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Biomedical subjects

S Kristensen

Publications and source records attributed to S Kristensen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Emphysematous pyelonephritis].

A case of emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is described. EPN is a severe suppurative infection of the renal parenchyma and the perirenal tissue, characterized by intra-renal, and possibly perirenal, gas formation. This is a rare form of acute pyelonephritis. The condition is associated with a high mortality. Diabetic patients are particularly prone to the disease. The diagnosis is established with great certainty by computed tomography of the kidneys. The condition should be treated with an intensive combined medical-urological regimen with percutaneous nephrostomy guided by computed tomography or ultrasound should be performed. If no therapeutic response occurs, surgical incision and drainage or nephrectomy are recommended. In the present case of EPN, the medical treatment proved adequate.

Emphysema

Spontaneous healing of traumatic tympanic membrane perforations in man: a century of experience.

Widespread controversy exists concerning the treatment of traumatic tympanic membrane perforations. To elucidate the issue, a reference value for the rate of spontaneous tympanic membrane closure in man, to which the healing rates following different techniques of early surgical repair should be compared, was established on the basis of a review of more than 500 texts covering a century's literature on the traumatically perforated tympanic membrane. The spontaneous healing rate appeared to be close to 80 (78.7 per cent) in 760 evaluable cases of traumatic tympanic membrane perforations of all sorts diagnosed within 14 days post injury. A relative, causal-related variation of spontaneous healing could be demonstrated, and a pathogenetic classification of direct traumatic tympanic membrane perforations into ruptures induced by air-pressure changes, heat or corrosives, solids, and water pressures, is of proved clinical value and may have medico-legal validity. There is an obvious need for clinically controlled studies on the spontaneous healing of all kinds of traumatic perforations of the tympanic membrane in humans, and important elements in the design of future studies are advocated.

Humans

Nasal packing and nocturnal oxygen desaturation.

Nasal obstruction influences respiration during sleep, and nasal packing may be the cause of obstructive sleep apnoea. In order to investigate this phenomenon, perioperative nocturnal oxygen saturation was monitored for 3 nights with continuous, non-invasive pulse oximetry in 12 patients who had total nasal packs after septoplasty. Significant extension of nocturnal accumulated time of oxygen saturation less than 90% was demonstrated both during the first and second postoperative nights. The clinical significance of these results is as yet unknown, but the use of partial nasal packing in association with septoplasty is advocated and further investigations on nocturnal oxygen saturation are called for.

Adolescent

Origins of BCG surface charge: effect of ionic strength and chemical modifications on zeta potential of Mycobacterium bovis BCG, Tice substrain, cells.

The zeta potential of washed Tice substrain BCG organisms was measured over a range of ionic strengths from I = 0.005 to 0.1 M. No change in the isoelectric point of 3.4-3.7 was evident. Proteolytic enzymes (trypsin/chymotrypsin, pepsin, papain and pronase) and fluorodinitrobenzene abolished the cationic charge, suggesting that this is substantially due to amino groups associated with protein. Neither hot HCI nor cold trichloroacetic acid affected the charge, indicating that ionic groups are not associated with extractable polysaccharides. Methanolysis, treatment with HF and carbodiimide, and cationic detergent (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) binding indicated that the negative charge was provided by carboxylic acids, phosphoesters and strong acidic groups, possibly sulphates. Standardless quantitative X-ray microanalysis revealed the presence of phosphorus and sulphur on the surface of actively growing BCG colonies.

BCG Vaccine

Muscular hamartoma of the breast. A case report.

A case of a muscular hamartoma of the breast in a 47-year-old woman is presented. Tumors containing smooth muscle are rare in the breast. Radiologically it appears as a circumscribed tumor with homogeneous or varying density. Histologically these lesions are composed of ducts, lobules, stroma prominently adipose, and smooth muscle.

Breast Neoplasms

The peak flow nasal patency index.

The peak flow nasal patency index (NPI) is the ratio between the nasal and oral peak airflow. This index was found to be a good indicator of nasal patency present in 24 patients following septoplasty and indicated significant improvement postoperatively. The peak flow nasal patency index was also correlated to self-assessment scores of nasal function in each patient. In this latter study, a low index correlated to a high self-assessment score, both of which indicated poor nasal patency. Our studies have shown that the peak flow nasal patency index is a useful measure for determining nasal patency, particularly for defining the results of any applied therapies.

