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Biomedical subjects

A Ciofalo

Publications and source records attributed to A Ciofalo.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

[Horizontal glottectomy according to Calearo-Teatini for the treatment of tumors involving the anterior commissure of the larynx: oncological and functional results].

Among the different surgical options proposed for the treatment of glottic neoplasms involving the anterior commissure is the Horizontal Glottectomy (HG) proposed in 1978 by Calearo and Teatini. This type of laryngectomy is now included with good reason among the reconstructive horizontal laryngectomies in that it calls for the complete removal of the vocal folds and corresponding thyroid cartilage, with reconstruction of the airways by means of a thyrocricopexy. The object of our study was to describe the indications, surgical technique and oncological and functional results on the basis of the experience acquired by the Authors in 21 patients affected by laryngeal carcinoma (juxta-commissural T1a with diffuse hyperkeratosis of the contralateral cord and T1b infiltration to the anterior commissure) who underwent Horizontal Glottectomy (HG) according to the Calearo-Teatinin technique. For 3 of the 21 patients, the follow-up was under 3 years; for 11 patients it was over 5 years; and in 4 cases, it was over 10 years, with a survival rate at 5 years of 91.5%. There were 5 deaths (27.7%), 2 of which were due to non-neoplastic intervening causes, and 1 of which for a recurrence of N (5.5%) a year after surgery. In 3 patients, postoperative RT (radiotherapy) was carried out due to infiltration of the resection borders. With regard to the functional results, the naso-gastric tube was maintained for 8 days on average (min 4, max 12 days), and the tracheal cannula remained in situ an average of 11 days (min 7, max 19 days), while the average hospital stay was 9.3 days. The treatment options currently available for glottic tumors involving the anterior commissure may be divided among radiotherapy (RT), conventional surgery including vertical laryngectomies (Tucker's frontoanterior and Leroux-Robert's frontolateral laryngectomies) and horizontal laryngectomies (Calearo-Teatini's horizontal glottectomy, Majer-Piquet's crico-hyoido-epiglottopexy, and Labayle's crico-hyoidopexy), as well as endoscopic laser surgery. Each procedure is adopted on the basis of the experience and philosophy of the surgeon. For tumors involving the anterior commissure, our treatment protocol prescribes HG to be performed whenever possible, as its oncological and functional result have confirmed the validity of the procedure, as long as the indications are followed carefully. Furthermore, when compared to the frontolateral procedure, it provides similar oncological results, but being a much more economical operation on the vertical plane, it avoids stenotic complications, while, compared to the Majer-Piquet procedure, it allows easier and faster rehabilitation, even in elderly patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Osteomyelitis of the skull base with atypical onset and evolution.

Skull base osteomyelitis arises as a complication of malignant external otitis, but it can be also due to middle ear and/or mastoid infection. Other causes can be infections of the paranasal sinuses or of the mandible or maxilla due to odontic caries. Generally, osteomyelitis involves elderly patients affected by diabetic immunodeficiency or microvascular disease. In this paper, we present 3 new cases of skull base osteomyelitis with atypical onset and evolution. The difficulties of diagnosis and details of the management are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Screening patients affected by common variable immunodeficiency.

