Myringoplasty: update on onlay pedicle skin flap and temporalis fascia sandwich graft.

The technique of onlay sandwich grafting of tympanic membrane perforations fashioned by the use of pedicle flap raised from the posterior deep meatal skin and autologous temporalis fascia is described. The results of a series of 124 ears operated between 1987 and 1999 are the basis of this report. Of these 106 patients had myringoplasty for the first time. The operation was successful in 102 (96.23 per cent) patients. Eighteen patients had revision myringoplasty, with a successful result in 14 (77.78 per cent). None of the patients developed complications usually associated with onlay grafting. A preliminary report of this work was presented at the XVI World Congress of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Sydney in 1997.

Nasal splints, revisited.

A study was carried out to compare the effectiveness of nasal splints (in preventing intranasal adhesions) with the morbidity associated with their use in nasal surgery. One hundred and ten patients undergoing a routine nasal operation were randomly allocated into two equal groups, one with splints and the other without. Post-operative pain and discomfort was assessed by a visual analogue scale at 48 hours and a week following surgery when either nasal suction (non-splinted group) or removal of splints was carried out. All patients were examined after six weeks for development of adhesions. Results showed that there was no significant difference in the incidence of adhesions between the splinted and non-splinted patient groups. However, the patients with splints had significantly more pain and nasal discomfort when assessed one week after surgery. It is concluded that the morbidity associated with nasal splints does not justify their use in routine nasal surgery if the aim is to prevent nasal adhesions, but they may still be indicated for enhancing the stability of the septum following septoplasty.

Removal of Uranium(VI) from Solution by Fungal Biomass and Fungal Wall-Related Biopolymers.

Penicillium digitatum mycelium can accumulate uranium from aqueous solutions of uranyl chloride. Azide present during the uptake tests does not inhibit the process. Killing the fungal biomass in boiling water or by treatment with alcohols, dimethyl sulfoxide, or potassium hydroxide increases the uptake capability to about 10,000 parts per million (dry weight). Formaldehyde killing does not enhance the uranium uptake. The inference that wall-binding sites were involved led to the testing of uranium uptake by chitin, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives in microcolumns. All were active, especially chitin.