Assessment of the ability of mononuclear blood cells to produce IFN-gamma in patients with laryngeal cancer.

The ability of mononuclear blood cells (PBMC), derived from patients with cancer of the larynx, to produce IFN-gamma in vitro was assessed in this paper. Thirty patients (27 male, 3 female) were qualified to the study. Their mean age was 65 (range: 41 to 78 years), tumour sizes found in the group were from T2 to T4, levels of pathologic malignancy G2 or G3. The percentage rates different blood cells phenotypes (CD3+, CD3+ HLADR+, CD4+, CD8+, CD14+ HLADR+, CD19+, CD56+) were evaluated by means of flow cytometry (Coulter EPICS XL). The control group consisted of 20 healthy blood donors. PBMC were derived by centrifugation of heparinized venous blood on Lymphoprep gradient according to Boyum method. Double cell cultures were performed for 24 hours with antibody anti-CD3 or recombinant interleukins 12 (rhIL-12) or 18 (rhIL-18). The statistic analysis was based on Student t and Mann-Whitney's test with significancy at p<0.05. A significant decrease in the production of IFN-gamma by PBMC in patients with laryngeal cancer after stimulation with antiCD3 (p=0.018), rhIL-12 (p=0.027), rhIL-18 (p=0.016) was found in comparison with the controls. The results suggest a decreased production of IFN-gamma in patients with cancer of the larynx.

Voice creating aspect after horizontal laryngectomy and chordectomy in patients with carcinoma of the larynx.

Voice quality was assessed in 55 patients with the laryngeal carcinoma. A quality of voice was examined in 18 patients before and after chordectomy and in 37 patients before and after supraglottic surgery. Subjective and objective spectrography methods were applied to evaluate dysphony. The larynx was examined by indirect larngoscopy and videolaryngostroboscopy (VLSS). Significant voice pathology was found in patients before surgery when compared with the normal group. A change of voice colour was found, which was manifested in spectrography by decreased in formant levels, especially F3 and F4 in patients after supraglottic surgery. Dysphagia and longer tracheostomy were temporary complications after the surgery and resulted in further phoniatric rehabilitation. Early phoniatric rehabilitation after chordectomy helped to achieve subjective and objective improvement of voice quality in patients after surgery. Good voice quality in patients after chordectomy is due to preserved structure and increased levels F1, F2, F3, and F4 formants in spectrography.

Voice analysis after the partial laryngectomy in patients with the larynx carcinoma.

The paper presents 170 cases of patients with the larynx carcinoma after the partial laryngectomy. According to the procedure which we used, vertical, horizontal and subtotal supraglottis laryngectomies were distinguished. Voice pattern was analysed with the use of subjective and objective spectrography. The lowest degree of dysphonia was found in patients after the horizontal laryngectomy, while the highest degree dysphonia in those after subtotal supraglottis laryngectomy.

Evaluation of the voice function after the supraglottis subtotal laryngectomy.

Voice quality was analysed in 39 patients with the larynx carcinoma after the supraglottis subtotal laryngectomy. Voice pattern was analysed with the use of subjective and objective spectrography before and after the surgery. A deteriorated voice quality was found after the surgery. The spectrographic examination revealed decreased frequency levels of the formants F3 and F4 and the presence of a noise component generated in the glottis area.

[The assessment of the modified radical neck dissection in the treatment of laryngeal cancer]. / Ocena wyników zmodyfikowanej operacji radykalnej wezlów chlonnych szyi w leczeniu raka krtani.

The retrospective analysis of 238 patients treated because of laryngeal cancer was performed to examine the results of modified radical neck dissection. Authors estimated the presence of nodal metastases in clinically negative and clinically positive neck. Evaluation of the metastatic node levels was performed.

[Low-power laser in the treatment of tinnitus--a placebo-controlled study]. / Laser niskoenergetyczny w leczeniu szumów usznych--badania porównawcze z placebo.

