The effect of dexamethasone on postoperative vomiting after tonsillectomy.

UNLABELLED: In this double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study, we assessed the effect of dexamethasone 0.5 mg/kg IV administered preoperatively in 110 children 2-12 yr old, undergoing electrodissection adenotonsillectomy, using a standardized anesthetic technique. The incidence of early and late vomiting, the time to first oral intake, the quality of oral intake, the satisfaction scores, and the duration of IV hydration were compared in both groups. The overall incidence of vomiting, as well as the incidence of late vomiting, was significantly less in the Dexamethasone group as compared with the Saline group (23% and 19% vs 51% and 34%, respectively). The time to first oral intake and the duration of IV hydration were shorter in the Dexamethasone group compared with the Saline group (P < 0.05). The quality of oral intake and the satisfaction scores were better in the Dexamethasone group than in the Saline group (P < 0.05). This report confirms the beneficial effect of IV dexamethasone on both vomiting and oral intake in children undergoing electrodissection adenotonsillectomy. IMPLICATIONS: In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, we examined the efficacy of a single dose of dexamethasone 0.5 mg/kg IV on posttonsillectomy vomiting and oral intake in children 2-12 yr old. Dexamethasone significantly decreased the incidence of postoperative vomiting during the first 24 h, shortened the time to the first oral intake and the duration of IV hydration, and improved the quality of oral intake and the satisfaction scores of the patients.

Endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the tracheobronchial tree: predictive factors for complications.

We reviewed the records of 504 patients admitted to the American University of Beirut Medical Center during a 10-year period for treatment of aspiration of a foreign body into the tracheobronchial tree. All underwent rigid fiberoptic bronchoscopy for removal of the foreign body. Complications occurred in 42 patients (8%) and were classified as intraoperative (7 patients), postoperative (25 patients), and failure to retrieve the foreign body by bronchoscopy (9 patients). These complications included respiratory distress necessitating tracheotomy and/or assisted ventilation, bronchial pneumonia, pneumothorax, bradycardia, and cardiac arrest. Variables that were examined were the age and sex of the patient, history of multiple previous bronchoscopies, delay in diagnosis and/or treatment, duration of the procedure, type and location of the foreign body, and use of corticosteroids during surgery. The most important variables that were of value in predicting the occurrence of complications were the history of previous bronchoscopy, the duration of the procedure, and the type of foreign body. Age, sex, delay in diagnosis and treatment, and intraoperative use of corticosteroids, while important, had no predictive value. Detailed results with guidelines for prevention and management are presented.

Use of prophylactic otic drops after tympanostomy tube insertion.

In a 1-year prospective study, 60 patients with chronic serous otitis media underwent bilateral tympanocentesis with tube insertion. The right ear was treated with dexapolyspectran (a solution consisting of polymyxin B sulfate, neomycin sulfate, sulfonamide, and hydrocortisone) intraoperatively and for 72 hours afterward, and the left ear served as the control. All patients were followed up at weekly intervals for the first month. Five (8.3%) out of 60 experimental ears had purulent otorrhea within the first 14 days after surgery, compared with eight (13.3%) out of 60 control ears. Statistical analysis showed no difference between the two groups.

Hemangioma of the nasal septum: A clinicopathological profile.

Septal hemangioma is a rare cause of epistaxis and nasal obstruction. Ten cases were seen in our center over 25 years and constitute 31% of all cases of nasal hemangioma. The male to female ration was 2.4:1; patient age ranged between 14 and 63 years (average, 39 years). The main presenting symptom was epistaxis with progressive nasal obstruction. There was a positive history of trauma in 7 cases. Symptoms varied between 1.5 months to 4 years (average, 13 months). All tumors but one were located anteriorly in the septum and measured between 0.5 and 2 cm in diameter. Histologically they were well-defined benign neoplasms covered with stratified squamous epithelium and showed varying degrees of ulceration. In eight cases the core was composed of proliferating capillary-type vessels, and two were cavernous. Operative intervention is the treatment of choice, with recurrences likely in the event of incomplete excision (two of the ten cases recurred).

Primary localized amyloidosis of the nose and paranasal sinuses. A case report with immunohistochemical observations and a review of the literature.

Primary localized amyloidosis of the nose and nasopharynx is a rare disease. We present a case and review seven additional cases from the English literature. The ages of the patients ranged from 8 to 86 years; there was no sex predominance. Symptoms were nasal obstruction, epistaxis, and impaired hearing. Physical examination revealed a nasal mass or glue ears. The lesions were composed of amyloid and chronic inflammatory cells, mainly plasma cells. Ours is the first case of nasal amyloidosis in which the type of amyloid was determined immunohistochemically to be amyloid light chain (AL) lambda. The main treatment was surgical. Recurrences developed. Determination of the biochemical nature of this amyloid clarified its pathogenesis and may influence treatment. Amyloidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nasal obstruction, epistaxis, and glue ears, even in the pediatric age group.

Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis.

Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis remains a diagnostic challenge for many clinicians despite current advances in diagnostic laboratory techniques. Although much has been done to prevent tuberculosis, cases of mycobacterial disease in endemic form still occur. Six hundred and forty-five patients with tuberculosis were diagnosed and treated at the American University of Beirut Medical Center during the period from 1970 to 1985. Twenty-nine (4.5%) of these patients had proven mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis. We stress histopathologic examination as the single most important means for diagnosing mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis. Operation in combination with antituberculous chemotherapy remain the treatments of choice.

Head and neck war injuries: 10-year experience at the American University of Beirut Medical Center.

Lebanon has witnessed over the past 10 years fierce outbreaks of violence resulting in heavy casualties. Head and neck injuries secondary to bullets, shrapnel, and/or glass were quite frequent: 1,357 injuries in 1,021 patients were taken care of by members of the Department of Otolaryngology between 1975 and 1984. They were distributed as follows: (Formula: see text). Fractures of the mandible were treated by closed reduction in 54% of cases and by open reduction in 46%; 74% healed well and 26% required secondary surgery. Primary repair of oral cavity injuries resulted in healing in 68% of cases; 32% had dehiscences or fistulae. In around one-third of the orbital injuries, the orbital contents herniated into the maxillary sinus, so orbital floor repairs had to be done with good results in 82% of cases. The nasal fractures were treated by closed reduction in 75% of cases and open reduction when the wound was open in the rest. The overall infection rate was 12%. The most common offending organisms were, in order of frequency, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli.

Association of diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness. The Wolfram or DIDMOAD syndrome.

Seven patients with a rare syndrome of diabetes insipidus (DI), diabetes mellitus (DM), optic atrophy (OA), neurosensory deafness (D), atony of the urinary tract, and other abnormalities (Wolfram or DIDMOAD syndrome) are reported. Of the seven patients, three siblings were followed up for 10-17 years. All seven patients had diabetes mellitus and optic atrophy; six had diabetes insipidus; and in the four patients investigated there was dilatation of the urinary tract. The severity of diabetes varied, and all required insulin for control of the hyperglycaemia. In one patient the course of the disease simulated maturity onset diabetes of the young; another presented with ketoacidosis; but none had haplotypes usually associated with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. The diabetes insipidus responded to chlorpropamide, suggesting partial antidiuretic hormone deficiency. Onset of optic atrophy and loss of vision occurred relatively late and progressed slowly, although in one patient there was a rapid deterioration in visual acuity. Deafness was mild, of late onset, and of sensorineural origin. A degenerative process affecting the central and peripheral nervous system can explain all the manifestations of the syndrome except diabetes mellitus. The pathogenesis of the diabetes mellitus remains obscure.

Basophilic deposits in the stria vascularis. A clinicopathological update.

Basophilic deposits in the stria vascularis have been found in association with a multitude of disease entities. Their true significance and nature remain obscure. In the temporal bone collection at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary are 22 cases with basophilic deposits in the stria vascularis. The ages of the subjects studied ranged from two days to 83 years. Atrophy of the stria vascularis was the main pathology seen in their temporal bones. The deposits were found in both ears in 82% of cases. They tend to show a striking polymorphism. Special histochemical stains suggest they contain glycogen. Hypertension and uremia were two health problems most of the subjects were suffering from during life. A theory is advanced as to the immune complex nature of these deposits. A review of the literature concerning this subject is also offered.

Adult-onset fluid in the tympanomastoid compartment. Diagnosis and management.

Fluid in the tympanomastoid compartment having its onset in adulthood may be caused by three pathogenic mechanisms. Serous otitis in vacuo is the result of blockage of the eustachian tube and the most frequent cause is neoplastic disease. Adult serous effusion is a disorder of unknown cause characterized by active secretion of serous fluid from the mucous membrane lining the tympanomastoid compartment. Cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea is the result of a CSF fistula in the tympanomastoid compartment and may be caused by congenital anomalies, acquired diseases, and trauma. The differential diagnosis demands a systematic approach beginning with history and examination and progressing as necessary through a series of diagnostic procedures that may include pressure-equilizing tube insertion, fluorescein dye test, and surgical exploration.