[Levofloxacin in the treatment of acute and bacteriologically documented sinusitis with high risk of complications]. / Efficacité et tolérance de la lévofloxacine dans le traitement des sinusites aiguës bactériologiquement documentées et à risque de complications.

OBJECTIVES: The authors had for aim to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of oral levofloxacin (500 mg once a day during ten days), as a treatment for acute bacterial sinusitis at risk for complications in adult patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, multicenter, open, non-comparative, efficacy and tolerance study of levofloxacin in acute sinusitis at risk for complications, radiologically confirmed, and with documentation of the bacterial origin by fiberoptic rhinoscopy. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-one patients were included and 174 patients had an X ray confirmed sinusitis. The localization was frontal in 81% patients, sphenoidal in 9.2%, ethmoidosphenoidal in 2.3%, and 7.5% patients had a pansinusitis. One hundred and thirty-three patients had a probable or proven bacterial infection, involving: Streptococcus pneumoniae (26.0%), enterobacteriaceae (19.7%), Haemophilus influenzae (17.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (15.0%), streptococci other than S. pneumoniae (7.9%), and Branhamella catarrhalis (5.5%). One hundred and one patients constituted the per protocol population. Clinical success was observed in 94.1 % patients (95/101), and 85.1% (86/101), respectively 7 to 14 days and three to four weeks after the end of treatment, with consistent success rates according to the localization of the infection, and the various pathogens involved. The tolerance data was as expected for levofloxacin. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that levofloxacin, (one 500 mg tablet QD during ten days) is efficient in over 94% patients with bacteriologically documented sinusitis at risk for complications.

[Community-acquired acute maxillary sinusitis or rhinosinusitis in adults in France: current management]. / Etat actuel de la prise en charge de la sinusite ou rhinosinusite maxillaire aiguë communautaire de l'adulte en France.

Sinus infections, often viral, are a common reason for physician visits. The multiplicity of clinical presentations makes its diagnosis difficult. The problem is to recognize bacterial infection without additional testing, except in cases of treatment failures, complications or relapse. Patients with signs suggestive of rhinosinusitis fall into one of four basic clinical situations: common colds, 'doubtful' rhinosinusitis, apparent acute maxillary bacterial rhinosinusitis, and complications. Anterior rhinoscopy may help confirm diagnosis. Current bacterial epidemiology is based on the results of clinical studies, microbial ecology, and samples taken in cases of treatment failure. The two bacteria isolated most frequently are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, both of which pose resistance problems. Moraxella catarrhalis, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus are isolated less often. The dominant issue in management of acute rhinosinusitis is whether to use antibiotic or symptomatic treatment. For viral infections, antibiotic therapy is useless and highly inadvisable. For 'doubtful' infections, symptomatic treatment is likely to lead to recovery. The use of non-recommended antibiotics also increases the risk of selection of resistant bacteria. When bacterial rhinosinusitis is strongly suspected, recourse to antibiotic treatment is recommended in view of the benefits in this situation (AFSSAPS 2005). This treatment is probabilistic, should be decided at the end of the consultation, and follows the AFSSAPS guidelines.

Workplace air-conditioning and health services attendance among French middle-aged women: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between type of ventilation in the workplace, health services attendance, and sickness absence among middle-aged women. METHODS: In a national sample of 920 professionally active women aged 49-65 yr from the SU.VI.MAX cohort, recruited from the general population in France, health services attendance and sickness absence were assessed prospectively during 1999. RESULTS: Being exposed to heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in the workplace proved to be a risk factor for attendance at global and several specialist medical services. The adjusted odds ratio for otorhinolaryngologist attendance was 2.33 (95% CI = 1.35-4.04) in the HVAC group compared with the natural ventilation group, and 1.70 (1.13-2.58) for sickness absence. Dermatologist and global medical services attendance rates may also be higher in this group (P = 0.06 in both cases). CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to HVAC systems was a strong and significant risk factor for otorhinolaryngologist attendance and sickness absence. HVAC systems are prevalent in recent office buildings and have been shown to be associated with several adverse health effects in terms of morbidity and mortality. From a public-health perspective, our results outline the need for a quantitative assessment of the health impact of ventilation systems, taking into account the possible loss of production that exists in addition to the direct costs of medical services use.

