Near-total laryngectomy in advanced cancers of the larynx and pyriform sinus: a comparative study of morbidity and functional and oncological outcomes.

This prospective study, performed from 1991 to 1996, analyzes the differences in oncological safety, functional utility, and surgical morbidity in 14 advanced lesions of the larynx (10 T3 and 4 T4; 7 N+) and 40 pyriform sinus lesions (1 T2, 20T3, and 19 T4; 29 N+) subjected to Pearson near-total laryngectomy. The laryngeal cancer patients healed much faster, with a minimal wound complication rate of 28%, in comparison to the 68% rate encountered in the pyriform sinus cases (p < .05). The 3-year disease-free survival rate for the laryngeal cancers was 74%, while the 5-year survival rates for pyriform sinus cases were 66% for medial wall lesions and 54% for lateral wall lesions. Lung-powered shunt speech deemed qualitatively superior by acoustic analysis was obtained in 81% of the individuals (93% in laryngeal cases and 76% in pyriform sinus cases). Aspiration-free deglutition was achieved by 90% over periods ranging from 15 to 30 days. This study conclusively attests to the therapeutic efficacy of near-total laryngectomy for advanced lesions of the larynx and pyriform sinus that are unsuitable for radiotherapy, that are deemed too large or risky (because of aspiration) for partial laryngectomy, and that in the past would have merited total laryngectomy.

Defects of the external auditory canal: a new reconstruction technique.

This report describes the clinical and radiographic findings together with surgical management of temporomandibular joint contents herniation through the tympanic plate of the external auditory canal. Two patients are reported. A review of the literature is presented, including a brief discussion of the embryological development of the external auditory canal. Excluding infection, trauma or neoplasm, the defect in the tympanic plate of the external auditory canal represents a developmental aberration with failure of the foramen of Huschke to close during development. A pre-auricular approach with insertion and fixation of an onlay polyethylene implant to prevent prolapse of the peri-articular tissues into the ear canal is presented and described.

A study of postoperative fever following paediatric tonsillectomy.

The aetiology of post-tonsillectomy fever is obscure. Bacteraemia during surgery, anaesthetic agents and the inflammatory response of tissue to injury have been implicated. A prospective study was undertaken in 100 consecutive children to evaluate the occurrence and severity of fever in the 24 h after tonsillectomy and its relationship to bacteraemia during surgery and qualitative and quantitative cultures (colony counts) of organisms in tonsil core tissue. Fifty-four patients had a fever (> 37.5 degrees C) postoperatively, of whom, 30 had a fever greater than 38 degrees C. Blood cultures during tonsillectomy were positive in 22 patients. There was no statistically significant difference between the occurrence of fever and the techniques of tonsillectomy and haemostasis. There was also no association between positive blood, core or surface cultures and the incidence or severity of fever nor any association between colony count in core cultures and fever. Our results suggest that postoperative fever in the 24 h following tonsillectomy is not caused by infection.

Bilateral acoustic neuromas.

This article reviews 12 patients with bilateral acoustic neuromas. The sex incidence was equal and the mean age at diagnosis was 26.2 years. The family history was positive in nine of the patients. Five patients have had incomplete surgical removal of acoustic neuromas on both sides. Two of them are completely deaf and the other three have severe sensorineural hearing loss in one ear and no hearing in the other ear. In five patients the tumour on one side has been operated on and the other side is being observed with at least short-term preservation of good hearing. The remaining two patients died of intra-cranial complications, one of them post-operatively. Four patients developed facial palsy immediately following surgery and one developed facial weakness 6 months after surgery. Guidelines are discussed for the care of these patients including the timing of surgery and alternative treatment options (observation, radio-surgery and chemotherapy). This is essentially a group of young individuals who have had multiple operations for bilateral acoustic tumours and associated manifestations and for whom the disease and the sequelae of treatment can be tragic.

Non-surgical management of acoustic neuromas.

Watchful waiting is one of the options available in the management of acoustic neuromas and this article deals with 13 patients who were so managed. Non-operative management was advised because of age, poor general health, small size of tumour, only hearing ear, or in patients unwilling to undergo surgery for various reasons. This group was followed up at 6-12-monthly intervals and the follow-up period ranged from 1 to 18 years (mean 5.3 years). Ten patients had small tumours and only in 2 of these was increase in tumour size demonstrated on follow-up CT scan. In one this increase was later followed by regression. Two patients required partial removal of tumour because of increasing symptoms after 3 and 7 years of follow-up; one of them died on the twelfth post-operative day. There appears to be a small group of patients for whom delay is worth while rather than to subject all patients with acoustic neuroma to surgery from which full recovery cannot be guaranteed.

A prospective trial of Merocel packs.

A prospective trial, comparing Merocel nasal packs and glove finger packs is reported. No statistically significant difference was found in symptoms of nasal obstruction or discomfort, findings of nasal crusting or adhesions, or postoperative bleeding, between nostrils packed with Merocel packs or those packed with glove fingers.

Auditory investigations in hypothyroidism.

Twenty patients with thyroprivic hypothyroidism with a mean age of 34.8 years (range: 15-50 years) were investigated. Peripheral/central functions of the auditory system were assessed in the hypothyroid state and they were re-evaluated in the euthyroid state after treatment with levothyroxine. The mean observation period for re-evaluation was 3.7 months (range 3-7 months). Sixteen patients with hypothyroidism (80%) demonstrated hearing loss when compared with randomly selected age- and sex-matched normal subjects. Twelve of the hypothyroid patients had sensorineural hearing loss and 4 had mixed loss. Special hearing tests revealed a cochlear type of hearing loss. The tympanogram curve was of Type B in one ear of each of the 4 patients. Brainstem electric response audiometry showed prolonged, absolute latency of wave V and interpeak latencies I-III and I-V. The amplitudes of waves I, II and V were reduced. Following treatment with levothyroxine a statistically significant improvement in hearing thresholds was observed by pure-tone audiometry. Tympanogram curves returned to normal in 3 out of 4 patients. Brainstem electric response parameters did not show significant reversibility to normalcy following treatment. The results of auditory investigations suggest a causal relationship between hypothyroidism and hearing loss. The site of lesion in the auditory system is probably at several levels, viz. in the middle ear, and at cochlear and retrocochlear sites.