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Biomedical subjects

M Fradis

Publications and source records attributed to M Fradis.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Diagnostic and therapeutic management of bilateral carotid artery occlusion caused by near-suicidal hanging.

In cases of attempted suicide by hanging, a combination of mechanisms causing local destruction of the pharynx, larynx, vessels, and spine, as well as neurologic complications, has to be considered. We present a case of hanging in which a deeply unconscious patient without any palpaple pulsation of the carotid arteries was referred to our otolaryngology department. Computed tomography and angiography showed parapharyngeal air, complete obstruction of both common carotid arteries, and a compensatory circulation through the vertebral arteries. Three hours after the trauma, surgical exploration with resection of the enrolled intima of both carotid arteries and repair of the pharynx was performed. The patient awoke with an infarct of the right hemisphere with incomplete left hemiparesis the next day, but symptoms slowly declined during the following months, and the patient learned swallowing again perfectly. We conclude from our experience that in near-hanged patients a prompt onset of adequate diagnostic and therapeutic measures is mandatory, as good neurologic and functional results may occur even in cases with coma and severe destruction of the carotid arteries and pharyngeal and laryngeal structures. Surgical repair of blunt carotid lesions is recommended and may be crucial for a good outcome.

Carotid Artery Injuries↗

Correlations between audiogram and objective hearing tests in sensorineural hearing loss.

Owing to its subjective nature, behavioral pure-tone audiometry often is an unreliable testing method in uncooperative subjects, and assessing the true hearing threshold becomes difficult. In such cases, objective tests are used for hearing-threshold determination (i.e., auditory brainstem evoked potentials [ABEP] and frequency-specific auditory evoked potentials: slow negative response at 10 msec [SN-10]). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between pure-tone audiogram shape and the predictive accuracy of SN-10 and ABEP in normal controls and in patients suffering from sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). One-hundred-and-fifty subjects aged 15 to 70, some with normal hearing and the remainder with SNHL, were tested prospectively in a double-blind design. The battery of tests included pure-tone audiometry (air and bone conduction), speech reception threshold, ABEP, and SN-10. Patients with SNHL were divided into four categories according to audiogram shape (i.e., flat, ascending, descending, and all other shapes). The results showed that ABEP predicts behavioral thresholds at 3 kHz and 4 kHz in cases of high-frequency hearing loss. Also demonstrated was that ABEP threshold estimation at 3 kHz was not affected significantly by audiogram contour. A good correlation was observed between SN-10 and psychoacoustic thresholds at 1 kHz, the only exception being the group of subjects with ascending audiogram, in which SN-10 overestimated the hearing threshold.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

[Local treatment of purulent chronic otitis media with ciprofloxacin].

We evaluated the efficacy of ciprofloxacin eardrops compared to tobramycin and to a placebo in the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media. 60 ears were randomly assigned to treatment for 3 weeks with ciprofloxacin, tobramycin or placebo eardrops. The organism most commonly isolated from the ear discharge was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The clinical responses were 78.9% and 72.2%, respectively, in the ciprofloxacin and tobramycin groups, while it was only 41.2% in the placebo group. Treatment with ciprofloxacin eardrops seemed to be at least as efficient as treatment with tobramycin. Considering the lack of ototoxicity of ciprofloxacin, this treatment may be best for chronic otitis media.

Administration, Topical↗

Status of intraoperative cytology in the diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioma.

Whereas evaluation of the frozen section of a subcutaneous retro-auricular mass was equivocal, the correct diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioma could be suggested on examination of intraoperative cytological smears. It is proposed that in the absence of cytological cues of malignancy and in the presence of the proper clinical setting, the constellation of vascular structures, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and clusters of cuboidal cells with vacuoles in their abundant acidophilic cytoplasm is indicative of epithelioid hemangioma.

Adult↗

Failure to control the airway in a patient with Hunter's syndrome.

Hunter's syndrome is due to recessively inherited mucopolysaccharide storage diseases. The anaesthetic complications in this syndrome are related to the organs involved in the disease, but pertain especially to upper airway obstruction problems. We report a patient with Hunter's syndrome who, while under general anaesthesia for a simple procedure (the introduction of bilateral grommets), suffered a fatal outcome.

Adolescent↗

Chronic otitis media treated topically with ciprofloxacin or tobramycin.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of ciprofloxacin compared with tobramycin and placebo ear drops in the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media without cholesteatoma. DESIGN: Sixty ears (in 51 patients) were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups: ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, tobramycin, and placebo interventions. SETTING: The otolaryngology department of a university teaching hospital. INTERVENTION: All ears were treated topically for 3 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each patient received a small, numbered bottle and was instructed to instill 5 drops 3 times daily for 3 weeks. The final clinical and bacteriologic assessment was made after 3 weeks. RESULTS: The organism most commonly isolated from the ear discharge was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Its sensitivity to ciprofloxacin and tobramycin was 94.2% and 70.6%, respectively. The clinical response was 78.9%, 72.2%, and 41.2% in the ciprofloxacin, tobramycin, and placebo groups, respectively. The bacteriologic response rate was 66.7% for the ciprofloxacin and tobramycin groups and 20% for the placebo group. Treatment with ciprofloxacin ear drops seemed to be as effective as treatment with tobramycin. CONCLUSION: While the lack of ototoxicity of ciprofloxacin was not tested in our study, this treatment may be considered as a potential topical therapy for cases of chronic suppurative otitis media.

