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A bacteriological study of perforated duodenal ulcers.

Peritoneal fluid sampling and bacteriological examination were performed in 63 patients with perforated duodenal ulcers, and the results compared with those in 175 patients with other perforations. Bacterial culture was positive in 100 per cent of the patients whose perforations occurred in the colon, whereas it was positive in only 44.4 per cent of those with duodenal perforations, being negative in many cases when the interval from perforation to surgery was short. A mixed contamination with both aerobes and anaerobes was usually found in the cases of lower digestive tract perforation, and the isolates from duodenal perforations were uniquely aerobes in most cases. It is suggested that bacteria play a minor role in the pathogenesis of early stage duodenal perforation, which supports the technique of primary closure without indwelling drainage tubes during early stage operations following sufficient peritoneal lavage. Moreover, if the stomach is empty at the time of perforation and the peritonitis is localized, even conservative therapy seems possible, provided it is begun shortly after the perforation.

Adolescent↗

Typhoid colonic perforation in childhood: a ten-year experience.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal perforation resulting from a complication of typhoid fever has always been of concern because of its high morbidity and mortality rates. Most perforations occur in the terminal ileum. METHODS: Between May 1995 and June 2005, 24 children with typhoid colonic perforations receiving operations were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were 5 months to 86 months of age (mean: 25.1+/-17.5 months). Surgical management consisted of primary closure of the perforation with ileostomy (70.8%), wedge resection and simple closure (20.8%), and partial colectomy with colostomy (4.2%). For the 11 patients with solitary cecal perforation, 6 received simple closure with ileostomy (group I), and wedge resection and simple closure was performed in the remaining 5 patients (group C). After operation, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was instituted in each patient. RESULTS: Solitary cecal perforation is the most common type (45.8%). The length of hospital stay (LOS) varied from 12 days to 73 days, and the mean duration was 24.5+/-14.7 days. The LOS showed no significant difference with regard to the location and the number of perforations. No mortality was noted in the entire series, but 19 patients had one or more complications, which may have prolonged the LOS; anemia and wound infections were the two most common problems. Group C had the shorter LOS (16.4+/-3.4 days, versus 40.2+/-22.6 days for group I) and fewer complications (0.6+/-0.5, versus 3.25+/-1.7 for group I). Any readmission for secondary operation to restore intestinal continuity in group C was therefore avoided. CONCLUSIONS: To understand thoroughly the clinical course of typhoid fever is important. The typically high rate of complications after intestinal perforation secondary to typhoid fever may be reduced if operation is undertaken earlier. Solitary cecal perforation can be managed safely with wedge resection and simple closure without bowel exterioration. Routine usage of TPN may reduce the mortality associated with complications resulting from typhoid perforations.

Age Factors↗

Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract secondary to ingestion of foreign bodies.

INTRODUCTION: Ingesting a foreign body (FB) is not an uncommon occurrence. Most pass through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract uneventfully, and perforation is rare. The aim of this study was to report our experience with ingested FB perforations of the GI tract treated surgically at our institution. METHODS: A total of 62 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for an ingested FB perforation of the GI tract between 1990 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Three patients with no definite FB demonstrated intraoperatively were included. RESULTS: The patients had a median age of 58 years, and 37 (60%) were male. Of the 59 FBs recovered, 55 (93%) were toothpicks and dietary FBs such as fish bones or bone fragments. A definitive preoperative history of FB ingestion was obtained for only two patients, and 36 of 52 patients (69%) wore dentures. Altogether, 18 (29%) perforations occurred in the anus or distal rectum, and 44 perforations were intraabdominal, with the most common abdominal site being the distal ileum (39%). Patients with FB perforations in the stomach, duodenum, and large intestine were significantly more likely to be afebrile (P = 0.043), to have chronic symptoms (> 3 days) (P < 0.001), to have a normal total white blood cell count (P < 0.001), and to be asymptomatic or present with an abdominal mass or abscess (P < 0.001) compared to those with FB perforations in the jejunum and ileum. CONCLUSIONS: Ingested FB perforation in the adult population is most commonly secondary to unconscious accidental ingestion and is frequently caused by dietary FBs especially fish bones. A preoperative history of FB ingestion is thus rarely obtained, although wearing dentures is a common risk factor. FB perforations of the stomach, duodenum, and large intestine tend to present with a longer, more innocuous clinical picture than perforations in the jejunum or ileum.