Adolescent

[Malignant tracheal tumor--differential diagnosis in bronchial asthma].

Primary tumours of the trachea are rare and most of the symptoms relate to obstruction of the air passage leading to inspiratory and expiratory stridor. Unfortunately, the inclusion of malignant tracheal neoplasms in the differential diagnosis of onset of wheeze in adults is even more rare than the tumours themselves. We report a case where a tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma presented symptoms suggestive of bronchial asthma. It is emphasized that delay by the physician in diagnosing tracheal tumours is the principal problem, and that adult patients who experience onset of stridor and dyspnoe and do not respond to accepted medical treatment deserve systematic radiographic and endoscopic evaluation of the entire air passage.

Aged

Episodic nocturnal hypoxia and nasal packs.

Nasal obstruction influences respiration during sleep and nasal packs may cause obstructive sleep apnoea. In order to investigate this, the perioperative oxygen saturation was monitored for 3 nights with continuous pulse oximetry in 12 patients, who had bilateral nasal packs after septoplasty. A significant increase in the number of nocturnal episodes of hypoxia and a significant prolongation of the mean duration of the individual hypoxic periods were demonstrated during the first and the second post-operative nights. The clinical significance of these results is as yet unknown, but the use of partial nasal packing in septoplasty is advocated. Further investigations of nocturnal oxygen desaturation and design of nasal packs, securing the post-operative nasal airway, are needed.

Adolescent

Peak flow nasal patency indices in patients operated for nasal obstruction.

In 26 patients undergoing operation for nasal obstruction, nasal and oral peak expiratory and inspiratory flow rates were measured preoperatively and 1 month postoperatively. Peak expiratory and inspiratory flow nasal patency indices were calculated from the ratio between the nasal and oral peak flow rates. Postoperatively, these indices were significantly increased for the total nose and for the preoperatively worse nasal cavity. No significant change was observed for the oral peak flow rates. A significant preoperative difference in nasal patency between the two nasal cavities was eliminated by surgery, as the postoperative peak flow of each nasal cavity reached 80% of the peak flow of the total nose on expiration and close to 50% on inspiration. A good correspondence between the subjective improvement of nasal patency and the increase in peak expiratory and inspiratory flow nasal patency indices was observed for the total nose. These findings show that peak flow nasal patency indices give valuable information pre- and post-operatively in patients undergoing nasal surgery and that the method is simple and easy to perform.

Adolescent

Peak flow nasal patency indices and self-assessment in septoplasty.

The present study evaluates the results of septoplasty monitored by the objective peak flow nasal patency indices and the subjective patient self-assessment scores of nasal obstruction. Mini-Wright peak flow meters were used. The peak flow nasal patency index was defined as the ratio between nasal and oral peak flow rates. Uni and bi-lateral, as well as ex and in-spiratory, indices were calculated. Both peak ex and in-spiratory flow nasal patency indices were significantly increased 1 and 6 months post-operatively, indicating improved nasal patency. The most marked post-operative increase of the nasal patency indices was seen for the preoperatively worst airway and the total airway. A weak significant positive correlation was found between the peak flow nasal patency indices and the patient mean self-assessment scores of the uni and bi-lateral nasal obstruction. The change of the peak flow nasal patency indices measured 6 months post-operatively correlated well with the patient overall assessment of the operative changes of the total nasal patency. The method was found quick and easy to handle in monitoring the effect of functional septoplasty and is recommended as an alternative to rhinomanometry.

Adult

Nasopharyngeal Warthin's tumour: a metaplastic lesion.

Warthin's tumour arising from minor salivary glands of the nasopharynx is described in a patient with eosinophilic rhinitis and nasal polyposis. The microscopical features of this lesion were indistinguishable from those of Warthin's tumours of the parotid gland. The present case supports the histogenetic theory that the epithelial component of extraparotid Warthin's tumours represents reactive oncocytic metaplasia and hyperplasia induced by chronic inflammation rather than genuine neoplasia. It is suggested that the term Warthin's tumour is preferable to designations indicating neoplasia of these extraparotid lesions which are indistinguishable histologically and ultrastructurally from parotid and juxtaparotid adenolymphomas.

