A method to calculate the volume of palatine tonsils.

The purpose of this study was to obtain a mathematical formula to calculate the tonsillar volume out of its measurements assessed on surgical specimens. Thirty consecutive surgical specimens of pediatric tonsils were studied. The maximum lengths ("a"), widths ("b"), and depths ("c") of the dissected specimens were measured in millimeters, and the volume of each tonsil was measured in milliliters. One-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to check the normality of the sample. To calculate the reproducibility of the quantitative variables, intraclass correlation coefficients were used. Two formulas with high reproducibility (coefficient R between 0.75 and 1) were obtained: 1) [a*b*c* 0.5236] with R = 0.8688; and 2) [a*b*b* 0.3428] with R = 0.9073. It is possible to calculate the volume of the palatine tonsils in surgical specimens precisely enough based on their three measures, or their two main measures (length and width).

Long-term results of open cordectomy for the treatment of T1a glottic laryngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term results and prognostic factors in patients who have undergone open cordectomy (OC) for the treatment of T(1a) glottic laryngeal carcinoma. METHODS: One hundred four epidermoid cancer patients operated from January 1989 through December 1999 were included in the study. Clinical parameters, postoperative complications, and postoperative stay were retrospectively evaluated in all cases. RESULTS: Mean survival for the patients included in the study was 61.5+/-24.8 months after the date of operation (range: 11-121 months). Ninety-four patients did not have recurrent tumor (90.4%). Local, regional and distant recurrence were linked with a statistical negative impact on survival rates (p<0.05). Only sero-hematoma was significantly related to local recurrence (p<0.05), whereas the remainder complications did not. None of the complications was associated with neck recurrence or distant metastasis (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Open cordectomy is nowadays a valid technique for the surgical treatment of T(1a) glottic laryngeal carcinoma. Its results are comparable with those of other more recent techniques.

[History of the tonsil surgery]. / Historia de la cirugía amigdalar.

Tonsillectomy is one of the more frequent surgical techniques in the otolaryngological practice. In the first century A. D., Cornelius Celsus in Rome described the removal of the tonsils. Since them, devices used for tonsillectomy included a wide variety of instruments as snares, guillotines, scalpels ("cold" and ultrasonic), forceps and lasers. Likewise, the improvement of the anesthetic procedures and the perioperative management have contributed greatly to success with this surgical procedure. To sum up, the instruments and procedures used for tonsillectomy have evolved to render it a precise operation.

Utility of prophylactic antibiotics in pediatric adenoidectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the utility of prophylactic antibiotics in non-risk pediatric patients undergoing adenoidectomy. METHODS: We performed a prospective, controlled, randomized, and double-blind study on patients under 14 years of age, scheduled for adenoidectomy who accomplished the following criteria: absence of immunosuppressive and/or cardiovascular risk factors, no antimicrobial therapy for at least 15 days prior to operation, and no fever 1 week before surgery. Venous blood samples for culture were obtained at 30s and 20 min after the curettage of adenoidal tissue. Likewise, immediate and delayed complications were registered in all cases. The usefulness of prophylaxis was analyzed according to three major standpoints: bacteremia, immediate complications, and delayed complications. RESULTS: One-hundred one patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Fifty-one children received prophylaxis and the remainder did not. In the non-prophylactic group incidence of bacteremia at 30s was significantly higher than in the prophylactic group (32.7% versus 4.0%) (p<0.001). Neither bacteremia at 20 min, nor immediate or delayed complications showed statistical differences between both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis in pediatric adenoidectomy did not offer advantages preventing complications in non-risk patients. Only bacteremia that occurs 30s after the curettage of adenoid tissue is reduced with the employment of prophylactic antibiotics.

Neurological complications following functional neck dissection.

A retrospective study was done to assess the incidence and factors associated with neurological complications in patients who have undergone a functional neck dissection (FND). Four hundred forty-two epidermoid cancer patients operated on from January 1984 to December 2002 were included in the study. Clinical parameters, neurological sequelae, and other complications were evaluated in all cases. The incidence of neural damage was calculated on the nerves at risk (n =714). Paralysis of the 11th nerve occurred in 12 cases (1.68%). A lesion of the marginal branch of the 7th cranial nerve was observed in nine cases (1.26%). Bernard-Horner's syndrome and hypoglossal nerve paralysis were noted in four and three cases (0.56 and 0.42%), respectively. Thus, the incidence of neurological sequelae after FND is low. Neurological complications were not associated with either clinical parameters or non-neurological complications (P >0.05). None of the factors studied can predict the appearance of neural problems in the postoperative period.

