To determine if there was a difference in the inflammatory reaction after tonsil surgery with &am... more To determine if there was a difference in the inflammatory reaction after tonsil surgery with "traditional" techniques (tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy or TA) compared to partial intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (PITA). Randomized, double-blind study. tertiary care academic hospital. Children under the age of 16 years with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep disordered breathing were randomly allocated into three study groups: TA with electrocautery (n = 34), PITA with CO2 laser (n = 30) and PITA with debrider (n = 28). All of the children underwent adenoidectomy with a current at the same surgical procedure. c-reactive protein level (CRP) was the primary endpoint. In addition, the following were assessed: white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils (NEU), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Pre- and post-procedure measurements were compared between the groups. Parents filled out a questionnaire daily during the first postoperative week assessing pain, swallowing and snoring. CRP levels ascended higher in the PITA groups after surgery (p = 0.023), WBC and NEU showed the same pattern, IL-6 levels were higher in PITA group and there was no difference in TNF-alpha levels between the two types of procedures. Postoperative pain and postoperative hemorrhage were significantly lower in the PITA groups as compared to the TA group (p = 0.01 and 0.048). PITA in comparison to TA is associated with lower morbidity; however, the inflammatory response does not differ significantly in the first 24 h after surgery. Additional long-term studies assessing efficacy of PITA are warranted. Level 1, prospective randomized controlled trial.
International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 2004
Acute mastoiditis (AM) is an uncommon but serious complication of acute otitis media (AOM). In th... more Acute mastoiditis (AM) is an uncommon but serious complication of acute otitis media (AOM). In the pre-antibiotic era, AM was seen more frequently than it is today, but it was rare in infants. However, in the last two decades an increase in the incidence of AM in infancy has been reported in the literature. During the years 1990-2002, we treated 113 patients with 128 episodes of AM; of them, 24 were infants (median age 6 months; 18 males) who suffered from 26 episodes of AM. Twenty developed AM as a complication of their first episode of AOM. One of the four infants with a prior history of AOM suffered from common variable immunodeficiency. A significant increase in the incidence of AM in infants was recorded during the study period (P = 0.01). The most common presenting clinical signs were post-auricular swelling and fever >38 degrees C (77% and 77%, respectively, of all patients). Seventeen episodes of AM were not treated with prior antibiotics. Tympanocentesis was performed in...
Blood pressure pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a parameter which is related to arterial distensibili... more Blood pressure pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a parameter which is related to arterial distensibility. Its direct assessment, by measuring the appearance time of a pressure pulse in two sites along an artery and the distance between the two sites, is complicated and inaccurate. In the current study, pulse transit time (PTT) to the toes and fingers of 44 normotensive male subjects was measured by photoplethysmography (PPG) and ECG. The arrival time of the pulses at the toe and finger was determined from the foot of the systolic rise of the PPG signal, i.e. at end-diastolic time. Two parameters, which are related to PWV, were tested: the time delay between the ECG R-wave and the arrival time of the pulses at the toe (E-T PTT), and the difference in the transit time of the blood pressure pulses between the toe and finger (T-F PTTD). E-T PTT and T-F PTTD decreased as functions of the subject's age and systolic blood pressure (SBP), but their dependence on the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was not statistically significant. The decrease of the PTT parameters with age is attributed to the direct structural decrease of the arterial compliance with age and not to functional effects associated with the increase of the blood pressure with age, since the PTT parameters did not depend on DBP though the measurements were performed at end-diastole.
Information regarding the specific characteristics of bilateral acute otitis media (BAOM) versus ... more Information regarding the specific characteristics of bilateral acute otitis media (BAOM) versus unilateral acute otitis media (UAOM) is lacking. To compare the epidemiologic, microbiologic, and clinical characteristics of BAOM with UAOM in children. 1026 children aged 3-36 months (61%, <1 year of age) with AOM were enrolled during 1995-2003. All patients had tympanocentesis and middle ear fluid (MEF) culture at enrollment. Clinical status was determined by a clinical/otologic score evaluating severity (0 = absent to 3 = severe, maximal score 12) of patient's fever and irritability and tympanic membrane redness and bulging. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the risk of BAOM and UAOM presenting with a high severity score (> or =8). Six-hundred twenty-three (61%) patients had BAOM. Positive MEF cultures were recorded in 786 (77%) patients. More patients with BAOM had positive MEF cultures than patients with UAOM (517 of 623, 83% versus 269 of 403, 67%; P < 0.01). Nontypable Haemophilus influenzae was more common in BAOM than in UAOM (390 of 623, 63% versus 170 of 430, 42%; P < 0.01). Overall, the clinical/otologic score showed higher severity in culture-positive than in culture-negative patients (8.2 +/- 2.0 versus 7.7 +/- 2.2; P < 0.001) and in BAOM than in UAOM (8.3 +/- 2.1 versus 7.8 +/- 2.1; P = 0.001). Clinical/otologic score of > or =8 was more frequent in BAOM than in UAOM patients (371, 61.8% versus 200, 51.3%; P = 0.001). The estimated risk for BAOM patients (compared with UAOM patients) to present with a score > or =8 was 1.5. The association between BAOM and clinical/otologic score > or = 8 was maintained after adjustment for age, previous AOM history, and culture results at enrollment. (1) BAOM is frequent; (2) Nontypable H. influenzae is more frequently involved in the etiology of BAOM than of UAOM; (3) The clinical picture of BAOM is frequently more severe than that of UAOM, but overlap of clinical symptoms is common.
