Anemia diagnosis and therapy in malignant diseases: implementation of guidelines-a representative study.

Purpose: Anemia in cancer should be diagnosed and treated according to guideline recommendations. The implementation of ESMO and German guidelines and their effect on anemia correction was analyzed.

Methods: This retrospective epidemiological study, representative for Germany, analyzed data on anemia management of cancer patients with anemia ≥ grade 2.

QS ENDO Pilot - A Study by the Stiftung Endometrioseforschung (SEF) on the Quality of Care Provided to Patients with Endometriosis in Certified Endometriosis Centers in the DACH Region.

Endometriosis significantly reduces patients' quality of life and is additionally a burden on healthcare and social security systems. There are currently no quality indicators for the treatment of endometriosis. The care of patients with endometriosis must be considered inadequate.

Quality of therapy in early ovarian cancer: results of the quality assurance program of the AGO Study Group.

Objective: The quality assurance program for ovarian cancer (QS-OVAR) evaluates the implementation of treatment standards and impact on survival for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I ovarian cancer.

Methods: Patients with a first diagnosis of ovarian cancer, diagnosed in the third quarter of 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016, were documented. Surgical quality was categorized as optimal (maximum one surgical item missing) versus suboptimal (≥2 surgical items missing).

Assessing Medial Olivocochlear Reflex Strengths via Auditory Brainstem Response: Measurement and Variability in Normal-Hearing Individuals.

Purpose: Optimal measurement settings to measure the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) in humans have not yet been defined. The purpose of this study was to advance the representation of the MOCR in auditory brainstem response (ABR) as an addition to the current diagnostic portfolio.

Participants And Method: Twelve female and 14 male normal-hearing adults participated in the study.

Visualizing Contralateral Suppression of Hearing Sensitivity via Acoustic and Electric Brainstem Audiometry in Bimodal Cochlear Implant Patients: A Feasibility Study.

Introduction: The medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) is a part of the binaural processing strategies and influences the efferent auditory pathway in normal-hearing individuals. Patients with asymmetric hearing loss often benefit from a bimodal hearing solution with a cochlear implant (CI) and a hearing aid (HA). However, hearing performances may vary with some surprisingly high- or low-performing CI/HA users.

Immunoglobulin substitution in patients with secondary antibody deficiency in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma: a representative analysis of guideline adherence and infections.

Introduction: In secondary immunodeficiency, immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) is recommended by guidelines (GL) for patients with IgG level < 4 g/l and more than 3 infections or a severe infection. IgRT may be appropriate if IgG level < 4 g/l and/or 1-3 less severe infections (≤ grade 2).

Methods: This was a retrospective sample analysis representative for practices and hospitals in Germany.

Transimpedance Matrix Measurements Reliably Detect Electrode Tip Fold-over in Cochlear Implantation.

Objective: During cochlear implantation, electrophysiological tests are performed to document safe technical functioning of implant and electrodes. In rare cases, the apical part of the electrode folds over during insertion. The data from transimpedance matrix (TIM) measurements enable the generation of a heat map or TIM profile measuring the spatial distribution of voltage.

Aligning Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Improves Hearing Outcome in Bimodal Cochlear Implant Users.

Objective: Patients with unilateral deafness and residual hearing on the contralateral ear can benefit from a cochlear implant (CI) on one side and a hearing aid (HA) on the other. However, hearing improvement among these patients is heterogenous. Interindividual differences in bimodal benefit may be caused by a mismatch of CI and HA.

QS ENDO Real - A Study by the German Endometriosis Research Foundation (SEF) on the Reality of Care for Patients with Endometriosis in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Endometriosis affects a significant number of young premenopausal women. Quite apart from the medical challenges, endometriosis is a relevant burden for healthcare and social security systems. Standardized quality indicators for the treatment of endometriosis have not previously been systematically verified.

The Flex robotic system compared to transoral laser microsurgery for the resection of supraglottic carcinomas: first results and preliminary oncologic outcomes.

Purpose: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has the potential to improve some inherent disadvantages of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM). Here, we retrospectively assessed the application of the Medrobotics Flex system for the resection of supraglottic carcinomas compared to TLM.

Methods: 84 patients underwent surgery for supraglottic carcinomas with the Flex robotic system (n = 19, T-stage distribution in %: T1 42, T2 47, T3 11, T4 0) or TLM (n = 65, T-stage distribution in %: T1 40, T2 44, T3 14, T4 2).

First Use of a New Robotic Endoscope Guiding System in Endoscopic Orbital Decompression.

Purpose: Over the last years, robot-assisted surgery gained in importance in head and neck surgery. In our study, we used a new robotic endoscope guiding system in patients undergoing endoscopic balanced orbital decompression. The aim of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and benefit of a robotic arm in endoscopic orbital surgery.

