Search engine optimization and its association with readability and accessibility of diabetic retinopathy websites.

PURPOSE: This study investigated whether websites regarding diabetic retinopathy are readable for patients, and adequately designed to be found by search engines. METHODS: The term "diabetic retinopathy" was queried in the Google search engine. Patient-oriented websites from the first 10 pages were categorized by search result page number and website organization type. Metrics of search engine optimization (SEO) and readability were then calculated. RESULTS: Among the 71 sites meeting inclusion criteria, informational and organizational sites were best optimized for search engines, and informational sites were the most visited. Better optimization as measured by authority score was correlated with lower Flesch Kincaid Grade Level (r = 0.267, P = 0.024). There was a significant increase in Flesch Kincaid Grade Level with successive search result pages (r = 0.275, P = 0.020). Only 2 sites met the 6th grade reading level AMA recommendation by Flesch Kincaid Grade Level; the average reading level was 10.5. There was no significant difference in readability between website categories. CONCLUSION: While the readability of diabetic retinopathy patient information was poor, better readability was correlated to better SEO metrics. While we cannot assess causality, we recommend websites improve their readability, which may increase uptake of their resources.

Impact of grinding balls on the size reduction of Aprepitant in wet ball milling procedure.

One of the widely used approaches for improving the dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs is particle size reduction. Ball milling is a mechanical, top-down technique used to reduce particle size. The effect of ball number, ball size, and milling speed on the properties of milled Aprepitant is evaluated. A full factorial design was employed to investigate the influence of affecting factors on particle size reduction. The initial suspension was made by suspending the drug in distilled water using excipients followed by milling in a planetary ball mill. Ball size, ball number, and milling speed modulated particle size distribution of Aprepitant. Increasing the number of balls from minimum to maximum for each ball size led to approximately a 28% reduction in mean particle size, a 37% decrease in D90%, and a 25% decrease in the ratio of volume mean particle diameter to numeric mean particle diameter. On average, using 10 mm balls instead of 30 mm balls reduced mean particle size by 1.689 µm. As a result, ball size, ball number, and milling speed are three effective factors in the process of ball milling. By increasing the ball number and decreasing the ball size, efficient micronization of drug particles takes place and the particle size is more uniform.

Recommendations Related to Visitor and Movement Restrictions in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes in Ontario during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Residents, Families, and Staff.

In Canada, long-term care and retirement home residents have experienced high rates of COVID-19 infection and death. Early efforts to protect residents included restricting all visitors as well as movement inside homes. These restrictions, however, had significant implications for residents' health and well-being. Engaging with those most affected by such restrictions can help us to better understand their experiences and address their needs. In this qualitative study, 43 residents of long-term care or retirement homes, family members and staff were interviewed and offered recommendations related to infection control, communication, social contact and connection, care needs, and policy and planning. The recommendations were examined using an ethical framework, providing potential relevance in policy development for public health crises. Our results highlight the harms of movement and visiting restrictions and call for effective, equitable, and transparent measures. The design of long-term care and retirement policies requires ongoing, meaningful engagement with those most affected.

Reverse Lid Swinging Approach: A Case Series.

In this report, the authors describe the reverse lid swinging approach, which comprises lateral canthotomy, superior lateral cantholysis to free the upper eyelid, and an incision at the superonasal conjunctival fornix for orbital exposure. Four patients underwent orbitotomy using the reverse lid swinging approach for orbital tumor removal (n = 3) or orbital abscess drainage (n = 1). All 4 operations were uneventful, with no optic nerve dysfunction or extraocular dysmotility over the follow-up period. Satisfactory cosmesis was achieved with no visible external scar in all cases. The reverse lid swinging approach provides easy access to medial orbital lesions as demonstrated in the present case series.