Adult↗

Perforated peptic ulcer treated by simple closure and Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Simple closure followed by Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication has become the most used procedure in perforated ulcer treatment. However, its efficacy and safety are still to be determined. To assess recurrence and re-perforation rates, and as a secondary objective, to analyze Hp infection rates in perforated ulcer patients and controls, we conducted a prospective study. Ninety-two consecutive patients (ages: 19-96 years) were operated on between 1996 and 2002, and treated by simple closure followed by Hp eradication and NSAID avoidance. The data were prospectively collected in a database. Hp infection was diagnosed in 68 patients (73.9%). Thirty-four patients (37%) consumed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and 23 (25%) had both Hp infection and NSAID antecedents. The perforation was gastric in 4 cases and pre-pyloric, pyloric or duodenal in 88. There were postoperative complications in 24 patients (26%) and 4 patients died (4.3%). Hp eradication was shown in 46 patients. There was clinical ulcer recurrence in 4 (4.3%); in 3 of them recurrence manifested as re-perforation, all in gastric locations. Overall relapse and re-perforation 1-year crude rates were 6.1% and 4.1%, respectively. Crude rates for non-gastric ulcer recurrence were 0 at 1 year and 2.6% at 2 years and for non-gastric ulcer re-perforation rates were 0 at 1 and 2 years. This therapeutic strategy is associated with a low rate of recurrence and no re-perforations in case of duodenal, pyloric, or pre-pyloric perforated ulcers, but it is not acceptable for perforated gastric ulcers.

Adult↗

The survival rate and prognostic factors in 26 perforated colorectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The treatment for perforated colorectal cancer is not easy and the prognosis for this disease is not so predictable. There are some controversies about performing radical operations because colorectal cancer perforation was considered as an advanced stage disease due to the possibility of tumor cell dissemination through the perforation site. METHODS: We selected and enrolled 26 patients with perforated colorectal cancers among the 1,227 patients who underwent operation for colorectal cancer. These cases were retrospectively analyzed by using their medical records and clinicopathological data. RESULTS: Twenty-eight cases (2.3%) with perforated colorectal cancers were studied and the overall operative mortality rate was 11%. The overall 5-year survival rate was 57.8% when excluding the operative mortality. The overall 5-year cancer-free survival rate was 52.8%. There were significant differences in the survival rate and the cancer-free survival rate between the stages (p=0.008 and p<0.001, respectively). A univariate analysis of the prognostic factors revealed that the number of the metastatic lymph nodes (p=0.018) and the perforation proximal to the cancer (p=0.005) were significantly correlated to worse survival, and the higher number of the metastatic lymph nodes was correlated to a poorer cancer-free survival rate (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: For the perforated colorectal cancers, the stage, the perforation proximal to the cancer, and the number of the metastatic lymph nodes were correlated, with the survival and the cancer-free survival as factors of a poor prognosis. The surgical approach selected for perforated colorectal cancer should be in line with the principles of an appropriate cancer operation because the clinical pathway of perforated colorectal cancer is similar to that of uncomplicated colorectal cancer.

Adult↗

Esophageal perforation: a therapeutic challenge.

The records of 64 patients with esophageal perforation treated since 1958 were reviewed. There were 19 cervical perforations, 44 thoracic perforations, and one abdominal perforation. Thirty-one perforations (48%) were due to injury from intraluminal causes. Twenty (31%) resulted from extraluminal causes: penetrating wounds, 11; blunt trauma, 3; and paraesophageal operations, 6. Eleven (17%) were spontaneous perforations, and two (3%) were caused by perforation of an esophageal malignancy. Ten (91%) of 11 patients with cervical perforations treated less than 24 hours after injury survived compared with 6 (75%) of 8 patients treated more than 24 hours after injury; hence 16 (84%) of the 19 patients in the cervical group survived. In the thoracic group, 19 patients were treated within 24 hours with 16 survivors (84%) compared with 25 patients treated beyond 24 hours with 12 survivors (48%); hence 28 (64%) of the 44 patients in the thoracic group survived. The patient with an abdominal perforation survived. Thirty patients underwent primary suture closure of the perforation, and 25 (83%) lived. Seventeen patients had drainage, and 10 (59%) lived. Total esophagectomy was performed in 9 patients, 7 (78%) of whom survived. Exclusion-diversion procedures were performed in 5 patients, and 1 (20%) survived.