Bacteremia following pediatric adenoidectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Adenoidectomy is frequently performed in children. The goals of this work were to determine the incidence of bacteremia during the adenoidectomy, to identify the microorganisms implicated, and to analyze the possible association of bacteremia with postoperative complications. METHODS: One hundred pediatric patients operated of adenoidectomy without preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis were prospectively included in this study. They had no immunosuppressive and/or cardiovascular risk factors, no antimicrobial therapy for at least 15 days prior to operation, and no fever 1 week before surgery. Venous blood samples were obtained 30 s and 20 min after the curettage of adenoidal tissue. RESULTS: The 33 and 14% of the samples were positive at 30 s and 20 min. The organism more commonly isolated was the streptococcus viridans. Bacteremia was only related to postoperative acute otitis media (p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Bacteremia exists after pediatric adenoidectomy, although it seldom correlates with clinical signs or symptoms. Postoperative acute otitis media is the only complication related to postsurgical bacteremia.

Status of internal jugular veins in patients with carcinomas of the head and neck area.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the status of internal jugular veins (IJV) in patients with head and neck carcinomas. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: This study included 108 IJV of 54 cancer patients who were prospectively evaluated between September 1994 and February 1997. Patency, presence of thrombosis, characteristics of vein wall, compressibility, area of the veins both in rest and during Valsalva maneuver, expiratory flow speed, Valsalva flow speed, jugular flow in each side, and total jugular flow were registered in all cases. Also, 30 IJV of 15 normal volunteers were used as a control group. The study was performed in a tertiary care referral center. RESULTS: Right expiratory flow speed was higher in volunteers (P = 0.0280), and left basal area was bigger in oncologic patients (P = 0.0394). No significant changes were found between cancer patients and controls in the remaining parameters (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: According to these results, head and neck carcinomas do not seem to affect the ultrasonographic characteristics of IJV. Thus, preoperative evaluation of IJV is not mandatory in these patients.

[Does clustering exist in non-traumatic epistaxis?]. / Existe agrupación en las epistaxis no traumáticas?

OBJECTIVE: Non traumatic epistaxis seems to be clustering in different periods. This paper tries to find out if there is any relationship between incidence of epistaxis and the year season, month, week, day, hour and/or lunar phase. METHODS: We have retrospectively studied 754 episodes seen between May 2001 and April 2002 in our Hospital. The following parameters were registered in each patient: age, sex, number of episodes, season, month, week, day, hour and lunar phase. RESULTS: Epistaxis represented 12.1% of the total otolaryngological emergencies. That means an incidence of 0.1% of non traumatic epistaxis which needed hospital specialized attention. We found statistical differences (p = 0.003) in the number of epistaxis per day and the different months (greater in june and november). No differences were found in the remaining periods studied. CONCLUSIONS: This paper shows monthly clustering of epistaxis episodes.

Analysis of the causes of immediate unanticipated bleeding after pediatric adenotonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence of unexpected postoperative bleeding in children undergoing adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy (T&A), and to investigate its possible undetected haematological causes. METHODS: We prospectively collected all patients under 14 years of age with a normal preoperative haematologic work-up (activated partial thromboplastic time, prothrombin time, fibrinogen, and platelet count), who underwent surgery of adenoids and/or tonsils at our institution between January 1997 and November 2000. RESULTS: There were 1516 cases that accomplished the inclusion criteria in the period of survey. Thirteen patients bled after surgery. This represents an incidence of 0.8% of immediate postoperative haemorrhage among the 1516 procedures analyzed. No statistical differences were found between bleeding and non-bleeding patients according to age, sex, and type of procedure (P>0.05). In 6 of the 13 bleeding patients (46.1%) an alteration of the coagulation system was subsequently found: 5 von Willebrand's disease, and 1 releasing thrombopathy. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of bleeding after adeno and/or tonsillectomy at our institution is comparable with series previously reported in the current medical literature. In nearly one half of the cases, undetected coagulation diseases (mainly von Willebrand's disease) are diagnosed after surgery in the haematological study.

[Cost-benefit analysis of the anatomo-pathological study of tonsillectomy specimens in the pediatric population]. / Análisis costo-beneficio del estudio anatomopatológico de las piezas de amigdalectomía en la población pediátrica.

