Influenza and COVID-19 coinfection: Report of six cases and review of the literature.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused infection in a season when influenza is still prevalent. Both viruses have similar transmission characteristics and common clinical manifestations. Influenza has been described to cause respiratory infection with some other respiratory pathogens. However, the information of COVID-19 and influenza coinfection is limited. In this study, we reported our coinfected cases and reviewed the literature. We included all COVID-19 diagnosed patients. All patients with a presumed diagnosis of COVID-19 were routinely screened for influenza. Their thorax radiology was reviewed for COVID-19-influenza differentiation. During the study period, 1103 patients have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Among them, six patients (0.54%) were diagnosed coinfected with influenza. There have been 28 more coinfected patients reported. Laboratory-based screening studies reported more patients. Thorax radiology findings were compatible with COVID-19 in five and with influenza in one of our patients. Our cases were mild to moderate in severity. The reported cases in the literature included patients died (n = 2) and those living ventilator dependent or under mechanical ventilation. COVID-19 and influenza coinfection is rare. Screening studies report more cases, suggesting that unless screening patients with COVID-19, the coinfection remains undiagnosed and underestimated. Increasing experience in thoracic radiology may contribute to diagnose the responsible virus(es) from the clinical illness. Influenza vaccine for larger population groups can be recommended to simplify clinicians' work.

Swallowing and Aspiration: How Much Is Affected by the Number of Arytenoid Cartilages Remaining After Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy?

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the presence of one or two arytenoids on early/late period swallowing-aspiration functions. METHODS: Supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SCPL) with the diagnosis of laryngeal cancer between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were categorized into two groups as follows: group I, patients who underwent SCPL with one arytenoid cartilage and group II, patients who underwent SCPL with two arytenoid cartilages. The time of decannulation and oral feeding onset, and swallowing-aspiration functions were evaluated and compared in the early nutritional period, first, and third months. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between decannulation time and swallowing-aspiration. The aspiration rates in group I and group II were similar and there was no significant difference in oral feeding onset and aspiration grades in the first and third months between both groups. CONCLUSION: We found similar oncological and functional outcomes in SCPL which protected one or two arytenoid cartilages. Therefore we suggest to be performed one arytenoid cartilage SCPL in selected patients who was advance stage and tumor volume over with larynx cancer.

Long-Term Results of Partial Laryngectomized Patients.

AIM: This study was to present long-term oncological results, as well as the variables, that can increase nodal metastasis and reduce survival in patients diagnosed in the early and late stages of laryngeal cancer. METHODS: A total of 85 patients were included in the study. These patients were grouped as supracricoid partial laryngectomy (PL), supraglottic horizontal PL, and vertical frontolateral PL. Furthermore, at least 3 years of the long-term outcomes of the patients in these 3 groups were compared. RESULTS: Twenty-two of the patients (26%) had nodal metastasis, 16 (72%) of these patients were in Group I (P = 0.017); 14 patients (51%) had preepiglottic space (P = 0.075); 12 patients (50%) had paraglottic space involvement (P = 0.002); 9 (45%) patients with nodal metastasis had a depth of invasion more than 20 mm (P < 0.001). Out of the 16 patients who had positive intraoperative surgery margins, 5 (18%) of them had nodal metastasis (P = 0.589) and 14 (16%) patients were positive for perineural invasion, 3 (19%) of these patients had lymph node involvement (P = 0.074). One (5%) patient died with nodal metastasis. Median survival rate of all the patients was 44 ±â€Š0.836 (42.36-45.63) months and the overall survival rate was 92.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Paraglottic space involvement and tumor invasion depth were statistically effective on increased nodal metastasis. However, we suggest that depth of invasion may not be effective alone as a prognostic factor. In contrast to the known effect on overall survival was less lymph node.

Intracoronary shunt versus bulldog clamp in off-pump bypass surgery. Endothelial trauma: shunt versus clamp.

BACKGROUND: During off-pump coronary bypass grafting, local vascular control of the target vessel and a bloodless field are crucial. The aim of this study is to asses the histopathological outcomes of intracoronary shunts and bulldog clamping on the beating heart in a canine model. METHODS: Twelve healthy adult mongrel dogs weighing between 15 to 25 kg were included in the study. Following left thoracotomy, proximal left anterior descending artery segment 1 cm to distal of diagonal branch was marked. Arteriotomy at this site was performed and a shunt was inserted for 10 min in the shunt group. The bulldog clamp was applied 3 cm distal to the mark for 10 min after heparinization in the bulldog group. Thirty days after the procedure, the specimens of left anterior descending artery from both regions were collected and were examined. Vascular damage, presence of intimal hyperplasia, and denudation were noted. RESULTS: Only intimal denudation was found significantly higher in the shunt group (P < 0.05). In this group, only one case had grade 0 endothelial damage. In the bulldog group, all cases had endothelial damage of various grades. CONCLUSION: The proven advantages of temporary intracoronary shunts are well-known, e.g., preserving the ventricular functions. Despite these advantages, our study revealed an ultimate bad result for an off-pump coronary by pass patient: intimal denudation. We conclude that further studies with a larger number of subjects are needed to decide whether routine shunt insertion into coronary arteries during off-pump coronary bypass surgery is appropriate or not.