Reduction of Pharyngocutaneous Fistulae in Laryngectomy Patients by a Comprehensive Performance Improvement Intervention.

Objective: Pharyngocutaneous fistula is a common complication in laryngectomy patients, particularly in previously irradiated cases. We initiated a comprehensive performance improvement intervention in all head and neck surgery patients intended to reduce postoperative infection and fistulae rates. We report our review of outcomes within laryngectomy patients.

Prevalence and predictors of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in a Hispanic patient population.

Minimal data exist on attributes of diastolic dysfunction in the Hispanic population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of diastolic dysfunction in a Hispanic patient population. We performed a retrospective review of 166 consecutive echocardiograms in a southwestern Texas Hospital that caters to a large Hispanic patient population.

Effects of hypothermic deep-anaesthesia on energy metabolism at brain and peripheral levels: a multi-probe microdialysis study in free-moving rat.

Reduction of central energy metabolism is a strategy to protect brain against neurotoxic events. The aim of this microdialysis study in rats is to evaluate changes in energy metabolite levels at central level (striatum) comparatively to peripheral level (subcutaneous adipose tissue) during hypothermic barbituric deep-anaesthesia (sodium pentobarbital 60 mg/kg intraperitoneally). At brain level, extracellular glucose increases (+14.

In vivo study of tumor metabolism: an application of new multi-probe microdialysis system in the striatum of freely moving rats grafted with C6 cells.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the in vivo tumoral brain metabolism in free moving rats using microdialysis. Cells from C6 glioma cell line were inoculated in one striatum 15 days before the microdialysis experimentation. Then, using a new system allowing perfusion of several microdialysis probes in free moving rat, normalised dialysate levels of glucose, lactate and pyruvate were monitored in both glioma and control striatum.