Posterior septectomy in transnasal endoscopic choanoplasty

Congenital choanal atresia [CA] is a challenging surgical problem. Choosing between the transnasal and transpalatal routes is still a controversial feature in the surgical management of CA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of transnasal endoscopic choanoplasty with versus without posterior septectomy. Thirteen patients were included in this study [8 females and 5 males] aged 3 days to 17 years [mean age 4.06 years], 7 cases with bilateral CA and 6 cases with unilateral CA who underwent surgical repair at Al-Azhar university hospitals between 2004 and 2008. All patients underwent transnasal endoscopic repair using powered instrument. The first 5 cases had repair without posterior septectomy, while the last 8 cases had repair with posterior septectomy. All cases were stented for 4 to 6 weeks and followed for at least 10 months. Postoperatively, 11 patients [84.6%] had successful repair, while 2 cases [15.4%] had restenosis which needed revision surgery. Restenosis occurred in 2 of the 5 cases who underwent repair without posterior septectomy. No restenosis in patients who underwent repair with posterior septectomy. One patient developed pressure necrosis of the palate few days after surgery, which healed after replacement of the stent by a smaller one

Effect of acute and chronic pain on reproductive functions in female rats

In this work, 30 adult female rats were used to study the effect of acute and chronic pain on the reproductive functions. Rats were divided into three equal groups, i.e. control group, acute pain group [exposed to pain once for one hour] and chronic pain group [exposed to pain one hour daily for two weeks]. In each group, gonadotropines and sex hormones were measured .The uterus and ovaries of each group were examined microscopically for histopathological changes. The results showed that acute pain led to an increase in gonadotropines and sex hormones levels as well as histological changes in the uterus [some dilatation in the uterine lumen, decreased uterine vascularity and increased polymorph-nuclear leucocytes [PNL] infiltration and stromal cellularity] and the ovaries [increased number and viability of corpora lutea] The chronic pain led to an increase in FSH, and decrease in LH and sex hormones with, histological changes in the uterus [dilated uterine lumen with increased vascularity, PNL infiltration and stromal cellularity] and the ovary [viable corpora lutea disappeared and only regressive ones were found]. The results of this study showed that pain as a physiological stressor has negative effects on reproductive functions as it causes disturbances in the harmony of gonadotropines and sex hormones and their effects on target tissues

Studies of the genotoxic and histopathological effects of the organophosphorous insecticide 'profenofos' on white rats

Genotoxic effects of agricultural chemicals are of special concern because of their generally irreversible effects and the long latency associated with their manifestation. These effects include heritable genetic diseases, carcinogenesis, reproductive dysfunction and birth defects. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of the organophosphorous insecticide "profenofos" on white albino rats. The rats were treated for 28 days with three different doses of profenofos [1/20 LD50, 1/40 LD50, and 1/80 LD50]. Then the animals were left without treatments for 14 days for possible recovery. The genotoxic effect of the pesticide was evaluated by using the micronucleus assay in the bone marrow and polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase [GST] by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. The results demonstrated that the treatment with profenofos caused a significant increase in the frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. Results of polymorphism of both GSTM1 and GSTT1 showed positive genotype in the control group. While the results of GSTT1 polymorphism in the treated rats showed positive genotype in all doses of profenofos. The GSTM1 polymorphism showed positive genotype in the high and medium doses [1/20 LD50 and 1/40 LD50] but not in the low dose [1/80 LD50], where the GSTM1 was null [negative] genotype. After the recovery period the polymorphism of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was found to be positive genotype, except with the low dose [1/80 LD50] showed null genotype for GSTM1 gene. The histopathological data showed that profenofos exhibited histopathological changes in liver, kidney, spleen and tests. Liver showed hepatic cell damage with degenerative changes. The kidney showed heamorrhages, edema, necrosis and glomeruli shrinkage. The spleen showed slight deplesion of the lymphocytes of the white pulp. The tests showed interstitial edema and severe necrosis of spermatogenesis. From these results we concluded that the profenofos exert genotoxic and histopathological effects on albino white rats

value of recurrent laryngeal nerve identification and stimulation by usig intraoperative disposable nerve stimulator during thyoid operation

