scholarly journals A Palatal Speech Bulb—A Case Study

Reports ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Constance Hardwick ◽  
James Puryer

Palatal defects of the oral cavity can be either congenital or acquired following trauma or surgical excision of malignant disease. Palatal defects can greatly affect function and subsequent quality of life. Rehabilitation using a removable obturator can be a preferable treatment option as it allows regular review post-surgery. This case study reports on the design and construction of a removable “speech bulb” obturator. A 50-year-old female patient presented complaining of nasal regurgitation and looseness of her current palatal obturator. She had previously undergone wide surgical excision of her soft palate under general anaesthesia due to adenoid cystic carcinoma. Treatment consisted of the provision of a new removable obturator, paying careful attention to the design of the “speech bulb” itself. The design of the “speech bulb” is crucial to optimise function, and the method of prosthesis fabrication is fully described. This case highlights the impact of obturator fit on a patient’s quality of life and will be of benefit to clinicians from many disciplines including dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) surgeons and speech and language therapists.

Author(s):  
S. Patel ◽  
M. Clancy ◽  
H. Barry ◽  
N. Quigley ◽  
M. Clarke ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives: There is a high rate of psychiatric comorbidity in patients with epilepsy. However, the impact of surgical treatment of refractory epilepsy on psychopathology remains under investigation. We aimed to examine the impact of epilepsy surgery on psychopathology and quality of life at 1-year post-surgery in a population of patients with epilepsy refractory to medication. Methods: This study initially assessed 48 patients with refractory epilepsy using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory 89 (QOLIE-89) on admission to an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) as part of their pre-surgical assessment. These patients were again assessed using the SCID-I, QOLIE-89 and HADS at 1-year follow-up post-surgery. Results: There was a significant reduction in psychopathology, particularly psychosis, following surgery at 1-year follow-up (p < 0.021). There were no new cases of de novo psychosis and surgery was also associated with a significant improvement in the quality of life scores (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the impact of epilepsy surgery on psychopathology and quality of life in a patient population with refractory surgery. The presence of a psychiatric illness should not be a barrier to access surgical treatment.


Author(s):  
Raluca-Mariana Popa

The objective of the following research is the investigation of the impact that management of dysphagia has upon quality of life in persons with neurological pathology of vascular cerebreal attack type. The group of participants in this study has 6 members with ages between 34 and 69, all suffering from a neurological pathology of VCA type or cranio-cerebreal trauma with direct implications on the swallowing process. This paper used case study methode as experimental design, the goal being to detect the impact that speach therapy has on the dysphagia, in the context of safety and quality of life. A series of instruments regarding clinical evaluation of dysphagia and quality of life in the context of VCA and dysphagia where been translated and adapted in the fallowing research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (19-20) ◽  
pp. 2304-2321
Author(s):  
Olivia Ho-Yi Fung ◽  
Joanne Yip ◽  
Mei-Chun Cheung ◽  
Kit-Lun Yick ◽  
Kenny Yat-Hong Kwan ◽  
...  

Bracing is the most common non-operative treatment option for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, existing brace designs have deficiencies, including a long production lead time and low patient compliance caused by the negative impacts of bracing on quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to address these problems by developing a new textile-based scoliosis brace in accordance with the biomechanics used in the existing braces for spinal correction. A case study of interface pressure had been carried out to determine the optimum combination of pads to be used in the proposed brace to correct a scoliotic spine. AIS patients who were undergoing hard brace treatment were recruited to complete a questionnaire (BrQ) on hard braces and on the proposed brace. The BrQ scores of the two types of braces were compared to assess their respective impacts on the QoL. The findings show that the proposed brace can address the issue of patient compliance by reducing the impact of bracing on QoL, and shorten the production lead time through incorporation of the mass customization concept into the design. Similar to most of the commonly-used scoliosis braces, the selected combination of pads used in the proposed brace for spinal correction shows a sufficient amount of exerted pressure and a similar function of active spinal correction.