Sleep apnea multi-level surgery trial: long-term observational outcomes.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The sleep apnea multi-level surgery (SAMS) randomized clinical trial showed surgery improved outcomes at 6 months compared to ongoing medical management in patients with moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who failed continuous positive airway pressure therapy. This study reports the long-term outcomes of the multi-level surgery as a case series. METHODS: Surgical participants were reassessed >2 years postoperatively with the same outcomes reported in the main SAMS trial. Primary outcomes were apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), with secondary outcomes including other polysomnography measures, symptoms, quality of life, and adverse events. Long-term effectiveness (baseline to long-term follow-up [LTFU]) and interval changes (6 month to LTFU) were assessed using mixed effects regression models. Control participants were also reassessed for rate of subsequent surgery and outcomes. RESULTS: 36/48 (75%) of surgical participants were reevaluated (mean (standard deviation)) 3.5 (1.0) years following surgery, with 29 undergoing polysomnography. AHI was 41/h (23) at preoperative baseline and 21/h (18) at follow-up, representing persistent improvement of -24/h (95% CI -32, -17; p < 0.001). ESS was 12.3 (3.5) at baseline and 5.5 (3.9) at follow-up, representing persistent improvement of -6.8 (95% CI -8.3, -5.4; p < 0.001). Secondary outcomes were improved long term, and adverse events were minor. Interval change analysis suggests stability of outcomes. 36/43 (84%) of the control participants were reevaluated, with 25 (69%) reporting subsequent surgery, with symptom and quality of life improvements. CONCLUSION: Multi-level upper airway surgery improves OSA burden with long-term maintenance of treatment effect in adults with moderate or severe OSA in whom conventional therapy failed. CLINICAL TRIAL: Multi-level airway surgery in patients with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who have failed medical management to assess change in OSA events and daytime sleepiness; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=366019&isReview=true; ACTRN12614000338662.

The role of intrapartum fetal head compression in neonatal retinal hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: Neonatal retinal hemorrhage is a common finding in newborns, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. A computational simulation was designed to study the events taking place in the eye and orbit when the head is compressed as the neonate passes through the birth canal. METHODS: A finite element model of the eye, optic nerve sheath, and orbit was simulated and subjected to forces mimicking rises in intracranial pressure (ICP) associated with maternal contractions during normal vaginal delivery. Resulting changes in intraocular pressure (IOP), pressure in the optic nerve sheath, and stress within the sclera and retina were measured. RESULTS: During contractions, increased ICP was transmitted to the orbit, globe, and optic nerve sheath. IOP rose by 2.71 kPa near the posterior pole. Pressure at the center of the optic nerve sheath rose by 7.31 kPa and up to 9.30 kPa at its interface with the sclera. Stress in the retina was highest near the optic disk and reached 10.93, 10.99, and 13.28 kPa in the preretinal, intraretinal, and subretinal layers, respectively. Stress in the sclera peaked at 12.76 kPa. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing ICP associated with natural vaginal delivery increases intraorbital pressure, which applies stress to the retina. Associated retinal deformation may cause tearing of the retinal vasculature. Increased pressure within the optic nerve sheath may occlude the central retinal vein, resulting in outflow obstruction and subsequent rupture. Forces accumulated near the optic disk, likely accounting for the tendency of neonatal retinal hemorrhage to occur posteriorly.

Burnishing of exposed porous polyethylene orbital implant: is it useful?

OBJECTIVE: To describe and report the surgical outcomes of the burnishing technique for exposed porous polyethylene (PP) orbital implants. METHODS: A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent repair of an exposed PP orbital implant at Hong Kong Eye Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong, between January 2002 and April 2022 was conducted. Exposed PP orbital implants were burnished with an electric drill. The exposed area was then covered by a donor scleral graft followed by conjunctival wound closure. Patients with a shallow lower eyelid fornix would undergo additional fornix deepening procedures that mobilize the conjunctiva and provide adequate coverage of the implant. RESULTS: Six patients who had exposed PP orbital implants following enucleation (n = 4) and evisceration (n = 2) underwent repair. Five of the six patients did not experience any recurrence at an average follow-up of 25 months (range, 7-42 months). One patient who suffered from endophthalmitis experienced orbital implant re-exposure 16 months after the revision was managed by reimplantation of an acrylic implant and wrapping with both donor scleral graft and dermis fat graft. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we described a burnishing technique for repairing exposed PP orbital implants. Our technique is effective in preventing implant re-exposure and is easy to perform.

Quantifying the efficacy of protective eyewear in pediatric soccer-induced retinal injury.

