BackgroundCongenital heart diseases (CHD) are the most common congenital anomaly in children and also the leading cause of mortality from congenital anomalies. Various factors including smoking, drinking alcohol and addiction play role in development of congenital heart diseases. This study was conducted with the aim of investigation of the prevalence of addiction in parents of children with co...

Tracheostomy may be associated with numerous acute, perioperative complications, some of which continue to be relevant well after the placement of the tracheostomy. A number of clinically important unique late complications have been recognized as well, including the formation of granulation tissue, tracheal stenosis, tracheomalacia, tracheoinnominate-artery fistula, tracheoesophageal fistula, ...

Background: Some thyroid anaplastic carcinoma and lymphoma have been reported to cause tracheal stenosis or choking. Begin thyroid tumors with dyspnea due to tracheal stenosis are exceedingly rare. Case presentation: We experienced a huge adenomatous goiter (resected specimen weight: 520g). Total thyroidectomy resolved the dyspnea and there was no tracheomalacia. Postoperative CT confirmed a no...

Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) are major regulators of sensory transduction, epithelial secretion, and smooth muscle contraction. Other crucial roles of CaCCs include action potential generation in Characean algae and prevention of polyspermia in frog egg membrane. None of the known molecular candidates share properties characteristic of most CaCCs in native cells. Using Axolotl oo...

Oculo-auriculo-vertebral (OAV) spectrum summarizes a continuum of ocular, auricular, and vertebral anomalies. Goldenhar syndrome is a variant of this spectrum and is characterized by pre-auricular skin tags, microtia, facial asymmetry, ocular abnormalities, and vertebral anomalies of different sizes and shapes. Most cases are thought to be sporadic. However, a few families were reported to have...

a significant portion of patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An 88-year-old man presented with a 2 day history of episodic dyspnoea, wheeze and non-productive cough, on a background of COPD. Despite treatment with oral steroids and short-acting bronchodilators the patient remained symptomatic. A 320-slice, dynamic CT scan of the patient’s upper airway revealed ...

Diffuse airway narrowing of the trachea or main bronchus may result from various autoimmune connective tissue diseases. A careful clinical and pathological evaluation is warranted given the broad differential diagnosis. Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystem disorder that primarily targets cartilaginous structures; however, non-cartilaginous tissue invasion is also seen. Airway inv...

Tracheal extubation remains a critical and often overlooked period of difficult airway management. A 66-year-old man, scheduled for C5-C7 anterior fusion, with an easy view of the vocal cords, presented with a sublaryngeal obstruction that required a reduced tracheal tube size. Despite correct tube placement, intra-operative ventilation remained difficult. At the end of surgery a pulsatile trac...