Research List
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Advantages of Local Pedicle Flaps in Soft Palate Reconstruction
In this report, THANC describes the advantages of employing the palatal island flap in conjunction with the lateral pharyngeal wall flap in a single-staged reconstruction of large soft palate defects.…
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Targeted Versus Comprehensive Radiation Therapy of Uknown Primary Site
Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (MUP) continues to present a dilemma in the planning of therapeutic strategy. Radiation therapy constitutes an important component for the management of MUP,…
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Systematic Review of the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument
In this article, THANC systematically reviewed the evidence for the use of the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) to measure tongue strength and endurance in healthy populations and those with…
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Tongue Strength: a Prognostic Factor After Tongue Cancer Surgery?
Surgical resection of oral cancer can result in altered speech, swallowing, and quality of life (QOL). To date, the oral outcome variables of tongue strength, tongue and jaw range of…
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Transtracheal Approach to Repair of a Tracheo-Colonic Fistula
Tracheo-colonic fistula is an extremely rare pathology, and the scarring that develops after a prior esophagectomy makes a traditional lateral approach very difficult. The THANC Foundation presents a case of…
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Iowa Oral Performance Instrument Investigation in Healthy Adults
In this article, THANC investigates the reliability of tongue and handgrip strength and endurance measurements in healthy adults using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. Our team found that tongue and…
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Randomized Clinical Trial Examining the Effects of Tongue Strengthening Exercises
Tongue strength is reduced in patients treated with chemoradiotherapy for oral/pharyngeal cancer, however, there have been no studies examining the efficacy of tongue strengthening exercises on tongue strength, swallowing, and…
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Functional Outcomes & Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy
While chemoradiotherapy is an effective form of thyroid cancer treatment, patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy have been found to suffer from various oral complications after treatment. In this prospective study THANC examines…
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Quality of Life After Management of Osteoradionecrosis of the Mandible
Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the mandible is a severe complication of radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. In this case series, THANC analyzed their treatment and quality of life (QOL)…
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Transoral Anatomy of the Tonsillar Fossa and Lateral Pharyngeal Wall
Transoral robotic assisted surgery (TORS) is becoming increasingly recognized in the management of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). However, despite the increasing utilization of TORS in resecting oropharyngeal tumors, the medial to…
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Chondromyxoid Fibroma of the Mastoid Portion of the Temporal Bone
THANC reports a very rare case of a chondromyxoid fibroma of the mastoid portion of the temporal bone in a 38-year-old woman who presented with left-sided hearing loss. We discuss…
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A Life-Saving Surgery: Fibular Flap Reconstruction of the Cervical Spine for Repair of Osteoradionecrosis
THANC presents a unique case of a combined cervical spine and laryngectomy reconstruction that has not been described in the literature. This innovative, life-saving technique allowed for the successful preservation…
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Do Comprehensive Head & Neck Radiotherapy Dose-Volume Constraints Apply to Smaller Volumes?
Multiple studies report on radiation therapy (RT) dose values that cause permanent radiation-induced dysphagia (RID) and cerebrovascular disease (RICV). The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that…
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Effortful Swallow
Although the physiologic effects of the effortful swallow technique have been studied using videofluoroscopy and manometry, the physiology of the effortful swallow has not been studied using dMRI imaging, which…
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Effects of Flavor on Swallowing Physiology in Head & Neck Cancer Patients
Unfortunately, treatment for head and neck cancer can reduce peripheral sensory input and impair oropharyngeal swallow. However, despite the importance of flavors to our appetite, interest, and pleasure in eating,…
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Scapular Free Flap Harvest Site: the Radiographic Post-Operative Appearances
Scapular free flap harvesting for oral cavity cancer reconstruction is an increasingly used and versatile option. In our review, however, very few radiologists reported the surgical scapular defects. In this…
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Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Healthy Swallow Physiology
Swallowing disorders are common in head and neck cancer patients and have a significant health impact. Unfortunately, despite the significance of the disorder, major gaps in our knowledge regarding the…
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Beth Israel Medical Center Experience Using High-Dose-Rate Intraoperative Radiotherapy
Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has been used to improve local disease control in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer. In this article THANC aims to present the Beth Israel Medical…