-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + OPSCC) treated with surgery alone are unclear. To increase understanding, we assessed overall survival (OS) outcomes using the national cancer database (NCDB).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of OS of 736 NCDB HPV + OPSCC patients who underwent surgery alone from 2010 to 2014 using univariate and multivariate analyses and the Kaplan-Meir method.

Association of Ebola Virus Infection With Hearing Loss in Regions Where Ebola Virus Infection Is Endemic: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Many survivors of Ebola virus infection describe new-onset hearing loss after infection. The prevalence, severity, and pathophysiologic features of hearing loss in this population have not been well characterized.

Objective: To perform a systematic review of the current literature to characterize hearing loss in survivors of Ebola virus infection.

Interaction between known risk factors for head and neck cancer and socioeconomic status: the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study.

Prior studies of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) have explored the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) as an independent risk factor; however, none have investigated the interaction of known risk factors with SES. We examined this using the North Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Study, a population-based case-control study. Incident cases of SCCHN from North Carolina between 2002 and 2006 (n = 1,153) were identified and age, sex, and race-matched controls (n = 1,267) were selected from driver license records.

What motivates serodiscordant couples to prevent HIV transmission within their relationships: findings from a PrEP implementation study in Kenya.

With the planned scale-up of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention among serodiscordant couples in resource-limited settings, gaining an understanding of what motivates serodiscordant couples to prevent HIV is critical. We conducted 44 semi-structured, in-depth individual or couple interviews with 63 participants (33 HIV-infected and 30 HIV-uninfected participants) enrolled in a prospective implementation study of oral antiretroviral-based prevention in Kisumu, Kenya. Transcripts were iteratively analysed using inductive content analysis.

"Since both of us are using antiretrovirals, we have been supportive to each other": facilitators and barriers of pre-exposure prophylaxis use in heterosexual HIV serodiscordant couples in Kisumu, Kenya.

Introduction: Since 2015, the World Health Organization recommends pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for all persons at substantial risk for HIV, including HIV-uninfected partners in serodiscordant relationships in resource-limited settings. As PrEP moves from clinical trials to real-world use, understanding facilitators of and barriers to PrEP initiation and adherence is critical to successful PrEP implementation and rollout.

Methods: We conducted 44 in-depth individual or couple interviews with 63 participants (30 without HIV and 33 with HIV) enrolled in the Partners Demonstration Project in Kisumu, Kenya, between August and September 2014.

Facilitators and Barriers of Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation among HIV Discordant Couples in Kenya: Qualitative Insights from a Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Implementation Study.

Introduction: The World Health Organization now recommends antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation for all HIV-infected individuals regardless of CD4 cell count or disease status. Understanding the facilitators and barriers to initiation of and adherence to ART is essential to successful scale-up of "universal" ART.

Methods: To investigate facilitators and barriers to ART initiation, we conducted 44 in-depth individual or couple interviews with 63 participants (33 participants with HIV and 30 without HIV) already enrolled in a prospective implementation study of oral antiretroviral-based prevention in Kisumu, Kenya between August and September 2014.

184AA3: a xenograft model of ER+ breast adenocarcinoma.

Despite the prevalence and significant morbidity resulting from estrogen receptor positive (ER(+)) breast adenocarcinomas, there are only a few models of this cancer subtype available for drug development and arguably none for studying etiology. Those models that do exist have questionable clinical relevance. Given our goal of developing luminal models, we focused on six cell lines derived by minimal mutagenesis from normal human breast cells, and asked if any could generate clinically relevant xenografts, which we then extensively characterized.

Tumor factors associated with clinical outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States. This study evaluated the impact of surveillance and treatment on HBV-infected HCC patients and identified factors associated with survival.

Methods: From 1981 to 2010, 166 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive HCC patients were evaluated.