2019 ◽  
Vol IV (III) ◽  
pp. 132-139
Author(s):  
Haidar Farooq ◽  
Sabahat Subhan ◽  
Yasir Riaz

This research study examines the impact of remittances on quality of life. In order to accomplish the objectives, the study uses primary data which are collected from 403 households of District Dir Lower, Pakistan. Results summarized that incoming foreign remittances have a positive effect on education. Foreign remittances improve the household income level, this income is further utilized for different educational expenses. Therefore, remittance recipient families spend more than that of non-receiving families on education. In addition, remittances also increase the probability of children’s enrollment in schools. On the other hand, remittances are positively associated with family health status. The results revealed that 83% of the remittance recipient families have the ability to access basic healthcare needs, whereas 64% of non-receiving households have no access to basic health facilities. Additionally, remittances receiving families mostly prefer a private doctor and private hospitals, whereas non-receiving household usually uses government hospital facilities.


2000 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cinzia Brunelli ◽  
Paola Mosconi ◽  
Paolo Boeri ◽  
Laura Gangeri ◽  
Paolo Pizzetti ◽  
...  

Background In the last 10 years of clinical research there has been increasing interest in the evaluation of quality of life. Several generic and specific instruments have been developed for this purpose. EORTC QLQ C-30 is a cancer-specific questionnaire translated into various languages and validated in several European countries including Italy, where the impact of malignant disease on different areas of quality of life is poorly documented. Methods The EORTC QLQ C-30 was administered to 109 patients referred to the endoscopy division of the Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, for endoscopic palliative treatment of malignant dysphagia to test its characteristics in terms of acceptability and clinical validity. Results In this group of patients the impact of advanced esophageal cancer was highly evident for Emotional and Physical Functioning, Fatigue and Global QoL scales. Dysphagia is a serious problem for many patients; there is a correlation between grade of dysphagia and four QoL dimensions. Conclusions QoL assessment is an important tool to evaluate the adequate management of patients with esophageal cancer. The EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire proved to be valid and reliable also in this population.


Author(s):  
Mathilda van Niekerk

Art festivals have witnessed a boom in the past few years; with new festivals proliferating that cater to every taste and region, in what has become a vital source of revenue and publicity for cities and artists (Eventbrite, 2014; Relaxnews, 2015). The ideal arts festival represents a carefully crafted mixture of artists, a variety in its programming, being visually spectacular, and also meeting its social objectives (The Guardian, 2015). Art festivals in general are important for many reasons, some of which are to grow the regional and local economies, to promote the specific destination, to contribute to the livelihood of the artists and the local community, displaying different forms of art and to create specific images of the destinations. An art festival should therefore not only exist or take place; it should make some form of contribution to its stakeholders (Getz and Andersson 2010). When art festivals are, therefore, hosted in a specific area the lives of the local community become affected by it either in a positive or in a negative way. Art festivals have various impacts (socio-cultural, environmental, political and economic) on stakeholders, and on one of the most important stakeholders, that is, the local community. For years festival impact studies have mainly focused on the economic, environmental and socio-cultural impact of festivals on the local community, but a limited number of researchers have conducted studies to measure the impact of art festivals on the overall quality of life of the community members and the community as a whole. In order to do this, it is important to look at which socio-demographic variables influence the quality of life of the community and its members.


Author(s):  
Melinda Hermanns ◽  
Barbara Haas

Approximately three million persons in the United States face the challenge of living with Parkinson's Disease (PD). In spite of medical and surgical interventions, the disease progresses, resulting in bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability that impair functional ability and quality of life. The purpose of this case study is to illuminate the impact an exercise program may have on an individual with PD. A single case study design was used to explore the effect of exercise on the quality of life of a 73-year old gentleman with advanced PD. Interviews and field observations of the client, wife, and staff at a community based exercise facility were conducted. Analyses were based on coding of verbatim transcripts and field notes. Three themes emerged from the study: hope, inspiration, and determination. This case study is an exemplar of the impact exercise conducted in a supportive environment may have on improving the functional ability and quality of life for persons with PD.


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