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Biomedical subjects

W Mann

Publications and source records attributed to W Mann.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Experiences with upper eyelid gold implantation in facial paralysis].

BACKGROUND: A lagophthalmus following facial nerve palsy is not only a cosmetic problem, but can also cause serious complications to the cornea, such as ulceration and perforation. A passive eyelid closure can be achieved by the implantation of a gold weight in the upper eyelid. METHODS: Within five years we performed 21 implantations of gold weights in patients with facial nerve palsy. RESULTS: In 19 patients (90%) good eyelid closure was achieved. In three patients the gold weight was removed for the following reasons: remission of paralysis, foreign body sensation, and wound infection. CONCLUSIONS: The insertion of an eyelid goldweight in the upper eyelid in patients with established facial palsy is an effective method of reducing the incidence of discomfort to the eye and corneal complications. The insertion is simple and performed under local anaesthesia, and is easily reversed or revised if necessary.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Reproducibility and seasonal dependence of specific intranasal provocation tests in birch pollen allergy patients].

BACKGROUND: The intranasal allergen Provocation test (INT) is the standard procedure to verify the effect of an allergen when a nasal allergy is suspected. It may be especially useful if results from skin tests or in vitro tests conflict with those from the history. In the clinical and research setting, INT may be used to study the efficacy of different treatment modalities such as pharmacotherapy or immunotherapy. The technique of INT has not been well standardized in the past. Variations exist in planning the optimum time for testing, especially in seasonal allergies. METHODS: We examined influences of different test dates with regard to the pollen season on the result of INT. A total of 19 patients (eight females, 11 males, aged 26.1 +/- 4.8 years) with a history of at least two years of allergic rhinitis to birch pollen, positive skin prick test, and RAST (> or = CAP class II) to birch pollen. INT was performed during the winter-period after approximately six months without natural pollen exposition (V1), during the birch pollen season (V2) and six weeks after the birch pollen season (V3). Allergens were applied using a pump spray (0.1 ml) in concentrations of 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000, 50,000, and 100,000 SQ units per ml (SQ/ml). RESULTS: The threshold concentrations were significantly lower at V2 (100 SQ/ml) and V3 (500 SQ/ml) if compared to V1 (1000 SQ/ ml). CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal influences should be taken into account when performing INT in birch pollen allergy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Prognostic indicators for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: a clinicopathologic correlation.

Fifty-three patients with T1 squamous cell cancer of the floor of mouth and ventral surface of the tongue with a known clinical outcome were retrospectively analyzed and arbitrarily divided into "aggressive" and "nonaggressive" groups based on their clinical behavior. Various host and tumor factors were then evaluated in an attempt to determine whether the tumor behavior could have been predicted. The paraffin-embedded tumor specimens were evaluated for tumor differentiation, tumor thickness and tumor invasion, microvessel density, and p53 expression. In addition, a composite morphologic grading score was obtained by combining cell differentiation, nuclear polymorphism, mitosis activity, depth of infiltration, type of infiltration, and lymphatic infiltration. No single technique appeared capable of identifying "aggressive" behavior, although possibly an evaluation of composite factors might show promise in the future.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1997

Tympanic membrane displacement analysis after glycerol intake: effects on intracranial and intracochlear fluid pressure.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial pressure is transmitted to the perilymph of the cochlea via the cochlear aqueduct and to the endolymph via Reissner's membrane. The tympanic membrane displacement analyzer (TDA) is a new system that may provide a useful, noninvasive, indirect method to identify intracranial and intracochlear pressure changes. METHODS: We performed measurements in 20 persons with normal hearing and in 29 patients with various unilateral diseases of the inner ear such as sudden hearing loss or Meniere's disease. Another series of measurements were done in 15 normal-hearing persons and in 15 patients with Meniere's disease before and after oral ingestion of glycerol. RESULTS: In the first series of measurements, no significant differences in the tympanic membrane displacement were found between normal-hearing individuals and patients with unilateral diseases of the inner ear. In the second series, in all individuals a temporary, relative decrease in intracochlear pressure was found after oral ingestion of glycerol but without any significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results revealed that the TDA is apparently not useful in the evaluation of patients having Meniere's disease.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed1996

[The role of color duplex ultrasound in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of carotid body tumors].