[Vinblastine treatment for extensive non-X histiocytosis (xanthoma disseminatum)]. / Histiocytose non langerhansienne (xanthoma disseminatum) extensive traitée par vinblastine.

INTRODUCTION: Xanthoma disseminatum is a non-Langerhans histiocyte proliferation, described by Montgomery in 1938. This rare entity is characterized by skin and mucous membrane xanthomatosis, associated with diabetes insipidus and normal lipid metabolism. In this case report, vinblastine produced the regression of the lesions. OBSERVATION: A 51 year-old man presented in 1999 with a four-year history of progressive xanthomatous papulonodular lesions of his trunk, axillary and inguinal folds, neck and face (leonin facies). Treatment with thalidomide for 6 months was ineffective. A rapid extension of the lesions to the pharynx, larynx and trachea with dyspnea occurred and required a tracheotomy. Histopathological study showed a dense histiocytic infiltrate within the upper and mid dermis with Touton giant cells and inflammatory cells. The histiocyte cells were positive for CD68. Neither lungs nor hypophysis were involved. A treatment with 6 cures of cyclophosphamide was insufficient. Vinblastine therapy (32 cycles: 0.1 mg/kg/cycle) produced a spectacular regression of the mucous-cutaneous papulonodular lesions leaving cheloid scars. The patient required a transitory tracheotomy and a bilateral commissuroplasty. DISCUSSION: Prognosis of xanthoma disseminatum is in related to the mucous membrane manifestations (50 p. 100 of cases) and involvement of the upper respiratory tract. The response to any form of therapy in xanthoma disseminatum is unsatisfactory. Surgical excision or laser therapy can improve physical and functional aspects but the evolution is characterized by very frequent relapses. Treatment with antimitotic drugs seems to be ineffective in many cases. In our patient, vinblastine induced a spectacular regression of mucocutaneous lesions without neurologic toxicity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of vinblastine efficacy in this rare and severe disorder.

[Treatment of functional signs of acute maxillary rhinosinusitis in adults. Efficacy and tolerance of administration of oral prednisone for 3 days]. / Traitement des signes fonctionnels des rhinosinusites maxillaires aiguës de l'adulte. Efficacité et tolérance de la prednisone administrée par voie orale pendant 3 jours.

OBJECTIVE: Acute maxillary rhinosinusitis (AMRS) is a pathology in which the pain is often severe and requires appropriate treatment. Although the use of antibiotics is widely documented, the interest of short cycles of corticosteroids in the treatment of the functional manifestations of AMRS is based on professional experience. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerance to prednisone administered for 3 days in addition to antibiotherapy in patients presenting with an AMRS. METHOD: This was a double blind, randomised study in parallel groups and controlled versus a placebo, involving patients aged over 18, presenting with an AMRS confirmed by X-ray and endoscopy, having developed less than 5 days and complaining of spontaneous pain assessed as >or=50 millimetres on a visual analog scale (VAS). Together with cefpodoxime, the patients received either prednisone (0.8 to 1.2 mg/kg) for 3 days or a placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean of the differences versus the baseline value of pain (MPID - mean pain intensity difference) assessed on the VAS from Day 1 to Day 3. The secondary endpoints assessed were the mean of the differences in intensity of nasal obstruction, assessed in the same way as the MPID, the time lapse before the orally expressed relief of the pain (PRID - pain reflief intensity difference) and the administration of paracetamol during the first 3 days. RESULTS: 289 patients (placebo 147, prednisone 142) were assessable for analysis in intent-to-treat (ITT). The global spontaneous pain on inclusion, measured by a VAS was of 73.0 +/- 14.1 mm. The assessments made during the first 3 days of treatment showed a statistically significant difference in favour of the prednisone group regarding MPID: - 4.82 mm (CI 95% -9.25; -0.40) (p=0.03), nasal obstruction - 5.0 mm (CI 95% -9.1; -0.8) (p=0.02) and consumption of paracetamol (p=0.03). There was no difference between the two groups after the end of the antibiotherapy. The tolerance measured throughout the study was comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This study clearly showed the efficacy of a short course of oral prednisone (3 days), versus a placebo, in the treatment of the functional signs of acute maxillary rhinosinusitis with severe pain in adults in addition to an appropriate antibiotic treatment.

