The specific antibody response of the adenoids to a respiratory antigen was investigated, both in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro immunoglobulin (Ig) production of adenoidal and tonsillar lymphocytes in the same patient in 18 cases was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Adenoidal lymphocytes produced more IgM than IgG or IgA under culture conditions without any mitogens, whereas IgG was the major Ig produced by tonsillar lymphocytes. The same results were obtained when cultured with pokeweed mitogen. Under culture conditions with Dermatophagoides farinae (mite) antigen, adenoidal lymphocytes produced only specific IgM class antibody, and at a level significantly greater than tonsillar lymphocytes. Through an in vivo study, we established experimental adenoidal tissue in the guinea pig by long-term exposure to an ovalbumin aerosol. Infiltration of cells producing the specific antibody against an ovalbumin was demonstrated in the epipharyngeal mucosa using immunofluorescent staining. Our results confirm that the adenoids play a role in specific immune responses to respiratory antigens.

Adenoids↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reversible acquired tracheobronchomalacia of a combined crescent type and saber-sheath type.

A case of tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) in a 71-year-old woman, who had suffered a cough syncope, is reported. It was a combination of both the crescent type (the posterior membranous portion of trachea or bronchus protrudes into the lumen) and the saber-sheath type (the lateral cartilaginous wall of trachea or bronchus protrudes into the lumen). In this patient, acute bronchitis had developed superimposed upon a chronic bronchitis in addition to age-related regressive changes of the trachea and bronchus. A TBM due to acute inflammation can be reversible, but aggressive airway management as well as medical treatment of the underlying inflammation are critical to a successful outcome.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

CT demonstration of portal vein aneurysm.

We report a case of portal vein aneurysm showing characteristic enhancement on dynamic CT.

Aneurysm↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sternocleidomastoid muscle-clavicle myoosseous flap for single-stage reconstruction of postoperative tracheal defects in patients with invasive thyroid tumor. Three case reports.

In this report, we present 3 cases with thyroid carcinoma with tracheal invasion. In all cases, the tracheal defects were simultaneously reconstructed using a sternocleidomastoid muscle-clavicle myoosseous flap. We were able to close the tracheostomas without trouble, and no stenotic lesions or late complications were noted. This myoosseous composite flap has proved itself to be a reliable material for laryngotracheal reconstruction in some cases with thyroid carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the role of adenotonsillar hypertrophy and facial morphology in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

We evaluated the role of adenotonsillar hypertrophy and facial morphology in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and compared these data with an age-matched control group. We performed cephalometric analysis to evaluate facial morphology using lateral facilal roentgenograms. Adenotonsillar and maxillary hypertrophy was remarkable in OSA children. Maxillary protrusion was significantly smaller in the OSA group than in the control group in older children (5-9 years old). Mandibular protrusion was significantly smaller in the OSA group even at younger ages (1-2 years old). The hyoid bone was significantly lower in the OSA group than in the control group at age 3-6 years. Both environmental factors due to upper airway obstruction and genetic factors are suspected as causes of abnormal facial morphology in OSA children.

Adenoids↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Studies on the intracellular cAMP metabolism of tonsillar lymphocytes.

cAMP metabolism, including the intracellular cAMP level and adenylcyclase activity, was studied in tonsillar and peripheral lymphocytes. The basal activity of adenylcyclase was significantly higher in tonsillar lymphocytes than in peripheral lymphocytes, although the basal level of intracellular cAMP did not differ. The responsiveness of the intracellular cAMP level and adenylcyclase activity stimulated by 10(-5) M isoproterenol, or 10(-5) M prostaglandin E1, which was thought to stimulate this enzyme through a specific receptor, was significantly lower in tonsillar lymphocytes than in peripheral lymphocytes. Moreover, the responsiveness of adenylcyclase activity to 10(-2) M NaF, which was thought to stimulate this enzyme directly, was also significantly lower in tonsillar lymphocytes. Tonsillar T lymphocytes represented a lower cAMP basal level than tonsillar B lymphocytes, but no difference was observed in the responsiveness of intracellular cAMP to the above agents. Tonsillar lymphocytes derived from patients with recurrent tonsillitis represented significantly lower cAMP responsiveness than those from patients of other chronic tonsillitis. Furthermore, in the tonsillar lymphocytes from patients with a recent attack of acute tonsillitis, a more depressed responsiveness of the intracellular cAMP level to the above agents was recognized. The cAMP basal level was not changed by these pathological alterations of tonsillitis.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Histochemical demonstration of peripheral autonomic innervation in canine nasal mucosa by retrograde axonal transport of horseradish perioxidase.

