Building Research Capacity to Enroll Spanish-Speaking Patients and Families in a Traumatic Brain Injury Transitional Care Intervention.

Nasal obstruction is a cardinal symptom of allergic rhinitis and is frequently refractory to medical therapy when structural causes are present. It is also recognised as the most burdensome symptom, significantly impairing quality of life. Amongst structural causes, inferior turbinate hypertrophy is well established as a major contributor to nasal obstruction in allergic rhinitis, often warranting surgical intervention to alleviate fixed-obstruction and aid in dynamic compliance of the nasal airway. Inferior turbinoplasty is a commonly performed surgical procedure aimed at reducing hypertrophied turbinates. One of the most notable complications of this surgery is post-operative bleeding, which can be both troublesome and distressing for patients. Intra-operative haemostasis is typically achieved using electrocauterisation, while post-operative control may be attained with the use of nasal packing. Various nasal packing options include (but are not limited to) Merocel (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA), Surgicel (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ), Nasopore (Polyganics, Groningen, The Netherlands) and Rapid Rhino (Arthrocare, Knaresborough, UK) packs. In Singapore, Merocel and Surgicel are amongst the most frequently used options. Merocel is a compressed, dehydrated sponge composed of hydroxylated polyvinyl acetate which exhibits expansion in size upon hydration with normal saline, providing a mechanical tamponade effect. In contrast, Surgicel is a haemostatic agent made of oxidised regenerated cellulose and works by inducing platelet aggregation and formation of a clot matrix. It is bioabsorbable and degrades within days and may often be incorporated into crusts formed over healing turbinate mucosa.