J Formos Med Assoc
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Comparative Study
Development of a tool for monitoring the jaw-opening pace and preliminary comparison the pace between young and old ages.
Studies have demonstrated that high-speed jaw-opening exercises are effective in improving swallowing function. However, there has been no objective tool available for monitoring jaw-opening pace. This study aimed to develop an objective tool for monitoring and validating jaw-opening pace and compare it between young and old ages from different age groups. ⋯ A jaw-opening motion monitoring tool with reliable automatic pace analysis software was validated in young and old ages The jaw-opening pace demonstrated a tendency to decline with age.
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Non-intubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery combines a minimally invasive technique with multimodal locoregional analgesia to enhance recovery. The mainstay sedation protocol involves propofol and fentanyl. Dexmedetomidine, given its opioid-sparing effect with minimal respiratory depression, facilitates sedation in non-intubated patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine during non-intubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. ⋯ Adding adjuvant dexmedetomidine to propofol and fentanyl is safe and feasible for non-intubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. With its opioid-sparing effect and shorter postoperative length of stay, dexmedetomidine may enhance recovery after surgery.
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This study aims to determine whether end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a true contraindication for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adult patients. ⋯ ESRD was not an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality after VA-ECMO. The survival of ESRD patients was not inferior to those without ESRD when receiving ECPR. Therefore, ESRD should not be considered a contraindication to VA-ECMO in adults.
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Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is one of the debilitating complications after breast cancer treatment. Several forms of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were developed to evaluate the severity of BCRL based on the patients' perspective. LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module is a newly developed questionnaire for BCRL. This study aimed to demonstrate the process of translation and cultural adaption from English to Mandarin Chinese. ⋯ The development of Mandarin Chinese version of LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module and its utilization in conjunction with the existing objective measures could provide a more well-rounded picture of the status of patients with BCRL worldwide.