The peripheral autonomic nervous pathways of the nasal mucosa in dogs were investigated by the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) method. HRP was applied to the nasal mucosa, caudal nasal nerve, ethmoidal nerve, vidian nerve and pterygopalatine ganglion in 20 dogs, and retrogradely labelled neurons were observed in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) and the pterygopalatine ganglion (PPG) by the blue reaction method. It was suggested that the vidian nerve, the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, the caudal nasal nerve, the pterygopalatine nerve and the ethmoidal nerve contained the postganglionic sympathetic fibres which originated in SCG and terminated in the nasal mucosa. Moreover, other sympathetic pathways, such as those around the blood vessels, were also suggested to be a main route. It was suggested that the postganglionic parasympathetic fibers originating in PPG travelled along the caudal nasal nerve and the ethmoidal nerve.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Central origin of canine vidian nerve studied by the HRP method.

Central origin of the vidian nerve in the dog was investigated using the retrograde tracing technique of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). After HRP was applied to the vidian nerve, labelled neurons were found in the medulla oblongata and the geniculate ganglion but could not be found in the trigeminal ganglion. Labelled neurons in the medulla oblongata were found not only in the dorsal part but also in the ventral part to the facial motor nucleus and were maximum in number at the level of the rostral third of the facial motor nucleus. These labelled neurons were generally medium-sized multipolar neurons with well-developed dendrites.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Control of the nasal mucosa by the tonic activities of the autonomic nervous system in dogs.

We studied the effects of stimulation and acute denervation of the cervical sympathetic nerve and the vidian nerve on the nasal vascular tone, as measured by intranasal balloon pressure. Significant vasoconstriction was found during electrical stimulation of the cervical sympathetic nerve. When the cervical sympathetic nerve was sectioned, causing a transient vasoconstriction due to the stimulatory effect of the nerve injury, then significant vasodilation was found in 23 out of 30 experiments. Significant vasodilation during electrical stimulation of the vidian nerve and slight but significant vasoconstriction after sectioning of the vidian nerve were also found. In addition, we found spontaneous nerve discharges in the cervical sympathetic nerve trunks. These nerve discharges increased after stopping the respiratory pump. Differences in these sympathetic nerve discharges between the sides of the body were also recognized.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Respiration-related movements of the nose in dogs.

We studied the respiration-related movements of the canine nose by examining the respiratory oscillations of intranasal balloon pressure and EMG activities of the dilator nares in dogs. Under spontaneous respiration, balloon pressure decreased and EMG activities increased during the early inspiratory phase. These respiratory movements of the nose differed and changed reciprocally in strength between the two sides of the body spontaneously, after painful stimulation or intranasal histamine administration. When the muscle relaxant was administered and the respiration was controlled by the ventilation pump, the intranasal balloon pressure increased during the inspiratory phase. This phenomenon had a completely inverted pattern compared with that during spontaneous respiration. Furthermore, even when the ventilation pump was stopped, respiration-like spontaneous oscillations of the intranasal balloon pressure were recognized. These were abolished by sectioning of the ipsilateral cervical sympathetic nerve trunk. From these findings, the respiration-related movements of the nose were thought to be controlled not only by the cardiac output and the vagal nerve reflexes but also by respiratory activities in the nervous systems controlling the nose, which might be originated from the medullary respiratory centres.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Spontaneous nasal oscillations in dog. A mucosal expression of the respiration-related activities of cervical sympathetic nerve.

We studied the respiratory oscillations of the nasal mucosa in dogs. Even after temporarily stopping the respirator, intranasal balloon pressure showed respiration-related oscillations (spontaneous nasal oscillations). These spontaneous oscillations were recorded in all 21 dogs. Spontaneous nasal oscillations were not abolished even after thoracotomy, vagotomy and vidian neurectomy. Only cervical sympathectomy could to a large extent abolish the spontaneous nasal oscillations. Furthermore, the spontaneous nasal oscillations were found to be synchronized with the respiration-related fluctuations of cervical sympathetic nerve activities. Rhythms of the spontaneous nasal oscillations were not dependent on the rates of artificial ventilation, but were closely related to the rates of spontaneous respiration before administering the muscle relaxant. On some occasions, we recognized remarkable differences in the height of waves of the spontaneous nasal oscillations between the sides of the body. On eight occasions in 5 dogs, reciprocal changes of the dominant side of bilateral spontaneous nasal oscillations were noted which might be an expression of the nasal cycle.

Animals↗