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Biomedical subjects

A Palva

Publications and source records attributed to A Palva.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Microbial diagnostics by nucleic acid hybridization.

Recombinant DNA techniques have enabled the selection and production of any specific gene and thus allowed the development of nucleic acid hybridization techniques as diagnostic tests for microbial identification. In the hybridization reaction sample nucleic acids, rendered single stranded by denaturation, are allowed to anneal with known specific probes carrying isotopic or nonisotopic label thus enabling the homologous target sequences in samples to be identified. Several hybridization tests have been established and used for the detection of many subviral, viral, bacterial and eukaryotic pathogens, which are difficult to diagnose by other methods. The most important challenge now for the hybridization techniques is in the development of practical tests, simply and rapidly performed, with high sensitivity, automation and nonisotopic detection system.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Microbial diagnosis by nucleic acid sandwich hybridization.

Sandwich hybridization is a three-component nucleic acid hybridization method suitable for the identification of microbes. In this method, one specific DNA fragment on solid support acts as catching reagent, and the second reagent is a labeled probe. The labeling of the support is mediated by a specimen nucleic acid homologous to both reagents. Because the specimen is kept in solution, relatively crude specimens not requiring elaborate pretreatments can be tested without background problems. The utility of the method in microbial diagnosis (adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, and Chlamydia trachomatis) has been demonstrated. Increased sensitivity and nonradioactive detection methods will no doubt further extend the applicability of the sandwich hybridization method.

Adenoviridae↗

Reverse frequency-sweep audiometry in patients with retrocochlear and cochlear deafness.

The material consisted of 21 patients with surgically confirmed eighth-nerve tumour and 107 patients with cochlear deafness. 13 (62%) of the patients with eighth-nerve tumour showed separated forward-backward tracings in sweep-frequency audiometry. One of the 13 patients gave an initially normal result but after the test ear had been exposed to 80 dB HL white noise for 3 min, the curves separated. Only 2 (1.9%) of the 107 patients with cochlear deafness had separated curves. Tone decay test revealed a pathological result in 67% of the patients with eighth-nerve tumour and in 26% of the cases with cochlear hearing loss. There is no single pathognomonic test for the diagnosis of retrocochlear and cochlear deafness. Diagnosis must be based on a whole battery of several tests, and among these, reverse frequency-sweep audiometry seems to be a suitable additional adaptation test. If an abnormal result is found in forward-backward sweep-frequency audiometry, a retrocochlear lesion is very probable.

Audiometry↗

Novel test for rapid viral diagnosis: detection of adenovirus in nasopharyngeal mucus aspirates by means of nucleic-acid sandwich hybridisation.

Nucleic-acid sandwich hybridisation detected adenovirus in nasopharyngeal aspirates from children with acute respiratory infections within 20 h. The differentiation between subgroups of adenovirus (B and C) and the lack of false positives indicated the specificity of the method. The reference test was detection of an adenovirus protein (hexon) by means of radioimmunoassay. In nucleic-acid sandwich hybridisation the sample DNA mediates the binding of a labelled "probe" DNA fragment to a second DNA fragment bound on filter. The sample DNA itself is not fixed to a solid support, and the only pretreatment required is boiling in a detergent solution. The results indicate that the sandwich hybridisation is specific, quantitative, easy to do, and only marginally affected by the crude nature of the sample. It may therefore be a valuable addition to the range of rapid methods in microbial diagnosis.

Acute Disease↗

Post-operative roentgenological findings and changes after mastoid obliteration.

This study consisted of the evaluation of the plain X-ray findings of films taken at early follow-up (mean 1.5 months after surgery) and at late follow-up (4-14 years after the early films) of 211 ears which had been operated on radically and obliterated. Residual cells which were detected on the basis of the early films were associated with a more frequent occurrence of post-operative infection and were thus hallmarks of a poorer prognosis. Changes in the bone surrounding the surgical cavity and the radiological quality of the walls of the surgical cavity, the presence of new bone formation in the cavity and other radiological features did not yield useful information about post-operative complications. New bone formation was associated with a smaller amount of post-operative cavitation. Post-operative X-ray examination of the obliterated ear is a prognostically useful examination, but it does not significantly contribute further to the information available by clinical and otomicroscopic examination in regards to the complications of infection and cholesteatoma.