Adult↗

CT in acute perforated sigmoid diverticulitis.

BACKGROUND: To assess the value of computed tomography (CT) in patients with acute perforated sigmoid diverticulitis in correlation with the Hinchey classification of perforated diverticular disease. METHODS: Thirty patients with acute perforated sigmoid diverticulitis underwent computed tomography prior to surgery. Computed tomography scans were compared with the surgical and histopathological reports, utilizing the Hinchey classification. RESULTS: In 28 of the 30 (93%) patients examined, the Hinchey stage was correctly determined by means of computed tomography. One patient with Hinchey stage IV was falsely classified as Hinchey stage III, and one patient with Hinchey stage III as Hinchey stage II. Computed tomography revealed 12 out of 14 (86%) patients with perforation sites and 3 out of 3 (100%) patients with contained perforation. In one of 17 (6%) patients with surgically or histopathologically proven perforation or contained perforation, a bowel wall discontinuity was revealed by computed tomography. In 6 of the 17 (35%) patients with surgical or histopathological perforation or contained perforation, extraluminal contrast material was detected by computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography is a valuable imaging tool for determining the degree of acute perforated sigmoid diverticulitis, by means of which patients can be stratified according to the severity of the disease; furthermore, this tool is of assistance in surgical planning.

Acute Disease↗

A pilot study of endoscopic closure of colonic perforations with endoclips in a swine model.

BACKGROUND: Surgical closure of a colon perforation is accompanied by the risks of general anesthesia and prolonged recovery from surgery because of ileus and other sequelae. Very little is known about the effectiveness of endoluminal repair of colon perforations with clips, which eliminates incisions of the abdominal wall and provides a less invasive alternative to surgical closure. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and the safety of endoscopic closure of colonic perforations with endoclips in a porcine model. METHODS: Approximately 1.5- to 2-cm colon perforations created with a needle knife in 4 50-kg, female pigs that were under general anesthesia were closed with endoclips. After 24 hours of recovery, the animals were allowed to eat. All the animals received intravenous antibiotics and were carefully monitored for signs of sepsis. After a follow-up of 1 week, the pigs were euthanized for postmortem examination. The fifth pig was euthanized immediately after closure of a 5-cm colon perforation with clips to evaluate the extent of transmural closure with endoclips. RESULTS: The animals recovered well, without any clinical features of sepsis or peritonitis. Postmortem examination did not reveal fecal peritonitis, and there was no evidence of pericolonic abscess formation at the site of perforation. The perforation site showed signs of healing without any evidence of transmural dehiscence. Histopathology demonstrated granulation tissue bridging the site of perforation. In the fifth pig, euthanized immediately after closure of the perforation, nice mucosal apposition was seen, while the muscular and serosal coats remained dehisced. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic closure of small iatrogenic colon perforations with clips results in mucosal and submucosal healing and prevents fecal soiling of peritoneal cavity.

Animals↗

Inadvertent perforation of the rectum during abdominoperineal resection.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative inadvertent perforation of the rectum is a potentially avoidable complication of abdominoperineal resection (APR). Although widely thought to be detrimental, the impact of inadvertent perforation on outcome has not been conclusively determined, especially after controlling for potential confounding variables. The objective of this study was to determine if inadvertent perforation of the rectum during APR for rectal cancer is an independent risk factor for the adverse outcomes of local recurrence and/or death. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all patients who underwent APR for primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum at a single teaching hospital from 1980 to 1990. Data were obtained regarding patient demographics, presence of inadvertent perforation, histopathological characteristics, adjuvant therapy, local recurrence, and survival. RESULTS: Of 178 patients included in the study, 42 (24%) had inadvertent perforation. By univariate analysis, local recurrence was significantly higher in the perforated group than the nonperforated group (54% vs 17%; P < 0.001). Similarly, 5-year survival was significantly decreased with inadvertent perforation (29% vs 59%; P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis controlling for stage, grade, age, sex, and adjuvant therapy showed inadvertent perforation to be an independent risk factor for both increased local recurrence and decreased 5-year survival (Hazard Ratio for each model). CONCLUSIONS: Inadvertent perforation of the rectum during APR is associated with increased local recurrence and decreased 5-year survival. The detrimental implications of inadvertent perforation during APR mandates meticulous avoidance.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Rate of persistent perforation after elective tympanostomy tube removal in pediatric patients.