[Efficacy of cefotiam hexetil in acute maxillary sinusitis, with a short five day vs ten day treatment]. / Efficacité du céfotiam hexétil en cure courte dans le traitement des sinusites maxillaires aiguës. Comparaison de l'efficacité d'un traitement de cinq vs dix jours.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this multicentric, randomized, double blind study with direct individual benefit, was to compare two therapeutic regimens of cefotiam hexetil administration, 5 days vs 10 days, in acute maxillary sinusitis. METHOD: The study was conducted in ambulatory patients treated by general practitioners according to AFSAPS (French agency for sanitary safety) guidelines for treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis. Five hundred and fifty three GPs included 1042 patients presenting with acute maxillary sinusitis in the study from December 2000 to July 2001. Patients were randomly treated with cefotiam hexetil 200 mg bid over a 5 day period followed by 5 days of placebo, or with cefotiam hexetil 200 mg bid over a 10 day period. RESULTS: No significant difference was noted in each treatment group. Radiography performed in 72.2% of included patients confirmed the diagnosis in 78.8% of the cases. No significant difference occurred in the number and percentage of cured patients. In the ITT analysis (1018 patients) the clinical cure rates were respectively 85.5% and 85.3% in the 5 day and in the 10 day treatment groups, In the PP analysis (800 patients) the clinical cure rates were respectively 88.6% in each group. The low incidence of adverse effects (3.36%) was confirmed in both groups. CONCLUSION: A 5 day course of cefotiam hexetil 200 mg bid is as effective as a 10 day course in the treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis in adults.

[Efficiency of a four-day course of pristinamycin compared to a five-day course of cefuroxime axetil for acute bacterial maxillary sinusitis in adult outpatients]. / Efficacité comparée de la pristinamycine en quatre jours et du céfuroxime axétil en cinq jours dans le traitement des sinusites maxillaires aiguës bactériennes de l'adulte.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this multicentric, randomized, double blind study was to demonstrate that a 4-day treatment with pristinamycin 1 g bid was as efficient as a 5-day treatment with cefuroxime axetil 250 mg bid in adults presenting with an acute maxillary sinusitis. DESIGN: The clinical diagnosis was based on the association of sub-orbital pain, purulent rhinorrhea and purulent discharge on the middle nasal meatus and was confirmed radiologically. A rhinoscopic bacteriologic sampling was made on the middle nasal meatus. RESULTS: Four hundred and eighty five patients were included in the study: in France (n = 301), Tunisia (n = 48), Poland (n = 69) and Argentina (n = 67) between January 2001 and February 2002. Cultures were positive in 199/434 patients (46%), mainly S. pneumoniae (34.2%), H. influenzae (21.5%), S. aureus (15.4%), and M. catharralis (7.9%). The clinical cure rate at day 12-19 in the per protocol population, the main study criterion, was equal to 91.4% (201/220) and 91.1% (195/214) respectively in the pristinamycin and cefuroxime axetil groups; delta = 0.14%; 95%CI: [-5.1%; 5.3%]. The non-inferiority of 4-day pristinamycin versus 5-day cefuroxime axetil was demonstrated. The efficacy at follow up after treatment (day 26-31) was 88.6% and 85.8% respectively, confirming the non-inferiority. The bacteriological cure rate at day 12-19 was 87% (87/100) and 87.9% (87/99) respectively. Both treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: A 4-day course with pristinamycin 1 g bid is as effective as a 5-day course of cefuroxime axetil 250 mg bid in the treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis in adults.

Moxifloxacin in the treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis after first-line treatment failure and acute sinusitis with high risk of complications.

This multicentre, prospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 7-day oral moxifloxacin (400 mg/day) for treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis after first-line treatment failure (group 1), and acute sinusitis with high risk of complications (group 2). Two hundred and fifty-eight patients with radiologically confirmed acute sinusitis were enrolled by 52 investigators; 216 patients (83.7%) qualified for per protocol efficacy analysis (group 1, n = 175; group 2, n = 41), and 92 for bacteriological analysis. Samples were collected from the middle meatus. The clinical success rate 7-10 days post-treatment was 92.6%. Bacteriological success rates were 95.7% after 3-4 days of treatment, and 97.2% and 95.2%, in group 1 and group 2, respectively, at 7-10 days post-treatment. Drug-related adverse events, including abdominal pain (2.4%), nausea (2.4%) and diarrhoea (1.2%), were reported in 12.2% of patients. Overall, moxifloxacin therapy resulted in rapid bacteriological eradication, with a high rate of clinical success.

