[Results of alginate and hypertonic solution in wound healing of head and neck cancers]. / Résultats de l'association de deux produits issus de la mer dans les troubles de la cicatrisation en cancérologie cervico-faciale.

INTRODUCTION: In head and neck cancers, complications such as pharyngostoma, orostoma, or fistula can present following surgery or surgery after irradiation. OBJECTIVE: To report the results of the association of two sea-derived products (Sinomarin and Algosteril) compared to normal saline for the management of healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is retrospective study (1998-2000). Thirty patients were included in group 1 (Sinomarin-Algosteril) and 17 patients in group 2 (normal saline). The average age was respectively 60 and 56.2. Patients in both groups presented with advanced head and neck carcinoma (T3-T4) and healing complications. RESULTS: The delay of healing was respectively of 33.53 and 72.94 days. Results were statistically significant (Student T-test P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results show the efficiency (p < 0.05) of the Sinomarin Algosteril association in head and neck cancer healing complications.

[Spontaneous cervical emphysema: a case report]. / Emphysème cervical spontané: à propos d'un cas.

Spontaneous cervical subcutaneous emphysema, without any aetiology found in the clinical history, is far less common than subcutaneous cervical emphysema following trauma, surgery, or infectious cervical processes. In this recent case report, the authors describe a young woman who developed a cervical subcutaneous emphysema. No responsible factor had been found. Radiological investigations revealed a pneumomediastinum, which is an uncommon but a serious complication of cervical emphysema. The CT-scan highlighted a rupture of the crico-thyroid membrane, from which the air had followed the fascial planes up to the neck and the mediastinum. The authors describe the treatment and clinical course. They put forward an embryological hypothesis regarding the spontaneous crico-thyroid membrane rupture. A congenital fragility of this area could exist which could explain its breach. The pathogenesis and management of spontaneous cervical emphysema are discussed in the light of diverses articles about this subject. The radiological or surgical explorations which may be used in this aetiological diagnosis and treatment are given.

[Facial paralysis: treatment with an acyclovir-methylprednisolone combination, preliminary results]. / Paralysies faciales a frigore: traitement par l'association Aciclovir-Methylprednisolone, résultats préliminaires.

RATIONALE: Many actual data suspect a viral etiology to Bell's palsy. Herpes viridae are more and more incriminated. On these basis, we have studied the efficacity of parenteral association of 30 mg/Kg/j of Aciclovir and 1 mg/Kg/j of Methylprednisolone in the treatment of Bell's palsy with less than 12 days of evolution. METHOD: The evaluation concern 53 patients. We also evaluated the functional motor result (using House and Brackmann staging) and search prognostic factors in clinic and paraclinic data. A viral investigation have been made in most of the cases. RESULTS: Only one of our patients treated with Aciclovir keeps some sequeles (stage III of House and Brackmann classification). We didn't found any deleterious effect. Statistically, the electromyography is the only one test with a prognostic value. But we feel that delay between the starting and the treatment of the palsy is important. Viral tests show sometime abnormal Ig against the Herpes viridae group. CONCLUSIONS: These promising results are lightened with a review of the literature. A multicentric investigation is already in place for a stronger statistic effect.

Modulation detection by normal and hearing-impaired listeners.

In five normally hearing subjects and seven subjects with damaged cochleas, detection thresholds for sinusoidal frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) were measured using 1 s stimuli with a 500 Hz carrier frequency (Fc) at a 'comfortable' loudness (given by subject-dependent SPLs and SLs). The modulation frequency (Fmod) was 2 Hz or 10 Hz. FM (but not AM) detection was poorer in the hearing-impaired group, especially when the hearing loss at Fc exceeded 50 dB. Fmod had a different effect on FM and AM detection. The corresponding interaction was essentially identical for the two groups of subjects. Previous studies strongly suggested that normal listeners use mainly neural phase-locking cues for the detection of FM when Fmod = 2 Hz, but mainly tonotopic cues when Fmod = 10 Hz. The present results suggest that cochlear damages reduce the usefulness of these two types of cues to an approximately equal degree.

[Hearing aids through the ages]. / La prothèse auditive acoustique à travers les âges.

Authors relate the history of acoustic hearing aids, from antiquity to our days, for air and bone conductions. It shows an evolution, more due to physical progress than medical progress, composed with deaf's psychology. The accession of electric amplification will make more than half-century to be imperative.