To study the cost-benefit of the histological examination of tonsilar samples, we evaluated 567 cases (547 routine and 20 nonroutine cases) of patients under 14 years of age, operated between 1st January 1996 and 30th November 2000. There were 2 routine cases (0.3%), and 6 nonroutine cases (30%) with a diagnosis different to follicular hyperplasia. In this way, our clinical preoperative sensitivity was 75% and specificity 97%. The average cost per case at our Centro to study the tonsilar samples was 30$. We conclude that the histological examination of tonsilar specimens is economically worth only in nonroutine cases, although additional factors (e.g. training of residents of Pathology and the quality control of the institution must be taken into consideration.

[The value of waiting in spontaneous remission of recurrent tonsillitis without associated adenoid pathology]. / Utilidad de la espera en la remisión espontánea de la amigdalitis de repetición sin patología adenoidea asociada.

In order to assess the rate of spontaneous remission in children with recurrent acute tonsillitis (RAT), we revised the pediatric patients who were seen between 1994 and 1999. For this purpose, 123 cases that were on the waiting list for tonsillectomy under the indication of RAT without associated adenoid disease were selected. Only 23 (18.7%) of the children who were included in the study were removed from the waiting list after a mean time of 9 months because of spontaneous remission of the disease. Thus, there is no justification for claiming that long waiting lists for tonsillectomy are frequently associated with spontaneous remission of RAT.

Spontaneous resolution of recurrent tonsillitis in pediatric patients on the surgical waiting list.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the waiting list on the spontaneous resolution of recurrent acute tonsillitis in children. METHODS: We have evaluated 623 cases placed on the waiting list for elective tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy) between February 1994 and May 1999 at our institution. In each child, age, time on the waiting list, type of procedure and outcome were registered. There were two possible outcomes after the preoperative evaluation: tonsillectomy was still indicated or tonsillectomy was not necessary. RESULTS: Mean length of time on the waiting list was 10.8 months (range: 3.0-35.6 months; median: 8.2 months). In 507 of the 623 children (81.4%), the operation was still indicated. However, 116 patients (18.6%) did not need surgery because of spontaneous resolution of the clinical picture. No relation was found between outcome and age, time on the waiting list or type of procedure (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: There was no clinical evidence for claiming that resolution of recurrent acute tonsillitis in children is spontaneous with time.

Effect of atmospheric factors on the incidence of Bell's palsy.

To assess the possible influence of atmospheric factors on the incidence of Bell's palsy, a retrospective case review of patients seen between 1 January 1992 and 30 June 1996, was designed. The population included all Bell's palsy patients in whom the exact date of onset of paralysis (day, month, year) was known. The following parameters were registered daily by the Spanish National Service of Meteorology throughout the period of survey: temperature, atmospheric pressure and air pollutants (total number of particles and levels of SO2, CO, O3, NO2, NO, CH4 and total organic carbon). The only factor significantly related to Bell's palsy was temperature (P = 0.0164). Lower temperatures were associated with a higher incidence of Bell's palsy. A relationship between atmospheric pressure and/or air pollutants and Bell's palsy was not found.

[Electro-oculographic features of persons with vitamin E deficiency]. / Manifestaciones electrooculográficas en sujetos con déficit de vitamina E.

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin E (VE) deficiency is a very rare condition which may be due to an isolated deficit or be in the context of a malabsorption disorder. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the findings from an electrooculographic (EOG) point of view of patients with VE deficiency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We made a retrospective evaluation of all persons with a neurological diagnosis of VE seen in the otoneurological department of our hospital. In all patients an EOG recording was made of the saccadic jerks, and the spontaneous, provoked, positional and opticokinetic (NOC) mystagmus, visual suppression of the vestibulo ocular reflex (VOR) and follow up. RESULTS: We found four cases, with an average age of 9.2 years (range 6 14 years). All the patients but one were male (75%). The EOG findings were related to cerebellar dysfunction (saccadic following) and central nervous system alterations of no value for localization (ataxic following and visual suppression of the VOR). In two patients no anomalies were seen on the EOG recording. CONCLUSIONS: In persons with VE deficiency EOG alterations are not often seen. However, it may be useful to make the recording when it is thought necessary to detect subclinical cerebellar disorders.

[Aetiopathogenesis of Bell's idiopathic peripheral facial palsy]. / Etiopatogenia de la parálisis facial periférica idiopática o de Bell.

