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Biomedical subjects

S E Leighton

Publications and source records attributed to S E Leighton.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

CSF drainage in patients with posterior fossa tumours.

The management of hydrocephalus secondary to a posterior fossa tumour is controversial. We audited recent practice with a retrospective analysis of 287 consecutive patients undergoing posterior fossa exploration for tumour. 85 shunts and 112 external ventricular drains (EVD) were placed. The overall CNS infection rate in the series was 6%. There was a significantly higher (p less than 0.01) infection rate in patients who had a drainage procedure, and a trend towards higher infection rates in patients with two drainage procedures. Early infection rates with EVDs and shunts were the same (7%). One third of patients with hydrocephalus had pre-operative drainage, a third had per-operative drainage but only a quarter required a permanent shunt. The majority of patients will not require a permanent shunt and where temporary CSF diversion is required EVD is reasonable.

Adolescent

Diffuse tuberculous parotitis.

Parenchymatous parotid tuberculosis diffusely affecting the entire gland is very rare. We present a case, associated with a primary pulmonary focus, that was confirmed after positive identification of alcohol and acid-fast bacilli in gastric washings. Both sites of infection resolved with quadruple anti-tuberculous chemotherapy.

Adult

Long-term results of submandibular duct transposition for drooling.

This study examines the long-term results and morbidity of submandibular duct transposition in drooling children. Twenty-two patients, aged 3 to 18 years, with neurological dysfunction and excessive drooling underwent submandibular duct transposition between 1984 and 1987. In January 1990, 20 patients were reviewed. Their degree of drooling pre-operatively, immediately post-operatively and currently was assessed. The rate of improvement and the occurrence of complications were noted. Drooling was 'much better' in the early post-operative period in 17 of the 20 patients, and this improvement was invariably noted within three weeks. In the three other patients drooling was 'better'. Deterioration occurred in only three patients over the entire follow-up period. Complications all occurred in the first 18 months following surgery; they consisted of salivary retention cysts in four and transient submandibular gland swelling in a fifth patient.

Adolescent

Metastatic meningioma in the neck.

Although meningiomas represent 15 per cent of tumours of the central nervous system, they rarely metastasize. A case is presented in which metastasis to a cervical lymph node occurred, together with local recurrence, nine years after initial diagnosis and treatment. This case serves to illustrate that malignant meningioma is a rare cause of a neck mass.

Head and Neck Neoplasms

Styloid apparatus anomaly causing dysphagia.

An unusual case of dysphagia due to anomalous styloid apparatus anatomy is presented. Clinical and radiological findings are documented. Variations in anatomy and clinical syndromes are discussed together with management.

Cervical Vertebrae

Audit of stapedectomy results in a teaching hospital.

The number of stapedectomies performed annually has declined since 1963. Also, surgery has become available at an increasing number of centres, resulting in a further fall in the number of such operations performed in teaching hospitals. Several studies have suggested benefit might be gained, both by patients and by otology as a speciality, from limiting training to post-graduates who show an aptitude for otology, and concentrating surgery in a small number of specialized centres. We report a series of 179 patients who had stapedectomy performed for otosclerosis in a teaching hospital. We have retrospectively compared the audiological outcome and complication rates for consultants and surgical trainees. For the two groups, there is no significant difference in postoperative hearing levels and complication rates are similar. Our success rate is comparable to other major series. We conclude that stapedectomy is a safe procedure to teach adequately experienced and supervised trainees.

Adult

Angiosarcoma of the external ear: a case report.

A case of an angiosarcoma of the pinna in an 82-year-old male is reported. Variability of presentation and lack of clinical awareness may result in a delay in the diagnosis of this rare tumor. Initial confusion may arise because of the deceptively benign clinical appearance of the lesion, which may resemble a bruise or superficial infection. Early biopsy is mandatory in view of the prognostic significance of tumor diameter at the time of diagnosis. Untreated, the mean survival of patients with angiosarcoma is 7 months. This increases to 15 to 20 months in treated patients, 12 percent being alive at 5 years. A combination of surgery and radiotherapy offers the best chance of cure. The need for wide local treatment of apparently normal tissue has been advocated because of imperceptible local spread of the tumor. Apparent cure may be followed by late local recurrence or distant metastasis, so lifelong follow-up is necessary.

Aged

Is routine histological examination of nasal polyps justified?

This study aims to assess the indications for histological examination of polypoid lesions removed from the nose. To achieve this we have performed a national survey of consultant ENT surgeons and reviewed 2866 nasal polypectomy operations. The operations were performed between 1982 and 1988 in the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle. One hundred and fifty questionnaires were sent to randomly selected ENT consultants in the United Kingdom. One hundred and seventeen were returned completed (return rate 78%). The questionnaire asked whether or not the surgeon sent all polyps for examination and, if not, what his indications were for so doing. A retrospective review of all nasal polypectomy operations at the two hospitals was performed. The questionnaire revealed that 38% of the surgeons who replied sent all nasal polyps for examination and 62% did not. The commonest indications for requesting histology were unilateral polyps, abnormal appearance and a history of bleeding. The review of polypectomies showed that 74% of cases in Oxford were examined histologically and 33% in Newcastle. Two per cent of polyps were tumours, of which half were malignant. There were no cases in this study in which unsuspected malignancy was found. All cases of nasal tumours, benign or malignant, were diagnosed clinically either in the Outpatient clinic or in the operating theatre. The results of this survey suggest that it is unnecessary to send all nasal polyps for histological examination.

General Surgery