ORL; journal for oto-rhino-laryngology and its related specialties
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ORL J. Otorhinolaryngol. Relat. Spec. · Jan 2020
Predictive Value of Sudden Olfactory Loss in the Diagnosis of COVID-19.
Recent reports suggest that sudden smell loss might be a symptom of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of olfactory loss in an outpatient population who presented to a coronavirus testing center during a 2-week period and to evaluate the diagnostic value of the symptom "sudden smell loss" for screening procedures. ⋯ Considering the high frequency of smell loss in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients, acute olfactory impairment should be recognized as an early symptom of the disease and should be tested for on a regular basis. In contrast to other acute viral smell impairment, COVID-19-associated smell loss seems to be only rarely accompanied by a severely blocked nose.
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ORL J. Otorhinolaryngol. Relat. Spec. · Jan 2015
Multicenter StudyThe Relation between Obesity and Hospital Length of Stay after Elective Lateral Skull Base Surgery: An Analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
Length of stay is a marker of quality and efficiency of health care delivery. The objective of this study was to identify preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables that impact length of stay after lateral skull base surgery. Methods/Procedures: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) databases from 2009-2012 were analyzed, and patients undergoing elective lateral skull base surgery for benign lesions of cranial nerves were identified. The primary outcome measure of interest was length of hospital stay. Protracted length of stay was defined as ≥75th percentile of length of stay for all patients. The impact of demographic factors, intraoperative variables, and postoperative complications on length of stay was assessed. ⋯ National multi-institutional data from the ACS-NSQIP suggest that operative time, reoperation, and obesity are predictors of longer hospital stays after lateral skull base approaches for benign cranial nerve neoplasms.
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ORL J. Otorhinolaryngol. Relat. Spec. · Jan 2014
Case ReportsWegener's granulomatosis with an atypical presentation as acute tonsillitis.
Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a rare necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis of unknown etiology commonly involving vessels, the upper and lower respiratory system and the kidneys. There are various symptoms and signs of WG due to a wide spectrum of involvement sites. ⋯ In this paper, a case of WG that presented with a necrotic lesion confined to the right tonsil before other symptoms and signs occurred is described. The diagnosis was established based on the clinical presentation and the histopathological findings of the characteristic inflammatory pattern.
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ORL J. Otorhinolaryngol. Relat. Spec. · Jan 2013
How to make tonsillectomy a safer procedure: the anaesthetist's view.
Anaesthetists use specific drugs peri-operatively to try to decrease the incidence and severity of postoperative pain and of postoperative nausea and vomiting. These drugs are usually administered pre-operatively with the premedication, or intra-operatively when the patient is still anaesthetised. The aim of this approach is to prevent the occurrence of intolerable pain or to avoid any nausea or vomiting symptoms which may be clearly unpleasant for the patient and which interfere with the patient's well-being, recovery and satisfaction. ⋯ Perhaps a 'wait-and-see' approach should be considered; especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or dexamethasone should not be given pre-operatively to all patients but should be provided exclusively to those in whom alternative analgesics (for instance, paracetamol combined with a weak opioid) or alternative anti-emetics (for instance, a setron or droperidol) have failed or are associated with unacceptable adverse effects. There is no evidence that prophylactic administration of an analgesic or an anti-emetic is more efficacious than the therapeutic administration. An interesting alternative to achieve satisfactory posttonsillectomy analgesia may be with local anaesthesia swabs that are applied onto the wound.
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ORL J. Otorhinolaryngol. Relat. Spec. · Jan 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of the effects of desflurane and sevoflurane on middle ear pressure: a randomized controlled clinical trial.
The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of two inhalation anesthetics, desflurane and sevoflurane, on middle ear pressure. ⋯ It was observed that the increase in middle ear pressure caused by sevoflurane was significantly lower than that caused by desflurane.