[Benign intracranial hypertension and sensorineural hearing loss].
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Publications and source records attributed to G Plaza.
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Maxillary sinus hypoplasia is rare, with an estimated prevalence of 1-5%. Out of the CT scans performed in sinusal patients between March 1998 and June 1999, we report on 4 isolated maxillary sinus hypoplasia, 4 maxillary sinus hypoplasia associated to concha bullosa, and 10 isolated conchae bullosas. All cases were evaluated by nasosinusal endoscopy and CT scan. Size, location and uni/bilateral presentation of concha bullosa is correlated to maxillary sinus hypoplasia presence, specially with regards to uncinate process presence, medial or lateral retraction. The pathogenesis of maxillary sinus hypoplasia is reviewed, and its relation to concha bullosa, evaluating how this could explain some cases of the so called chronic maxillary sinus atelectasia, as an acquired and progressive variant of maxillary sinus hypoplasia in adults.
Parapharyngeal abscesses are located between the skull base and the hyoid bone. Their infrahyoid extension is usually following the retropharyngeal space, but also can be through the medial aspect of the parapharyngeal space. Thus, surrounding the visceral fascia, they might invade the perilaryngeal and perihypopharyngeal spaces. This results in more significant airway compromise. Computed tomography is essential while locating and evaluating the extension of these infections, specially with regards to the great vessels. We report on 8 parapharyngeal abscesses with perilaryngeal and/or perihypopharyngeal extension. We review their clinical and radiological features, based on computed tomography, as well as their medical and surgical treatment. When medical therapy fails, as they are usually medial to the great vessels, it is possible to perform aspiration and drainage transorally, avoiding the need for cervicotomy, in selected cases.
Intratympanic treatment of incapacitating vertigo in Menière's disease has become a first option treatment for most otolaryngologists nowadays. Reporting their results following adequate minimum follow-up and under the same criteria is as important as to clearly state the indications that have been settled, through adequate handicap psychometric tests. Furthermore, when results are reported, knowing the total number of patients (N) with a diagnosis of Menière's disease is essential to evaluate such results in those treated patients, bearing in mind that most Menière's patients do well with medical treatment as well.
Intracranial complications are rare in Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). Cerebral infarctions are the most common intracranial presentation, usually after the clinical diagnosis of CSS had been established. We present a case of vertigo and Parinaud's syndrome as presentation of CSS in an asthmatic patient. Clinical examination revealed upward gaze limitation and bilateral midriasis. A cranial computed tomography scan showed a small round hypoattenuating lesion located in the right thalamic-mesencephalic region, which was later confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. There was eosinophilia of more than 50%, and p-ANCA were positive. After steroid treatment was started, vertigo and diplopia resolved, and eosinophilia was reduced. After 24 months follow-up, the patient remains stable, with negative p-ANCA, taking 20 mg prednisone daily. Further magnetic resonance exams have shown findings that were similar to those of previous studies. This case shows how vertigo and transient diplopia may be the first symptoms of neurological complications in patients with CSS.
We review non-invasive fungal sinusitis (FS) cases treated at our Unit following the recent SF classification, based on physiopathology, treatment and prognosis. We report 7 FS cases treated during 2 years and followed a minimum of 24 months. They are two allergic FS, one of them related to an allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and five mycetomas, two of them without a sinusal foreign body, sphenoidal and maxillary respectively, and three caused by a maxillary foreign body. All were treated by endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The two allergic cases were also treated with systemic corticoids in the postoperative period. We review the clinical presentation of the different types of non-invasive FS, the importance of endoscopy and imaging techniques in their management, the usefulness of ESS, the common association of FS to foreign bodies, and their prognosis.
We report a case of poorly differentiated mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the larynx. The tumor was supraglottic, located on the left aryepiglottic fold, and produced left laryngeal paresis. The patient underwent total laryngectomy, functional neck dissection, and complementary radiotherapy. After 20 months, untreatable lung metastases appeared. Mucoepidermoid carcinomas of the larynx are rare. They are generally unresponsive to radiotherapy and are best treated surgically, although postoperative radiotherapy is advocated for high-grade, poorly differentiated cases.
We report a case of a 36-year-old woman who suffered a temporal bone trauma due to a bicycle crash. Computed tomography revealed parapharyngeal emphysema despite only minor temporal bone changes.
Haemangiomas of the maxillary sinus are very rare. In this paper we present one case with an inaccurate preoperative diagnosis which was treated by entire excision of the tumour. One year after surgery there is no evidence of recurrence. The literature on the topic is reviewed.
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Two patients with pelvic and right hypochondrial pain and with purulent vaginal exudate in which Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated, are presented. Laparoscopy was used in both cases. A diagnosis of perihepatitis was made by demonstrating the typical adhesions in "violin string" shape and by obtaining clinical improvement after breaking up those adhesions. Our conclusion is that laparoscopy is a useful diagnostic and therapeutic procedure in young women with pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen and with signs of lower genital infection.
