Prospective Quantitative Laryngeal Electromyography Changes in Patients With Iatrogenic Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

Objective: To track quantitative laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) and voice outcome survey (VOS) changes over 12 months postiatrogenic unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). To explore the factors influencing these changes.

Study Design: Historical cohort study.

Vulnerable parafoveal microcirculation quadrant in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss among adults. This study evaluates Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) vessel density (VD) as a marker for DR in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. An observational study was conducted with 47 type 2 DM patients and 21 healthy controls.

Long-Term Assessment of Speech and Swallowing Function in Laryngopharyngeal Cancer Patients After J-Flap Reconstruction.

Objectives: A novel J-shaped anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap reconstruction technique was developed to simultaneously restore swallowing and speech functions in patients following total laryngopharyngectomy. This study aimed to assess the outcomes and surgical complications in patients who underwent J-flap reconstruction over time.

Methods: Patients who underwent J-shaped ALT flap phonatory tube reconstruction were enrolled.

Upfront Surgery Versus Upfront Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy as Primary Modality in Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: The management of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) continues to be one of the most formidable challenges in the realm of head and neck oncology.

Objectives: The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the disparity in survival outcomes between upfront surgery and upfront concurrent chemoradiotherapy as the primary treatment modality in patients with HPSCC.

Design: Systemic review with meta-analysis.

The association between antiglaucomatous agents and Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: To estimate the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with long-term use of topical glaucoma medications among middle-aged and older glaucoma patients, and compare the AD risk among various glaucoma subtypes.

Methods: This nationwide population-based cohort study utilized insurance claims data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 2008 and 2019. Participants were adults aged 45 years or older either with a diagnosis of glaucoma or without.

The clinical impact of primary granulocyte-colony stimulating factor prophylaxis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who underwent induction chemotherapy.

Background: Data describing the risk factors for the occurrence of severe infections in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients following induction chemotherapy and the role of prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the era of antimicrobials prophylaxis are limited.

Methods: This study enrolled 188 children aged ≤18 years with newly diagnosed ALL who received Taiwan Pediatric Oncology Group ALL-2002 and 2013 treatments between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2021. Prophylactic G-CSF was administered when a patient continues neutropenia after achieving the first bone marrow remission since June 1, 2015.

Preliminary Report of Nationwide COVID-19 Vaccine Compensation in Taiwan.

The potential adverse effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations raise public concerns. Data from Taiwan's Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) can provide valuable insights. This study analyzed the preliminary application data for COVID-19 vaccine compensation in Taiwan's VICP, focusing on applicants receiving vaccines between March 2021 and June 2022.

Biomarkers for neuromyelitis optica: a visual analysis of emerging research trends.

Neuromyelitis optica is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that differs from multiple sclerosis. Over the past 20 years, the search for biomarkers for neuromyelitis optica has been ongoing. Here, we used a bibliometric approach to analyze the main research focus in the field of biomarkers for neuromyelitis optica.

A Radiotherapy Dose Map-Guided Deep Learning Method for Predicting Pathological Complete Response in Esophageal Cancer Patients after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Surgery.

Esophageal cancer is a deadly disease, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy can improve patient survival, particularly for patients achieving a pathological complete response (ypCR). However, existing imaging methods struggle to accurately predict ypCR. This study explores computer-aided detection methods, considering both imaging data and radiotherapy dose variations to enhance prediction accuracy.

Pathophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis in Female Patients: An Ultrasonographic Study.

Objectives: Laryngeal ultrasonography (LUS) has been suggested as an alternative diagnostic tool for unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). The present study applied LUS and quantitative laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) in female UVFP patients to investigate the pathophysiologic mechanisms of UVFP.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, vocal fold (VF) length parameters included resting and phonating VF length measured using B-mode LUS, and color Doppler vibrating length (CDVL) measured using the color Doppler mode.

Non-meningeal, non-pulmonary cryptococcosis with limited posterior uveitis in a kidney organ transplant recipient with antibody-mediated rejection: a case report.

Background: Cryptococcosis is one of the most frequent fungal eye infections in patients with immunosuppression. Currently, treatment approaches for non-meningeal, non-pulmonary cryptococcosis are based on those used for cryptococcal meningitis or pneumonia.

Case Presentation: We present a rare case of non-meningeal, non-pulmonary cryptococcosis with clinical manifestations limited to one eye of a cadaveric kidney transplant recipient with chronic-active antibody-mediated rejection.