This study was performed to determine the rate of persistent perforations according to age, tube type and duration of intubation in children who underwent elective tympanostomy tube removal. Our retrospective analysis of hospital and clinic charts included all patients who underwent elective tube removal from July 1995 to December 1997 at our institution. Information from the chart review included patient age at time of tube removal, type of tube removed, duration of intubation, presence of granulation tissue/polyps, and concomitant paper patch placement. The outcome of each surgical removal was determined by examining follow-up clinic charts. A patient was deemed to have a persistent perforation if the eardrum had not adequately healed within 3 months after surgery. Data on 201 patients were gathered. These patients had 273 tube removals. Eleven percent of ears (29/273) had persistent perforations. According to tube type, no perforations (0/48) occurred with Collar Bobbin tubes, 6% (3/50) with Tytan tubes, 7% (3/44) with Duravent tubes, and 22% (16/74) with Paparella II tubes. Three percent (3/101) of tubes in place for <3 years and 15% (26/172) of tubes in place for >3 years showed persistent perforations after removal. Ears with granulation polyps had a 9% (18/203) rate of perforations, whereas those without granulation polyps had a 16% (11/70) rate of perforations. Forty percent (4/10) of ears were treated with paper patches at the time of tube removal showed persistent perforations. Our data indicate that the rate of persistent perforation (11%) after elective tympanostomy tube removal is high. The factors associated with higher rates of persistent perforation (P<0.05) include duration of intubation >3 years prior to removal and the use of long-term Paparella II tubes.

Child↗

Membrane properties of identified lateral and medial perforant pathway projection neurons.

The physiological characteristics of neurons that project to the hippocampus and dentate gyrus via the medial perforant pathway (projection neurons) are well known, but the characteristics of neurons that project to these areas via the lateral perforant pathway (projection neurons) are less well known. We have used retrograde tracing and whole-cell recording in brain slices to compare the membrane and firing properties of medial perforant pathway and lateral perforant pathway projection neurons in layer II of the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex. The properties of medial perforant pathway projection neurons were identical to those reported previously for spiny stellate neurons in the medial entorhinal cortex. In contrast, lateral perforant pathway projection neurons were characterized by a higher input resistance, a lack of time-dependent inward (anomalous) rectification, and a lack of prominent depolarizing spike afterpotentials. Voltage-clamp recordings suggest that the absence of anomalous rectification in lateral perforant pathway projection neurons is due to smaller hyperpolarization activated cation currents in these cells, and the lack of depolarizing afterpotential may be due to smaller low-threshold calcium currents. Persistent sodium current was also smaller in lateral perforant pathway projection neurons, but the difference in persistent sodium current between medial perforant pathway and lateral perforant projection neurons was much less pronounced than the difference in low voltage activated currents. These results underscore the functional differences between the medial entorhinal cortex and lateral entorhinal cortex, and may help to explain the differing abilities of these cortical areas to participate in certain types of network activity.

Action Potentials↗

Comparison of the repair of permanent tympanic membrane perforations by hydrocolloidal dressing and paper patch.

Thirty consecutive patients with permanent perforations of their tympanic membranes (TM) present from 2.5 to 50 years (mean 18.7 years) were admitted to a prospective study using two alternative methods of dressings for closure of the perforations. An adhesive-coated hydrocolloid material was compared with a conventional dressing of vaseline impregnated rice paper patch after de-epithelialization of the perforation border. Nine of the permanent TM perforations (30 per cent), five with the hydrocolloidal dressing and four with the rice paper patch had healed when followed-up after one year. The size of eight of the central perforations that had healed was equal to or less than 25 per cent of the TM. Also one perforation with a size of 65 per cent had healed. Seven perforations were located in the posterior part of the TM: four in the posterior-superior quadrant, one in the inferior quadrant, one had engulfed the posterior half of the TM and one included the anterior-inferior quadrant. Only two perforations out of 14, with a size of 25 per cent or less, located in the anterior-inferior quadrant, healed. No significant difference was demonstrated between the two types of dressings. Both groups noted an immediate improvement in hearing of 10.8 and 9.3 dB, respectively, after application of the dressing. The study demonstrates that application of an occlusive dressing or paper patch in 30 per cent of patients can promote the healing of long-standing perforations. The chances for healing are better if the perforation is located in the posterior part of the TM. This simple technique immediately improved hearing and should be tried before a patient is referred for myringoplasty surgery.

