Publications by authors named "Moffa A"

Barbed reposition pharyngoplasty (BRP) is a new technique to manage velo-pharyngeal obstruction and collapse in OSA patients. Tonsillectomy is a preliminary step of BRP surgery. Dissection of the PPM with monopolar or hot instruments is an essential step of the BRP technique.

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Background: Impaired response inhibition is a common characteristic of various psychiatric disorders. Cognitive training (CT) can improve cognitive function, but the benefits may be limited. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising tool to enhance neuroplasticity, and thereby augment the effects of CT.

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Purpose: Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a widespread disease but is very underdiagnosed and undertreated. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of using the WatchPAT ONE, a disposable home sleep apnea test device, within a telemedicine-based management pathway.

Methods: All patients who used the telemedicine services for OSA diagnosis using the WatchPAT ONE were prospectively enrolled in the study.

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Purpose: Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) often experience poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness, which significantly affect their daily lives. Among the therapeutic options, Barbed Pharyngoplasty (BP) is widely used, showing an overall improvement in the primary efficacy parameters. However, the impact of this surgical intervention on sleep architecture remains unclear.

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Purpose: Upper airway (UA) surgery is commonly employed in the treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The intricate pathophysiology of OSA, variability in sites and patterns of UA collapse, and the interaction between anatomical and non-anatomical factors in individual patients may contribute to possible surgical failures. This clinical consensus statement aims to identify areas of agreement among a development group comprising international experts in OSA surgery, regarding the appropriate definition, predictive factors in patients, and management of surgical failure in OSA treatment.

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Purpose: Among the treatment options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), intrapharyngeal surgery has undergone significant changes and received solid scientific support. However, it is crucial to identify the best candidate. This study aims to present the results of the modified Alianza technique in our clinic to show the differences in the impact of surgery on supine and non-supine apnea levels in moderate-severe OSA patients.

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Approximately 45% of adults snore occasionally, and 25% snore regularly, with a higher prevalence in men and an increase among postmenopausal women due to hormonal changes. Snoring is a health concern linked to vascular disease and decreased quality of life for both snorers and their bed partners. Effective snoring treatment, which aims to reduce or eliminate the sound, is challenging and depends on factors like age, comorbidities, disease severity, and anatomical features.

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Purpose: Learning how to use barbed sutures and perform Barbed Pharyngoplasty (BP) is challenging due to limited surgical training opportunities. This work aims to design, develop, and validate a new 3D surgical simulator to train ENT residents and specialists in performing BP.

Methods: The Barbed Pharyngoplasty Simulator (BPS) was designed using diagnostic images of the facial mass and testing different materials to replicate the mucosal and bony tissues.

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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for alleviating negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia commonly targets the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC). However, the therapeutic effectiveness of rTMS at this site remains inconclusive and increasingly, studies are focusing on cerebellar rTMS. Recently, prolonged intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) has emerged as a rapid-acting form of rTMS with promising clinical benefits.

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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been demonstrated to produce cognitive enhancing effects across different neuropsychiatric disorders; however, so far, these effects have been limited. This trial investigated the efficacy of using a novel individualised approach to target the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) for enhancing cognitive flexibility based on performance on a cognitive task. First, forty healthy participants had their single target site at the L-DLPFC determined based on each individual's performance on a random letter generation task.

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Background: With promising outcomes, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently been suggested as a treatment for olfactory dysfunction (OD).

Methods: Clinical studies utilizing PRP in OD caused by COVID-19, trauma, anesthetic exposure, viral infection, and chronic rhinosinusitis were included in a systematic review.

Results: Ten clinical studies were qualitatively analyzed.

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(1) Background: Psychological interventions are effective in alleviating neuropsychiatric symptoms, though results can vary between patients. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been proven to improve clinical symptoms and cognition. It remains unclear whether rTMS can augment the efficacy of psychological interventions.

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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is characterized by repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. Drug-Induced Sleep endoscopy (DISE) is used to identify the collapse site. Among the possible sites of collapse, the epiglottis occurs more frequently than previously described.

