The Primary Care of Immigrant Workers and Their Associated Characteristics within A Taiwanese Fishing Community.

In Taiwan, immigrant workers play an important role in fisheries but they are easily ignored by society. The health problems and associated characteristics of immigrant workers in fisheries remain unclear. Descriptive and retrospective analyses were performed.

Otorrhea as a sign of medical treatment failure in acute otitis media: two cases with silent mastoiditis complicated with facial palsy.

We report two children with otitis media who developed facial palsy despite prompt antibiotic therapy. Brain images revealed silent mastoiditis. Persistent otorrhea may be a cautious sign of medical treatment failure or complication of acute otitis media, including mastoiditis or facial palsy.

Effect of laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty on oral airway resistance during wakefulness in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of successful laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) on oral airway resistance (R(OA)) during wakefulness in patients with OSAS. Fifteen healthy subjects (group I) and 25 subjects (group II) with moderately severe or severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) proven by an overnight sleep study and who desired LAUP were enrolled. All underwent an overnight sleep study, pulmonary function testing and measurement of oral airway resistance [R(OA) (including impedance (Zrs), resistance (R) and reactance (X)] measurement by Impulse Oscillometry (IOS) (MasterScreen IOS, VIASYS Healthcare GmbH, Germany) in the upright (seated) position and then in the supine position while awake.

Effect of treatment by laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty on cardiopulmonary exercise test in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of successful laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Study Design And Setting: Twenty-five subjects with moderately severe or severe OSAS who desired LAUP were enrolled. All patients had an overnight sleep study and CPET before and 3 months after LAUP.

Laryngeal neurofibroma: case report of a child.

Neurofibromatosis is characterized by multiple café-au-lait spots and cutaneous neurofibromas. Laryngeal involvement in neurofibromatosis is rare and is usually manifested by obstructive airway symptoms. We encountered a 1 year 8-month-old girl who was a victim of neurofibromatosis with the presentation of stridor.

Congenital pyriform aperture stenosis: surgery and evaluation with three-dimensional computed tomography.

Objective: We described the surgical efficacy of congenital pyriform aperture stenosis by measuring the width of the nasal pyriform aperture with three-dimensional computed tomography.

Methods: Six patients with congenital pyriform aperture stenosis accepted surgical intervention. Three-dimensional computed tomography was performed for preoperative and postoperative evaluation of nasal pyriform aperture width.

A universal newborn hearing screening program in Taiwan.

Objective: Mackay Memorial Hospital and the Children's Hearing Foundation established a pilot universal newborn hearing screening program in November 1998. Our objective was to assess the feasibility, accuracy and cost effectiveness of implementing universal newborn hearing screening in Taiwan.

Method: Between November 1998 and October 2000 a total of 6765 newborns were screened for hearing loss prior to discharge from the wellborn nursery at Mackay Memorial Hospital.

Effects of treatment by laser-assisted uvuloplasty on sleep energy expenditure in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of successful laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) on sleep energy expenditure (EE) in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients. Fifteen healthy subjects (group I) and 25 patients with moderately severe or severe OSAS (group II) proven by overnight sleep study and who wanted LAUP were enrolled. During the night of the sleep studies, EE was measured with a metabolic cart (indirect calorimetry with canopy), including basal metabolic rate (BMR), mean sleep EE, lowest sleep EE, ratios of mean sleep EE/BMR, and lowest sleep EE/BMR.

Hypoglossal schwannoma in the submandibular space.

Most schwannomas of the hypoglossal nerve originate from the intracranial portion, but they may extend extracranially. Solitary and extracranial schwannomas are extremely rare. We report a case of submandibular hypoglossal schwannoma along with its clinical course and management.