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Biomedical subjects

L D Holinger

Publications and source records attributed to L D Holinger.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Tracheal reconstruction using an epithelial equivalent.

The application of a rapidly vascularized epithelial equivalent that inhibits wound contraction would have great potential in the prevention and repair of tracheal stenosis. An animal model was developed to simulate the effects of circumferential tracheal injury and an autologous epithelial equivalent was created from a fibroblast-collagen matrix and subsequently implanted in the traumatized site in an attempt to prevent stenosis. Postinjury physiologic and histologic evaluation revealed near-normal mucosal flow analysis in the treated sites and an area of less than 20% stenosis versus 95+% in controls. This study's findings indicate that tracheal stenosis can be limited by the use of an epithelial equivalent.

Animals↗

Tongue hypoplasia in a newborn.

Congenital anomalies of the tongue are uncommon. Since de Jussieu first described lingual hypoplasia in 1719, fewer than 50 cases have been described. These are usually in association with the hypoglossia-hypodactylia syndrome. We present a case of a newborn with absent anterior tongue, a rudimentary posterior remnant and associated micrognathia. Embryology and theories of pathogenesis are discussed.

Congenital Abnormalities↗

Laryngoceles and saccular cysts in infants and children.

Laryngoceles and saccular cysts are an unusual cause of respiratory obstruction in infants and children. Laryngoceles in particular are less common in the pediatric population than in adults. They typically produce intermittent upper airway obstruction and hoarseness (due to episodic filling with air), and are, therefore, difficult to diagnose. Saccular cysts produce similar symptoms but are not episodic. While smaller anterior saccular cysts are readily managed by endoscopic excision, larger saccular cysts tend to recur repeatedly. Review of experience with 20 infants and children having saccular pathologic changes (17 saccular cysts and three laryngoceles) suggests that saccular lesions are more troublesome than is generally appreciated. The clinical course is typically a lengthy one, with multiple endoscopic procedures. Most patients required tracheotomy, some under emergent conditions. Three patients acquired subglottic stenosis; one was clinically significant. A fourth patient had a congenital subglottic stenosis. Saccular cysts can be managed endoscopically in many cases, but if persistent after two or three endoscopic procedures, a prolonged course can be anticipated. Complete excision, endoscopically or through an external surgical approach, may shorten the clinical course.

Adolescent↗

Pulmonary artery sling. Results of surgical repair in infancy.

Pulmonary artery sling is a rare congenital vascular anomaly in which the left pulmonary artery originates from the right pulmonary artery and encircles the right main-stem bronchus and distal trachea before entering the hilum of the left lung. This causes compression of the trachea and right main-stem bronchus, and most infants with this anomaly have severe respiratory distress within the first year of life. Between 1953 and 1990 12 infants (nine male, three female) underwent surgical repair of pulmonary artery sling. Ages ranged from 8 days to 9 months (mean age 5 months). Bronchoscopic examination was performed in all patients. Complete tracheal rings were the most common associated lesion (five patients). Nine patients had pulmonary angiography. Most recently, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have been used to diagnose pulmonary artery sling and associated complete tracheal rings when present. Surgical repair consisted of transection of the left pulmonary artery at its origin and implantation into the main pulmonary artery anterior to the trachea via right thoracotomy (one), left thoracotomy (six), or median sternotomy (five). Three patients had simultaneous pericardial patch tracheoplasty for complete tracheal rings. There were no operative deaths. Two late deaths occurred, at 7 months and 2.5 years postoperatively. Of 10 long-term survivors nine have had postoperative studies to determine the patency of the left pulmonary artery. Seven anastomoses were patent (78%). Pulmonary artery sling can be repaired in infancy with low operative mortality and excellent long-term patency of the left pulmonary artery by dividing the left pulmonary artery and implanting it into the main pulmonary artery anterior to the trachea. Simultaneous pericardial patch tracheoplasty should be performed if complete tracheal rings are associated. We recommend repair at the time of diagnosis with median sternotomy and extracorporeal circulation.

Congenital Abnormalities↗

Pericardial patch tracheoplasty for severe tracheal stenosis in children: intermediate results.

