Background: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy is being increasingly used to prevent postextubation hypoxemic respiratory failure and reintubation. However, evidence to support the use of HFNC in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure after extubation is limited. This study was conducted to test if HFNC is non-inferior to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in preventing post-extubation treatment failure in COPD patients previously intubated for hypercapnic respiratory failure. Methods: COPD patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure who were already receiving invasive ventilation were randomized to HFNC or NIV at extubation at two large tertiary academic teaching hospitals. The primary endpoint was treatment failure, defined as either resumption of invasive ventilation or switching to the other study treatment modality (NIV for patients in the NFNC group or vice versa). Results: Ninety-six patients were randomly assigned to the HFNC group or NIV group. After secondary exclusion, 44 patients in the HFNC group and 42 patients in the NIV group were included in the analysis. The treatment failure rate in the HFNC group was 22.7% and 28.6% in the NIV group-risk difference of − 5.8% (95% CI, − 23.8-12.4%, p = 0.535), which was significantly lower than the non-inferior margin of 9%. Analysis of the causes of treatment failure showed that treatment intolerance in the HFNC group was significantly lower than that in the NIV group, with a risk difference of − 50.0% (95% CI, − 74.6 to − 12.9%, p = 0.015). One hour after extubation, the mean respiratory rates of both groups were faster than their baseline levels before extubation (p < 0.050). Twenty-four hours after extubation, the respiratory rate of the HFNC group had returned to baseline, but the NIV group was still

No abstract

We designed a new pedicled fasciocutaneous flap for large sacral defects that combined a classic superior gluteal artery perforator flap and an acentric axis perforator pedicled propeller flap. We asked whether this technique would be simple and result in few complications. Six patients with large sacral defects had reconstruction using this technique in one stage. The size of the defect and postoperative complications in each patient were assessed. The minimum followup was 6 months (mean, 20.1 months; range, 6-38 months). All wounds healed with no recurrence during followup. Five patients achieved healing primarily, and another with minimal drainage achieved healing by secondary intention after a dressing change. No patients had deep infection, wound dehiscence, necrosis, or partial loss or shrinkage of the flap at final followup. The buttocks were symmetric. We consider this a good alternative for reconstructing large sacral defects because it is a relatively simple procedure and results in few complications.

Although limited by the relatively small samples, these results indicate that using two NSAIDs along with an opioid in treating metastatic bone cancer pain was more effective and acceptable, which is worthy of further clinical application.

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