Functional outcomes related to the prevention of radiation-induced xerostomia: oral pilocarpine versus submandibular salivary gland transfer.

Background: Xerostomia has a devastating impact on oral function and quality of life in patients who receive radiation treatment for head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine functional outcomes related to 2 saliva-sparing treatments: (1) oral pilocarpine during radiotherapy; or (2) the submandibular salivary gland transfer (SGT) before radiotherapy.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients were recruited (SGT = 36; pilocarpine = 33).

Comparison of speech and aesthetic outcomes in patients with maxillary reconstruction versus maxillary obturators after maxillectomy.

Background: Two options exist for restoring structure and function after maxillectomy. Prosthodontic rehabilitation requires that an obturator be constructed to address the oronasal communication that exists after resection of the maxilla. Surgical reconstruction of the defect is another option, often accomplished with the use of bone-containing flaps.

Survey of current functional outcomes assessment practices in patients with head and neck cancer: initial project of the head and neck research network.

Background: Functional outcomes assessment has become increasingly important in informing treatment decisions in the area of head and neck cancer. However, consistency of assessment methods across studies has been lacking. For the literature to inform clinical decision making, consensus regarding outcomes measurements is necessary.

A review of functional outcomes related to prosthetic treatment after maxillary and mandibular reconstruction in patients with head and neck cancer.

Purpose: This review examined literature that reported functional outcomes across 3 categories of prosthetic treatment after microvascular reconstruction of the maxilla and mandible: (1) conventional dental/tissue-supported prosthesis, (2) implant-retained prosthesis, and (3) no prosthesis.

Materials And Methods: Library databases were searched for articles related to reconstruction of the maxilla and mandible, and references of selected articles were hand searched. Relevant literature was identified and reviewed with criteria specified a priori.

Laryngeal and respiratory behavior during pitch change in professional singers.

The aim of this study was to examine the physiology of pitch change in terms of laryngeal and respiratory mechanisms in professional singers. Nine female professional singers were recruited to participate in the study. Videoendoscopic recordings of the participants producing one-octave ascending and descending scales were used as a basis to apply a ratio measurement of vocal fold length for each note produced on the scale.