17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate seems to be safe for the fetus when administered in the second and third trimesters.

Background. The development of a wound infection has been identified as a favorable prognostic factor after oncologic surgical procedures. Methods. The authors retrospectively studied the relationship between postoperative wound infection, local/regional tumor recurrence, and survival rates in 134 patients undergoing therapeutic surgical resection for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Results. The median age was 61 years (range, 25‐87 years) with most (75%) patients having advanced disease (Stage III or IV). Patients without evidence of recurrent disease were followed up for a median time of 34 months (range, 24‐68 months). Twenty‐nine (22%) had local or regional bacterial infections develop postoperatively. Recurrence rates were increased (P = 0. 008) in patients with postoperative wound infections compared with patients who had distant infections, e.g., pneumonia or urinary tract infection, or no infection. Disease‐free survival also was adversely affected (P = 0.04) in this group. Both advanced tumor stage and postoperative wound infections were independently associated with decreased survival, with odds ratios of 2:3 and 24, respectively. Conclusions. These data contrast with other reports in the literature of a beneficial effect of postoperative wound infection on outcome. These findings suggest a possible relationship between local/regional immune function and postoperative infection in patients with SCCHN.

PurposeThe purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the impact of oral anticoagulants on epistaxis with the focus on new oral anticoagulants.MethodsThe study was conducted at the Department  for Ear- Nose- and Throat (ENT), Head and Neck Surgery, Technical University Munich, Germany. All patients presenting in 2014 with the diagnosis of epistaxis to a specialized ENT accident and emergency department were identified and analyzed in clinical data and medication.Results600 adult cases, with a median age of 66.6 years were identified with active bleeding. 66.8% of all cases were anticoagulated. Classic oral anticoagulants (COAC) were three times more common in patients than new-generation oral anticoagulants (NOAC). Recurrent bleeding was significantly associated with oral anticoagulants (OAC) (p = 0.014) and bleeding location was most often anterior (p = 0.006). In contrast, severe cases, which required surgery or embolization were significantly more likely in non-anticoagulated middle-aged patients with posterior bleedings (p < 0.05). In our epistaxis cohort, OAC were highly overrepresented (40%) when compared to the general German population (1%) but COAC as well as NOAC played only a minor role in severe courses of epistaxis.ConclusionOral anticoagulation, especially with new-generation drugs, is not associated with more complicated and severe courses of epistaxis, but rather with recurrent bleeding. One should keep this information in mind when triaging the patient in the emergency room and when planning further procedures.

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