Adolescent↗

Gastrointestinal perforations in the neonatal period.

Forty-eight neonates were treated for gastrointestinal perforation during a 9-year period. In 30, perforation occurred within the first week of life. Thirty-six were preterm infants and many had a history of obstetric and postnatal complications. Perforation resulted from necrotizing enterocolitis in 26 patients, whereas in 14 neonates spontaneous perforation occurred in an apparently normal bowel, with no evident cause (idiopathic perforation). In 6 patients perforation was associated with meconium ileus. Primary closure was carried out for perforations of the duodenum and stomach. Intestinal perforations were usually treated by resection and enterostomies. The overall mortality rate in this series was 46%. The highest mortality rate was associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (62%). The mortality rate was only 14% in patients with idiopathic perforation. Despite improvement in the prognosis of neonatal gastrointestinal perforations in recent years, it is still discouraging, reflecting the difficulty in preventing and treating necrotizing enterocolitis.

Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous↗

Mechanisms of gastric and esophageal perforations during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine possible mechanisms of 17 gastric and esophageal perforations that occurred during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. METHODS: Specific details of each perforation relating to mechanism of injury, surgeon experience, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome were obtained. For each perforation, an attempt was made to accurately determine the mechanism of perforation. RESULTS: Three mechanisms accounted for the 17 perforations, the majority of which occurred within the first ten laparoscopic Nissen fundoplications performed by the surgeon. Ten perforations resulted from injuries related to improper retroesophageal dissection, five occurred during passage of the bougie dilator or nasogastric tube, and two occurred after surgery secondary to suture pullthrough. Six patients received a delayed diagnosis, which adversely affected outcome. Most of the perforations were successfully managed by primary closure and wrap to include the repair. Morbidity was significantly increased for perforations recognized late. One death, attributed to sepsis, occurred in association with a delay in diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric and esophageal perforations are serious complications of the new laparoscopic method of Nissen fundoplication. The mechanisms of these complications are specifically related to limitations of the laparoscopic technique. Prevention of these potentially lethal complications requires a full understanding of the detailed anatomy of the gastroesophageal region and awareness of the recognized mechanisms of perforation.

Adult↗

Laparoscopic repair for perforated peptic ulcer: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of open versus laparoscopic repair for perforated peptic ulcers. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Omental patch repair with peritoneal lavage is the mainstay of treatment for perforated peptic ulcers in many institutions. Laparoscopic repair has been used to treat perforated peptic ulcers since 1990, but few randomized studies have been carried out to compare open versus laparoscopic procedures. METHODS: From January 1994 to June 1997, 130 patients with a clinical diagnosis of perforated peptic ulcer were randomly assigned to undergo either open or laparoscopic omental patch repair. Patients were excluded for a history of upper abdominal surgery, concomitant evidence of bleeding from the ulcer, or gastric outlet obstruction. Patients with clinically sealed-off perforations without signs of peritonitis or sepsis were treated without surgery. Laparoscopic repair would be converted to an open procedure for technical difficulties, nonjuxtapyloric gastric ulcers, or perforations larger than 10 mm. A Gastrografin meal was performed 48 to 72 hours after surgery to document sealing of the perforation. The primary end-point was perioperative parenteral analgesic requirement. Secondary endpoints were operative time, postoperative pain score, length of postoperative hospital stay, complications and deaths, and the date of return to normal daily activities. RESULTS: Nine patients with a surgical diagnosis other than perforated peptic ulcer were excluded; 121 patients entered the final analysis. There were 98 male and 23 female patients recruited, ages 16 to 89 years. The two groups were comparable in age, sex, site and size of perforations, and American Society of Anesthesiology classification. There were nine conversions in the laparoscopic group. After surgery, patients in the laparoscopic group required significantly less parenteral analgesics than those who underwent open repair, and the visual analog pain scores in days 1 and 3 after surgery were significantly lower in the laparoscopic group as well. Laparoscopic repair required significantly less time to complete than open repair. The median postoperative stay was 6 days in the laparoscopic group versus 7 days in the open group. There were fewer chest infections in the laparoscopic group. There were two intraabdominal collections in the laparoscopic group. One patient in the laparoscopic group and three patients in the open group died after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic repair of perforated peptic ulcer is a safe and reliable procedure. It was associated with a shorter operating time, less postoperative pain, reduced chest complications, a shorter postoperative hospital stay, and earlier return to normal daily activities than the conventional open repair.