INTRODUCTION: Bell's facial palsy is a common condition with an incidence varying between 11.5 and 40.2 cases per 100,000 persons per year. However, some aspects of its aetiopathogenesis are still not clear. DEVELOPMENT: Over the years four theories have been suggested to explain the disorder: vascular, immunological, compressive and viral. The vascular theory (the oldest) has been ruled out by various studies. Subsequently, the immunological and compressive theories were described almost simultaneously. The former established the mechanisms generating a neural inflammatory response, and the second the morphological basis which made the nerve sensitive to these mechanisms. Both theories suggested, amongst other agents, a virus as the agent triggering the process. Recently a virus of the herpes simplex family has been identified as the cause of the disease. CONCLUSION: At present there is broad general agreement that Bell s facial palsy is caused by reactivation of a latent infected with human herpes simplex virus, localized to the facial nerve.

[Result of middle fossa vestibular neurectomy in Meniere's disease]. / Resultados de la neurotomía por fosa media en la enfermedad de Ménière.

The results and complications of 224 middle fossa vestibular neurectomies (MFVN) performed between 1968 and 1994 are reported. Relief of vertigo, hearing and tinnitus (both pre- and postoperative), facial paralysis, wound infection, suture dehiscence, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, meningitis, subdural hematoma, average hospitalization time, and death were evaluated. The procedure was effective against vertigo in Ménière's disease in 100% of the cases with unilateral involvement. The excellent results with regard to relief of vertigo and the acceptable incidence of complications make MFVN one of the most adequate surgical treatments for Ménière's disease.

[Vestibular and oculomotor changes in subjects treated with cisplatin]. / Alteraciones vestibulares y del sistema oculomotor en sujetos tratados con cisplatino.

Cisplatin is an agent used in the treatment of distinct oncologic diseases. We present the electrooculographic (EOG) findings of 6 patients which were seen at our Department under the diagnosis of chronic toxicity for cisplatin and associated vestibular alterations. Mean of age was 45 years. Three subjects were female (50%). The most frequent pathologic finding was ataxic pursuit tracking (100%). Additionally, spontaneous nystagmus, alterations in positional test, and vestibulo-ocular reflex suppression were also found. These results are discussed and the main literature concerning this matter is reviewed.

Vestibular and hearing manifestations of phenytoin toxicity: a retrospective series.

We undertook a study to identify the vestibular and hearing abnormalities associated with phenytoin toxicity. Since October 1977, 23 patients with phenytoin toxicity have been referred to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology by the Department of Neurology for electrooculographic (EOG) evaluation. (There have been no cases of serious phenytoin toxicity seen in our department since August 1989.) In addition to EOG, all patients had undergone otoscopic, audiometric, and neurologic examinations. We found that the most common pathologic findings detected by EOG were abnormalities in pursuit tracking. The most common signs found on clinical exploration were cerebellar dysfunction and facial palsy. EOG findings in patients with phenytoin toxicity are compatible with cerebellar disease.

Graft-vs-host disease as a cause of enlargement of the epiglottis in an immunocompromised child.

We report a rare case of dyspnea due to enlargement of the epiglottis in a severely immunocompromised patient. The child underwent a previous tracheostomy at another hospital because of respiratory distress under the diagnosis of acute epiglottitis. The patient was subsequently decannulated without incident. One year later, the child developed a new episode of dyspnea with inspiratory stridor. A new tracheostomy was neccessary, and a biopsy specimen of the enlarged epiglottis was taken to confirm the diagnosis of graft-vs-host disease. The therapeutic measures in these situations are discussed below, and a review of the current literature concerning the etiology and management of epiglottic enlargement is performed.

Factors related to nerve injury and hypocalcemia in thyroid gland surgery.

To identify potential risk factors related to complications after thyroidectomy, a study was designed that included 675 patients. Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) paralysis, hypocalcemia, serohematoma, wound infection, and postoperative hemorrhage were evaluated. The rate of paralysis of the RLN was calculated on nerves at risk for hypocalcemia (n = 890) in patients undergoing bilateral procedures or unilateral procedures if they had previously undergone a contralateral operation (n = 321). Multivariate analysis was used to identify the relationships between the variables included in the study. All statistical tests received the same level of significance of 0.05. Permanent hypocalcemia occurred in 2.2% of the patients, whereas unilateral paralysis of the RLN developed in 0.9%. Mortality was 0.1% in this series. The RLN paralysis had a significant relationship with preoperative diagnosis of malignancy (P < 0.03). Likewise, hypocalcemia was related to sex and surgical procedure (P < 0.03). Serohematoma was linked with age (P < 0.001), and hemorrhage was associated with previous radiation of the neck (P < 0.03).