Between 1982 and 1990, 15 children have undergone pericardial patch tracheoplasty, 13 for complete tracheal rings and 2 for acquired tracheal stenosis. Eleven had complete tracheal rings from the thoracic inlet or the cricoid to the carina. Diagnosis was by bronchoscopy (15), computed tomography (10), and magnetic resonance imaging (3). As first described by Idriss in 1984, the surgical technique uses a median sternotomy approach, extracorporeal circulation, bronchoscopic guidance, and the use of pericardium as a tracheal patch. There was one perioperative death of mediastinitis (operative survival, 93%). There were two late deaths caused by complications of tracheostomy (1) and direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy (DLB) (1). Follow-up is complete in 12 intermediate-term survivors and ranges from 0.4 to 8.2 years (mean, 4.2 +/- 2.9 years). Five children required multiple DLBs with dilation and excision of granulation tissue; one of these patients underwent tracheoplasty revision 5 months after the initial procedure for residual tracheal rings, and four of these children have had tracheostomies, two temporary and two currently (4 months, 7 years). Seven children had widely patent tracheas observed at follow-up DLB with little or no residual stenosis after tracheoplasty. All survivors are currently asymptomatic, except for the two children with tracheostomies. Pericardial patch tracheoplasty offers effective therapy with relatively low operative mortality for infants and children with severe long segment tracheal stenosis. On intermediate-term follow-up, nearly all survivors are essentially free of symptoms of residual tracheal stenosis.

Child, Preschool↗

Concomitant chemotherapy and split-course radiation for cure and preservation of speech and swallowing in head and neck cancer.

To assess the ability of simultaneous cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil, and radiation to substitute for surgery and radiation in advanced head and neck cancer, we have retrospectively selected from our phase II study a subgroup of 29 patients having primary disease requiring either more than a hemiglossectomy or a laryngectomy for control. Patients included 22 with stage IV and 7 with stage III disease, 12 tongue, 10 hypopharynx, and 7 larynx primaries. The treatment consisted of concurrent cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil, and split-course radiation every other week for a total of 7 cycles within 13 weeks. With a median follow-up of 5 years, 86% of patients had preservation of speech and/or swallowing function. Median survival was 45 months, with 14 (48%) patients currently alive and disease free, 11 (38%) dead from their cancer, and 4 (14%) dead of other causes. The overall failure rate was 38%. Advanced-stage presence of N3 nodal disease and fewer than 7 cycles of chemotherapy received were significantly associated with increasing failure rates. This program of concomitant cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil, and radiation produced control rates quite competitive with surgery and radiation and is appropriate for definitive testing in a randomized trial.

Adult↗

Chronic cough in infants and children: an update.

Cough is a symptom frequently encountered by the otolaryngologist--head and neck surgeon. Although most coughs are self limited, chronic cough often proves to be a frustrating problem. Seventy-two infants and children under age 16 with a normal chest radiogram have now been evaluated for chronic cough persisting for longer than 4 weeks. Cough-variant asthma was the most common cause of cough, followed by sinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux, aberrant innominate artery, psychogenic cough, and subglottic stenosis. Chronic cough is best managed by first following an individualized diagnostic protocol designed to determine the etiology of the cough. This is followed by specific therapy to treat the underlying disorder. Children with persistent cough and normal chest radiograph are best served when referred promptly for evaluation by an otolaryngologist when the primary physician's initial efforts at diagnosis and treatment are not effective. Endoscopy is underutilized in practice and its importance understated in the literature. It is particularly helpful in establishing a precise diagnosis in infants under 18 months of age.

Adolescent↗

Bronchogenic cyst with tracheal involvement.

Bronchogenic cysts are uncommon developmental anomalies of the primitive foregut that can produce symptoms of ventilatory compromise in infants and children. A 2-month-old child presented with episodes of stridor and obstructive apnea due to a bronchogenic cyst compressing the trachea and causing near-total obstruction. Aspiration of the cyst during bronchoscopy resulted in severe bradycardia (from 140 to 50 beats per minute), although blood pressure was stable and oxygen saturation remained at 100%. Subsequent elective thoracotomy revealed the cyst to be intimately associated with the vagus nerve, and vagal stimulation may have caused the bradycardia. Bronchogenic cysts, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infants and children undergoing direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy for airway compromise. The endoscopic aspiration of cystic tracheal and bronchial lesions may not obviate the need for more definitive surgical treatment and, as this case demonstrates, is not free of potential hazard.

Bradycardia↗

Laryngeal amyloidosis in a child.

A 14-year-old girl developed progressive hoarseness and breathing difficulty due to a mass in the subglottic larynx. A biopsy specimen obtained at direct laryngoscopy showed localized aggregates of amyloid. The lesion was excised completely with a carbon dioxide laser. This is the second case of laryngeal amyloidosis in a child reported in the English-language literature.