Administration, Topical↗

Plasmapheresis in neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a severe and potentially fatal reaction to neuroleptic drugs. Treatment requires withdrawal of the neuroleptic agent, metabolic and cardiovascular support, physical cooling and treatment with dantrolene sodium and bromcriptine mesylate. We report a therapeutic success of plasmapheresis in a case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in which conventional therapy had failed. We postulate that plasmapheresis may prove to be a useful tool in treating this frequently fatal disease.

Adult↗

Salivary gland double tumor: synchronous ipsilateral pleomorphic adenoma and acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland.

A 44-year-old woman underwent a partial parotidectomy for a slowly enlarging parotid mass diagnosed by fine needle aspiration biopsy as a pleomorphic adenoma. Though macroscopically recognized to be composed of two nodules, differing to some extent from one another, the mass appeared to constitute a single tumor. The microscopic examination disclosed two disparate neoplasms, which were separated from each other by a thin fibrous band. The larger of the two nodules was a pleomorphic adenoma and the smaller one an acinic cell carcinoma. The metachronous--and, even more, the synchronous--occurrence of two histologically different tumors in one major salivary gland is an exceptional and probably coincidental event.

Adenoma, Pleomorphic↗

Middle ear pressure and dysfunction of the labyrinth: is there a relationship?

Relationships between middle ear pressure and non-infection-related cochleovestibular dysfunction have been suggested by several authors. According to some data, vertiginous attacks can be prevented by the insertion of a ventilation tube in patients suffering from Meniere's syndrome. The aim of our study was to investigate if the incidence of eustachian tube malfunction and pathologic middle ear pressure is frequent, and if routine implantation of ventilation tubes is reasonable in ears with dysfunctions of the labyrinth, including clinical Meniere's syndrome. So, we determined in our pressure chamber all active and passive parameters of eustachian tube function in 40 patients suffering from Meniere's syndrome, sudden sensory hearing impairment (SSHI), or vestibular neuronitis. Our results disclosed no nonrandom incidence of impaired tubal function among our patients compared to healthy control subjects. Pressure equalization was sufficient in most patients suffering from clinical Meniere's syndrome, and only one patient with vestibular neuronitis presented with a patulous tube. Our results show that impairment of vestibular or cochlear function is not regularly accompanied by eustachian tube dysfunction. Furthermore, no patient reported symptoms while pressure variation was performed. We conclude that variation of middle ear pressure does not usually play a role in the genesis of Meniere's syndrome, vestibular neuronitis, or SSHI. Thus, from our data, we cannot recommend routine implantation of tympanic ventilation tubes in patients suffering from Meniere's syndrome, vestibular neuronitis, or sudden hearing loss.

Compliance↗

In vivo measurement of human nasal mucociliary motility using a laser light scattering instrument.

The mucociliary system is one of the most important airway defense mechanisms, and knowledge of the mucociliary wave frequency (MWF) is important in the understanding of this system. Employing a laser light scattering technique and a thin, flexible fiberoptic probe, we developed and tested a simple and practical device for real-time in vivo measurements of mucociliary activity in the human nose. The laser instrument is user-friendly and does not produce any discomfort to the patient. The mean +/- SE of MWF of 36 measurements in 16 normal subjects was 7.7 +/- 0.5 Hz. The mean MWF of 17 measurements in 7 patients with allergic rhinitis was 5.5 +/- 0.2 Hz (p < .005), and the mean MWF of 56 measurements in 17 patients with septum deviation was 5.8 +/- 0.2 Hz (p < .001). The instrument presented in this study might provide a new and convenient method of studying the mucociliary activity in the respiratory tract.

Case-Control Studies↗

Spontaneous otogenic pneumocephalus.

A very rare case of otogenic pneumocephalus in a healthy 24-year-old man with a widely pneumatized right mastoid, precipitated by forceful Valsalva's maneuver, is reported. When a pneumocephalus is suspected, computed tomography scans are mandatory. The pertinent literature is discussed and the potential mechanisms causing spontaneous pneumocephalus are described. To the best of our knowledge, only two other similar cases have been reported up to now.

Adult↗

Effects of peritonsillar infiltration on post-tonsillectomy pain. A double-blind study.

The concept that local infiltration of the operative area with a local anesthetic when using general anesthesia could alleviate postoperative pain is well known. We tested this concept on 129 patients scheduled for elective tonsillectomy. The patients were investigated in a double-blind, randomized study, and the operation was carried out via the standard technique of infiltrating the peritonsillar area preoperatively. The results indicated that preincisional infiltration of the tonsils with bupivacaine hydrochloride markedly decreased the intensity of pain following tonsillectomy, well beyond the immediate postoperative period.

Adolescent↗