[Vascular medicine: the near future].

During the last 20 years new insights on the pathophysiology of vascular diseases has led to the development of new therapeutic strategies. Their potential benefits are being increasingly appreciated by clinicians today, providing a solid background for a growing use in the near future. In this review we focus our attention on three different issues: endothelial dysfunction as a prognostic marker of cardiovascular events, stem cells and their therapeutic role, and percutaneous carotid stenting as an alternative promising treatment of carotid stenosis

La riabilitazione chirurgica mediante Vox-Implants nelle laringectomie parziali orizzontali con recupero funzionale incompleto.

La riabilitazione chirurgica mediante Vox-Implants nelle laringectomie parziali orizzontali con recupero funzionale incompleto

Rehabilitation of Swallowing with Polydimethylsiloxane Injections in Patients who underwent Partial Laryngectomy

BACKGROUND: We conducted this longitudinal prospective study to illustrate a surgical technique for swallowing rehabilitation of patients after partial laryngectomy. METHODS: Nine patients with persistent swallowing impairment after partial laryngectomy were included in the study. Evaluation of swallowing was performed by fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), and was quantified using 2 scales: a dysphagia score and a modified penetration-aspiration scale. The site of bolus inhalation was identified. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was injected into the neoglottis to fill these passages, and to obtain a certain continence of the organ. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 25 months (range, 5-39). All patients showed an improvement both in the dysphagia score and in the modified penetration-aspiration scale. Average improvement was 2.6 points in the dysphagia score (p = .0042) and 2.1 points in the modified penetration-aspiration scale (p = .0043). CONCLUSION: PDMS injection can be considered as an option in surgical rehabilitation of swallowing in patients who underwent partial laryngectomy

Rehabilitation of Swallowing with Polydimethylsiloxane Injections in Patients who underwent Partial Laryngectomy

BACKGROUND: We conducted this longitudinal prospective study to illustrate a surgical technique for swallowing rehabilitation of patients after partial laryngectomy. METHODS: Nine patients with persistent swallowing impairment after partial laryngectomy were included in the study. Evaluation of swallowing was performed by fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), and was quantified using 2 scales: a dysphagia score and a modified penetration-aspiration scale. The site of bolus inhalation was identified. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was injected into the neoglottis to fill these passages, and to obtain a certain continence of the organ. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 25 months (range, 5-39). All patients showed an improvement both in the dysphagia score and in the modified penetration-aspiration scale. Average improvement was 2.6 points in the dysphagia score (p = .0042) and 2.1 points in the modified penetration-aspiration scale (p = .0043). CONCLUSION: PDMS injection can be considered as an option in surgical rehabilitation of swallowing in patients who underwent partial laryngectomy