Anterior neopharyngeal pseudodiverticulum. A possible cause of dysphagia in laryngectomized patients.

Anterior neopharyngeal pseudodiverticula are out-pouchings of the neopharyngeal lumen in laryngectomized patients which can cause postoperative dysphagia. In this study 20 laryngectomized patients were examined endoscopically and with barium swallow to determine the frequency of pseudodiverticulum formation, the correlation with clinical symptoms, and to evaluate the best modality for diagnosis. In 12 patients an anterior neopharyngeal pseudodiverticulum was present. Of these patients eight complained of dysphagia. The barium swallow showed more clearly the pseudodiverticula than laryngoscopy and gave additional information on functional implications. All symptomatic patients were successfully operated on with endoscopic laser therapy.

[Pathological deglutition pattern after tumor surgery of the oro- and hypopharynx. Analysis by differentiated deglutition]. / Pathologische Schluckmuster nach Tumorchirurgie in Oro- und Hypopharynx. Analyse mittels differenzierter Schluckpassage.

Dysphagia is a common complaint following surgical intervention in the oral cavity and hypopharynx, often leading to prolonged postoperative recovery. Videofluoroscopy allows detailed visualization of deglutition, demonstrating the morphology as well as the functional aspects. Therefore, videofluoroscopy provides the basis for further therapeutic management. We discuss the pathology of deglutition in 19 patients recovering from tumor surgery of the oro- and hypopharynx. In most cases the results demonstrated severe impairment of both the oral and pharyngeal phase of deglutition. Our data emphasize the importance of the oral phase of deglutition for preparation and initiation of the following phases.

Ruptured intracranial dermoid cyst.

Intradural dermoids are rare congenital tumors representing approximately 0.05% of all intracranial lesions. These benign tumors have a typical appearance on CT and MR due to their lipid components. The complication caused by rupture are the spillage of the fatty material into the cerebrospinal fluid. We report a case of a ruptured dermoid cyst showing fat/fluid levels in both side ventricles and fatty material in the subarachnoid space on CT and MR-imaging and the follow-up over four years after incomplete resection of the tumor.

[Pathologic swallowing pattern after tumor surgery of oro- and hypopharynx. Analysis with differentiated deglutition imaging]. / Pathologische Schluckmuster nach Tumorchirurgie in Oro- und Hypopharynx. Analyse mittels differenzierter Schluckpassage.

Dysphagia is a common complaint following surgical intervention in the oral cavity and hypopharynx, often leading to prolonged postoperative recovery. Videofluoroscopy allows detailed visualization of deglutition, demonstrating the morphology as well as the functional aspects. Therefore, videofluoroscopy provides the basis for further therapeutic management. We discuss the pathology of deglutition in 19 patients recovering from tumor surgery of the oro- and hypopharynx. In most cases the results demonstrated severe impairment of both the oral and pharyngeal phase of deglutition. Our data emphasize the importance of the oral phase of deglutition for preparation and initiation of the following phases.

[Anterior pseudodiverticulum after laryngectomy]. / Anteriores Pseudodivertikel nach Laryngektomie.

An anterior neopharyngeal pseudodiverticulum is a mucosal pouch located between the tongue and hypopharynx due to an epiglottis-like posterior tissue band that forms after total laryngectomy. This condition has rarely been mentioned in literature. Incidence, symptoms, treatment, and possible etiologic factors were examined. Twenty post-laryngectomy patients were questioned about swallowing disorders and were examined clinically and by barium swallow. Eleven patients were found to have a pseudodiverticulum, of which 9 patients suffered from dysphagia. We found no correlation between the formation of a pseudodiverticulum and radiotherapy or post-laryngectomy complications. All symptomatic patients were treated by dissecting the posterior tissue band endoscopically with a CO2-laser, bringing complete relief of symptoms in 8 of 9 patients. Our study showed that the anterior pseudodiverticulum can be a frequent cause of dysphagia after laryngectomy. It can easily be diagnosed clinically and radiologically. Endoscopic treatment with a CO2-laser is simple and effective.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction combined with valgus tibial osteotomy (combined procedure).

We assessed the patients who were operated on in a combined procedure from 1980 to 1992 with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency, cartilaginous lesions of the medial compartment, lesion of medial meniscus and varus malalignment. The combined operative procedure was autologous intra-articular ACL reconstruction with the middle third of the patellar ligament--partially augmented with Kennedy-ligament augmentation device (LAD) in hot dog technique--and high tibial osteotomy. The patients were examined according to the criteria of IKDC including testing of anterior stability with the KT-1000 arthrometer. Radiographically we checked axis and arthritis according to a modified score of Kannus. Twenty-seven of 34 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria could be followed up in three categories (2-5 years post-operatively, 5-10 years postoperatively, over 10 years post-operatively). Total qualification was good in 37%; there were no perioperative complications. Rehabilitation was not prolonged. Eighty-nine percent practised their preoperative job, over 50% had a higher level of sports activities than preoperatively, and more than 25% regained their pretraumatic sports capacity. Two-thirds had no giving way and less than 3 mm translation difference in comparison to the contralateral knee. Seventy-five percent of patients would accept the operation again. Radiological findings had no correlation to overall qualification. The encouraging results with respect to many of the criteria suggest using the combined procedure in a young patient with ACL insufficiency, varus malalignment and medial compartment damage including medial meniscus lesion.

MR detection of quantitative and structural changes in human aortic aneurysms.

Collagen is a major component of the extracellular matrix and a determinant of the elastic behavior of the human aorta. To investigate the changes found in aneurysmal degeneration, the authors studied the solid-state hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance line shape of collagen in aneurysms and normal human aortas. A three-component decomposition of the free induction decay was performed, with collagen characterized by a T2 of about 18 microseconds. The second moment of the collagen line shape was found to be increased in aneurysms (5.3 vs 4.8 G2), while, correspondingly, the T2 of collagen was lower in aneurysms (16.3 vs 17.7 microseconds). This corresponds to a modification of collagen structure and molecular motion. Collagen concentration was lower in nondiseased aortic walls (9.4% vs 7.3%). These results are discussed in reference to the contradictory conclusions in the current literature. The increase in collagen and the modification of its structure and molecular motion are explained by the need to resist an increasing tangential tension due to increased aortic diameter and diminished wall thickness in aneurysms and by intercalation or site binding in the helices or electric dipolar interactions in the less mobile side groups.

[An irritating cough in dialysis patients. A rare differential diagnosis]. / Reizhusten bei Dialysepatienten. Eine seltene Differentialdiagnose!

Soft tissue calcification is a well-known complication in chronic dialysis patients. These calcifications are mainly located around the large joints. Calcification of the visceral organs also occurs in these patients, even though this fact is far less known. These visceral calcifications are mostly diagnosed post mortem as they tend to be discrete and asymptomatic. In this article, we report on a chronic dialysis patient in whom extensive pulmonary calcifications occurred, leading to clinical symptoms.

[MR imaging of a giant solitary trichoepithelioma of the skin]. / MR-Bildgebung bei einem "Solitären Riesentrichoepitheliom" der Haut.

Magnetic resonance images of a "giant solitary trichoepithelioma" (GST) are presented for the first time. Furthermore, to our knowledge this is the largest GST ever to be reported in the current literature. Magnetic resonance imaging gave information on the origin of the tumor and on the depth of invasion. The signal intensity is non-specific and does not allow histological classification. Preoperatively, the MR examination depicts the extent of the tumor and thus helps in the surgical management that follows.