Adult↗

Comparative trial of flunisolide and beclomethasone dipropionate nasal sprays in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.

In order to evaluate the effects of flunisolide and beclomethasone dipropionate nasal sprays on seasonal allergic rhinitis, 45 patients were included in an open parallel comparative trial. The study design was open because of the different dosage schedules for the two preparations. Strict criteria were set up for patient selection, and all patients were carefully examined and assessed before and after the 4-week trial period. Throughout the whole treatment each patient kept a detailed daily record. A substantial or complete control of symptoms was achieved in 18 of the 21 patients on flunisolide and in 20 of the 22 on beclomethasone dipropionate. No serious side effects were observed. Thus it can be concluded that both test drugs are effective and well tolerated in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Late results of obliterative cholesteatoma surgery.

Radical obliterative cholesteatoma surgery was performed on 463 ears. Post-operative cholesteatomas were found in 22 of 463 of the ears during the follow-up periods that ranged from five to 15 years. Eight of them were of the residual type, and 14 were of the recidive type. A substantial portion of the postoperative cholesteatomas (11 cases) was discovered as late as the sixth to the tenth postoperative years. Four of the postoperative cholesteatomas extended to the antrum or the operation cavity from the tympanic cavity or meatus, but none of them originated in the cavity area. The surgical method that was used was safe. Annual follow-up examinations for at least ten years are recommended after the obliterative radical operation for ears with cholesteatomas.

Cholesteatoma↗

Late changes in ear canal volumes after mastoid obliteration.

In this study, preoperative and postoperative ear canal volumes of ears subjected to obliterative radical mastoidectomy were assessed. The measurements were performed using sterile saline solution both at the preoperative stage (V0) and at the early (one year, V1) and the late (five to 13 years, V2) postopertive stages. The mean V0 was 0.8 mL (SD, 0.2 mL; V1, 1.0 mL (SD, 0.3 mL); and V2, 1.2 mL (SD, 0.4 mL). The differences were highly significant. Clinically, the widening of the ear canals was mainly slight and appeared evenly in the epitympanic area and in the posterior ear canal wall.

Chronic Disease↗

Late changes in hearing results after mastoid obliteration with tympanoplasty.

Hearing results are presented for 627 ears with chronic otitis media that were operated on radically and obliterated (Palva flap) and in which a tympanoplasty was performed. The ears were examined annually for five to 14 years (mean, 8.8 years). The long-term improvement (five to 14 years after the surgery) was the greatest in ears with an intact ossicular chain and in ears with ossicular reconstruction using autograft or homograft ossicles or autogenous cortical bone columellae. As a whole, the early (one year after the operation) improvement in the air-bone gap was 8.0 dB when compared with the preoperative gap and the late deterioration in gap after the first year was 6.0 dB. To detect the late changes in hearing results, the ears operated on must be followed up for a least five to ten years.

Adolescent↗

Post-operative cholesteatomas and retraction pockets after obliterative surgery in ears without cholesteatoma.

The frequency of post-operative cholesteatomas, epidermizations and retraction pockets in a series of 343 chronically infected ears (315 patients) without cholesteatoma at primary surgery was evaluated. The ears were operated on radically, exclusively by the Palva method, with removal of the bridge in 248 ears and preservation of it in 95 ears. Musculo-periosteal obliteration and seclusion of the aditus were performed in every case with a Palva flap and with a temporalis muscle-fascia graft. The primary operations took place over the period 1964-1972, and all the ears without cholesteatoma at primary surgery were included; they were followed up annually. The evaluation of this material was carried out in 1976-1979 and the follow-up time was on an average of 8.5 years (5-15 years). Cholesteatoma was found in six (6/343; 1.7 per cent), epidermization of the tympanum in four (4/343; 1.2 per cent), and retraction pockets without cholesteatoma in six (6/343; 1.7 per cent) of the ears. Preservation or removal of the bridge at operation did not cause any significant difference in the frequency of the post-operative complications mentioned (p greater than 0.05). Most of the complications were discovered after the first postoperative year.

