A 3-mm surgical margin can be safely used for nonmorpheaform basal cell carcinoma to attain 95 percent cure rates for lesions 2 cm or smaller. A positive pathologic margin has an average recurrence rate of 27 percent.

Aural myiasis is a rare otolaryngological disease typically seen in poor hygienic conditions and medically disabled patients. We present a case of aural myiasis in a healthy woman who had no apparent risk factors for infestation and required extensive surgical intervention. We also discuss the literature of documented otolaryngological cases of myiasis and effective therapies. In our patient, symptoms of otalgia, otorrhea, and tinnitus resolved after multiple attempts at extraction resulted in successful eradication of larvae. The patient required tympanoplasty to reconstruct the damaged external and middle ear. Physicians should have a clinical suspicion of aural myiasis in patients with a travel history and an atypical presentation of acute otalgia and otorrhea.

PGA/PLLA appears to be a safe and effective synthetic material for use in laryngotracheal reconstruction in the rabbit model while avoiding donor site morbidity and additional operative time. Reconstructed airways maintained adequate strength and patency under physiologic conditions and are comparable with autologous cartilage grafts.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous transtracheal jet ventilation (PTJV) in the management of the difficult airway. Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: Academic, tertiary care medical center. Patients: Forty-three consecutive PTJV procedures performed on 33 patients with anticipated airway difficulty undergoing direct laryngoscopy for diagnosis and/or treatment of head and neck cancer (91%) or benign lesions. Main Outcome Measures: Duration of PTJV, oxygen saturation values by pulse oximetry, and incidence of tracheotomy and complications. Results: The mean duration of PTJV was 43 minutes, and mean minimum oxygen saturation was 97%. Biopsy was performed in 27 (62%) of the cases, and a laser