• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.317-320
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• 2016

A 47-year-old woman was referred for surgical treatment of osteomyelitis of the mandible. She had already undergone three previous surgeries. Pre-anesthetic airway evaluation predicted a difficult airway, due to the thin, retro-positioned mandible, tongue, and atrophic changes in the lips and soft tissue. We inserted packing gauzes in the buccal mucosa for easier mask fitting and ventilation. During direct laryngoscopic intubation with a nasotracheal tube (NTT), fracture of a thin mandible can easily occur. Therefore, we used a fiberoptic bronchoscope to insert the NTT. After surgery, we performed a tongue-tie to protect against airway obstruction caused by the backward movement of the tongue during recovery. The patient recovered without any complications. We determined the status of the patient precisely and consequently performed thorough preparations for the surgery, allowing the patient to be anesthetized safely and recover after surgery. Careful assessment of the patient and airway prior to surgery is necessary.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.309-313
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• 2018

Oronasal fistulae (ONF) could remain after surgery in some patients with cleft palate. ONF ultimately requires intraoral surgery, which may lead to perioperative airway obstruction. Tongue flap surgery is a technique used to repair ONF. During the second surgery for performing tongue flap division, the flap transplanted from the tongue dorsum to the palate of the patient acts as an obstacle to airway management, which poses a great challenge for anesthesiologists. In particular, anesthesiologists may face difficulty in airway evaluation and patient cooperation during general anesthesia for tongue flap division surgery in pediatric patients. The authors report a case of airway management using a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope during general anesthesia for tongue flap division surgery in a 6-year-old child.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.42
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• pp.7.1-7.8
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• 2020

Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is effective for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In previous studies, the airway was increased in the anteroposterior and transverse dimensions after MMA. However, the effect of the opposite of mandibular movement (mandibular setback) on the airway is still controversial. Mandibular setback surgery has been suggested to be one of the risk factors in the development of sleep apnea. Previous studies have found that mandibular setback surgery could reduce the total airway volume and posterior airway space significantly in both the one-jaw and two-jaw surgery groups. However, a direct cause-and-effect relationship between the mandibular setback and development of sleep apnea has not been clearly established. Moreover, there are only a few reported cases of postoperative OSA development after mandibular setback surgery. These findings may be attributed to a fundamental difference in demographic variables such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) between patients with mandibular prognathism and patients with OSA. Another possibility is that the site of obstruction or pattern of obstruction may be different between the awake and sleep status in patients with OSA and mandibular prognathism. In a case-controlled study, information including the BMI and other presurgical conditions potentially related to OSA should be considered when evaluating the airway. In conclusion, the preoperative evaluation and management of co-morbid conditions would be essential for the prevention of OSA after mandibular setback surgery despite its low incidence.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.871-874
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• 2011

Purpose: In some patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), Hypernasality can persist after surgical management. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is applied to these patients for treating hypernasality. The purpose of this study is to report follow-up results of postoperative CPAP therapy. Methods: After performing palatal lengthening, CPAP therapy was applied to three patients for eight weeks from July of 2008 to November of 2009. Perceptual evaluation, nasometry, and nasopharyngeal endoscopy were performed to evaluate hypernasality, nasalance and size of the gap at velopharyngeal port. Each evaluation was made before surgery, right after CPAP therapy and during follow-up of more than a year after CPAP therapy. Results: All of the patients showed improvement in hypernasality right after CPAP therapy according to the auditory perceptual evaluation, nasometry and nasopharyngeal endoscopy. But the improvement in hypernasality in these patients did not last during follow-up. Conclusion: In this study, our results suggest that CPAP therapy is effective in reducing hypernasality for postoperative VPI patients immediately after the therapy, but hypernasality may be worsen in some patients during follow-up. Therefore we recommend follow-ups after CPAP therapy to see if the efficacy of CPAP therapy lasts.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.160-167
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• 2013

Objective: To evaluate the shapes and sizes of nasopharyngeal airways by using cone-beam computed tomography and to assess the relationship between nasopharyngeal airway shape and adenoid hypertrophy in children. Methods: Linear and cross-sectional measurements on frontal and sagittal cross-sections containing the most enlarged adenoids and nasopharyngeal airway volumes were obtained from cone-beam computed tomography scans of 64 healthy children ($11.0{\pm}1.8$ years), and the interrelationships of these measurements were evaluated. Results: On the basis of frontal section images, the subjects' nasopharyngeal airways were divided into the following 2 types: the broad and long type and the narrow and flat type. The nasopharyngeal airway sizes and volumes were smaller in subjects with narrow and flat airways than in those with broad and long airways (p < 0.01). Children who showed high adenoid-nasopharyngeal ratios on sagittal imaging, indicating moderate to severe adenoid hypertrophy, had the narrow and flat type nasopharyngeal airway (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Cone-beam computed tomography is a clinically simple, reliable, and noninvasive tool that can simultaneously visualize the entire structure and a cross section of the nasopharyngeal airway and help in measurement of adenoid size as well as airway volume in children with adenoid hypertrophy.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.317-327
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between low tongue position (LTP) and the volume and dimensions of the nasopharyngeal, retropalatal, retroglossal, and hypopharyngeal segments of the upper airway. Methods: A total of 194 subjects, including 91 males and 103 females were divided into a resting tongue position (RTP) group and a LTP group according to their tongue position. Subjects in the LTP group were divided into four subgroups (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4) according to the intraoral space volume. The 3D slicer software was used to measure the volume and minimum and average cross-sectional areas of each group. Airway differences between the RTP and LTP groups were analyzed to explore the association between tongue position and the upper airway. Results: No significant differences were found in the airway dimensions between the RTP and LTP groups. For both retropalatal and retroglossal segments, the volume and average cross-sectional area were significantly greater in the patients with extremely low tongue position. Regression analysis showed that the retroglossal airway dimensions were positively correlated with the intraoral space volume and negatively correlated with A point-nasion-B point and palatal plane to mandibular plane. Males generally had larger retroglossal and hypopharyngeal airways than females. Conclusions: Tongue position did not significantly influence upper airway volume or dimensions, except in the extremely LTP subgroup.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.3 no.1 s.4
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• pp.28-33
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• 2003

