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Introduction: Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections are widely used for the treatment of masseter muscle hypertrophy in Southeast Asia. However, there remains a lack of consensus regarding the optimal injection technique. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and patient discomfort associated with single-entry point injections versus multiple three-point injections for masseter muscle hypertrophy treatment with BoNT., Materials and Methods: Sixteen participants, comprising both male and female Korean adults aged 22-63, were enrolled in the study. On the left side of the face, single-entry point injections were administered, followed by multidirectional injections, while on the right side, three-point injections were given. Pain intensity during the procedure was assessed using visual analogue scale scores., Result: Our results revealed that participants experienced lower levels of pain with single-entry point injections compared to three-point injections (average visual analogue scores of 3.31 and 5.19, respectively)., Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential benefits of single-entry point injections in reducing patient discomfort during masseter muscle hypertrophy treatment with BoNT. We advocate for further research to validate these findings and encourage practitioners to consider single-entry point injections as a viable option for enhancing treatment outcomes in their clinical practice., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

A bolus method for noninvasive measurement of cardiac output (CO) and mixed venous oxygen content (O2) has been tested against absolute CO and O2 standards in dogs. No statistical differences in CO were found between bolus method and electromagnetic flowmeter measurement comparisons in an 18-dog study in which CO varied from 0. 5 to 3.0 l/min. The SD for all paired differences was 0.14 l/min; however, data averaging over 10-min intervals were found to reduce the CO measurement uncertainty to <0.08 l/min. The ability of the bolus method to follow rapid CO changes, experimentally produced by control of a pump (surgically placed between the superior and inferior vena cava and the right atrium), was documented and found to satisfy CO monitoring requirements of unstable subjects. O2 bolus values were found to be statistically equivalent to reference measurements.

A neonatal total artificial heart (TAH), used as a bridging device, can offer circulatory support for patients suffering from otherwise insupportable and inoperable congenital cardiac defects. The choice of the 7.0 ml stroke volume (SV) was based on reported studies on cardiac output (CO) requirements and maximum dimensions of a neonate size TAH. This SV will allow a bridging period of up to 10 weeks in the growing neonate. For in vitro testing purposes, "high-profile" ball valves of in-house design (10-13 mm ID) were used. Redesign of the existing in vitro testing systems, including mock circulation and high-flow blood reservoirs, was required for the smaller device. Mock circulation studies (rates 90-160 BPM, full-fill and ejection modes) showed adequate device performance, with CO values well above the reported marginal output value of 139 ml/kg/min.

Since the early 1980s, a rapid increase in successful pediatric heart transplantation has improved the chance of survival for many children suffering from otherwise fatal cardiomyopathies or congenital cardiac defects. During the last 5 years, heart transplantation in neonates and infants (0-28 days and 1-12 months, respectively) has been the most rapidly growing area within the pediatric patient population. No adequate mechanical circulatory support system, designed to be used as a bridge to transplantation, is available for many of these pediatric patients. Neonates are the smallest candidates to potentially benefit from heart transplantation, and their often acute need for either heart transplantation or temporary circulatory support indicates that any new development of a pediatric bridging device should focus on this youngest group. Subsequently, such a device may be modified to any weight or age group. An innovative total artificial heart design was developed in an attempt to meet the anatomic and physiologic requirements of neonates and infants. This report discusses the rapidly growing pediatric heart transplantation patient population, as well as an innovative total artificial heart design.