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Biomedical subjects

D Ophir

Publications and source records attributed to D Ophir.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Minicricothyrotomy for tracheobronchial toilet.

Thirty-six patients underwent percutaneous cannulation of the cricothyroid membrane, using a small endotracheal tube, for the purpose of repeated suction of secretions from the tracheobronchial tree. The duration of cannulation ranged from 4 to 62 days (average, 12 days). Twenty-eight patients were followed up for a maximum of 3.5 years (mean, 20 months). There were no immediate or delayed postoperative complications. Subglottic stenosis did not occur in any of the patients. Minicricothyrotomy is a relatively safe and simple and efficient technique for tracheobronchial toilet in patients with chronic lung disease and in the postoperative period.

Adolescent↗

Experience with the Wilkie procedure for sialorrhea.

Sialorrhea (drooling) is most commonly seen in children with cerebral palsy or mental retardation. Surgical procedures for the control of sialorrhea include salivary gland excision, parasympathetic nerve section, and salivary duct ligation and/or rerouting. Eighteen children between the ages of 5 and 17 years underwent bilateral submandibular gland excision and rerouting of Stensen's duct (Wilkie procedure). All children had severe drooling associated with cerebral palsy or mental retardation. Follow-up at 7 years showed satisfactory control of sialorrhea in 16 of 18 patients (89%). There was one major complication: xerostomia. Our results indicate that submandibular gland excision together with parotid duct retropositioning provides effective control of sialorrhea in most cases. Unfavorable head and mandibular posturing seemed to cause persistent sialorrhea in one case.

Adolescent↗

[Thyroglossal duct cyst].

Thyroglossal duct cysts are embryologic anomalies arising from epithelial remnants of the duct left after the descent of the developing thyroid. Clinical, operative and pathological findings in 124 patients operated on in the past 14 years were analyzed. There were 60 males and 64 females. 69 (56%) were under 10 years of age and the youngest was 6 months old. 26 (21%) were over the age of 30, and the oldest was 72 years old. All excisions were performed in accordance with the Sistrunk procedure, which includes removal of the body of the hyoid bone. Overall recurrence was 6.4%, but in infected cysts or cysts with a fistula to the skin, it was 3.5 times greater. In 20% the cyst was located off the midline. The lining of the cysts was cuboidal, columnar, pseudostratified or stratified squamous epithelium, and varied according to the location of the cyst. There were no malignant changes.

Adolescent↗

Olfactory function following late repair of choanal atresia.

Results of olfactory function tests (threshold determination and odor identification) in three cases of bilateral and one case of unilateral choanal atresia are reported. All four patients underwent successful repair of choanal atresia at relatively advanced ages (8 to 31 years). Test results showed that patients who had suffered from bilateral atresia had permanent olfactory deficits, while the patient who had suffered from unilateral atresia appeared to have normal olfactory acuity. Although these results should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of cases examined, they suggest the possibility that early sensory exposure might be needed for the normal development of central olfactory functions in analogy to the visual system.

Adolescent↗

Oncocytic cystic lesions of the upper respiratory tract.

Oncocytic cystic lesions in the larynx comprise an uncommon but pathologically well-defined group, whereas only one case has been reported in the nasopharynx. The laryngeal cysts generally originate from the ventricle and occur in an older age group. Hoarseness is the most common clinical manifestation, with lesions appearing as polypoid masses. Their pathogenesis is considered to be the result of oncocytic metaplasia, apparently related to aging of cells in the seromucinous gland and ducts. The cystic dilatation is probably due to an obstructive phenomenon. Complete endoscopic removal is the treatment of choice. Examples of these lesions in the larynx and in the nasopharyngeal mucosa are described.

Aged↗

Allergen-induced leukotriene production by nasal mucosa and peripheral blood leukocytes.

The relationship between release of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) from nasal mucosa in vivo and from peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) in vitro was examined in 18 patients with untreated rhinitis allergic to the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and in 20 nonallergic control subjects following challenge with the specific allergen. Allergic patients were subjected to intranasal and PBL challenge with D pteronyssinus and a nonrelevant allergen, Artemisia vulgaris. In all allergic patients, intranasal challenge by D pteronyssinus, but not by A vulgaris, resulted in a release of substances from the nasal mucosa that reacted in a radioimmunoassay with antiserum to LTC4. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus challenge in vitro of PBLs from the same patients, but not A vulgaris challenge, induced release of the same immunoreactive material into the supernatant. By comparison, the nonallergic subjects challenged with D pteronyssinus showed significantly lower LTC4 levels in their nasal secretions and PBL supernatants. The results show that, following specific allergen challenge, the release of LTC4 by the allergic nasal mucosa is similar in extent and nature to that of PBLs, indicating that these procedures can be used as tools to measure the efficacy of topically and systemically administered antiallergic drugs.

Allergens↗

Peritonsillar abscess. A prospective evaluation of outpatient management by needle aspiration.

Outpatient management of peritonsillar abscess by needle aspiration and oral antibiotic therapy was evaluated for its effectiveness in providing rapid symptom relief and cure and in preventing recurrence. Between 1984 and 1987, 124 patients with peritonsillar infection were treated in our department, and 115 were included in this prospective study. Needle aspiration was not carried out in 11 patients because of young age, noncooperation, or severe trismus. The other 104 patients underwent permucosal aspiration and were followed up for periods of four months to three years. Of these, findings of aspiration were positive in 75 (72%). Only nine (12%) of the 75 patients with positive aspirates had to be hospitalized. In 64 (85%) of the 75 patients, the abscess resolved without further therapy. Aspiration of pus, along with oral administration of antibiotics, thus appears to be a reasonable alternative to incision and drainage or "hot" tonsillectomy in patients with peritonsillar abscess. This conservative approach obviates the need for hospital admission in most patients, thus enabling a significant cost reduction.