Adolescent↗

Management of sharp and penetrating foreign bodies of the upper aerodigestive tract.

The aspiration or ingestion of a foreign body into the upper aerodigestive tract is a common accident that befalls children and adults alike. Sharp and pointed objects pose special problems. The basic principles of their extraction were meticulously developed by Chevalier Jackson, whose concepts of the mechanical problems encountered and demonstrations of their solutions are responsible for keeping morbidity and mortality figures at a minimum. The principles of evaluation and management of sharp and penetrating foreign bodies of the upper digestive tract are described.

Adolescent↗

Congenital subglottic stenosis: the elliptical cricoid cartilage.

Various malformations of the cricoid cartilage produce congenital subglottic stenosis. The elliptical cricoid cartilage first was demonstrated histopathologically in horizontal sections of six postmortem specimens and now has been identified clinically in ten patients. The clinical diagnosis of the elliptical cricoid cartilage, suggested by anteroposterior soft tissue neck films, is confirmed at direct laryngoscopy. Delineation of the precise location, extent, and histopathology of subglottic stenosis provides the basis for rational management.

Child, Preschool↗

Combined simultaneous cisplatin/fluorouracil chemotherapy and split course radiation in head and neck cancer.

Fifty-three patients with stage III (eight patients, 15%), stage IV (36 patients, 68%), or recurrent disease (nine patients, 17%) entered a study of simultaneous cisplatin, 60 mg/m2 day 1, fluorouracil (5-FU) infusion, 800 mg/m2 days 1 to 5, and radiation, 2 Gy days 1 to 5, every other week for a total of seven cycles (70 Gy in 13 weeks). Patient acceptance was high, with only two patients (4%) refusing to complete therapy. The median actual dose delivered was 88% of the planned dose for cisplatin, 78% for 5-FU, and 70 Gy for radiation. Weight loss of 10% or more and severe mucositis were the most common side effects (53% and 48% incidence, respectively). All patients were followed at least 1 year (median, 51 months). While the complete response rate (55%) seemed no better than that reported in other series, freedom of progression of regional disease (73%), and the survival of all patients (median, 37 months) were substantially improved. Only 33% of partial responders have failed regionally, while 15% of complete responders have failed regionally (P greater than .10), which indicates that clinical assessment of response was unreliable. Stage, the presence of N3 disease, and delivery of less than the median actual dose received of 5-FU (but not cisplatin) were significantly associated with failure. This regimen is feasible and tolerable in this difficult patient population. It generally requires no special forced feeding techniques. Survival results from this limited institution study appear better than those using sequential multimodality therapies. With such favorable regional control, this approach may offer an alternative in the future to radical surgery and radiation in resectable disease. More definitive evaluation seems warranted.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Surgical management of severe laryngomalacia.

Infants and children with laryngomalacia exhibit varying degrees of upper airway obstruction and dysphagia. Although the disorder is usually self-limited, the potential exists for symptoms so severe that operative intervention cannot be avoided. Relief of progressive airway compromise traditionally has involved bypassing the obstruction with tracheotomy. Recently, endoscopic surgical management of the most severe cases has been reexamined by the authors and others. Thirteen infants and children underwent supraglottoplasty (also referred to as epiglottoplasty or partial arytenoidectomy) for severe, complicated laryngomalacia. Endoscopic laser removal of flaccid supraglottic tissue resulted in improvement of the airway in all patients. In most patients, associated symptoms improved or completely resolved. Supraglottoplasty is an effective alternative to tracheotomy in carefully selected patients with severe laryngomalacia.

Airway Obstruction↗

Subglottic cysts and asymmetrical subglottic narrowing on neck radiograph.

The congenital subglottic hemangioma typically appears as an asymmetric subglottic narrowing or mass on frontal neck radiographs. Therefore, soft tissue neck radiography has been advocated as a definitive non-operative approach for diagnosing these lesions. However, we have noted similar asymmetric subglottic narrowing in patients with acquired subglottic cysts. These retention cysts occur following long-term intubation in the neonate. The mechanism probably involves subglottic fibrosis which obstructs glands with subsequent cyst formation. Acquired subglottic cysts typically appear as an asymmetric narrowing on frontal or lateral soft tissue neck radiographs. These lesions may produce airway compromise but are effectively treated by forceps or laser removal. Acquired subglottic cysts must be included in the differential diagnosis of asymmetric subglottic narrowing. The definitive diagnosis is made by direct laryngoscopy, not soft tissue neck radiograph.

Airway Obstruction↗