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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) surgery is now a viable solution in selected patients and the "remodeling" palatopharyngeal surgery is the most common one. Recently, it has become less invasive with the introduction of barbed sutures (BS). An optimization of surgical techniques is represented by barbed pharyngoplasty (BP), which requires surgical precision and needs efficient and precise oropharyngeal visualization.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluated the effectiveness of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) for real-time examination of laryngeal lesion samples in patients undergoing endoscopic surgery.
  • Eight patients with suspected laryngeal lesions had their samples classified as adequate or inadequate based on CLSM findings, with all results later confirmed through histopathology.
  • The study concluded that CLSM provides reliable and accurate assessments for larynx pathology, showing good agreement with definitive histological results.
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  • This study compared the effectiveness of CPAP therapy and sildenafil medication in improving sexual function in patients with both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and erectile dysfunction (ED).
  • Eight observational studies involving 457 patients were analyzed, showing improvements in erectile function for both treatments, with sildenafil exhibiting a higher average score (37.7) compared to CPAP (27.3).
  • While CPAP therapy positively impacted sexual function, sildenafil was found to be more effective, suggesting that a combination of both treatments could be beneficial for patients.
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Septoplasty and turbinate surgery are among the most frequent surgical procedures to improve nasal obstruction and quality of life. These procedures usually imply the presence of congestion, secretions, and crusting related to the movement of the instruments during surgery. However, the use of nasal lavage may reduce this situation.

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Background: Surgical treatment for nasal obstruction caused by nasal valve collapse requires a significant recovery period and risks of complications, while nasal dilators are uncomfortable. Recently, radiofrequency treatment of lateral walls has been used under local anesthesia as an office base surgery. This work aims to assess the efficacy of a new radiofrequency device, the Vivaer™ System (Aerin Medical, Sunnyvale, CA), to treat nasal obstruction through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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: The aim of this study is to show our experience with the correct management of patients suffering from odontogenic sinusitis with oroantral communication and fistula. : According to the inclusion criteria, 41 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study with a diagnosis of odontogenic sinusitis with oroantral communication and fistula; 1 patient with pre-implantological complication, 14 with implantological complications, and 26 with classical complications. : Two patients were treated with a fractioned combined approach, 13 patients were treated with an oral approach only, and 26 patients were treated with a combination.

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Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is a chronic inflammatory disease of sino-nasal mucosa, is IgE-mediated, and affects 10-40% of the global population. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of nasal administration of Beclomethasone Dipropionate (BDP) delivered via Spray-sol with nasal spray in patients suffering from AR. We included 28 AR patients assigned to one of the two following treatments: the Spray-sol group (BDP via Spray-sol) ( = 13) and the spray group (BDP using a common nasal spray) ( = 15).

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Introduction: Prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) shows promise as an effective treatment for depression. However, factors influencing treatment and the time-course of symptom improvements remain to be elucidated.

Methods: Individual participant data was collected from ten randomised controlled trials of tDCS in depression.

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Recently, a high-definition 3D exoscope (VITOM), a new magnification system that provides a 3D image of the surgical field, has been introduced. This study aims to describe the first use of VITOM 3D technology in Barbed Pharyngoplasty (BP) for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). VITOM 3D technology is used to support visualization during BP in a male patient affected by severe OSA with a circular palatal collapse pattern at drug-induced sleep endoscopy.

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Odontogenic sinusitis (ODS) refers to the maxillary sinus infection, which is secondary to either adjacent infectious dental pathologies or procedures. The aim of this retrospective study is to report the experiences of the department of integrated therapies in otolaryngology (Campus Bio-Medico Foundation, Rome, Italy) in classifying and treating patients that are affected by odontogenic sinusitis derived from "classic complications". A total of 68 patients responding to the criteria and to the definition as a classical odontogenic complication were included.

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Article Synopsis
  • The use of barbed sutures in surgery for obstructive sleep apnea and snoring related to retropalatal collapse has been growing significantly.
  • A systematic review examined six clinical studies, finding that patients showed a notable improvement in snoring severity, reducing their average score from 8.35 pre-surgery to 2.68 post-surgery.
  • Although no major complications were reported, the evidence is limited and varied, suggesting that further large-scale studies are necessary to fully validate the effectiveness of barbed sutures in treating snoring.
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