Aerodynamic Performance and Neuromuscular Control in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) causes glottal incompetence and poor vocal efficiency. The influence of laryngeal neuromuscular control on aerodynamics in UVFP remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between laryngeal muscle activities using quantitative laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) and aerodynamics in UVFP.

Persistence of lower vocal intensity in vocal fold paralysis with cricothyroid impairment after hyaluronate injection.

Background: Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) affects the glottal gap, voice, and aerodynamics, whereas injection laryngoplasty (IL) using hyaluronate is an effective treatment for UVFP by decreasing the glottal gap to improve voice. Previous studies have shown that the involvement of cricothyroid (CT) muscle in UVFP patients further affects patients' aerodynamics, but it remains unclear whether the difference remains after IL. This study investigates whether the aerodynamic features observed in UVFP with CT involvement could still be observed after IL.

Palatal hybrid surgery for obstructive sleep apnea-state-of-the-art annotation of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

Background: Surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has changed in concept and technique that transformed from radical excision to functional reconstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of palatal hybrid surgery in OSA patients.

Methods: Palatal hybrid surgery is a tissue-specific technique (mucosa-preservation, tonsil-excision, fat-ablation, muscle-relocation/suspension) used in treating OSA patients with velopharyngeal obstruction.

Wireless, Soft Sensors of Skin Hydration with Designs Optimized for Rapid, Accurate Diagnostics of Dermatological Health.

Accurate measurements of skin hydration are of great interest to dermatological science and clinical practice. This parameter serves as a relevant surrogate of skin barrier function, a key representative benchmark for overall skin health. The skin hydration sensor (SHS) is a soft, skin-interfaced wireless system that exploits a thermal measurement method, as an alternative to conventional impedance-based hand-held probes.

Transoral Tongue Suspension for Obstructive Sleep Apnea-A Preliminary Study.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel technique for transoral tongue suspension (TOTS) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Material and Methods: The retrospective study enrolled 24 consecutive OSA patients (21 males; average age, 43 years; average apnea−hypopnea index (AHI), 42.2 event/h; average body mass index (BMI), 25.

Volumetric Changes after Coblation Ablation Tongue (CAT) in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients.

Background: Obstruction of the tongue is commonly seen in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study proposed whole tongue treatment using coblation ablation tongue (CAT) and aimed to explore the potential association between the dimensions of a tongue and the severity of OSA, to inspect volumetric changes of the tongue after CAT, and to search for factors that influence outcome of tongue volume change.

Methods: The prospective study enrolled 12 OSA patients (all male, average age: 35 years, average apnea/hypopnea index (AHI): 45.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Vocal Outcomes and Quality of Life after Total Laryngectomy and Voice Restoration with J-Flap and Tracheoesophageal Puncture.

Background: Tracheoesophageal puncture with a voice prosthesis is the gold standard for speech rehabilitation in patients that receive a laryngopharyngectomy. However, a novel surgical technique, using a tubularized anterolateral tight flap, named "J-flap," has been demonstrated to produce adequate voice restoration. We aimed to compare the outcomes and the quality of life of patients who underwent voice rehabilitation with both techniques.

Carcinoma Showing Thymus-like Differentiation (CASTLE) with Synchronous Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review.

Carcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation (CASTLE) is a rare malignant tumor that accounts for 0.1%-0.15% of all thyroid cancers.

Long-Lasting Effect after Single Hyaluronate Injection for Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis: Does Concentration Matter?

Background: Early injection laryngoplasty (EIL) using hyaluronic acid (HA) is an effective treatment for glottic insufficiency in patients with acute unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Most patients benefit by showing improvement in voice and quality of life and implied reduced need for permanent laryngoplasty. However, injected HA might resolve within a short period, so its long-term outcomes and the need for secondary procedures need to be clarified.

The prognostic value of radiologic extranodal extension in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The prognostic value of radiologic extranodal extension (rENE) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma remains controversial. In this study, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the prognostic value of ungraded rENE and unambiguous advanced rENE.

Methods: A literature search through PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and manual searches was conducted until May 2021.

Cricothyroid Muscle Dysfunction Affects Aerodynamic Performance in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

Background: Emerging evidence has revealed that cricothyroid (CT) muscle dysfunction in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) further impairs patients' voices. Given that CT muscle dysfunction does not influence vocal fold position, the mechanism of voice dysfunction induced by dysfunction of CT muscle in UVFP patients remains controversial. This study compares aerodynamics between UVFP patients with and without CT muscle involvement.