Adolescent↗

Changes in smell acuity induced by radiation exposure of the olfactory mucosa.

The effects of ionizing radiation on smell acuity were assessed in 12 patients in whom the olfactory mucosa was exposed to radiation in the course of treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma or pituitary adenoma. Olfactory detection thresholds for two odorants (amyl acetate and eugenol) were determined before the start of radiation therapy, within a week of termination of therapy, and 1, 3, and 6 months later. The results show clearly that smell acuity is profoundly affected by therapeutic irradiation. Thresholds had increased in all 12 patients by the end of treatment and were still high one month later. Varying degrees of recovery were noted in most patients three to six months after cessation of treatment. The fate of the sense of smell deserves more attention when considering the disability caused by irradiation to certain head and neck tumors.

Humans↗

Tumor necrosis factor in middle ear effusions.

The presence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was determined in middle ear effusions from 27 ears of children with chronic otitis media with effusion. Cytotoxic activity was assessed by quantitation of target (HeLa) cell death after incubation with the aspirate. Moderate cytotoxic activity was found in 17 of 27 samples (mean cell death of 53% and 32% at 1:2 and 1:4 dilutions, respectively). In ten (37%) of the middle ear effusion aspirates no cytotoxic activity was detected. To confirm that cytotoxicity was due to TNF, 13 of the samples with cytotoxic activity were incubated with a monoclonal anti-TNF antibody and retested. Cytotoxicity was blocked by the anti-TNF antibodies in all cases. Tumor necrosis factor, derived most probably from macrophages or mast cells in the middle ear, may mediate various pathologic processes associated with otitis media, such as generation of mucoid effusion, fibroblast proliferation, and bone resorption.

Child↗

Expression of intermediate filaments and desmoplakin in vertebrate olfactory mucosa.

The expression of intermediate filaments (IF) and desmoplakin was investigated in frog, bovine, and human (fetal) olfactory mucosa. IF are tissue-specific molecular cytoskeletal markers; desmoplakin is the major desmosomal protein. Positive immunoreactivity was observed in the epithelium and in the subepithelial Bowman's glands to keratin and to desmoplakin, indicating the epithelial nature of this tissue. Desmin, neurofilaments, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were not detected in the mucosa. The absence of neurofilaments and GFAP in the tissue containing sensory neurons and glia-like supporting cells is a unique feature and may be related to the fact that the chemosensory neurons are situated in a bonafide epithelium and are known to undergo continuous turnover. In view of the controversy regarding the expression of vimentin in the olfactory neurons, three independently derived antibodies to vimentin were used; weak or no labeling was found in the epithelium, whereas mesenchymal cells in the lamina propia were labeled with all three antibodies. Olfactory nerve fascicles in the lamina propia were heterogenously labeled: VIM 13.2 gave very weak labeling; aVimAS showed mild labeling and SBV-21 showed intensive labeling in the nerve fascicle. This heterogenous labeling pattern may suggest that olfactory vimentin is distinct in reacting only with some of the antivimentin antibodies.

Animals↗

Expression of intermediate filaments and stromal proteins in granular cell tumor of the tongue.

Intermediate filament subunits as well as components of the extracellular matrix, were localized in three cases of granular cell tumor of the tongue. Of the five intermediate filament families, only vimentin was present within the tumor cells. No labeling was obtained with antibodies to cytokeratin, desmin, neurofilaments, and glial filaments; this suggests that this tumor is not derived from epithelium, muscle, neural, or astrocytic origins, respectively. Immunofluorescent staining of the tissue with antibodies to fibronectin and to collagen indicated that the tumor contained low levels of these extracellular matrix proteins. The results suggest the possible use of antibodies to intermediate filaments as histogenetic markers for the clarification of the origin of tumors whose nature cannot be unequivocally determined by conventional histopathologic methods.

Aged↗

Autosomal recessive inheritance of Nager acrofacial dysostosis.

Nager acrofacial dysostosis is a variant of mandibulofacial dysostosis with severe micrognathia, malar hypoplasia, and radial limb defects. Most cases are sporadic, but autosomal recessive inheritance has been suggested. A family is reported in which two sibs are affected by this syndrome, presenting further evidence for autosomal recessive inheritance. The recognition of this syndrome as a distinct entity has important implications. After the birth of a child with orofacial malformations suggestive of mandibulofacial dysostosis, an exact diagnosis is essential before genetic counselling can be offered.

Female↗

Effects of inhaled humidified warm air on nasal patency and nasal symptoms in allergic rhinitis.

The effects of inhaled warm air on nasal patency and on allergic rhinitic symptoms were studied in 102 patients. Treatment consisted of two consecutive 30-minute sessions, during which the patient inhaled saturated, hot (42-44 degrees C) air through the nose. The treatment was repeated 1 week later. During the week following each treatment, every patient recorded his or her subjective response on a daily symptom score card. Nasal patency was determined before and after each treatment by measuring peak nasal inspiratory and expiratory air flow and by measuring the area covered with vapor formed by the exhaled air on a plate. Highly reproducible results were obtained by using these three objective methods. Inhalation of humidified warm air resulted in amelioration of allergic rhinitis symptoms and in increased nasal patency in a high proportion of patients. There were no adverse side effects. This form of therapy seemed effective in the 2-week period in which it was used and would be an additional form of therapy available for those suffering discomfort from allergic rhinitis.

Adolescent↗