BACKGROUND: Ocular injury is common in children playing sports. Sports-related eye injuries, if severe enough, can lead to permanent vision impairment. Soccer, the most popular sport in the world, is a sport in which players rarely use protective eyewear. The purpose of this study was to determine how eye injuries are induced by a soccer ball impact and to evaluate whether eye protection influences the effects of impact. METHODS: A finite element (FE) computer simulation was used to simulate soccer ball trauma on a model of the eye with and without eye protection. Protective eyewear of different materials (polycarbonate and acrylic) was modeled to investigate the optimal medium for eye protection. Stress and strain experienced by the eyeball was quantified by the FE computer simulation in each model. RESULTS: Protective eyewear was found to be effective in lowering ocular stress and strain by absorbing and redirecting energy from the ball. Compared to the unprotected eye model, polycarbonate eyewear reduced the average stress the retina experienced by 61%, whereas the acrylic model reduced the average stress by 40%. Polycarbonate and acrylic eyewear also reduced the maximum strain experienced by the retina by 69% and 47%, respectively, reducing the severity of deformations of the eye on impact. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that wearing protective eyewear, especially when made of polycarbonate, can be an effective means of reducing injury-inducing retinal stress. The use of eye protection is thus recommended for pediatric patients participating in soccer.

Doxycycline sclerotherapy in patients with periorbital lymphatic malformation: A case series and literature review.

PURPOSE: To describe and report the outcomes of doxycycline sclerotherapy in patients with periorbital lymphatic malformations(LMs). BASIC PROCEDURES: A retrospective review of consecutive patients diagnosed with periorbital LMs and who received doxycycline sclerotherapy at Hong Kong Eye Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong between January 2016 and June 2022. Doxycycline was prepared with a concentration of 100 mg diluted in 10 mL water for injection. A 23-gauge needle aiming at the center of the macrocyst was used to aspirate fluid from the lesion; this was then followed by an intralesional injection of 0.5 to 2 ml of doxycycline depending on the size of the cavity. MAIN FINDINGS: A total of eight patients(six females) were included in this study. All of them received doxycycline sclerotherapy for periorbital LMs(five extraconal, three intraconal). The median age for receiving sclerotherapy was 29 years old. Seven patients had macrocystic LMs, and one had mixed macro- and microcystic LM. Two of the LMs had venous components radiologically. The average number of sclerotherapy treatment in one patient was 1.4 ± 0.7times. Seven of the eight patients had excellent response radiologically or clinically. One patient showed a satisfactory response after three cycles of sclerotherapy. No recurrence was experienced at median follow-up of 14 months. None of the patients experienced visual threatening or systemic complication. PRINCIPLE CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary experience with doxycycline sclerotherapy has shown encouraging results for the treatment of macrocystic or mixed-type periorbital LMs, with a favourable safety profile. Further clinical trials with longer follow-ups are warranted on this topic.

A Review of the Benefits 3D Printing Brings to Patients with Neurological Diseases.

This interdisciplinary review focuses on how flexible three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology can aid patients with neurological diseases. It covers a wide variety of current and possible applications ranging from neurosurgery to customizable polypill along with a brief description of the various 3DP techniques. The article goes into detail about how 3DP technology can aid delicate neurosurgical planning and its consequent outcome for patients. It also covers areas such as how the 3DP model can be utilized in patient counseling along with designing specific implants involved in cranioplasty and customization of a specialized instrument such as 3DP optogenetic probes. Furthermore, the review includes how a 3DP nasal cast can contribute to the development of nose-to-brain drug delivery along with looking into how bioprinting could be used for regenerating nerves and how 3D-printed drugs could offer practical benefits to patients suffering from neurological diseases via polypill.

Effect of pH, Ionic Strength and Agitation Rate on Dissolution Behaviour of 3D-Printed Tablets, Tablets Prepared from Ground Hot-Melt Extruded Filaments and Physical Mixtures.