Telithromycin (HMR 3647) achieves high and sustained concentrations in tonsils of patients undergoing tonsillectomy.

Telithromycin, the first ketolide antimicrobial to be developed for clinical use, has potent activity against group A beta-haemolytic streptococci (GABHS), including macrolide-resistant strains. The penetration of telithromycin into tonsils was assessed in 22 adults undergoing tonsillectomy at 3, 12 or 24 h after the fourth dose of oral telithromycin 800 mg once daily. Telithromycin rapidly penetrated tonsillar tissues, achieving a mean concentration of 3.95 mg/kg at 3 h post dose, 3.4 times greater than the corresponding plasma concentration (1.22 mg/l. The mean tonsil:plasma concentration ratio increased to 13.1 at 24 h post dose, indicating slower elimination from tonsils than plasma. Tonsillar and plasma concentrations exceeded the MIC(50) for GABHS throughout the 24-h dosing period. These findings suggest that telithromycin may be an effective new alternative treatment for GABHS tonsillopharyngitis.

Lowest effective single dose of diclofenac for antipyretic and analgesic effects in acute febrile sore throat.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the antipyretic and analgesic effects of a single oral dose of diclofenac potassium 6.25, 12.5 or 25mg with paracetamol 1000mg and placebo in patients with fever resulting from acute febrile sore throat. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel group study conducted at 21 primary-care centres throughout France. PATIENTS: In total, 343 adult patients with acute febrile sore throat (fever >/=38.0 degrees C) were randomised to the five treatment groups. INTERVENTIONS: Patients received one oral dose of medication. Fever, spontaneous throat pain and pain on swallowing were recorded over 6 hours. If acute symptoms persisted 2 hours after study drug administration, the patient was allowed to take rescue medication and discontinue the trial. RESULTS: The antipyretic effects of diclofenac potassium 6.25, 12.5 and 25mg and paracetamol 1000mg were significantly greater than placebo. The antipyretic effects of diclofenac potassium 12.5 and 25mg were numerically greater than paracetamol 1000mg, which was comparable to the effect of diclofenac potassium 6.25mg. The analgesic effects of the higher doses, diclofenac potassium 12.5 and 25mg, and of paracetamol 1000mg were significantly better than placebo. Summary efficacy measures over the first 4 hours post-dose showed a dose-response relationship among the diclofenac doses, with statistically significant differences on some outcomes between the 25mg and the 6.25mg doses. On the global efficacy evaluation for relief of fever and throat pain, patients rated both diclofenac potassium 12.5 and 25mg significantly higher than paracetamol 1000mg (p

[Is coincidence detection emission tomography (CDET) as reliable as positron emission tomography (PET) in head and neck cancer?]. / La tomographie d'emission en détection de coïncidence (CDET) est-elle aussi performante que la tomographie par emission de positons (TEP) en cancérologie ORL?

OBJECTIVE: Positron emission tomography (PET) is becoming more and more useful in head and neck tumour detection, guiding diagnostic and therapeutic decision. However, techniques, similar to PET, but using modified conventional tomography equipment, are used. The most commonly used is the dual-head positron emission tomography using coincidence detection (CDET). This study was aimed at searching if CDET could be as reliable as PET in some of its indications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1997 and 2001, 19 patients, with head and neck cancer, had a CDET, for 3 indications. We studied retrospectively sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) rates for these 3 indications. RESULTS: 1 degree) Detection of unknown primary head and neck cancers with lymph node manifestation: Se = 100%, Sp = 66,7%. 2 degrees) Detection of body metastasis: Se = 50%, Sp = 33%. 3 degrees) Detection of local recurrent cancer: Se = 100%, Sp = 25%. CONCLUSION: CDET seems to be useful in finding unknown primary cancers with lymph node manifestation but is not reliable to look for metastasis and local recurrences. It cannot be used in all indications for PET. If no other tool is available, this investigation can be used, keeping in mind its limitations.

[Aspergillosis of the paranasal sinus and environmental factors]. / Rôle de l'environnement dans la survenue d'une aspergillose naso-sinusienne.

