BACKGROUND Radiation therapy-related dysphagia is worsened by xerostomia. The submandibular glands (SMG) produce saliva rich in lubricating mucins, and sparing the SMG has been shown to reduce xerostomia. The goal of this study was to determine whether SMG sparing IMRT is associated with reduced post-treatment PEG dependence in locally advanced oropharynx cancer patients. METHODS Patients tre...

Nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion is a routine procedure in the management of surgical patients. We report the second case of internal jugular vein perforation during NGT insertion. A 79-year-old man presented with diffuse abdominal pain secondary to a perforated viscus. Abdominal CT revealed pneumoperitoneum, necessitating emergent exploratory laparotomy. On post-operative Day 7, the patient de...

BACKGROUND To describe a case with dislodgement of dental bridge with clasps covering the vocal cords, in a patient who was successfully intubated using tube exchanger under video-assisted laryngoscopy. STUDY DESIGN, METHODS Clinical case record with a video clip. SETTING University hospital. CASE PRESENTATION A 83-year-old woman presented with dislodgement of her dental bridge whilst eat...

The multi-chambered mammalian heart arises from a simple tube by polar elongation, myocardial differentiation and morphogenesis. Members of the large family of T-box (Tbx) transcription factors have been identified as crucial players that act in distinct subprogrammes during cardiac regionalization. Tbx1 and Tbx18 ensure elongation of the cardiac tube at the anterior and posterior pole, respect...

During maxillofacial and oral surgery the effect of three anaesthetic scavenging devices used with cuffed and non-cuffed endotracheal tubes was investigated. All the devices produced reductions in nitrous oxide concentrations in the breathing zone and peripheral air, ranging from 36% to 76%. Of the three devices evaluated, the Stellenbosch valve produced the greatest reduction in pollution comp...

Although the two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) model is widely used as a model of human renovascular hypertension, mechanisms leading to the development of fibrosis and atrophy in the cuffed kidney and compensatory hyperplasia in the contralateral kidney have not been defined. Based on the well-established role of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway in renal fibrosis, we tested t...

BACKGROUND Manufacturers' recommendations on cleaning of tracheostomy tubes focus on general warning information and non-specific manual cleaning procedures. The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate different reprocessing methods and to determine the mechanical integrity and functionality of tracheostomy tubes following reprocessing. METHODS Sixteen cuffed or un-cuffed tracheostomy ...

Hillary is a 6-year-old with severe cerebral palsy and cognitive disability. Hillary has been attending a private school for children with developmental disabilities and severe handicaps for the past 2 months. According to her record, the student has a history of oral-pharyngeal dysphagia with silent aspiration and several bouts of pneumonia in the past 2 years. She has a PEG tube by which she ...

The physical model designed by Umeda and Teranishi simulating an arbitrary shape of the human vocal tract was a straight tube with a set of plastic plates inserted from one side. Although this model has the advantage that users can configure any shape of the vocal tract, manually manipulating several plates simultaneously is difficult. In this study, we present two models extending Umeda and Te...