With the current focus on 3D-printing technologies, it is essential to understand the processes involved in such printing methods and approaches to minimize the variability in dissolution behaviour to achieve better quality control outcomes. For this purpose, two formulations of theophylline tablets were prepared using hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and ethyl cellulose (EC). Among the two types of tablets, three different methods (physical mixture (PM), hot-melt extrusion (HME) and 3D-printing fused deposition modelling (FDM)) were applied and their dissolution behaviours were studied under various conditions using a biodissolution tester. This was carried out at pH values of 1.2, 2.2, 5.8, 6.8, 7.2 and 7.5, mimicking the medium in the gastrointestinal tract. Dissolution tests under two dipping rates (10 dpm and 20 dpm) and two ionic strengths (0.2 M and 0.4 M) were conducted to mimic fed and fasting conditions. The dissolution efficiency (DE%), release rate, similarity factor (f2) and difference factor (f1) were calculated. When comparing the DE%, the formulation containing EC showed less sensitivity to changes in the dipping rate and ionic strength compared to the HPC formulation. As for the manufacturing method, 3D-printing FDM could improve the robustness of the dissolution behaviour of both formulations to dipping rate changes. However, for ionic strength changes, the effect of the manufacturing method was dependent on the formulation composition. For example, the 3D-printed tablets of the HPC formulation were more sensitive to changes in ionic strength compared to the EC-containing formulation. The release mechanism also changed after the thermal process, where n values in the Korsmeyer-Peppas model were much higher in the printing and HME methods compared to the PM. Based on the formulation composition, the 3D-printing method could be a good candidate method for tablets with a robust dissolution behaviour in the GI tract. Compared to HPC polymers, using hydrophobic EC polymers in printable formulations can result in a more robust dissolution behaviour in fed and fasting states.

Multi-glycomic analysis of spheroid glycocalyx differentiates 2- and 3-dimensional cell models.

A multi-glycomic method for characterizing the glycocalyx was employed to identify the difference between 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) culture models with two human colorectal cancer cell lines, HCT116 and HT29. 3D cell cultures are considered more representative of cancer due to their ability to mimic the microenvironment found in tumors. For this reason, they have become an important tool in cancer research. Cell-cell interactions increase in 3D models compared to 2D, indeed significant glycomic changes were observed for each cell line. Analyses included the N-glycome, O-glycome, glycolipidome, glycoproteome, and proteome providing the most extensive characterization of the glycocalyx between 3D and 2D thus far. The different glycoconjugates were affected in different ways. In the N-glycome, the 3D cells increased in high-mannose glycosylation and in core fucosylation. Glycolipids increased in sialylation. Specific glycoproteins were found to increase in the 3D cell, elucidating the pathways that are affected between the two models. The results show large structural and biological changes between the 2 models suggesting that the 2 are indeed very different potentially affecting individual outcomes in the study of diseases.

P-wave durations from automated electrocardiogram analysis to predict atrial fibrillation and mortality in heart failure.

BACKGROUND: P-wave indices have been used to predict incident atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke, and mortality. However, such indices derived from automated ECG measurements have not been explored for their predictive values in heart failure (HF). We investigated whether automated P-wave indices can predict adverse outcomes in HF. METHODS: This study included consecutive Chinese patients admitted to a single tertiary centre, presenting with HF but without prior AF, and with at least one baseline ECG, between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2016, with last follow-up of 31 December 2019. RESULTS: A total of 2718 patients were included [median age: 77.4, interquartile range (IQR): (66.9-84.3) years; 47.9 males]. After a median follow-up of 4.8 years (IQR: 1.9-9.0 years), 1150 patients developed AF (8.8/year), 339 developed stroke (2.6/year), 563 developed cardiovascular mortality (4.3/year), and 1972 had all-cause mortality (15.1/year). Compared with 101-120 ms as a reference, maximum P-wave durations predicted new-onset AF at ≤90 ms [HR: 1.17(1.11, 1.50), P < 0.01], 131-140 ms [HR: 1.29(1.09, 1.54), P < 0.001], and ≥141 ms [HR: 1.52(1.32, 1.75), P < 0.001]. Similarly, they predicted cardiovascular mortality at ≤90 ms [HR: 1.50(1.08, 2.06), P < 0.001] or ≥141 ms [HR: 1.18(1.15, 1.45), P < 0.001], and all-cause mortality at ≤90 ms [HR: 1.26(1.04, 1.51), P < 0.001], 131-140 ms [HR: 1.15(1.01, 1.32), P < 0.01], and ≥141 ms [HR: 1.31(1.18, 1.46), P < 0.001]. These remained significant after adjusting for significant demographics, past co-morbidities, P-wave dispersion, and maximum P-wave amplitude. CONCLUSIONS: Extreme values of maximum P-wave durations (≤90 ms and ≥141 ms) were significant predictors of new-onset AF, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality.