OBJECTIVES: Tinnitus handicap evaluation through Spanish validation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. STUDY DESIGN: Spanish validation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. PATIENTS: Eighty patients referred to our Tinnitus Unit in University Hospital, between September and December, 1999. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Spanish version of the THI was administered after translation and retrotranslation. Internal consistency and reliability were established. RESULTS: Spanish adaptation of the THI and its subscales (functional, emotional and catastrophic) showed a high reliability and internal consistency (Cronbach's alfa: 0.90). CONCLUSIONS: Spanish adaptation of the THI is valid, reliable and can be used in a clinical setting to quantify the impact of tinnitus on patient's quality of life.
Although internal auditory canal (IAC) and cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors are rare, their clinical suspicion is quite common in the otolaryngology office. MRI is the imaging modality of choice in diagnosing these tumors. Perceived high costs may prevent clinicians from using it as a screening tool. A protocol designed to improve cost-effectiveness in such diagnosis results in a more rationale clinical practice. Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of MRI as screening tool in diagnosis of IAC and CPA tumors in our population. Between March 1998 and March 2000, a prospective series of 200 cases had a MRI screening requested. MRI were performed following Fast Spin Echo technique, providing T2-weighted images. Gadolinium enhanced MRI was reserved for selected cases. We report on 190 MRI done. We found 7 neuromas (3.5%), one CPA metastasis, one epidermoid cyst and 9 IAC vascular anomalies. Only 138 cases (69%) had normal MRI images. When used following a designed protocol, MRI is our procedure of choice while screening IAC and CPA tumors because it is a cost-effective tool.
We present a case of a patient with vertigo, disequilibrium and facial palsy. Nistagmus features pointed to a diagnosis of central vertigo. MRI showed a basilar aneurysm that compressed the brain stem and caused a stroke. We review the diagnosis.
We present a retrospective series of 16 cases of undifferentiated squamous carcinoma in cervical metastatic nodes of unknown primary. We review their clinical and radiological evaluation in search of a possible primary tumor, their response to treatment and the eventual development of a primary tumor. Furthermore, we study the presence of Epstein-Barr virus in the metastases as a predictor of their nasopharyngeal origin, in relation to the finding of primary lesions in the nasopharynx during further follow-up of the cases.
INTRODUCTION: There are many causes of acquired non-dystonic torticollis: cervical bony anomalies, nasopharyngeal infections, tumours of the spinal cord, and posterior fossa, ocular, vestibular and gastrointestinal disorders. In children, non-dystonic is commoner than dystonic torticollis, except for in adverse reactions to drugs. Palatopharyngeal lesions due to a rigid object being impacted in the mouth (pencil-injury) are common in childhood. Many are not dangerous and require no specific treatment, although there is a risk of perforation of the pharyngeal wall and of a retropharyngeal abscess. CLINICAL CASE: We report the case of a 9 year old boy who was seen in the Emergency Department complaining of fever present for four days and progressive cervical rigidity for the past two days which did not improve with myorelaxant drugs. A lateral X-ray of the spine showed prevertebral air and on the oesophagogram a fistula tract was seen. On further questioning the boy admitted that a stick he had had in his mouth had caused damage the day before his fever started. CT showed the extent of the abscess. After a week of treatment with antibiotics and corticosteroids the clinical features disappeared, and on CT after two weeks it was seen that the abscess had resolved. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that a lateral radiograph of the neck should be done in cases of acquired torticollis, even though there is no suspicious clinical history. Early diagnosis and treatment of retropharyngeal abscesses is essential to prevent extension to adjacent structures, and atlanto-axoid subluxation secondary to the oedema and tension of the ligaments caused by the abscess (Grisel's syndrome).
Vascular anomalies of the internal auditory canal (IAC) are relatively common, being found in 20-25% of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies performed in patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. They are usually asymptomatic and their diagnosis is almost always based on MRI, as they are generally undetected by routine clinical examination. Recently, the clinical relevance of these IAC anomalies and the effectiveness of vascular decompression have been debated. We present a series of 7 vascular anomalies of the IAC found in a series of 83 consecutive MRI scans performed in a screening program for IAC and cerebellopontine angle pathology. We reviewed their clinical and radiological presentation to evaluate their clinical relevance. In this series, we found no correlation between the presence of such vascular anomalies and the clinical symptoms that motivated MRI, so we conclude that most of these anomalies were accidental findings.
Myringotomy is a common outpatient surgical procedure. It can be performed under general inhaled anesthesia, but it is usually carried out under local anesthesia by lidocaine infiltration or instillation of different anesthetic agents. We present our experience with myringotomy and tympanic tube placement using topical anesthesia with 88% phenol as an outpatient procedure. We report 55 patients in which we performed 81 treatments. In this series, only two ears (2.47%) did not tolerate the surgical procedure, tube insertion under general anesthesia being necessary in one case. Topical anesthesia with phenol facilitates the outpatient treatment of adult otitis media with effusion.