Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Beutter.
A patient presented with a facial nerve neurinoma of unusual size and which gave particularly clear radiological images. The curious feature of this observation is that there was no pre-operative facial paralysis as happens in about 15 p. 100 of cases.
Vascular sarcomas (haemangio-endotheliomas) are tumours which are very rarely encountered in the facial mass. Only 10 cases have been found in the literature. Two cases are described: the first patient was operated on in 1968 for a localization in the left side of the ethmoid and presented 9 year later with a recurrence on the right side symmetrical with the first which remained apparently cured; a year later, there was a recurrence on the right then diffuse pulmonary metastases. The second case was that of a patient with an ethmoid localization cured by radiotherapy and surgery 20 years before, but presenting with a recurrence in the ganglia 10 years later and a parapharyngeal recurrence developing over the past 6 years. In connection with these two cases, the diagnostic difficulties involved in distinguishing these tumours from epitheliomas and sarcomas of the facial mass, which sometimes show considerable vascularization, from other vascular tumours, benign haemangioendotheliomas, glomus tumours and, in particular, haemangio-pericytomas, are described. The possibility of a long survival should be noted for some rare facial localizations: this is in contrast with the usually very rapid development of vascular sarcomas in other localizations.
Epistaxis due to rupture of the carotid, usually occurs as a result of cranial or closed cranio-facial traumatism. Heamorrhage is secondary to the formation of post-traumatic arterial aneurysms or arterio-venous fistulas. Frequently, the lesion is along the intra-cavernous pathway of the internal carotid. Rupture of a spontaneous arterial aneurysm in the sphenoidal sinus is, however, extremely rare. Carotid arteriography is the main method of investigation, and this method alone is capable of detecting the carotid lesion. In addition to obvious cases, it should be requested in cases of severe, copious and recurrent epistaxis when interrogation of the patient reveals the merest hint of trauma, often a long time previously. Immediate treatment consists of anterior bilateral and naso-pharyngeal tampnage. This allows enough time for arteriography to be carried out under the most favourable conditions and also testing for carotid substitution. In order to ensure permanent thrombosis of the aneurysmal pocket or the arteriovenous fistula, most methods resolve themselves into occlusion of the carotid axis. Cervical ligature of the carotid on its own, and isolated trapping have given way to techniques employing either a combination of trapping and embolization, or the placing of a balloon probe without trapping. At present, Serbinenko is advocating using balloons released when arteriography is carried out, obliterating the fistula and left in position permanently. Finally, there is the method by which the sphenoidal sinus is approached para-lateronasally after ethmoidectomy: this is an effective method which is much less incursive than the endo-cranial approach.
All the methods available to O.-R.-L. practitioners for the treatment of epistaxis in Rendu-Osler disease are reviewed. In an emergency, gentleness is essential. Over the long term, procrastination for as long as possible is advisable. Super-selective arteriography and embolization are of great value in an emergency and can give some good long-term results. In fact, there is not one exclusive curative therapy. Estrogenotherapy has its advocates. Saunder's dermoplasty gives variable results, but these can be improved upon if a broad access route is used and dermoplasty extended to above and behind the nasal fossae. Because of its aggressive nature, irradiation must be kept as a last resort.
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Before they give their results, the authors, whose experience of sclerosis of oesophageal varices under the oesophagoscope has so far involved 157 patients, deal specifically with the problems facing the anaesthetist and resuscitator when this technique is used, tolerance of the product injected and possible accidents. Firstly, they point out the unsuitability of the patients referred to them by their medical or surgical colleagues. By implication therefore, treatment should only be undertaken with the assistance of a team of experienced resuscitators and every precaution taken to mitigate the effects of possible accidents to these patients who are particularly at risk. These cases are mainly characterized by serious haemorrhages (seven cases described, one resulting in death). Oesophageal injury is, on the other hand, the exception where trained personnel are involved (2 minor mucosal tears out of more than 800 oesophagoscopies). Finally, secondary parietal oesophageal necrosis occurs. Quininaemia assessment after injection of quinine-urea confirms that the product is being efficiently eliminated. Overall results reveal a survival rate of 61 p. 100 after more than a year and 20 p. 100 after more than than three years. These figures underline the limitations of therapeutic possibilities and the serious prognosis for this result of portal hypertension. This leads the authors to express a wish that the procedure should be used as a measure to prevent haemorrhage as soon as the presence of varices is realized. On the other hand, they reject on practical grounds emergency sclerosis of oesophageal varices, as a direct heamostatic method, since, according to their statistics, this almost invariably results in failure.