UNLABELLED: Paranasal sinus aspergilloma is a non-invasive form of Aspergillus infection being encountered more often during the last decade. METHODS: A survey of specialists in France was carried out in 1998 to investigate the role of environment in the pathogenesis of the disease. RESULTS: A total of 402 patients' reports were reviewed, most of which involved unilaterally the maxillary sinus. We observed a predominance of women (sex ratio 1.9) and dental care in the past of 338/402 patients (84.1%). Environmental exposure that could interfere with aspergilloma were found in only 136 patients (33.8%) and in 21/48 (43.8%) patients who had had no dental care. CONCLUSION: Aspergilloma of the paranasal sinus has probably a multifactorial etiology, we could not point out environmental factors in this survey.

Prognostic value of mandibular involvement in oral cavity cancers.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine, in a homogeneous population, the prognostic impact of mandibular involvement in oral cancers. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of 117 patients with T4 squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity treated by surgery and radiotherapy in the ENT Department of Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital. All patients had histologically confirmed mandibular involvement. Patients with partial involvement of the mandible underwent rim mandibulectomy (RM) and those with extensive invasion underwent segmental mandibulectomy (SM). METHODS: The local failure rate and the overall survival curves were calculated with respect to type of mandibulectomy. The causes of death were analysed. RESULTS: The surgery was conservative in 55 cases (47%) and segmental in 62 patients (53%). The degree of mandibular involvement did not influence the local failure rate (29% and 25% in the RM and SM groups, respectively). On the other hand, it strongly influenced vital outcome, as five-year survival was only 25.4% after segmental mandibulectomy, compared to 40% after rim mandibulectomy. The metastases and the second primary tumors were more frequent in the SM group. CONCLUSION: The degree of mandibular invasion influenced the survival rate of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity but this difference is not due to local failure.

A prospective, multicentre study of moxifloxacin concentrations in the sinus mucosa tissue of patients undergoing elective surgery of the sinus.

A pharmacokinetic study was carried out to determine moxifloxacin concentrations in sinus tissue, after oral moxifloxacin 400 mg once daily for 5 days to patients with chronic sinusitis, undergoing elective sinus surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to one of seven treatment groups, in which tissues were sampled 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 24 or 36 h post-dose. A control group with non-infected nasal polyps was also included. Forty-eight patients (13 female, 35 male, mean age 47.1 years) were allocated to one of each active treatment group (n = 42) or to the control group (n = 6). Tissue and plasma samples were taken simultaneously and stored frozen until assayed by HPLC. Thirty-nine patients were fully valid for pharmacokinetic analysis. The geometric mean moxifloxacin plasma concentration increased from 2.32 mg/L at 2 h to a maximum of 3.37 mg/L at 4 h post-dose, decreasing to 0.37 mg/L at 36 h post-dose. The moxifloxacin concentration in sinus mucosa was consistently greater than that in plasma being 4.56-5.73 mg/kg from 2 to 6 h and 2.81-1.25 mg/kg from 12 to 36 h post-dose. The elimination rates in plasma and sinus tissues were similar. The tissue/plasma ratio was c. 200% between 2 and 6 h, and up to 328.9% at 36 h. Results were similar whatever the site of tissue sampling (maxillary sinus, anterior ethmoid sinus or nasal polyps). Tissue levels exceeded the MIC(90) of all pathogens commonly causing acute sinusitis (e.g. 5-30 x MIC for Streptococcus pneumoniae: 0.25 mg/L). These results sup-port the use of moxifloxacin 400 mg once daily as a regimen for the treatment of sinus infections.

[Diagnostic value of needle biopsy and frozen section histological examination in the surgery of primary parotid tumors]. / Valeur diagnostique de la cytoponction et de l'examen histologique extemporané dans les tumeurs parotidiennes primitives opérées.

The necessity of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the diagnosis and treatment of parotid gland lesions is still controversial. We examined the accuracy of cytology and histology in a review of 128 parotid gland tumors who underwent surgery with FNAB, n = 102 and/or frozen section examination (FS), n = 94. The diagnostic sensibility and specificity for malignant or benign lesions was respectively 81.5% and 97.5% for FNAB and 75% and 100% for FS as compared with definite histology (110 tumors were benign and 18 malignant). Insufficient material for FNAB evaluation was found in 12 patients mainly with small tumors (p = 0.043) or with tumors located in the deep process of the parotid gland (p = 0.029). Surgery was inappropriate (superficial lobe resection for malignant tumor) because of 4 false negative FS diagnoses. FNAB offers valuable information in the diagnosis of nonsurgical lesions and permits to avoid FS if FNAB identify a benign lesion. FS remains mandatory if FNAB evaluation is not possible or suggests a neoplastic tumor.