Protein Tyrosine Kinase 7 (PTK7) Promotes Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via SOX9 Regulation and TGF-ß Signaling.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Metastasis is found in most advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and it drives tumor recurrence and systemic failure. There is no effective treatment owing to its complex biological features. Many of the molecular drivers of metastasis are crucial players in normal physiology but behave unconventionally during cancer progression. Targeting these molecular drivers for therapy and differentiating them from a physiological background require a detailed examination of the novel mechanisms involved in their activation during metastasis. METHODS: Publicly available transcriptomic data such as that of TCGA-LIHC and Gene Expression Omnibus were utilized to identify novel targets upregulated in advanced and metastatic HCC. Validation of candidates was assisted by immunohistochemistry performed on tissue microarrays derived from more than 100 HCC patients. Expression of protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) was studied under the treatment of transforming growth factor-ß1 and knockdown of SRY-Box Transcription Factor 9 (SOX9) to delineate upstream regulation, while CRISPR-mediated knockout and lentiviral overexpression of PTK7 in HCC cells were performed to study their functional and signaling consequences. Manipulated HCC cells were injected into mice models either by orthotopic or tail-vein injection to observe for any in vivo pro-metastatic effects. RESULTS: PTK7 was discovered to be the kinase most significantly upregulated in advanced and metastatic HCC, at both transcriptomic and proteomic level. Bioinformatic analyses and functional assays performed in HCC cell lines revealed transforming growth factor-ß signaling and SOX9 to be important activators of PTK7 expression. Functionally, enrichment of PTK7 expression could positively regulate metastatic potential of HCC cells in vitro and in lung metastasis models performed in immunodeficient mice. The up-regulation of PTK7 recruited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition components, zinc finger protein SNAI2 (SLUG) and zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1). CONCLUSIONS: Our study proposes PTK7 as a novel molecular driver in metastatic HCC, particularly in a transforming growth factor-ß-activated microenvironment. The preferential expression of PTK7 resulted in a previously unobserved regulatory effect on the recruitment of epithelial-mesenchymal transition components, which established PTK7 as a potential determinant of specific epithelial-mesenchymal transition status. Therefore, our data support the continual development of PTK7-targeted agents as antimetastatic therapies.

Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Pediatric Ocular Diseases.

Vision is an important aspect of a child's quality of life and intellectual, social, and emotional development. Disruptions to vision during infancy and early childhood can cause lifelong vision impairment or blindness. However, early identification and treatment of eye disease can prevent loss of sight and its consequent long-term effects. Therefore, screening guidelines exist to guide physicians in detecting the most common threats to sight in the different stages of infancy and childhood. This review describes common causes of pediatric vision impairment, the recommended screening guidelines for diagnosing them, and current treatment modalities.

Finite Element Analysis of Soccer Ball-Related Ocular and Retinal Trauma and Comparison with Abusive Head Trauma.

Purpose: Trauma to the eye resulting from a soccer ball is a common sports-related injury. Although the types of ocular pathologic features that result from impact have been documented, the underlying pathophysiologic mechanics are not as well studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical events after the collision of a soccer ball with the eye to better understand the pathophysiology of observed ocular and retinal injuries and to compare them with those observed in abusive head trauma (AHT). Design: Computer simulation study. Participants: None. Methods: A finite element model of the eye was used to investigate the effects of a collision of a soccer ball on the eye. Main Outcome Measures: Intraocular pressure and stress. Results: Impact of the soccer ball with the eye generated a pressure wave that traveled through the vitreous, creating transient pockets of high and negative pressure. During the high-frequency phase, pressure in the vitreous near the posterior pole ranged from 39.6 to -30.9 kPa. Stress in ocular tissue was greatest near the point of contact, with a peak of 66.6 kPa. The retina experienced the greatest stress at the vasculature, especially at distal branches, where stress rose to 15.4 kPa. On average, retinal stress was greatest in the subretinal layer, but was highest in the preretinal layer when considering only vascular tissue. Conclusions: The high intraocular pressure and stress in ocular tissue near the point of soccer ball impact suggest that injuries to the anterior segment of the eye can be attributed to direct transmission of force from the ball. The subsequent propagation of a pressure wave may cause injuries to the posterior segment as the positive and negative pressures exert compressive and tractional forces on the retina. The linear movement of the pressure wave likely accounts for localization of retinal lesions to the posterior pole or superior temporal quadrant. The primarily linear force in soccer ball trauma is the probable cause for the more localized injury profile and lower retinal hemorrhage incidence compared with AHT, in which repetitive angular force is also at play.