Chronic immunoglobulin administration decreases the incidence of bronchial and pulmonary infections in patients affected by chronic variable immunodeficiency (CVI). In this study, an ENT screening was carried out in 22 patients affected by chronic variable immunodeficiency and treated with chronic immunoglobulin administration. All the patients underwent ENT physical examination, nasal endoscopy by fiberoptics, mucociliary transport test (MTT), anterior rhinorheomanometry (RRM), nasal provocation test with cold water (ANPT), audiometry and impedentiometry, olfactory evaluation, and paranasal sinus X rays. Dysphagia was present in 91% of the patients, nasal secretion and obstruction in 77%, and hypoacusia, tinnitus, and otodinia in 57%. Rhinitis and pharyngitis were observed in 86% of the patients, and serous middle ear effusion in 50%. Confirmed maxillary sinusitis was observed in five patients. Hyposmia was observed in 50% of the patients. MTT was significantly longer in the patients than in the controls (18.0 +/- 10.5 vs. 11.2 +/- 2.4 min; p < .05). Nasal resistance was lower in patients than in controls (0.46 +/- 0.32 vs. 1.11 +/- 0.22 Pa/L.s-1; p < .001). ANPT was positive in 9 patients out of 25 versus 1 control out of 15 (p < .05). Finally, seven patients were affected by transmissive hypoacusia, and one patient by neurosensorial hypoacusia. Our results suggest that chronic immunoglobulin administration in CVI patients is not effective against ENT disorders, probably because of the important role played by nasal hyperreactivity. Frequent ENT examination and early treatment of ENT disorders are therefore suggested in order to prevent chronic disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Intranasal immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides extract: in vivo and in vitro results of a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Intranasal immunotherapy (IT) has been proposed as a means to induce an effective immunity of the nasal mucosa in patients with allergic rhinitis, avoiding systemic side effects. In the present study 20 individuals with chronic allergic rhinitis, and skin prick test reactive to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP) only, were randomized and subjected to a three months' double-blind placebo-controlled trial of intranasal IT with DP extract. All patients received also sodium cromoglycate as pre-medication. Before and at the end of the treatment the patients performed specific nasal provocation tests, and samples of serum and nasal secretions were collected to measure total and specific IgE, levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and mast-cell-derived tryptase. A clinical score was computed by the symptoms indicated by the patients. The clinical score did not change in the two groups after the treatment, whereas a decrease in nasal reactivity was observed. Total IgE increased only in secretions from placebo-treated patients, but were not modified in sera. IgE to DP in sera and nasal secretions did not change significantly. Tryptase levels in nasal secretions decreased in both groups, while ECP was unchanged after IT. Serum ECP levels decreased more in actively treated patients than in the placebo group. The data suggest that changes of IgE and inflammatory mediators may be affected by the use of sodium cromoglycate in both groups, but some parameters change early in different directions in IT- and placebo-treated groups.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Non-specific hyperreactivity before and after nasal specific immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Specific local immunotherapy (SLIT) improves symptom scores for allergic rhinitis during treatment and after its conclusion, as confirmed by non-specific tests. However, the duration of clinical and instrumental improvement after discontinuing SLIT is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes in the non-specific reaction time of patients with allergy to Dermatophagoides pteronissinus before and during 3 years of SLIT, and 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after discontinuing SLIT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixteen patients were diagnosed by clinical history, positive skin test for D. pteronissinus, RAST, nasal provocation test (NPT) specific for D. pteronissinus, NPT with cold water solution. SLIT was administered by nasal spray. Patients were evaluated before, at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of SLIT, and 6, 12, and 18 months after discontinuing SLIT. At the beginning of SLIT, the allergen concentration used was similar to that used in NPT. Maintenance doses were administered 3 times a week for 1 year and 2 times a week for 2 years. All patients kept a symptom diary. RESULTS: After the first year of SLIT, total nasal resistance (TNR) decreased sharply. TNR then remained constant at the end of the second year and decreased at the end of the third year of treatment. Discontinuation of SLIT did not produce evident variations in average TNR at 6 or 12 months, but 3/16 patients at 6 months and 9/16 patients at 12 months complained of symptomatic deterioration. The most evident deterioration was noted at the 18-month post-SLIT visit, in which TNR values were similar to those recorded at the onset of treatment. Positive response to stimulation and increased TNR were found after SLIT in 8/16 patients at 6 months, 13/16 at 12 months, 12/13 at 18 months, and 7/7 at 24 months. The symptom score indicated the return of symptoms. Twelve months after discontinuing SLIT, the patients complained about increased secretion and itching. The initial non-specific hyperreactivity, which had been present in all patients, was not evident in 68.7% after 3 years of SLIT, but persisted in a milder form in 31.3%. CONCLUSION: SLIT successfully reduced symptoms of D. pteronissinus sensitivity. Non-specific hyperreactivity was absent at the end of SLIT, but returned by 6 months after discontinuing SLIT. Therefore, SLIT did not maintain the clinical results achieved at the beginning of treatment for more than 12 months.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Otorhinolaryngological aspects of HIV infections: personal experience.

The involvement of the ENT sphere in HIV infections is fairly common, but the relative manifestations, though not to be considered atypical, are not pathognomonic. The present study has been set up for the otoiatric assessment of a group of HIV patients and the correlation of ENT symptoms with the various stages of the disease. To this end, 60 patients were examined (35 belonged to groups 2-3 and 25 to group 4) of whom 50% were drug addicts, 36% homosexuals and 14% heterosexuals. All patients underwent a complete ENT examination as well as the assessment of hearing and vestibular function, of olfactory and taste functions, of respiratory and nasal mucociliary functions along with an anti-HIV antibody check of nasal secretion. Results showed a prevalence of otologic and rhinosinusal symptoms as well as cervical-facial swelling. Testing revealed a hearing loss of mainly conductive origin caused by otitis and tubal stenosis; vestibular hyporeflexia; mixed hyposmia and hypogeusia owing to the involvement of multiple cranial nerves; respiratory and mucociliary changes due to rhinitis and hypertrophy of the nasal mucosa. In all cases anti-HIV antibodies were found in nasal secretion. From a diagnostic point of view there was a prevalence of specific pathologies: oropharyngeal candidosis, stage 4; cervical lymphoadenopathy, stages 2-3; chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal vestibulitis and nosebleed; mainly chronic otitis media. All such manifestations suggest a marked involvement of ENT organs, which can be attributed to the anatomical characteristics of the area, with the relative diagnostic and prognostic implications of HIV infection.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Local treatment of aspecific nasal hyperreactivity with capsaicin.

Ten patients with vasomotor rhinitis underwent local treatment with capsaicin (30 micromol.), once per week for five weeks; controls were carried out at weekly intervals and 1, 3 and 6 months after therapy. Assessment was made using symptom score and nasal resistance scores both basal and subsequent to aspecific nasal provocation. Results showed abatement of symptoms, and reduction of nasal resistance and aspecific hyperreactivity already during the second week. This trend continued for six months, with endoscopic improvement also. Hence, this treatment proved to be efficient in reducing nasal reactivity.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Local treatment of nasal polyposis with capsaicin: preliminary findings.

The inflammatory process triggered by the nasal hyperreactivity, whether specific or aspecific, presents three components: immunomediation-neurogenic-interconnection between the nervous and the immunitary systems. Neuropeptides (eg SP and CGRP) are among the agents responsible for neurogenic phlogosis and, in our opinion, they contribute towards the onset of polyps. Capsaicin, which acts on the C fibres, has been applied locally (30 microns) by the AA in 15 patients affected by aspecific nasal hyperreactivity with polyps, in the course of a double blind study with an equal number of patients. Treatment was given once a week for 5 consecutive weeks in order to evaluate the effect on both the hyperreactivity and the polyps. Before and after each session and at the 1- and 3-month controls the following tests were carried out: assessment of symptoms, nasal endoscopy, sizing of the polyps, aspecific nasal provocation test and nasal cytology. Apart from an improvement in symptoms and in nasal hyperreactivity, results showed a reduction in the size of the polyps even though accompanied by a gradual increase of eosinophiles which was not correlated to a degranulation process.

Adult↗