Guideline adherence in bone-targeted treatment of cancer patients with bone metastases in Germany.

Purpose: To assess adherence to the current European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) clinical practice guideline on bone health in cancer patients and the German guidelines for lung, breast, and prostate cancer among German oncologists in hospitals and office-based physicians and to identify predictors of guideline compliance to assess the needs for dedicated training.

Methods: This was a retrospective sample analysis representing hospitals and office-based physicians in Germany in 2016. Records from lung, breast, and prostate cancer patients who had received a diagnosis of bone metastasis between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016, were included.

F-FDG PET/MRI vs MRI in patients with recurrent adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Objectives: To evaluate and compare the diagnostic potential of F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging ( FDG-PET/MRI) and MRI for recurrence diagnostics after primary therapy in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

Methods: A total of 32 dedicated head and neck F-FDG PET/MRI datasets were included in this analysis. MRI and F-FDG PET/MRI datasets were analyzed in separate sessions by two readers for tumor recurrence or metastases.

A comparative analysis of piezosurgery and oscillating saw for balanced orbital decompression.

: Different minimally invasive surgical approaches to the orbit allow individualized bone resection to reduce proptosis and decompress the optic nerve in patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO). This study aims to compare piezosurgery to an oscillating saw used to resect bone from the lateral orbital wall. : In a retrospective study, we analyzed balanced orbital decompressions performed on 174 patients (318 cases) with GO.

G-CSF guideline adherence in Germany, an update with a retrospective and representative sample survey.

Background: Current guidelines (GL) recommend neutropenia prophylaxis with G-CSF after chemotherapy (CTX) for patients with high (≥ 20%), or, if additional risk factors are present, intermediate (≥ 10-20%) risk of febrile neutropenia. The first sample survey in 2012 (NP1) showed lack of GL adherence. The aim of this second sample survey was to evaluate if GL adherence and implementation have improved.

The influence of orbital decompression on objective nasal function in patients with graves' orbitopathy.

Purpose: To determine the influence of anatomical changes after orbital decompression to nasal function.

Methods: We examined postoperative nasal function after orbital decompression in patients with GO in a prospective study. 25 patients were enrolled between 2014 and 2016.

[Endonasal endoscopic surgery of choanal atresia - long term results].

Introduction:  Choanal atresia is a rare abnormality. As neonates depend on transnasal respiration, bilateral choanal atresia causes an acute emergency. Transnasal endoscopic resection of congenital choanal atresia is a well-established therapy.

[Extracranial schwannomas of the Head and Neck: Clinical -approach based on 20 cases].

Schwannomas are rare benign tumors originating from the perineural cells forming the myelin layer in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). While well established therapeutic concepts exist for intracranial schwannomas, there is a lack of consistent clinical standards for extracranial schwannomas. This retrospective study describes the clinical pathway of 20 patients with histologically proven extracranial schwannomas of the head and neck.

[Endoscopic Browlift via Endotine Forehead Device in Patients with Facial Palsy].

 Forehead and brows form a critical aesthetic and functional subunit of the face. Chronical pPeripheral paralysis of the facial nerve or its frontal branch may cause brow ptosis and eyelid deformities with a limited field of vision and loss of facial symmetry. Techniques, especially endoscopic methods have evolved significantly.

Outcome of a graduated minimally invasive facial reanimation in patients with facial paralysis.

Peripheral paralysis of the facial nerve is the most frequent of all cranial nerve disorders. Despite advances in facial surgery, the functional and aesthetic reconstruction of a paralyzed face remains a challenge. Graduated minimally invasive facial reanimation is based on a modular principle.

Flex Robotic System in transoral robotic surgery: The first 40 patients.

Background: The Flex Robotic System is a new robotic device specifically developed for transoral robotic surgery (TORS).

Methods: We performed a prospective clinical study, assessing the safety and efficacy of the Medrobotics Flex Robotic System. A total of 40 patients required a surgical procedure for benign lesions (n = 30) or T1 and T2 carcinomas (n = 10).

Loss of Schwann cell plasticity in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

Background: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is often associated with chronic disability, which can be accounted to incomplete regeneration of injured axons. We hypothesized that Schwann cell support for regenerating axons may be altered in CIDP, which may account for the poor clinical recovery seen in many patients.

Methods: We exposed human and rodent Schwann cells to sera from CIDP patients and controls.

Evaluation of the application of rhino-septal splints in endoscopic transsphenoidal skull base surgery.

The endoscopic transnasal route for the surgical removal of tumors in the sellar region is frequently associated with nasal complications such as synechiae or impaired nasal breathing. In this study, we investigated the impact of septal splints on avoiding surgery-related co-morbidities. 49 patients in whom endoscopic transnasal, transsphenoidal surgery for sellar tumors was performed between 2012 and 2014 were studied.