Faculty Bibliography

Botulinum toxin A is an effective and safe treatment for perioral rejuvenation. This article explores the application of this toxin for cosmetic use in the perioral region, facial asymmetry, and improved facial wound healing. This article also describes how the use of botulinum toxin A, which has traditionally been used on the upper one third of the face, has expanded to the lower two thirds with the advent of a new formulation that consists of botulinum toxin combined with an anesthetic agent and a vasoconstrictor. The new formula provides the injecting physician with immediate feedback on the eventual treatment effect and reduces local diffusion of the simultaneously injected agents, potentially limiting systemic absorption and diffusion to neighboring muscle groups and adding to an already remarkable safety profile.

PURPOSE: Peer evaluation is underused in medical education. The goals of this study were to validate in a multiinstitutional study a peer nomination form that identifies outstanding students in clinical competency and interpersonal skills, to test the hypothesis that with additional survey items humanism could be identified as a separate factor, and to find the simplest method of analysis. METHOD: In 2003, a 12-item peer nomination form was administered to junior or senior medical students at three institutions. Factor analysis was used to identify major latent variables and the items related to those characteristics. On the basis of those results, in 2004 a simpler, six-item form was developed and administered. Student rankings based on factor analysis and nomination counts were compared. RESULTS: Factor analysis of peer nomination data from both surveys identified three factors: clinical competence, caring, and community service. New survey items designed to address humanism are all weighted with interpersonal skills items; thus, the second major factor is characterized as caring. Rankings based on peer nomination results analyzed by either factor analysis or simply counting nominations distinguish at least the top 15% of students for each characteristic. CONCLUSIONS: Counting peer nominations using a simple, six-item form identifies medical student exemplars for three characteristics: clinical competence, caring, and community service. Factor analysis of peer nomination data did not identify humanism as a separate factor. Peer nomination rankings provide medical schools with a reliable tool to identify exemplars for recognition in medical student performance evaluations and selection for honors (e.g., Gold Humanism Honor Society).

Polypharmacy is a common cause of salivary hypofunction, producing symptoms of dry mouth or xerostomia, especially among older populations. As the number of older people continues to increase, polypharmacy-induced salivary hypofunction is becoming an increasing problem. Many over-the-counter products are available for relieving symptoms of dry mouth, but few have been tested in controlled clinical investigations. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a group of topical dry mouth products (toothpaste, mouth rinse, mouth spray and gel) containing olive oil, betaine and xylitol. Forty adults were entered into this single-blinded, open-label, cross-over clinical study and 39 completed all the visits. Subjects were randomly assigned at baseline to using the novel topical dry mouth products daily for 1 week, or to maintain their normal dry mouth routine care. After 1 week, they were crossed over to the other dry mouth regimen. The results demonstrated that the use of the novel topical dry mouth products increased significantly unstimulated whole salivary flow rates, reduced complaints of xerostomia and improved xerostomia-associated quality of life. No clinically significant adverse events were observed. These data suggest that the daily use of topical dry mouth products containing olive oil, betaine and xylitol is safe and effective in relieving symptoms of dry mouth in a population with polypharmacy-induced xerostomia.

BACKGROUND: Posterior pharyngeal augmentation is a recognized treatment for velopharyngeal insufficiency in selected candidates. To date, however, the procedure has failed to gain widespread acceptance because of the absence of an implant material with sufficient safety, durability, and biocompatibility. In this study, the use of micronized acellular dermal matrix injection for augmentation of the posterior pharynx was investigated. Using a porcine animal model, the safety and durability of posterior pharyngeal augmentation by micronized decellularized dermis was evaluated. METHODS: Twelve Yorkshire piglets were used in this study. Under general anesthesia, porcine-derived micronized acellular dermal matrix was injected into the submucosa of the right side of the pharynx. At 30 days, the animals were euthanized, and the implants and surrounding tissues were assessed grossly for degree of augmentation and histologically to determine the extent of host cell infiltration, vascularization, and matrix deposition and remodeling. RESULTS: No animal perioperative or postoperative morbidity resulted from the operations. When the animals were euthanized and the tissue was harvested at 30 days, there existed no evidence of gross augmentation on the experimental side of the pharynx in any of the specimens. Histologic analysis demonstrated trace amounts of residual implant, with extensive host lymphocytic infiltration of the material. CONCLUSIONS: Although micronized acellular dermal matrix is a safe material when injected into the pharyngeal wall, this study demonstrated that it is not a durable implant at this site. The authors do not recommend its use for long-term soft-tissue augmentation of the posterior pharyngeal wall in patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency

We report the results of our study of 25 children who underwent adenoidectomy under general anesthesia with a laryngeal mask airway to determine their risk of fire in the oropharynx. We explain the distinct advantage that such an anesthetic technique has with respect to minimizing the conditions that may contribute to an airway fire. We also discuss additional advantages of using a laryngeal mask airway during adenoidectomies

The Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg (HRS) malignant cells in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) originate from germinal center B lymphocytes that did not undergo apoptosis. Protein Kinase C (PKC), a family of serine/threonine kinases, plays a crucial role in signal transduction modulating cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Here, we report the expression of PKC isoforms in two HL-derived cell lines, L428 and KMH2 and their correlation with drug resistance to CPT and doxorubicin. Among the PKC isoforms examined, only PKCeta and PKCbetaII were preferentially expressed in the drug resistant L428 cells. We have shown correlation between the response to apoptosis of L428 and KMH2 cells and PKCeta expression in these cell lines. In order to directly demonstrate a role for PKCeta in apoptosis, its expression was knocked-down by siRNA in the resistant L428 cells. Downregulation of PKCeta rendered L428 cells more sensitive to doxorubicin and CPT. Furthermore, PKCeta knocked-down cells showed increased PARP-1 cleavage, cytochrome c release and caspase 7 activation. It appears that PKCeta functions as an anti-apoptotic protein in HL-derived cell lines, and as we show here that it is also expressed in HRS of HL biopsies, it may have therapeutic relevance in HL. Thus, PKCeta could provide a new target aimed to reduce resistance to anti-cancer treatments of HL and other cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: Tracheal tube cuff overinflation is a recognized risk factor for tracheal injury and stenosis. International studies report a 55% to 62% incidence of cuff overinflation among intensive care unit (ICU) patients. However, there are no data on tracheotomy tubes, and no recent data from ICUs in the United States. It is unknown whether routine cuff pressure measurement is beneficial. We sought to determine the incidence of cuff overinflation in the contemporary American ICU. METHODS: We performed an Institutional Review Board-approved, prospective, observational study of endotracheal and tracheotomy tubes at 2 tertiary-care academic hospitals that monitor cuff pressure differently. At hospital A, cuff pressures are assessed by palpation; at hospital B, cuff pressures are measured via manometry. We audited cuff pressures in an unannounced fashion at these hospitals, using a handheld aneroid manometer. Cuffs were considered overinflated above 25 cm H2O. RESULTS: We enrolled 115 patients: 63 at hospital A and 52 at hospital B. Overall, 44 patients (38%) were found to have overinflated cuffs. The incidence of overinflation was identical at the 2 hospitals (38%; p = .99). Of the endotracheal tubes, 43% were overinflated, as were 32% of the tracheotomy tubes (p = .24). CONCLUSIONS: Despite increasing awareness among intensivists and respiratory therapists, the incidence of tracheal tube overinflation remains high, with both endotracheal and tracheotomy tubes. Our finding that the use of manometry to assess cuff pressures did not reduce the incidence of overinflation suggests that a more vigilant management protocol may be necessary

OBJECTIVE: To determine if 2 commercial mouthrinses, 1 alcohol-based and 1 nonalcohol-based, affect salivary flow and symptoms of dry mouth in nonxerostomic adults. METHOD AND MATERIALS: This observer-blinded, randomized, crossover pilot study involved 20 adults. The primary endpoints of interest were whole salivary flow rates and the perceived mouth dryness VAS scores following 1 week of use. ANOVA was used to determine differences in these endpoints between groups, and ANCOVA was used to control for any variation in baseline flow rates and VAS scores (P <.05). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. After 1 week of mouthrinse use, ANOVA and ANCOVA of combined data (before and after crossover) revealed no significant differences in either flow rates or VAS scores between groups (P >.05). CONCLUSION: There were no differences in objective or subjective measures of mouth dryness between alcohol- and nonalcohol-containing mouthrinses after 1 week in nonxerostomic subjects