Background: The fundamental responsibility of an anesthesiologist is to maintain adequate gas exchange. Failure to maintain a patent airway can result in brain damage or death. Generally, in patients with mandibular prognathism, who have the protruded mandible, the mask ventilation was thought to be not easy. The purpose of this study was to observe the degree of the difficulty of airway management in mandibular prognathism using some anatomic criteria for defining and grading difficulty of airway and difficulty of endotracheal intubation with direct laryngoscope. Methods: The observations and measurements are done to the 54 patients with mandibular prognathism, who were scheduled for corrective esthetic surgery. The case study is done to the 30 patients with normal mandible for control group. In all patients, mouth opening distance (MOD), mouse opening angle (MOA), mandibular length (ML), mandibular depth (MD), thyromental distance (TMD), thyromental area (TMA), Mallampati grades, and Cormack and Lehane grades are measured. T-test and Chi-square test are done (P < 0.05). Results: In the mandibular prognathism cases, the measurements of MD, TMD and TMA are more greater than those of controls (P < 0.05). Mallampati grades with tongue thrust are higher in the female mandibular prognathism cases than those of female controls. Most of the grades of the mandibular prognathism cases with Cormack and Lehane grading system are I or II being easy intubation cases (P < 0.05) Conclusions: In the patients of mandibular prognathism, the intubation with laryngoscope will be easer than that of normal mandible in general. It is for that their laryngeal aperture can be easily visible when the laryngoscope are used.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2014

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are becoming increasingly popular worldwide and their cellular effects warrant further evaluation. In this study, we investigated the effects of an e-cigarette cartridge solution on allergen related asthmatic airway inflammation (AI) and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), when it is delivered by intratracheal route in mice. Asthmatic AI and AHR were induced by systemic sensitization to ovalbumin (OVA) followed by intratracheal, intraperitoneal, and aerosol allergen challenges in BALB/c mice. The cartridge solution of e-cigarette (containing 16 mg/ml nicotine) was diluted 50 times and $100{\mu}l$ of the diluted solution was intratracheally instilled to OVA-sensitized (OVA-S) mice two times a week for 10 weeks. Long-term e-cigarette inhalation elicited no remarkable changes in the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase enzymes in serum, however, increased infiltration of inflammatory cells including eosinophils, into airways from blood, aggravated the asthmatic AI and AHR, and stimulated the production of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13, and OVA-specific IgE production. Our data suggest that the inhalation of e-cigarette solutions can function as an important factor to exacerbate the allergy-induced asthma symptoms. Further studies are needed to address the effects of e-cigarette solutions on human health.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2011

Various diseases can diffusely involve central airways, including the trachea and main stem bronchi. Central airway abnormalities are frequently not apparent or are overlooked on chest radiographs, even though the patient may have significant symptoms. Recent advances in spiral and multi-detector computed tomography (CT) with multi-planar reconstruction and three-dimensional demonstration, including virtual bronchoscopy, allow for excellent display of central airway anatomy and abnormalities with visualization of accurate locations of lesions. Early detection and proper diagnosis of airway diseases based on various radiographic findings will help determine appropriate treatment, including surgical planning and evaluation of treatment response. Herein we describe and illustrate the imaging findings of a wide spectra of diffuse central airway diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.7-17
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to verify the necessity of endotracheal intubation through video laryngoscope and to provide basic data to inform the provision of video laryngoscope education. Methods: Eighty paramedic students participated in this study. A survey was conducted from November 5, 2018 to December 7, 2018. Data were analyzed with independent t-tests, and the chi-squared test. Results: The video laryngoscope is a highly usable instrument that can easily be applied during training. The instrument provides better visual evaluation of the normal airway (p=.004), the airway in case of cervical collar and head fixation (p=.000), and the airway in case of tongue edema (p=.000). The time of endotracheal intubation in the normal airway was significantly less with the video laryngoscope compared with the direct laryngoscope. The success rate of tracheal intubation was significantly higher in the video laryngoscope group than in the direct laryngoscope. Conclusion: This study suggests the necessity of education on endotracheal intubation through video laryngoscope in the professional airway maintenance training course of emergency department students. The video laryngoscope is easier to apply than the direct laryngoscope in cases of intubation in various clinical situations.