OBJECTIVES Few studies on health literacy and disease understanding among women with pelvic floor disorders have been published. We conducted a pilot study to explore the relationship between disease understanding and health literacy, age, and diagnosis type among women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. METHODS Study subjects were recruited from urology and urogynecology specialty clinics based on a chief complaint suggestive of urinary incontinence or pelvic prolapse. Subjects completed questionnaires to assess symptom severity and health literacy was measured using the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Patient-physician interactions were audiotaped during the office visit. Immediately afterwards, patients were asked to describe diagnoses and treatments discussed by the physician and record them on a checklist, with follow-up phone call where the same checklist was administered 2–3 days later. RESULTS A total of 36 women with pelvic floor disorders, aged 42–94, were enrolled. We found that health literacy scores decreased with increasing age; however, all patients had low percentage recall of their pelvic floor diagnoses and poor understanding of their pelvic floor condition despite high health literacy scores. Patients with pelvic prolapse appeared to have worse recall and disease understanding than patients with urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS High health literacy as assessed by the TOFHLA may not correlate with patients' ability to comprehend complex functional conditions such as pelvic floor disorders. Lack of understanding may lead to unrealistic treatment expectations, inability to give informed consent for treatment, and dissatisfaction with care. Better methods to improve disease understanding are needed.

Objectives: Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) is an intraoperative ventilatory technique that allows avoidance of tracheal intubation (TI) or jet ventilation (JV) in selected laryngologic surgical cases. Unimpeded access to all parts of the glottis may improve surgical precision, decrease operative time, and potentially improve patient outcomes. The objective of this prospective, randomized, patient-blinded, 2-arm parallel pilot trial was to investigate the safety and efficacy of THRIVE use for adult patients undergoing nonlaser laryngologic surgery of short-to-intermediate duration. Methods: Twenty adult, American society of anesthesiology class 1-3 patients with body mass index (BMI) < 35 kg/m 2 were randomly assigned to either an experimental THRIVE group or active comparator conventional ventilation group (TI or supraglottic high-frequency JV [SHFJV]). Primary outcomes included intraoperative oxygenation, anesthesia awakening/ extubation time, time to laryngoscopic suspension, number of intraoperative suspension adjustments, and operative time. Secondary patient outcomes including postanesthesia and functional patient recovery were investigated. Results: Compared to TI/SHFJV, THRIVE use was associated with significantly lower intraoperative oxygenation (SpO 2 93.0 AE 5.6% vs. 98.7 AE 1.6%), shorter time to suspension (1.8 AE 1.1 minutes vs. 4.3 AE 2.1 minutes), fewer suspension adjustments (0.4 AE 0.5 vs. 1.7 AE 0.9), and lower postoperative pain scores on recovery room admission (1.3 AE 1.9 vs. 3.7 AE 2.9) and discharge (0.9 AE 1.3 vs. 2.7 AE 1.8). The study was underpowered to detect other possible outcome differences. Conclusion: We confirm the safe intraoperative oxygenation profile of THRIVE for selected patients undergoing nonlaser laryngologic surgery of short-to-intermediate duration. THRIVE facilitated surgical exposure and improved early patient recovery, suggesting a potential economic benefit for outpatient laryngologic procedures. The results of this exploratory study provide a framework for designing future adequately powered THRIVE trials. Trial Register: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03091179).

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to evaluate barriers in communication and disease understanding among office staff and interpreters when communicating with Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study to evaluate barriers to communication with Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders among office staff and interpreters. Sixteen office staff and interpreters were interviewed; interview questions focused on experiences with Spanish-speaking patients with pelvic floor disorders in the clinic setting. Interview transcripts were analyzed qualitatively using grounded theory methodology. Results: Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed several barriers in communication as identified by office staff and interpreters. Three major classes were predominant: patient, interpreter, and system-related. Patient-related barriers included 1) a lack of understanding of anatomy and medical terminology and inhibited discussions due to embarrassment. Provider-related barriers included poor interpreter knowledge of pelvic floor vocabulary and the use of office staff without interpreting credentials. System-related barriers included poor access to information. From these preliminary themes, an emergent concept was revealed: it is highly likely that Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders have poor understanding of their condition due to multiple obstacles in communication. Conclusions: There are many levels of barriers to communications with Latinas treated for pelvic floor disorders, arising from the patient, interpreter, and the system itself. These barriers contribute to a low level of understanding of their diagnosis, treatment options, and administered therapies.

a Current address: Advanced Micro Devices, One AMD Place, Sunnyvale, CA 94088. * Corresponding authors: Alfredo M. Morales, amorale@sandia.gov, ph (925) 294-3540, fax (925) 294-3410; Blake A. Simmons, basimmo@sandia.gov, ph (925) 294-2288; fax ABSTRACTWe are developing a variety of microsystems for the separation and detection of biological samples. At the heart of these systems, inexpensive polymer microfluidic chips carry out sample preparation and analysis. Fabrication of polymer microfluidic chips involves the creation of a master in etched silicon or glass; plating of the master to produce a nickel stamp; large lot chip replication by injection molding; precision chip sealing; and chemical modification of channel surfaces. Separation chips rely on insulator-based dielectrophoresis for the separation of biological particles. Detection chips carry out capillary electrophoresis to detect fluorescent tags that identify specific biological samples. Since the performance and reliability of these microfluidic chips are very sensitive to fluidic impedance, electromagnetic flux, and zeta potential, the microchannel dimensions, shape, and surface chemistry have to be tightly controlled during chip fabrication and use. This paper will present an overview of chip design, fabrication, and testing. Dimensional metrology data, surface chemistry characterization, and chip performance data will be discussed in detail.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare, inherited diseases characterized by skin fragility and multiorgan system involvement that presents many anesthetic challenges. Although the literature regarding anesthetic management focuses primarily on the pediatric population, as life expectancy improves, adult patients with EB are more frequently undergoing anesthesia in nonpediatric hospital settings. Safe anesthetic management of adult patients with EB requires familiarity with the complex and heterogeneous nature of this disease, especially with regard to complications that may worsen during adulthood. General, neuraxial, and regional anesthetics have all been used safely in patients with EB. A thorough preoperative evaluation is essential. Preoperative testing should be guided by EB subtype, clinical manifestations, and extracutaneous complications. Advanced planning and multidisciplinary coordination are necessary with regard to timing and operative plan. Meticulous preparation of the operating room and education of all perioperative staff members is critical. Intraoperatively, utmost care must be taken to avoid all adhesives, shear forces, and friction to the skin and mucosa. Special precautions must be taken with patient positioning, and standard anesthesia monitors must be modified. Airway management is often difficult, and progressive airway deterioration can occur in adults with EB over time. A smooth induction, emergence, and postoperative course are necessary to minimize blister formation from excess patient movement. With careful planning, preparation, and precautions, adult patients with EB can safely undergo anesthesia.