Adenolymphoma

Traumatic tympanic membrane perforations: complications and management.

There is great diversity in the methods of treating traumatic perforations of the tympanic membrane. To elucidate the controversy, we present a long-term follow-up study of 37 patients. On the basis of our present study and available relevant data in the literature, we emphasize that early surgical intervention of a traumatic myringeal perforation is not indicated, as most of these perforations (an average of 88%) do heal spontaneously without complications. However, we stress the importance of performing a meticulous auditory and vestibular examination with close follow-up and repeat audiograms in all patients with acute traumatic myringoruptures to provide enough information for diagnosis of a major perilymph leak that would warrant operation. Myringeal perforations or major conductive hearing losses persisting 3 months after injury warrant tympanotomy and appropriate reconstruction.

Adolescent

Cervical involvement of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with dysphagia and rhinolalia.

Osteophytosis in degenerative joint diseases of the cervical spine may result in dysphagia. Recently, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) or Forestier's disease has also been identified as a cause of dysphagia. A case of DISH with cervical involvement producing dysphagia and rhinolalia is presented. The symptomatology, radiographic features and treatment of DISH involving the cervical region are discussed. The diagnosis of DISH is exclusively radiographic. Recognition of this disorder, unfamiliar to many clinicians, may avoid an unnecessary biopsy procedure of a suspected pharyngeal tumor. Once the diagnosis of DISH is made, a supplemental barium esophagram should be performed to exclude possible coexisting neoplasms. Endoscopy has a definite risk for inducing an inadvertent esophageal perforation and should be avoided, if at all possible. A conservative therapeutic approach is advocated by the authors.

Aged

Relief of pain and trismus in patients treated with naproxen or acetylsalicylic acid after tonsillectomy.

The pain-relieving efficacy of naproxen and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in tonsillectomized patients was compared in a double blind parallel clinical trial comprising 83 patients, among whom 42 were treated with naproxen and 41 with ASA. The patients were treated post-operatively for two days with either naproxen suppositories 500 mg. twice, or ASA effervescent tablets 1000 mg. three times, daily. The therapeutic gain was evaluated by recording the intensity of pain, reduced ability to open the mouth (trismus), consumption of supplementary analgesic (parcetamol), and pain-related sleep disturbances. The statistical analysis of the results revealed no differences in pain intensity, consumption of additional analgesics or pain-related sleep disturbances in the two treatment groups. A considerable degree of trismus was demonstrated in most of the tonsillectomized patients. This reduced ability to open the mouth was gradually overcome in the naproxen group while it remained unchanged in the ASA group, however, no statistical significant difference could be demonstrated. Additionally, no significant positive correlation between pain intensity and trismus was proven. The pain-relieving effect, however, was unsatisfactory in both the naproxen and the ASA group, and clinical controlled trial studies of alternative analgetics in tonsillectomized patients are still to be encouraged.

Adolescent

Septic cavernous and lateral sinus thrombosis: modern diagnostic and therapeutic principles.

The incidence of both lateral and cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis has been significantly reduced in the antibiotic era. Since septic cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is mainly a complication of facial abscesses and septic lateral sinus thrombosis (LST) is almost invariably due to chronic otitis media, both conditions are of clinical relevance to the otolaryngologist. The predominant bacterium in septic CST is Staphylococcus aureus whereas in septic LST the bacteriology is very similar to that found in chronic otitis media. The diagnosis of septic CST can be established in most cases after thorough clinical examination, and contrast computerized tomography (CT) using the coronal projection usually confirms the clinical diagnosis. The signs and clinical course of septic LST are non-specific and the final diagnosis rests upon radiological investigations including CT-scan. The treatment of both conditions consists of broad-spectrum antibiotics, including beta-lactamase resistant penicillin in cases of septic CST. Most cases of septic LST also require surgical intervention. Two cases of septic intracranial sinus thrombosis are presented. The need for early diagnosis and treatment of this potentially lethal condition is emphasized.

Adolescent