The present study was performed on 32 patients in order to investigate the effect of low-power laser on their tinnitus. The patients were divided into two groups. One group received laser therapy and the other was given a placebo procedure. The effect was evaluated by the use of visual analogue scales. Within the patient group transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) were measured before, during and after therapy. No significant difference between laser and placebo was found in annoyance or loudness of the tinnitus and in changes of TEOAE amplitude. These results indicate that there is no relationship between the effect of low-power laser and changes in cochlear micromechanics.

[The results of treatment of otitis media with suppuration in children by ventilation tubes]. / Wyniki leczenia wysiekowego zapalenia ucha srodkowego u dzieci drenazem jamy bebenkowej.

The authors present the results of surgical treatment of secretory otitis media by means of drainage of tympanic cavity. The ventilation tubes used were made of Polish plastic Tarflen. The control assessments were carried out from 6 months to 6 years after the surgery, 58 children were studied, 49 of them had control examination. The improvement in hearing was found in 65 per cent of the patients. The appearance of tympanic membrane after the surgery was as follows: normal in 38.8%, retraction pockets in 10.2%, tympanosclerosis in 8.2%, secretory fluid in 6.1%, perforation of the tympanic membrane in 4.1%.

[Voice function in patients after partial laryngectomy]. / Czynnosc glosowa u chorych po laryngektomii czesciowej.

103 patients with cancer of the larynx treated with partial laryngectomy were presented. Voice quality before and after surgery was compared. Voice was analysed by subjective and objective-spectrographic methods. Partial laryngectomies consisted of: vertical, horizontal and supraglottic subtotal procedures. The least dysphony was found in horizontal laryngectomy, the biggest--in supraglottic subtotal laryngectomy.

[Voice function after chordectomy in patients with larynx carcinoma]. / Czynnosc glosowa u chorych po chordektomii z powodu raka krtani.

The quality of voice was examined in 18 patients with larynx carcinoma before and after chordectomy. Subjective and objective (spectrographic) methods were applied. The larynx was examined in indirect laryngoscopy and videostroboscopy. Significant voice pathology was found in patients before surgery when compared with norm. Early phoniatric rehabilitation helped to achieve subjective improvement of voice quality in patients after surgery.

[The voice function after horizontal laryngectomy]. / Czynnosc glosowa u chorych po operacji nadglosniowej.

Voice quality was assessed in 37 patients with cancer of the larynx before and after supraglottic surgery. Subjective and objective spectrography method were applied to evaluate dysphony. A change of the voice colour was found, which was manifested in spectrography by decrease of formant levels, specially F3 and F4. Dysphagia and longer tracheostomy were temporary complications after the surgery, and caused later beginning of phoniatric rehabilitation.

[Parotid gland tumor histopathologic picture and treatment]. / Nowotwory slinianek przyusznych. Obraz histopatologiczny i leczenie.

The records of 41 patients with tumours of the parotid gland treated in ORL Clinic in Bialystok from 1990-1995. Were retrospectively reviewed. Malignant tumours constituted 11.5% of all tumours. The most common benign tumour was pleomorphic adenoma. Superficial or total parotidectomy was used as the method of treatment. The incidence of facial nerve dysfunction was 4.87%. Only 4.87% of patients developed Frey's syndrome.

[Evaluation of hearing in patients with diabetes]. / Ocena sluchu u chorych na cukrzyce.

Hearing in 60 diabetics aged 20-70 years were studied by means of tonal, verbal and B'ekèsy audiometry, SISI tests, Fowler tests, stapedius reflex and tone decay tests. The material was grouped according to the diabetes type, chronicity of disease, age, sex and presence of retino- and polyneuropathy. The results proved that diabetes may cause the progressive form of hearing loss which depend of chronicity of disease and age of patients. Sometimes the hypo-acuity may be found in the recent form of diabetes, rarely as sudden deafness. The hearing impairment is more frequent among the retino- and polyneuropathy patients. The localisation of lesions may be in all part of hearing pathways from the labyrinth to cortical areas.