An Insight into the Impact of Thermal Process on Dissolution Profile and Physical Characteristics of Theophylline Tablets Made through 3D Printing Compared to Conventional Methods.

The dissolution profile is of great importance in drug delivery and is affected by the manufacturing method. Thus, it is important to study the influence of the thermal process on drug release in emerging technologies such as 3D printing-fused deposition modeling (FDM). For this purpose, the characteristics of 3D printed tablets were compared to those of tablets prepared by other thermal methods such as hot-melt extrusion (HME) and non-thermal methods such as physical mixture (PM). Theophylline was used as a drug model and blends of ethyl cellulose (EC) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) were used as a matrix former. The solid state of the drug in all formulations was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. All studied tablets had the same weight and surface area/volume (SA/V). Dissolution data showed that, for some formulations, printed tablets interestingly had a faster release profile despite having the highest hardness values (>550 N) compared to HME and PM tablets. Porosity investigations showed that 100% infill printed tablets had the highest porosity (~20%) compared to HME (<10%) and PM tablets (≤11%). True density records were the lowest in printed tablets (~1.22 g/m3) compared to tablets made from both HME and PM methods (~1.26 g/m3), reflecting the possible increase in polymer specific volume while printing. This increase in the volume of polymer network may accelerate water and drug diffusion from/within the matrix. Thus, it is a misconception that the 3D printing process will always retard drug release based on increased tablet hardness. Hardness, porosity, density, solid-state of the drug, SA/V, weight, and formulation components are all factors contributing to the release profile where the total balance can either slow down or accelerate the release profile.

Precision Medicine in Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Home Diagnostic Testing: Caution in Interpretation of Home Studies Without Clinician Input Is Necessary.

Purpose: To assess the validity of home sleep apnea test directed diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a real-life clinical setting and establish the extent to which clinical evaluation alters diagnosis and therapeutic intervention, in the context of the evolving realm of precision medicine. Methods: Retrospective consecutive cohort study of 505 patients referred to a single center between 15th September 2015 to 14th September 2016, multidisciplinary specialist sleep clinic presenting with a home sleep apnea test prior to referral. We evaluated the effect of sleep medicine practitioner (SMP) and ear, nose, and throat surgeon (ENTS) review on patient diagnoses, disease severity, and management options in OSA. Results: Hundred and fifteen patients were included. Repeat evaluation with in-lab polysomnogram (PSG) was required in 46/115 (40.0%) of patients, of which 20/46 (43.5%) had OSA severity changed. Sleep medicine practitioner review decreased the need for repeat testing with formal in-lab PSG (p < 0.05) and increased patient acceptance of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as a long-term management option for OSA. Sleep medicine practitioner/ENTS review resulted in discovery of a non-OSA related sleep disorder or change in OSA severity in 47.8% (55/115). Ear, nose, and throat surgeon review resulted in additional or changed diagnosis in 75.7% (87/115) of patients. Conclusion: In the clinical assessment and diagnosis of OSA, patients should be reviewed by medical practitioners with an interest in sleep disorders to better navigate the complexities of assessment, as well as the identification of co-morbid conditions.

Hypocalcaemia in pharyngolaryngectomy: Preservation or autotransplantation of parathyroid glands.

OBJECTIVE: To describe transient and permanent hypocalcaemia following partial and total pharyngolaryngectomy with parathyroid gland preservation or autotransplantation. METHODS: Thirty patients underwent partial or total pharyngolaryngectomy by a single surgeon during the period 2009-2020. Intraoperative parathyroid gland preservation or autotransplantation (where the gland appeared devascularized) was routinely performed. Calcium levels performed on day 1, 3 months, and at 12 months postoperatively were collected. Rates of transient and permanent hypocalcaemia were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 13% of patients had transient hypocalcaemia, and 10% permanent hypocalcaemia. Rates of transient and permanent hypocalcaemia in total pharyngolaryngectomy were 14% and 14%, respectively. Partial pharyngectomy hypocalcaemia rates were 13% for transient and 0% for permanent. The majority of patients underwent salvage surgery for oncological resection, often following radiotherapy (63%). Ipsilateral hemithyroidectomy was preferred to total (57% vs 7%), with high rates of concurrent neck dissection (67%) and reconstruction (87%). CONCLUSION: This data supports preservation or autotransplantation of parathyroid glands as a means of reducing permanent postoperative hypocalcaemia. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series, retrospective.