Buccinator flap as a method for palatal fistula and VPI management.

Background: Secondary palatal fistula and velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) are two major complications of palatoplasty. Various methods have been introduced for surgical repair of these complications; however, most of them are associated with a high recurrence rate and morbidity. This study was designed to evaluate the use of the buccinator myomucosal flap in the reconstruction of palatal fistula and velopharyngeal insufficiency following primary palatoplasty.

The predicting ability of serum potassium to assess the duration of mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients.

Background: No previous study has been done to evaluate the admission serum potassium level as a predictor of morbidity or need for mechanical ventilation. The aim of this study is to determine the predictive ability of serum potassium on admission, in critically ill trauma patients, and to evaluate the relation of the potassium level to organ failure, length of stay, ventilator need, and duration of mechanical ventilation.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, observational study was done on 100 patients >16 years old, admitted to the Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Units (ICU), for over one year.

Comparison of five methods in predicting difficult laryngoscopy: Neck circumference, neck circumference to thyromental distance ratio, the ratio of height to thyromental distance, upper lip bite test and Mallampati test.

Background: Preoperative airway assessment tests have been presented to help in anticipating a difficult airway. We conducted this study to compare five methods in prediction of difficult laryngoscopy: Neck circumference (NC), NC to thyromental distance ratio (NC/TMD), the ratio of height to thyromental distance (RHTMD), upper lip bite test (ULBT) and Mallampati test (MMT). These five methods are the most commonly used ones and have different powers for it.

The association between saliva control, silent saliva penetration, aspiration, and videofluoroscopic findings in Parkinson's disease patients.

Background: Dysphagia is a common disorder among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). It occurs in up to 80% of all (PD) patients during the early stages of the disease and up to 95% in the advanced stages; but professionals may not hear from the patients about dysphagia symptoms until these symptoms reach an advanced stage and lead to medical complications.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-three PD patients (mean age 66.

Expression Levels of PPARγ and CYP-19 in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Primary Granulosa Cells: Influence of ω-3 Fatty Acid.

Background: The omega-3 fatty acid (ω-3 fatty acid) such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is currently used in the clinic as a nutritional supplement in the treatment of poly- cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The present study was designed to investigate the ef- fect of EPA on the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and cytochrome P450 aromatase (encoded by the CYP-19) in primary cultured granulosa cells (GC) from patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and also to compare these effects with those in GC of PCOS patients.

Materials And Methods: In this experimental study, human GC were isolated, pri- mary cultured in vitro, exposed to a range of concentrations of the EPA and in- vestigated with respect to gene expression levels of PPARγ and CYP-19 using real time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

The Role of Routine Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Ten Years Review.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Purpose: To determine the role of routine preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect the incidence and risk factors for intraspinal anomalies in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

Overview Of Literature: The incidence and risk factors for intraspinal anomalies in patients with idiopathic scoliosis are controversial, and the indications for preoperative MRI in these patients vary among centers.

Intraperitoneal Bupivacaine-Meperidine Infiltration Versus Intravenous Paracetamol: A Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy in Post-Gynecologic Diagnostic Laparoscopic Pain.

Background: Pain following laparoscopy could be due to different causes requiring effective postoperative analgesia.

Objectives: In the present study, we evaluated the combined effect of intraperitoneal infiltration of bupivacaine-meperidine versus intravenous infusion of paracetamol on pain relief after diagnostic gynecologic laparoscopy.

Patients And Methods: In this prospective study, 90 female subjects with ASA class I or II scheduled for gynecologic diagnostic laparoscopy were studied in two groups; group B + M received intraperitoneal infiltration of 40 mL bupivacaine 0.

Evaluation of the pelvic apophysis with multi-detector computed tomography for legal age estimation in living individuals.

Background: Legal age estimations of living individuals are gaining increasing importance for radiologists involved in delivering expert opinions. The present study aimed to assess the correlation between chronological age and apophyseal centers distance from pelvic bone.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 2013.

Association of insulin resistance with lipid profile, metabolic syndrome, and hormonal aberrations in overweight or obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

This cross-sectional study was aimed to better clarify the associations of insulin resistance (IR) with endocrinometabolic parameters in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Anthropometric measurements, endocrine and metabolic profiles, and the presence of IR and metabolic syndrome (MetS) were assessed in 63 overweight or obese PCOS patients subdivided into insulin-resistant (IR) and insulin-sensitive (IS) groups. Fasting insulin concentration and HOMA-IR were higher (p<0.

The effect of age on result of straight leg raising test in patients suffering lumbar disc herniation and sciatica.

Background: Ninety percent of all people sometimes during their lives experience low back pain, and 30-40% develops radicular leg pain with the sciatica characteristics. Although for clinical diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) straight leg raising (SLR) test in 85-90% of cases indicates LDH, but in our practice with LDH patients this test is frequently negative despite radicular leg pain due to LDH. Hence, we decided to evaluate this test in LDH in different age groups.

Comparison between Unilateral and Bilateral Ovarian Drilling in Clomiphene Citrate Resistance Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Efficacy.

Background: Laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) is an alternative method to induce ovulation in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with clomiphene citrate (CC) resistant instead of gonadotropins. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of unilateral LOD (ULOD) versus bilateral LOD (BLOD) in CC resistance PCOS patients in terms of ovulation and pregnancy rates.