[Treatment of acute group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillitis in children with a 5-day course of josamycin]. / Traitement des angines aiguës à streptocoque beta-hémolytique du groupe A chez l'enfant par la josamycine pendant cinq jours.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this randomized open study, 325 children aged two to 15 years with acute tonsillitis and a positive test of GA beta H streptococcal antigen were treated with josamycin 50 mg.kg-1.day-1 b.i.d for 5 days, or penicillin 50,000 to 100,000 IU/day t.i.d for 10 days. Clinical assessments and throat cultures for GA beta HS isolation were performed at the inclusion visit (V1), at the end of treatment visit (V2: day 12 for all patients) and at the follow-up visit (V3: day 30). In case of positive GA beta HS culture, the bacterial DNA by RFLP was performed to differentiate between the persistence (presence of original strain at V2), relapse (eradication at V2 and acquisition of same strain at V3) and reinfection (eradication at V2 and acquisition of different strain at V3). RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-three patients were included in the bacteriological and clinical criteria per protocol analysis. At V2, eradication rates were comparable: 82% in josamycin and 80% in penicillin patients; clinical cure rates were 90% and 89%. At V3, relapse of GAS assessed only on clinically and bacteriologically cured patients at V2 occurred in 12% of josamycin patients and 12.8% of penicillin patients. Tolerance was good; 14% and 10% of josamycin and penicillin patients respectively experienced an adverse event. CONCLUSION: In this non-inferiority study, the efficacy of a 5-day course of josamycin is comparable to reference treatment in GA beta HS tonsillitis in children.

Microbiology of otitis media in the Paris, France, area from 1987 to 1997.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To investigate epidemiologic trends in the bacteriology of acute otitis media, data were recorded during a 10-year period by the same group of investigators during clinical studies in pediatric outpatients. METHODS: Bacterial samples were obtained before antibiotic treatment from 2149 children (age 3 to 36 months) with acute otitis media. All samples were transported, handled and cultured in the same way throughout the 10-year period. RESULTS: From the study patients 1862 samples of middle ear secretion were collected by tympanocentesis and 287 samples were collected from spontaneous otorrhea occurring within 24 h. Pathogens were isolated from 70% of patients. Pathogens included Haemophilus influenzae (40%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (31%) and Moraxella catarrhalis (8%). The incidence of beta-lactamase-producing H. influenzae was approximately 20% from 1987 to 1989, was approximately 35% from 1990 to 1995 and increased to 60 and 70% during the last 2 years. The rate of S. pneumoniae with decreased susceptibility to penicillin gradually increased from 7% in 1987 to 70% in 1996 and 1997. CONCLUSION: The very high incidence of antimicrobial resistant strains reached during a short period in pediatric acute otitis media in our area, emphasizes the need for frequent epidemiologic studies.

[Supraglottic laryngectomy with arytenoidectomy]. / Laryngectomie supra-glottique avec aryténoïdectomie.

Relearning to swallow is frequently difficult after supraglottic laryngectomy requiring arytenoid cartilage resection. We propose a surgical procedure in which a local flap is used to close the pharyngeal defect without approximating the laryngeal remnants and the base of tongue. The procedure opens the median raphe and cuts the hyoid bone along the midline. The strap muscles, the perichondrium from the thyroid cartilage and thyroid lobe on the ispilateral side to the tumor are retracted laterally to be used to close the mucosal defect. Sixty-eight patients with T1-T3 carcinomas of the laryngeal margin with extension to an arytenoid in all cases and limited extension to the medial wall and/or anterior angle pyriform fossa in 33 underwent this surgical procedure. Only 5 patients had local recurrence and 8 a lymph node recurrence. Visceral metastases occurred in 21 patients (33%) and second primary tumors were diagnosed at the time of surgery or during follow-up in 19 patients (28%). Three and 5-year actuarial survival rates were 57 and 51%, respectively. Despite post operative radiotherapy, functional success was obtained in 50 patients (75%). This technique provided good tumor control and a high rate of satisfactory functional results in patients with tumors of lateral margin extended to one arytenoid.