Tonsillectomy: vasoconstrictive hydrolytic cold dissection method

"Background: Tonsillectomy; a common paediatric otolaryngology procedure; has undergone several evolutionary trends in the surgical techniques aimed at minimizing complications and improving patients' satisfaction. Despite the technological advancements in this respect; search for an ideal method is still ongoing; and some authorities are reverting back to the conventional methods. We wish to introduce the ""Vasoconstrictive hydrolytic cold dissection"" (VHCD) method. Patients and Methods: The VHCD method was described; and the outcome measures in one hundred and thirty-five patients who had the procedures were presented in . Data entrance was done with SPSS 14. Results: A total 135 patients comprising of 107 children aged 1-12 years and 28 adolescents/adults aged 14-52 years were operated upon using the VHCD between March 2009 and July 2012 by the same teams of Surgeons and Anaesthetists. The average surgical time and blood volume losses were 15 minutes and 5 mls for children and 12 mins and 10 mls for adults/adolescents; respectively. There was a single case (0.7) of post-tonsillar bleed (reactionary haemorrhage). The rest (99.3) recorded nil haemorrhage within and beyond first 2 weeks post-surgery. Conclusions: Surgeons used to other techniques of tonsillectomies may not revert to the cold steel; however; those practicing CSM will benefit from VHCD. We hereby recommend this simple; cost-effective modification of the cold steel tonsillectomy; which appears to have made dissection easier and also minimizes haemorrhage; a common complication of tonsillectomy surgery. It is timely in the advent of increased advocacy towards reversal to the conventional method of tonsillectomy. A randomized control trial is required for further evaluation of this method."

A survey of facial nerve dessection techniques in benign parotid surgery among maxillofacial and ear, nose, and throat surgeons in Nigeria

Objective: The aim of the present study is to identify the facial nerve dissection technique routinely used during parotidectomy for benign parotid tumors by Nigerian Oral and Maxillofacial (OMF) and Ear; Nose; and Throat (ENT) Surgeons. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based study was conducted among Oral and Maxillofacial and Ear; Nose; and Throat Surgeons in Nigeria; on their experience with antegrade and retrograde facial nerve dissection techniques in parotid surgery. The respondents were asked to indicate their choice of dissection techniques in revision parotidectomy; limited superficial parotidectomy; and in obese patients with large tumors. They were also asked to indicate if they routinely used perioperative facial nerve monitoring devices in parotid surgery for benign tumors. Result: About half (47.5) of them routinely used the antegrade technique; while only a few (12.5) used the retrograde technique. A large number of them (40); however; used a combination of antegrade and retrograde routinely. Technical ease was the main reason for the choice of technique. The antegrade technique was the technique of choice by most respondents for revision parotidectomy (60) and limited superficial parotidectomy (62). However; the retrograde approach was the technique of choice by most of them (47) in case of parotidectomy in obese patients with large tumors. The routine use of perioperative facial nerve monitoring devices is an uncommon practice among OMF and ENT surgeons in Nigeria. Conclusions: The antegrade approach for facial nerve dissection is the most common technique used in parotid surgery by Nigerian OMF and ENT surgeons. Nigerian surgeons need to consider the retrograde approach in selected cases of parotid surgery especially for localized tumors that are amenable to limited superficial parotidectomy. Inclusion of perioperative facial nerve monitoring devices is also advocated

Place de l'angioscanner dans le diagnostic de la dissection aortique

La dissection aigue de l'aorte thoracique est une urgence thérapeutique. L'imagerie doit rapidement poser le diagnostic et faire le bilan d'extension. Le but de ce travail est de montrer l'intérêt de l'angioscanner dans le diagnostic de DA à parti de 3 observations. Deux femmes de 40, 43 ans adressées pour dissection aortique thoracique et 1 homme de 60 ans pour anévrysme aorte abdominale ont bénéficié d'une échographie cardiaque et d'un angio-scanner de l'aorte thoraco-abdominale suivi de reconstructions multiplans. La TMD a permis de montrer une dissection de l'aorte ascendante dans 2 cas (stade A de Stanford) et de l'aorte abdominale dans 1 cas (stade B de Stanford) L'angioscanner a visualisé la membrane intimale décollée, précisé l'extension de la dissection, chiffré l'ectasie aortique dans les 3 cas et a monté des signes de gravité à type d'épanchement péricardique. L'angioscanner constitut une alternative fiable dans le diagnostic de DA. Elle est plus sensible que l'échographie transthoracique, moins opérateur dépendant que l'échographie transoesophagienne et plus facile à réaliser qu'une aortographie