Materials And Methods: In a prospective randomized clinical trial study, we included 100 PCOS patients with CC resistance attending to Al-Zahra Hospital in Rasht, Guilan Province, Iran, from June 2011 to July 2012.

Supratentorial cortical ependymoma: An unusual presentation of a rare tumor.

Ependymomas are glial tumors derived from ependymal cells lining the ventricles and the central canal of the spinal cord. Two thirds of ependymomas arise in the infratentorial or intraventricles, whereas one-third are located in supratentorial space. But supratentorial "cortical" ependymomas are very rare.

Comparing the effects of reflexology and relaxation on fatigue in women with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Fatigue is the most common and highly disabling symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) that has negative effects on employment, the process of socialization, compliance with the disease, and other factors effective on activities of daily living. The usage of complementary and alternative medicine methods in MS patients is higher than in the general population. However, there is no scientific evidence to support their effectiveness.

Life-threatening misdiagnosis of bulbar onset myasthenia gravis as a motor neuron disease: How much can one rely on exaggerated deep tendon reflexes.

The autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis (MG), can mimic a variety of neurological disorders leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. On occasions, misdiagnosis of MG could lead to unnecessary therapeutic interventions. We report the case of a 50 year-old man, in whom MG was mistaken for motor neuron disease (MND).

Practical approach to electrodiagnosis of the carpal tunnel syndrome: A review.

Despite being the most common entrapment neuropathy and the most common reason for referral to the electromyography (EMG) laboratory, the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) continues to be challenging due to a large number of electrodiagnostic (EDX) tests available. We present a flowchart and propose a practical approach to the diagnosis of CTS using the available literature and the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) guidelines and the Practice Parameter for Electrodiagnostic Studies in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

A study of psychological well-being in people with multiple sclerosis and their primary caregivers.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling disease of the central nervous system. In these patients, fatigue is the most common symptom that causes disorder in the work, social activities and daily functions of the patients. Given the assumption that MS reduces the patients' psychological well-being, this study aimed at assessing the psychological well-being of both the patients and their primary caregivers.

Persistence of endothelial cell damage late after Kawasaki disease in patients without coronary artery complications.

Background: Recent studies proposed an increased risk of atherosclerosis in patients with a history of Kawasaki disease. This study aimed to investigate the persistence of vascular injury after an acute phase of the Kawasaki disease.

Materials And Methods: We determined the number of circulating endothelial cells (CEC) in the peripheral blood of 13 patients with a history of Kawasaki disease within four to ten years, in comparison with 13 healthy relative controls.

High ω-3:ω-6 fatty acids ratio increases fatty acid binding protein 4 and extracellular secretory phospholipase A2IIa in human ectopic endometrial cells.

Background: Endometriosis, a common chronic inflammatory disorder, is defined by the atypical growth of endometrium- like tissue outside of the uterus. Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIa (sPLA2-IIa) and fatty acid binding protein4 (FABP4) play several important roles in the inflammatory diseases.

Objective: Due to reported potential anti-inflammatory effects of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on fatty acid binding protein 4 and extracellular secretory phospholipase A2IIa in cultured endometrial cells.

Granular cell tumor presenting as a large leg mass.

Granular cell tumor is a rare benign neoplasm most commonly appears in the head and neck region, especially in the tongue, cheek mucosa, and palate. Occurrence in limbs is even rarer. These tumors account for approximately 0.

Comparison of Prophylactic Infusion of Phenylephrine with Ephedrine for Prevention of Hypotension in Elective Cesarean Section under Spinal Anesthesi: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Spinal anesthesia is an accepted technique in elective cesarean sections. However, hypotension, resulted from sympathectomy is a common problem, especially in pregnant women. Prevention of this complication by sympathomimetic agents is of potential clinical significance.

Evaluation of relationship between breast cancer and migraine.

Background: Frequency of migraine changes at different times of a woman's reproductive cycle because of fluctuation of estrogen levels. Breast cancer has also a link with hormonal changes. Given this fact that both migraine and breast cancer are affected by estrogen, the prevalence of migraine may be different in breast cancer patients compared to the normal population.

A case report of osteochondroma with unusual clinical and imaging presentation.

Osteochondroma or exostosis is a bony developmental anomaly, which arises from exophytic outgrowth on bone surfaces in a characteristic manner. Osteochondroma is asymptomatic and grows away from the nearby joint. This paper reports an unusual presentation of osteochondroma in which the patient was surprisingly completely symptomatic.

Placement of long-term hemodialysis catheter (permcath) in patients with end-stage renal disease through external jugular vein.

Background: The number of patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) has progressively increased in the population. Kidney transplantation is the specific treatment for such patients; however a majority of patients will require hemodialysis before kidney transplantation. The present study aims to investigate using the external jugular vein (EJV) for Permcath placement in these patients.

The Effect of Neutral Oligosaccharides on Reducing the Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most destructive diseases associated with conditions of neonatal prematurity. Supplementation with enteral prebiotics may reduce the incidence of NEC, especially in infants who fed exclusively with breast-milk. Therefore, we compared the efficacy and safety of enteral supplementation of a prebiotic mixture (short chain galacto-oligosaccharides/long chain fructo-oligosaccharides [SCGOS/LCFOS]) versus no intervention on incidence of NEC in preterm infants.