Meningitis is a life-threatening complication of otitis media. The appropriate management and the... more Meningitis is a life-threatening complication of otitis media. The appropriate management and the role of surgical intervention are still controversial, and there are no evidence-based guidelines in this regard. We report three cases of otogenic meningitis, initially treated with parenteral antibiotics and myringotomy, followed by surgery. Two patients had an emergency mastoidectomy and one patient underwent surgery one month post-recovery due to the suspicion of bone erosion on a computed tomography scan. In two cases, a canal wall up procedure was performed, and one patient underwent revision of a radical mastoidectomy. In all cases, no pus or granulations were seen in the mastoid. Two patients fully recovered and one patient died. We review the literature and critically discuss the role, timing and preferred type of surgery for otogenic meningitis.
Objective. Advanced primary supraglottic tumors (i.e., T3 or T4) have traditionally been treated ... more Objective. Advanced primary supraglottic tumors (i.e., T3 or T4) have traditionally been treated surgically and postoperative radiotherapy. In the last 2 decades, some patients were treated with chemoradiation avoiding surgery. Case Report. We describe a 55-year old female who presented with respiratory distress and paraplegia seven years after treatment for a T3N0M0 supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma. CT scan showed prevertebral and intraspinal air descending from C4 to D3 vertebras. Epidural and prevertebral abscesses were confirmed by neck exploration. Necrosis was observed in the retropharyngeal, prevertebral, and vertebral tissues. Conclusion. Prevertebral and spinal abscess may result from chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the head and neck. Physicians caring for head and neck cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and radiation should be aware of this rare severe complication.
To determine if there was a difference in the inflammatory reaction after tonsil surgery with &am... more To determine if there was a difference in the inflammatory reaction after tonsil surgery with "traditional" techniques (tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy or TA) compared to partial intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (PITA). Randomized, double-blind study. tertiary care academic hospital. Children under the age of 16 years with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep disordered breathing were randomly allocated into three study groups: TA with electrocautery (n = 34), PITA with CO2 laser (n = 30) and PITA with debrider (n = 28). All of the children underwent adenoidectomy with a current at the same surgical procedure. c-reactive protein level (CRP) was the primary endpoint. In addition, the following were assessed: white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils (NEU), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Pre- and post-procedure measurements were compared between the groups. Parents filled out a questionnaire daily during the first postoperative week assessing pain, swallowing and snoring. CRP levels ascended higher in the PITA groups after surgery (p = 0.023), WBC and NEU showed the same pattern, IL-6 levels were higher in PITA group and there was no difference in TNF-alpha levels between the two types of procedures. Postoperative pain and postoperative hemorrhage were significantly lower in the PITA groups as compared to the TA group (p = 0.01 and 0.048). PITA in comparison to TA is associated with lower morbidity; however, the inflammatory response does not differ significantly in the first 24 h after surgery. Additional long-term studies assessing efficacy of PITA are warranted. Level 1, prospective randomized controlled trial.
International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 2004
Acute mastoiditis (AM) is an uncommon but serious complication of acute otitis media (AOM). In th... more Acute mastoiditis (AM) is an uncommon but serious complication of acute otitis media (AOM). In the pre-antibiotic era, AM was seen more frequently than it is today, but it was rare in infants. However, in the last two decades an increase in the incidence of AM in infancy has been reported in the literature. During the years 1990-2002, we treated 113 patients with 128 episodes of AM; of them, 24 were infants (median age 6 months; 18 males) who suffered from 26 episodes of AM. Twenty developed AM as a complication of their first episode of AOM. One of the four infants with a prior history of AOM suffered from common variable immunodeficiency. A significant increase in the incidence of AM in infants was recorded during the study period (P = 0.01). The most common presenting clinical signs were post-auricular swelling and fever >38 degrees C (77% and 77%, respectively, of all patients). Seventeen episodes of AM were not treated with prior antibiotics. Tympanocentesis was performed in...