Adolescent↗

Small bowel perforation: is urgent surgery necessary?

BACKGROUND: Controversies regarding how urgent bowel perforation should be diagnosed and treated exist in recent reports. The approach for early diagnosis is also debatable. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the relationship between treatment delay and outcome of small bowel perforation after blunt abdominal trauma and to determine the best assessment plan for the diagnosis of this injury. METHODS: One hundred eleven consecutive patients with small bowel perforations caused by blunt abdominal trauma were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into four groups according to the time interval between injury and surgery. Hospital stay, time to resume oral intake, and mortality and morbidity rates were compared between groups. Physical signs, laboratory and computed tomographic findings, and the results of diagnostic peritoneal lavage were analyzed to find the most sensitive and specific test for early diagnosis of small bowel perforation. RESULTS: Delay in surgery for more than 24 hours did not significantly increase the mortality with modern method of treatment; however, complications increased dramatically. Hospital stay and time to resume oral intake increased significantly when surgery was delayed for more than 24 hours. Abdominal tenderness was a common finding, but it was not specific for bowel perforation. Only 40% of the computed tomographic scans were diagnostic for bowel perforations: 50% of them showed suggestive signs, and 10% were considered as negative. Persistence of abdominal signs indicated peritoneal lavage. By using cell count ratio in diagnostic peritoneal lavage and/or increased lavage amylase activity, presence of particulate matter and/or bacteria in the lavage fluid, all patients with intraperitoneal bowel perforation were diagnosed accurately before operation. CONCLUSION: Small bowel perforation has low mortality and complication rates if it is treated earlier than 24 hours after injury. The principle of "rushing to the operation suite" for a stable blunt abdominal trauma patients without detailed systemic examination is not justified. The priority of treatment for the small bowel perforation should be lower than the limb-threatening injuries. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage provides high sensitivity and specificity rates for the diagnosis of small bowel perforation if a specially designed positive criterion is applied.

Abdominal Injuries↗

A new method for closing tympanic membrane perforations using basic fibroblast growth factor.

OBJECTIVE: To present a new method for closing tympanic membrane perforations using basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) combined with an atelocollagen/silicone bilayer membrane as a patch material. STUDY DESIGN: Closure of tympanic membrane perforations was attempted using bFGF, which is thought to facilitate the growth of fibroblasts and collagen fibers at the margin of the perforation. METHODS: Under an operating microscope, the margin of the perforation was trimmed, and a piece of an atelocollagen/silicone bilayer membrane infiltrated with 0.2 mL Trafermin (0.1% solution) (bFGF group) or saline (control group) was then placed in the perforation with the silicon layer facing outward. Nine patients were treated with bFGF, and five were treated with saline. Data obtained from patient records included patient age, perforation size, and duration of treatment, with a focus on hearing improvement and complete tympanic membrane closure. RESULTS: The mean perforation size before treatment was 16.5% in the bFGF group and 9.6% in the control group. Closure of the tympanic membrane perforation was achieved in all cases in the bFGF group, whereas it was achieved in only two of five cases in the control group. With bFGF treatment, the tympanic membrane perforations closed completely within 3.7 weeks, and hearing improved by 13.3 dB in the bFGF group. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that bFGF combined with an atelocollagen/silicone bilayer membrane is effective for the conservative treatment of tympanic membrane perforation.

Adult↗

Middle-ear function with tympanic-membrane perforations. II. A simple model.

A quantitative model of the human middle ear with a tympanic-membrane (TM) perforation is developed. The model is constrained by several types of acoustic measurements made on human cadaver ears, which indicate that perforation-induced changes in transmission result primarily from changes in driving pressure across the TM and that perforation-induced change in the structure of the TM and its coupling to the ossicles contributes a substantially smaller component. The model represents the effect of a perforation on the pressure difference across the TM by inclusion of a path for sound coupling through the perforation from the ear canal to the middle-ear cavity. The model implies that hearing loss with perforations depends primarily on three quantities: the perforation diameter, sound frequency, and the volume of air in the middle-ear cavity. For the conditions that produce the largest hearing loss (low frequency and large perforation), the model yields a simple dependence of loss on frequency, perforation diameter, and middle-ear cavity volume. Predictions from this model may be useful to clinicians in determining whether, in particular cases, hearing losses are explainable by the observed perforations or if additional pathology must be involved.

Deafness↗