BACKGROUND: Currently the diagnosis of tumorous lesions of the carotid bifurcation is the domain of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). So far, colour Doppler imaging (CDI) has not been playing an important part in this field. The aim of this study was to define the diagnostic value of CDI in the evaluation of these tumours related to the big arteries and to compare the different imaging techniques. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 6 female patients with suspected tumours of the carotid bifurcation were examined with CDI. Additionally 5 MRI examinations and 3 preoperative diagnostic DSA examinations were performed in the same patients. Pathologically, there were 4 typical carotid body tumours, 1 neuroma of the sympathetic trunk and 1 multifocal paraganglioma of the neck. RESULTS: In carotid body tumours we found a characteristic broadening of the bifurcation with shifting of the internal carotid artery posteriorly and laterally and of the external carotid artery anteriorly and medially. The highly vascularized tumour is surrounded by the arteries. This combination of ultrasound findings was absent in cases of sympathetic neuroma and multifocal paraganglioma. No additional information was achieved with MRI and DSA. CONCLUSION: CDI and MRI evaluation revealed the same diagnostic value in cases of vascularised tumours of the carotid bifurcation. CDI proved to be as accurate as DSA in the imaging of the big arteries and their relationship to the tumour, as well as of the small tumour feeding vessels. Therefore DSA may be omitted as an invasive diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of carotid body tumours.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Noninvasive determination of pressure relations of intracranial and intracochlear fluid spaces during the glycerol test in normal probands and patients with Menière's disease].

BACKGROUND: The cochlear aqueduct is a route for direct pressure transfer between intracranial and intracochlear fluids. In patients with Menière's disease, intracochlear pressure is presumably disturbed. The "Tympanic Membrane Displacement Analyser (TDA)" is a new system which provides a useful noninvasive method of detecting intracranial and intracochlear pressure changes. PATIENTS: In this study TDA measurements in combination with a glycerol test were performed in nine patients with Menière's disease and in seven normal persons. RESULTS: Before ingestion of glycerol, no significant difference in pressure was found between the two groups. After ingestion of glycerol a temporary decrease in intracochlear pressure was detected in both groups without any significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: These results show that the combination of glycerol testing and TDA measurements does not seem to be helpful for the differential diagnosis of Menière's disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Deafness due to bilateral endolymphatic sac tumours in a case of von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.

A case of bilateral endolymphatic sac tumours is reported. In a patient with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, tumour growth in the right cerebellopontine angle caused deafness. The tumour was removed and classified as a metastasis from a thyroid carcinoma. However, on thyroidectomy no primary neoplasm could be found. Eight years later a similar tumour was operated on in the left petrosal bone. Histological appearance, immunocytochemical findings, and the clinical context gave evidence that the tumours had to be reclassified as endolymphatic sac tumours--extremely rare entities. The report supports the hypothesis, suggested by the few earlier case reports, that endolymphatic sac tumours could be one of the inherent tumour manifestations in von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1996

[Microsurgical endonasal decompression in traumatic and neoplastic optic nerve compression].

UNLABELLED: The therapy of traumatic optic neuropathy remains controversial. Some authors recommend observation and others, the use of megadose corticosteroids or surgical decompression of the optic nerve. Improvements in visual acuity from no light perception (NLP) preoperatively to close to normal visual acuities have been reported after transethmoidal decompression and systemic steroids. The transnasal microscopic approach offers safe and effective access to the optic canal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospectively 15 patients (13 men/2 women) ranging in age from 17 to 67 years, who were surgically decompressed in the Ear-Nose-Throat Department between 1989 and 1994, were analyzed. Thirteen patients had experienced sudden visual loss after trauma; in 2 patients a tumor was diagnosed. After an initial ophthalmologic examination and CT scans, the patients underwent transnasal decompression of the optic canal for at least 180 degrees. In the postoperative period, visual acuity, pupillary reaction, visual field and optic nerve morphology were monitored. RESULTS: The overall visual results were poor. In 8 patients with no light perception (NLP) preoperatively, no improvement in visual acuity was found. Minor improvements were seen with an initial vision of 20/200 or less. Dramatic improvements were found in both patients with rapidly progressive neoplastic optic nerve compression. No intra- or postoperative complications were seen. CONCLUSION: In our study we were unable to reproduce the good visual results of some series. If there is NLP preoperatively, surgical intervention does not seem to be promising. However, in patients with incurable tumors transnasal decompression of the optic canal offers a minimally invasive palliative measure to preserve and restore vision.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Effects of contralateral white noise stimulation on transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions in patients with acoustic neuroma.

Transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions are normal phenomena observed in most persons with hearing levels greater than 35 dB. Further, masking of the contralateral ear produces amplitude reductions in the transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions. We have undertaken a study of transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions in 20 patients with acoustic neuroma. All patients were assessed for transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions bilaterally, with and without contralateral masking with white band noise at 40, 50, and 60 dB. We found that transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions were present in 30% of ears with tumor and that the presence of transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions is associated with improved preoperative hearing levels, but that tumor size is not associated with the presence or absence of transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions. The amplitude of transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions from ears with tumor, when present, is decreased when compared with normal ears of normal patients. Further, with contralateral masking little of the amplitude reduction observed in normal patients is observed in the ears with acoustic neuroma. However, with masking of the contralateral ear, the ear without tumor demonstrated significantly greater amplitude reductions than normal ears from normal patients (p = 0.0006). Pertinent anatomy and possible explanations for these findings are discussed.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1995

RT-PCR and alternative methods to PCR for in vitro amplification of nucleic acids.

The amplification of small amounts of nucleic acids via PCR (Mullis and Faloona, 1985) has undergone a tremendous development in biology, biochemistry, clinical diagnosis, and related fields. The typical three step reaction consisting of heat denaturation, primer annealing, and primer elongation together with the advanced technology in the instrumentation of thermal cyclers has made the reaction simple and fast. The idea to use a heat stable DNA polymerase, primers, and dNTPs in order to amplify double stranded DNA molecules in an exponential manner is not the only way to produce large amounts of nucleic acids starting from a few molecules only. This paper will give an overview of some alternatives and their applications.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

[Pressure relations between endocranial and intracochlear fluid spaces in patients with inner ear diseases].

Intracranial pressure is transmitted to the perilymph of the cochlea via the cochlear aquaeduct and via Reissner's membrane to the endolymph. The "Tympanic Membrane Displacement Analyser (TDA)" is a new device that may be a useful non-invasive method to show intracranial and intracochlear pressure changes indirectly measured by tympanic membrane displacement during stapedial reflex contraction. The TDA was utilised in 20 normal persons and in 29 patients with unilateral diseases of the inner ear. No significant differences in the tympanic membrane displacement were found between patients with sensorineural hearing loss, patients with Ménière's disease, and normal persons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Pulsed color laser for treatment of benign, superficial vascular malformations].

The flash lamp-excited dye laser is ideal for treating benign superficial vascular cutaneous lesions. Port-wine stains, telangiectases, spider angiomas, or hemangiomas may be treated without pain. If used properly, complications such as skin texture changes, hypopigmentation, and scarring are extremely rare. The flash lamp-excited dye laser works on the principle of selective photothermolysis, which allows selective damage to the target vessel without affecting surrounding tissue. Lesions like xanthelasma palpebrarum, keloid scars, and warts may also be treated by the flash lamp-excited dye laser. This study presents the results of treatment with this laser in our patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Examinations with DNA cytometry of mouth and oropharyngeal lavage fluid as a screening method in diagnosis of malignancies of the mouth cavity and oropharynx].