Adolescent↗

[Bacteria in the middle ear and nasopharynx in patients with chronic otitis media].

The pre- and postoperative aural and postoperative nasopharyngeal bacteriology of 104 ears (100 patients), still moist or discharging after surgery, were studied. Preoperatively aural and postoperatively dry ears (83 patients) of reference group were registered as well. All ears had been operated on radically with obliterative technique as described by Palva (1963, 1973) because of chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma. The preoperative bacteriology of the postoperatively moist or discharging cars did not differ statistically from that of the ears in the reference group. The same bacteria were detected pre- and postoperatively in the same ears in 44.1% of the ears in the former group and this situation was noticed highly significantly often regarding Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p less than 0.001) and almost significantly often regarding Proteus sp. (p less than 0.05). The postoperative nasopharyngeal bacteriology of the two groups mentioned did not differ statistically and only in six out of 100 cases the same pathogenic bacteria could be simultaneously cultured in the postoperatively moist or discharging ear and nasopharynx of the same patient.

Ear, Middle↗

Atlantoaxial subluxation. An unusual complication after local anesthesia for tonsillectomy.

After tonsillectomy, atlantoaxial subluxation occurred in two patients. Operations had been performed with the use of local anesthesia, and it was assumed that, during the injection of anesthetics, bacteria infected the prevertebral space. The initial symptoms of the prevertebral space infection were neck pain and stiffness; the movements of the neck were minimal, and opening of the mouth caused pain due to spasm of the deep cervical muscles. Both patients had persistent fever. The roentgenographically observed subluxation developed in one to two months after tonsillectomy. One of the patients was treated only with antibiotics; the other patient required atlantoaxial spondylodesis. Healing of the subluxation lasted about six months in both cases.

Adult↗

Cryocauterization in the treatment of subglottic hemangioma in infants.

Cryocauterization seems to be an effective method of treating the subglottic hemangioma of infants. A series of five patients is presented. Cryotherapy, at temperatures of --40 degrees C or --70 degrees C for 60 or 30 seconds respectively, was given at intervals of 2 weeks, 3-6 sessions being required. during this time the child usually had to remain tracheostomized. No therapeutic or late complications were recorded. The patients have been followed up from 8 to 3 1/2 years, and none of them have shown disturbances of laryngeal development or predisposition to stricture.

Cryosurgery↗

Disodium chromoglycate therapy in perennial rhinitis.

DSCG was tested on 38 patients with perennial rhinitis in the form of a nasal spray (2%)in a double-blind cross-over trial. Few of the investigated parameters in the whole material showed any significant preference of DSCG. A marked drug order effect was shown; in the group receiving placebo first, most of the clinical parameters assessed both by the clinician and the patient were better for DSCG. A therapeutical trial with DSCG is worth trying in perennial rhinitis.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Chryotherapy in the treatment of subglottic hemangioma in infants.

Congenital laryngeal hemangioma in infants is situated typically in the subglottic region and causes respiratory obstruction at the age of 1--6 months. Hitherto fewer than one hundred cases have been reported. The mortality has been high and the therapy problematic. As a primary measure, tracheotomy must be performed. In the treatment of the tumour itself, large doses of corticosteroids, sclerosing agents, radiotherapy and surgical removal have been used. The results have hardly been encouraging. In five cases we have utilized cryotherapy. The hemangioma disappeared after 3--6 sessions. No therapeutic or late complications were connected with this mode of therapy.

Cryosurgery↗