Publications by authors named "Thomas F Rahlfs"

Dermal metastases reflect the ominous and aggressive spread of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. The rampant proliferation of these metastatic tumors to the neck results in respiratory distress and impending airway obstruction. We report a case of a patient with massive neck dermal metastases requiring urgent airway control for intermittent stridor.

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To test the association between the use of scalp blocks for malignant brain tumor craniotomy and survival. This is a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary academic center. Demographic, intraoperative and survival data from 808 adult patients with malignant brain tumors was included in the analysis.

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Objectives: The primary objective of this randomized trial was to compare thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) to intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) for pain control over the first 48 hours after hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery. Secondary endpoints were patient-reported outcomes, total narcotic utilization, and complications.

Background: Although adequate postoperative pain control is critical to patient and surgeon success, the optimal analgesia regimen in HPB surgery remains controversial.

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Article Synopsis
  • Several studies suggest that hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) during the first 10 to 12 weeks after surgery affects survival rates for patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
  • An analysis of 162 adult GBM patients who received temozolomide found that higher glucose levels before and after surgery correlated with decreased overall survival (OS).
  • Specifically, preoperative hyperglycemia showed a statistically significant link to poor OS, indicating that managing blood sugar levels may be crucial for improving outcomes after GBM surgery.
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Mutational processes and signatures that drive early tumorigenesis are centrally important for early cancer prevention. Yet, to date, biomarkers and risk factors for polyps (adenomas) that inordinately and rapidly develop into colon cancer remain poorly defined. Here, we describe surprisingly high mutational profiles through whole-genome sequence (WGS) analysis in 2 of 4 pairs of benign colorectal adenoma tissue samples.

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Purpose: Our practitioners are asked to consider a patient's postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) risk profile when developing their prophylactic antiemetic strategy. There is wide variation in employed strategies, and we have yet to determine the most effective PONV prophylactic regimen. The objective of this study is to compare prophylactic antiemetic regimens containing: phenothiazines to 5HT3 antagonists for effectiveness at reducing the incidence of Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) rescue antiemetic administration.

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Background: The purpose of this study was to measure the dimensions of the retromolar space of a patient population. If the dimensions were found to exceed the outside diameters of commonly used tracheal tubes, the results could increase use of the retromolar approach for oral intubation in patients with trismus.

Methods: We reviewed 311 dental pantomograms.

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