Since 1971, Vitamin A acid (VAA) has been used for topical treatment of lichen planus (L.p.) at the 2nd Department of Dermatology in Vienna. During this period, 43 patients have been treated in the following way: for a period up to 3 weeks, a 0.05% or 0.1% VAA cream or solution was applied twice daily to the affected skin or mucosa. In the first days of this therapy, a characteristic local reaction of the L.p. lesions could be observed; first an edematous swelling appeared, followed by scaling and regression of efflorescences. Finally, an inflammatory skin reaction also developed. At this juncture, VAA was abandoned and the treatment was continued with steroid-containing ointments. Occlusive dressings were used only in cases of hypertrophic L.p. The same therapy was performed in L.p. of mucous membranes. By this method it was possible to achieve good therapeutical results in all treated cases. However, the frequency of recurrences of L.p. could not be diminished.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical value of cervical mediastinoscopy in the staging of bronchial carcinoma.

Whether mediastinoscopy is indicated in the preoperative staging of bronchogenic carcinoma is still a controversial issue. It may be performed routinely (to exclude locally inoperable patients from surgery), selectively, or it may be regarded as superfluous (in centers which prefer an extended lympho adenectomy at the time of thoracotomy). We regard mediastinoscopy as indicated for the following purposes: 1) staging of NSCLC and SCLC; 2) diagnostic (mediastinal masses or lung tumors without previous histology); 3) restaging after primary chemotherapy; 4) assessment of prognosis in patients with borderline operability. The indication for 224 mediastinoscopies performed at our institution in the period from September 1991 through March 1999 was mainly for staging (59.2%) or diagnostic (30.6%). Eight (5.4%) patients underwent mediastinoscopy for the assessment of operability, and 7 (4.8%) after primary chemotherapy for the restaging of loco-regionally advanced lung cancer. Sensitivity and specificity rates were 87% and 100%, respectively, with an accuracy of 93% for the mediastinoscopy performed for the staging of lung cancer at all stages. If we consider the N2 tumors (42 cases) alone, the sensitivity was 76.7% and the specificity 100%, with an accuracy of 83.3%. Overall positive and negative predictive value resulted 100% and 87%, respectively, according to the data reported in literature. Our data confirm the role of mediastinoscopy as the gold standard for regional staging of lung cancer.

Biopsy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The obstetric anesthesioloist: his role in coagulation disorders in the parturient.

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Anesthesia, Obstetrical↗