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Biomedical subjects

Fabio Piazza

Publications and source records attributed to Fabio Piazza.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Mandibular distraction osteogenesis with a small semiburied device in neonates: report of 2 cases.

Distraction osteogenesis has recently assumed an important role in the correction of craniofacial anomalies, particularly for the treatment of potentially life-threatening, deformity-associated upper airway obstruction and respiratory dysfunction in neonates. Such deformities include Treacher Collins syndrome, Goldenhar 's syndrome, Nager's syndrome, temporomandibular joint ankylosis, and Pierre Robin sequence. These conditions frequently require a tracheostomy to maintain airway patency. We report our experience with using mandibular distraction as a valid alternative to tracheostomy. Minimally invasive surgery is possible with small semiburied devices.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed2005

Neuro-otological features of benign paroxysmal vertigo and benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo in children: a follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Causes of benign episodic vertigo in paediatric age include benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood (BPV) and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). OBJECTIVE: The aim is to review the clinical, audiological and vestibular findings in a cohort of children with BPV and in a group of children with BPPV and to highlight the differences useful to formulating a differential diagnosis. METHODS: Eighteen children, aged 4-9 years, consecutively examined for paroxysmal attacks of dizziness and/or vertigo attacks between January 2002 and December 2002 entered our study. The clinical characteristics of vertigo, presence of triggering factors, family history of migraine, presence of motion sickness, migraine and other accompanying symptoms were considered. Neurological, ophthalmologic, vestibular and auditory functions were assessed. RESULTS: Eight children suffered from BPPV and ten children from BPV. In the BPPV group, the vestibular examination was normal except for the Dix-Hallpike maneuver. Liberatory maneuvers were immediately effective in all patients and all remained symptom-free during the follow-up. In the BPV group, the vestibular examination was positive in 3 patients but none had positive Dix-Hallpike maneuver. All patients with BPV have a positive family history of migraine and seven had a history of motion sickness. In all, migraine was present one year before the vertigo symptoms, with a frequency of at least two migraine episodes a month. CONCLUSION: BPV differs from BPPV in terms of family history, clinical symptoms, otoneurological signs, therapy and clinical evolution. BPPV is characterized by specific otoneurological signs, and must be treated with liberatory maneuvers: neither medical therapy nor strict follow-up is needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Management of acoustic neuromas in the elderly: retrospective study.

The wide availability of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-Gd) has led to the discovery of an increasing number of small and less symptomatic acoustic neuromas in elderly patients. We conducted a retrospective study in order to obtain data on outcomes and complications associated with different management strategies that would be useful in establishing a management guideline. We identified 44 patients aged 65 to 77 years with acoustic neuromas who had been managed with either surgery or simple observation with MRI-Gd imaging. Of the entire group, 36 patients had tumors larger than 1 cm, and they underwent surgery (most via the translabyrinthine approach). Complete removal of the tumor was achieved in 34 of these patients (94.4%). At the 1-year follow-up, grade VI facial nerve paralysis was evident in only two of 35 evaluable patients (5.7%). Postsurgical complications occurred in five patients (13.9%), including one death. The remaining eight patients had tumors 1 cm or smaller, and they were managed with periodic MRI-Gd scanning. At the 5-year follow-up, no tumor growth was seen in six of these patients. The other two patients exhibited a tumor growth rate of less than 2 mm per year. No patient in the observation group required surgical intervention.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Cogan syndrome.

PURPOSE: To lead ophthalmologists to consider Cogan syndrome when managing a patient presenting with keratitis or other ocular inflammation accompanied by sensorineural hearing loss. METHODS: Seven patients affected by Cogan syndrome were studied: two males and five females, ranging from 27 to 65 years of age (mean age: 41 years). Subjects were evaluated for a period ranging from 22 to 46 months (mean follow up time: 29.2 months). All patients were treated with immunosuppressive drug combination therapy (IDCT). RESULTS: Three patients were affected by classic Cogan syndrome (i.e., vestibuloauditory symptoms and later sensorineural hearing loss and interstitial keratitis). Four patients presented atypical Cogan syndrome (i.e., sensorineural hearing loss and chronic ocular inflammation such as uveitis, scleritis, conjunctivitis, retinal vasculitis, etc.). Four of these patients had a late diagnosis. Two of them were diagnosed when they already had a cochlear implant, one with bilateral deafness underwent cochlear implantation 1 year after the beginning of IDCT, one had severe bilateral hearing loss that improved during the first year of IDCT, and then rapidly worsened to total deafness in 1 month following an episode of severe systemic hypotension. Three patients who had an early diagnosis of Cogan syndrome had no worsening of vestibuloauditory dysfunction during the follow up period. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of Cogan syndrome should not be overlooked by ophthalmologists in all patients with recurrent ocular inflammatory disease associated with vestibuloauditory symptoms. Early diagnosis is essential to commence the appropriate immunosuppressive therapy that may prevent permanent hearing loss and ocular dysfunction.

Adult↗