Blood pressure pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a parameter which is related to arterial distensibili... more Blood pressure pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a parameter which is related to arterial distensibility. Its direct assessment, by measuring the appearance time of a pressure pulse in two sites along an artery and the distance between the two sites, is complicated and inaccurate. In the current study, pulse transit time (PTT) to the toes and fingers of 44 normotensive male subjects was measured by photoplethysmography (PPG) and ECG. The arrival time of the pulses at the toe and finger was determined from the foot of the systolic rise of the PPG signal, i.e. at end-diastolic time. Two parameters, which are related to PWV, were tested: the time delay between the ECG R-wave and the arrival time of the pulses at the toe (E-T PTT), and the difference in the transit time of the blood pressure pulses between the toe and finger (T-F PTTD). E-T PTT and T-F PTTD decreased as functions of the subject's age and systolic blood pressure (SBP), but their dependence on the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was not statistically significant. The decrease of the PTT parameters with age is attributed to the direct structural decrease of the arterial compliance with age and not to functional effects associated with the increase of the blood pressure with age, since the PTT parameters did not depend on DBP though the measurements were performed at end-diastole.
Information regarding the specific characteristics of bilateral acute otitis media (BAOM) versus ... more Information regarding the specific characteristics of bilateral acute otitis media (BAOM) versus unilateral acute otitis media (UAOM) is lacking. To compare the epidemiologic, microbiologic, and clinical characteristics of BAOM with UAOM in children. 1026 children aged 3-36 months (61%, <1 year of age) with AOM were enrolled during 1995-2003. All patients had tympanocentesis and middle ear fluid (MEF) culture at enrollment. Clinical status was determined by a clinical/otologic score evaluating severity (0 = absent to 3 = severe, maximal score 12) of patient's fever and irritability and tympanic membrane redness and bulging. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the risk of BAOM and UAOM presenting with a high severity score (> or =8). Six-hundred twenty-three (61%) patients had BAOM. Positive MEF cultures were recorded in 786 (77%) patients. More patients with BAOM had positive MEF cultures than patients with UAOM (517 of 623, 83% versus 269 of 403, 67%; P < 0.01). Nontypable Haemophilus influenzae was more common in BAOM than in UAOM (390 of 623, 63% versus 170 of 430, 42%; P < 0.01). Overall, the clinical/otologic score showed higher severity in culture-positive than in culture-negative patients (8.2 +/- 2.0 versus 7.7 +/- 2.2; P < 0.001) and in BAOM than in UAOM (8.3 +/- 2.1 versus 7.8 +/- 2.1; P = 0.001). Clinical/otologic score of > or =8 was more frequent in BAOM than in UAOM patients (371, 61.8% versus 200, 51.3%; P = 0.001). The estimated risk for BAOM patients (compared with UAOM patients) to present with a score > or =8 was 1.5. The association between BAOM and clinical/otologic score > or = 8 was maintained after adjustment for age, previous AOM history, and culture results at enrollment. (1) BAOM is frequent; (2) Nontypable H. influenzae is more frequently involved in the etiology of BAOM than of UAOM; (3) The clinical picture of BAOM is frequently more severe than that of UAOM, but overlap of clinical symptoms is common.
Meningitis is a life-threatening complication of otitis media. The appropriate management and the... more Meningitis is a life-threatening complication of otitis media. The appropriate management and the role of surgical intervention are still controversial, and there are no evidence-based guidelines in this regard. We report three cases of otogenic meningitis, initially treated with parenteral antibiotics and myringotomy, followed by surgery. Two patients had an emergency mastoidectomy and one patient underwent surgery one month post-recovery due to the suspicion of bone erosion on a computed tomography scan. In two cases, a canal wall up procedure was performed, and one patient underwent revision of a radical mastoidectomy. In all cases, no pus or granulations were seen in the mastoid. Two patients fully recovered and one patient died. We review the literature and critically discuss the role, timing and preferred type of surgery for otogenic meningitis.
Objective. Advanced primary supraglottic tumors (i.e., T3 or T4) have traditionally been treated ... more Objective. Advanced primary supraglottic tumors (i.e., T3 or T4) have traditionally been treated surgically and postoperative radiotherapy. In the last 2 decades, some patients were treated with chemoradiation avoiding surgery. Case Report. We describe a 55-year old female who presented with respiratory distress and paraplegia seven years after treatment for a T3N0M0 supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma. CT scan showed prevertebral and intraspinal air descending from C4 to D3 vertebras. Epidural and prevertebral abscesses were confirmed by neck exploration. Necrosis was observed in the retropharyngeal, prevertebral, and vertebral tissues. Conclusion. Prevertebral and spinal abscess may result from chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the head and neck. Physicians caring for head and neck cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and radiation should be aware of this rare severe complication.
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