Recurrent laryngeal nerve [RLN] iatrogenic injury is one of the most serious complications in thyroid surgery. Paralysis of vocal cords can repesents a srious complication inducing, when bilateral, serious functional sequelae such as phonatory, respiratory and psychological problems that limit working capacities and social relationships of patients. This work is to study the importance of searching, identification and exposure of the RLN surgically and confirming this by using a disposable nerve stimulator to avoid its injury.Design: prospective study. Patients and Records of forty patients who underwent thyroidectomy by the authers at several Hospitals were reviewed for RLN paralysis between January2001 and December 2003. Intraoperative determination of RLN function was evaluated with a disposable nerve stimulator [Xomed, Jacksonville, Florida] set at 0.5 milliamper [mA]. Without the use of neuromuscular blockade during anesthesia, RLN function was assessed by palpating of the cricoarytenoid joint and posterior cricoaryteniod muscle while the stimulus was applied directly to nerve after identificantion. Postoperative, assessment of RLN integrity was determined by using flexible nasolaryngoscopy 7 days after the procedure to visualize the vocal cord mobility. RLNs were identified and stimulated intraoperatively in all patients. Concerning the postoperative results, flexible nasolaryngoscopy was utilized in all patients one week after the procedure. All patients had bilateral mobile vocal cords after the first week postoperatively. Conclusions: The authors concluded that iatrogenic injury to the RLN or to its branches could be avoided by searching, identifying, and exposing the nerve itself and by following its course with care. In addition, using intraoperative disposable nerve stimulator is very helpful in confirming the location and function of the RLN

Surgery of the inferior nasal turbinates: a comparative study of the operative outcomes of three techniques

In the present study, three of the widely practiced surgical procedures for the reduction of the size of the inferior turbinates, i.e. Partial inferior turbinectomy [PIT], submucous diathermy [SMD] and submucous turbinectomy or turbinoplasty [ST or TP] were assessed for subjective efficacy and morbidity. In all cases, turbinectomy was performed as an isolated procedure. The study was conducted on three groups of 90 adult patients [assigned into three groups of 30 patients each] with symptoms and signs of nasal obstruction due to enlargement of inferior turbinates. All patients were followed up for two weeks after surgery and after two months with subjective assessments of nasal breathing. The data obtained showed that the three procedures are relatively safe, effective, well-tolerated and do not require an expensive instrumentation. Nevertheless, when turbinectomy deemed necessary, the most conservative techniques are preferred

Auditory cognition - heart beats physiological axis

Electrocardiogram [ECG] tracings were recorded from normal 28 male subjects in response to an attentive auditory task. Data regarding the changes in ECG that occur on listening to the rare tone bursts were calculated and compared with those on listening to frequent tone bursts. P wave showed longer duration and lower amplitude, in response to rare stimuli, indicating longer, but weaker atrial contraction. QRS complex and P-R interval did not show significant differences between the listening of the two types of stimuli. T wave showed shorter duration and lower amplitude on listening to rare stimuli indicating faster and less ventricular relaxation. The present work denoted that not only passive hearing, but also the active listening had changes in the cardiac cycle

Potentiometric and spectroscopic studies of some new rhodanine derivatives and its Ag [I], Hg [II] and Cu [II] complexes

A new series of benzylidenerhodanine derivatives and their complexes with Ag [I], Hg [II] and Cu [II] ions have been prepared. The reagents and its complexes were characterized by elemental and thermal analyses, IR and electronic absorption spectra. Probable modes of chelation with these new reagents are discussed. The protonation constants of rhodanine derivatives and the conditional stability constants of the formed complexes were determined for 1: 1 molar ratio in 50% [v/v] ethanol-water medium at 25C [NaClO4]. X-ray diffraction patterns for pure complexes were recovered to throw more light on their structure

Spectroscopic studies of new symmetrical schiff base compounds derived from 7-formyl-8-hydroxyquinoline with aliphatic and aromatic diamines

The electronic absorption spectra of some new symmetrical Schiff bases derived from 7-formyl-8-hydroxyquinoline [FHQ] with aliphatic and aromatic diamines are investigated in organic solvents of varying polarities. The important bands in the IR spectra of the compounds as well as the main signals in the 1HNMR spectra were discussed in relation to molecular structure. Mass spectra and the mechanism leading to different fragment ions of the compounds were also discussed

Reactivity of some butenolides towards intramolecular alkylation reactions

A furfurylidene -gamma- aryl delta- beta, Nu- butenolides Ib react with anhydrous aluminium chloride in the presence of toluene or anisole to give the same products obtained when benzene was used as a solvent, 4-arylbenzofuran-6-carboxylic acids III. The preferred intramolecular alkylation in case of Ib compared with the fluorenylidene analogues la, which under the same conditions undergo inter-molecular alkylation, is explained in terms of HMO calculations