BACKGROUND: Due to a high rate of false negative results, cytologic examinations of scrapings are currently not very common in diagnosing squamous cell carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether cytometric and cytologic examinations are suitable in diagnosing squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx. METHODS: Cytologic and cytometric examinations of rinsing fluid from the mouth and throat were performed in 14 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx. The patients were asked to rinse their mouth and throat with 10 ml of Ringer's solution. The rinsing fluid was centrifuged and fixed. The sediment was then smeared onto glass slides and stained according to the technique of Feulgen. Quantitative DNA measurements were then performed using a TV-based image analysis system. The DNA indices, 2 c DI, 5 c EE, and DNA entropy were determined from the single-cell measurements. RESULTS: The results of the carcinoma patient group were compared to those obtained in 19 patients without any evidence of cancer (control group). With this method, malignant and benign cells could be distinguished in all cases, i.e., all patients with a carcinoma could be identified as positive by this examination, whereas patients without evidence of cancer were identified as negative in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this pilot study show that quantitative DNA measurements might be a suitable tool for non-invasive screening of patients who are at high risk for developing a carcinoma in the upper aerodigestive tract and for follow-up of patients in order to detect tumor recurrence after successful initial treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Diagnostic intra-meatal acoustic neurinoma--the role of acoustically evoked brain stem potentials and other otoneurologic studies].

BACKGROUND: Today intracanalicular acoustic neuromas are diagnosed very early by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to test the capability of brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) for detecting these small tumors. PATIENTS: Seventeen of 91 consecutive cases with acoustic neuromas treated at our department suffered from purely intracanalicular tumors. For these 17 patients we reviewed their medical history, clinical otoneurologic examination, audiometry, auditory evoked brainstem audiometry, electronystagmography, and MRI studies. RESULTS: In 13 of 17 patients (76.5%) auditory evoked brainstem audiometry was indicative of a suspected retrocochlear lesion, whereas in 4 cases BERA did not indicate such a lesion. CONCLUSIONS: The symptoms of these patients are described in detail. The role of auditory evoked brainstem audiometry and other otoneurologic test methods for detection of intracanalicular acoustic neuromas will be discussed.

Audiometry, Evoked Response↗
PubMed1994

Recombinant DNA probes and polymerase chain reaction for detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains.

Two recombinant DNA clones, pMG286.2 and pMG301.1, were isolated from the partial genomic library of Mycoplasma gallisepticum strain S6. Recombinant M. gallisepticum specific fragments were used as probes in Southern hybridisation with 10 M. gallisepticum strains whose DNA was digested by EcoRI, HindIII, BglII, RsaI and BamHI. The 1.5 kb fragment pMG301.1 did not show polymorphism in hybridisation patterns with M. gallisepticum strains, while the 3.5 kb fragment pMG286.2 enabled differentiation of M. gallisepticum strains into clusters. The DNA sequence of pMG301.1 was used to design a pair of 27-mer oligonucleotides flanking a 1.3 kb genomic region. These two primers directed specific in vitro amplification of all M. gallisepticum strains assayed giving an expected 1.3 kb product. Digestion of polymerase chain reaction products by DdeI enabled simple differentiation between clusters of M. gallisepticum strains and may be useful for improved epizootiological studies of M. gallisepticum infections in poultry.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Differences of inner and outer hair cells in the organ of Corti of the guinea pig in respect to the cellular content of precipitable calcium.

Differences between inner and outer hair cells in the cellular content of precipitable calcium were detected using a potassium pyroantimonate precipitation method and the electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI-) technique. The cytoplasm of the inner hair cells was scattered with a high number of calcium precipitates in all analysed animals, but only a few reaction products could be identified in the cytoplasm of the outer hair cells in all analyzed specimens. Even the well developed system of the subsurface fenestrated cisternae in the outer hair cells was nearly empty of calcium precipitates. A relatively high amount of reaction products could be identified in the nuclei of both types of nerve endings of the receptor cells. Significant differences regarding the content of precipitable calcium were found in the different types of nerve endings, which come into contact with the basal parts of both receptor cells. The observed differences in the content of precipitable calcium between the two types of hair cells are discussed with respect to their probable different roles in signal transduction processes.

Animals↗