ICAR: endoscopic skull‐base surgery

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Sialolithiasis—Do Early Diagnosis and Removal Minimize Post-Operative Morbidity?

Background and objectives: Sialolithiasis is an inflammation of a salivary gland due to obstruction of salivary flow by a sialolith. We aim to assess potential factors that may predict lower morbidity following endoscopically assisted per-oral sialolith removal. Materials and Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Retrospective review of 100 records of patients with sialolithiasis, following surgical sialolith removal. A single medical center (Department of oral and maxillofacial surgery-Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson & Hasharon–Israel) survey. Data were gleaned from the patient files based on a structured questionnaire. Factors that may predict morbidity were evaluated using linear regression equation. Results: 59 of the subjects were men and 41 were women. The mean age of the patients in the study was 50 ± 17.5 years. Sialolith volume and past antibiotic treatment were positively associated while age was negatively associated with hospitalization duration. Conclusion: Early sialolith diagnosis and removal may lower postoperative morbidity

Anatomical Features of the Parotid Duct in Sialography as an Aid to Endoscopy—A Retrospective Study

Sialography is used for diagnosis of obstructive salivary gland diseases and prior to sialendoscopy. Three-dimensional cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) sialography allows imaging and measurement of salivary duct structures. Salivary gland endoscopy has a long learning curve. The aim of this retrospective study is to create an anatomical quantitative guide of different distances and angles significant for endoscopy. Twenty-six CBCT sialographies of healthy parotid ducts were included. Outcome parameters included diameters, distances, angles and number of minor tributaries. Results show the average distance from the papilla to the curvature of the gland was 41.5 mm (Q1 36.97 mm–Q3 45.32 mm), with an angle of 126.9° (Q1 107.58°–Q3 135.6°) of the curvature and a distance of 35.25 mm (±7.81 mm) between the curvature and the hilus. The mean width of the duct was 0.8 mm (Q1 0.7 mm–Q3 1.15 mm) at its narrowest and 2 mm (Q1 1.4 mm–Q3 2.2 mm) at its widest. This is the first anatomical quantitative study of the parotid duct in relation to sialendoscopy

Edoxaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

Contains fulltext : 125374.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Edoxaban is a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor with proven antithrombotic effects. The long-term efficacy and safety of edoxaban as compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation is not known. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial comparing two once-daily regimens of edoxaban with warfarin in 21,105 patients with moderate-to-high-risk atrial fibrillation (median follow-up, 2.8 years). The primary efficacy end point was stroke or systemic embolism. Each edoxaban regimen was tested for noninferiority to warfarin during the treatment period. The principal safety end point was major bleeding. RESULTS: The annualized rate of the primary end point during treatment was 1.50% with warfarin (median time in the therapeutic range, 68.4%), as compared with 1.18% with high-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.79; 97.5% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.99; P<0.001 for noninferiority) and 1.61% with low-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 1.07; 97.5% CI, 0.87 to 1.31; P=0.005 for noninferiority). In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was a trend favoring high-dose edoxaban versus warfarin (hazard ratio, 0.87; 97.5% CI, 0.73 to 1.04; P=0.08) and an unfavorable trend with low-dose edoxaban versus warfarin (hazard ratio, 1.13; 97.5% CI, 0.96 to 1.34; P=0.10). The annualized rate of major bleeding was 3.43% with warfarin versus 2.75% with high-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.91; P<0.001) and 1.61% with low-dose edoxaban (hazard ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.55; P<0.001). The corresponding annualized rates of death from cardiovascular causes were 3.17% versus 2.74% (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.97; P=0.01), and 2.71% (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.96; P=0.008), and the corresponding rates of the key secondary end point (a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, or death from cardiovascular causes) were 4.43% versus 3.85% (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.96; P=0.005), and 4.23% (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.05; P=0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Both once-daily regimens of edoxaban were noninferior to warfarin with respect to the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism and were associated with significantly lower rates of bleeding and death from cardiovascular causes. (Funded by Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development; ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00781391.)