Trigeminal endonasal perception - an outcome predictor for septoplasty.

BACKGROUND: No adequate test exists to predict outcome after septoplasty. Despite adequate surgery, patients still might experience nasal breathing impairment. The aim of this study was to determine if pre-operative trigeminal sensitivity can predict satisfaction after septoplasty. METHODS: Single centre prospective cohort study in tertiary referral centre with follow-up time of 6 weeks postoperatively. Patients scheduled for septoplasty or septorhinoplasty with turbinoplasty were consecutively selected the day before surgery. Standard preoperative examinations (acoustic rhinometry and Sniffin’ Sticks 12 test), the evaluation of nasal obstruction on a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the trigeminal lateralisation task were performed before and 6 weeks after surgery. Biopsies were taken during surgery and TRPV1 mRNA expression was measured by PCR. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included with a median age of 29 years and equal gender distribution. Trigeminal perception and sensation of nasal obstruction showed a significant correlation: preoperative lateralisation test scores, representing endonasal trigeminal sensitivity, correlated significantly with the mean VAS change scores, which demonstrate subjective improvement. A lateralisation test score of 31.5 and more had a sensitivity of 88% to predict an improvement of more than 3 VAS points. Additionally, high TRPV1 mRNA expression was linked with good postoperative VAS scores. CONCLUSION: The preoperative evaluation of the trigeminal sensitivity could improve patients’ selection for septoplasty with a higher rate of satisfaction. Endonasal trigeminal sensitivity is directly linked with subjective outcome. Therefore, patients with low trigeminal sensitivity should undergo septoplasty only after thorough counselling.

[Topical application of tranexamic acid to prevent post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage]. / Topische Anwendung von Tranexamsäure zur Prophylaxe von Nachblutungen nach Tonsillektomie.

BACKGROUND: Haemorrhage after tonsillectomy (TE) is a frequent and possibly major complication. The aim of the present study was to examine, if the rate of haemorrhage after tonsillectomy could be reduced by the topical application of Tranexamic acid (TXA) postoperatively. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between November 2011 and April 2013, all patients (n=246) received TXA postoperatively to prevent haemorrhage after TE. The patients were instructed to dilute 1 ampulla of TXA in 300 ml of tap water (concentration 0.2%) from postoperative day 5-10 and to gargle or spray the tonsillar fossae 5-6 times daily. The study group was compared retrospectively with a control group of patients undergoing TE with-out postoperative application of TXA from December 2010 to November 2011 (n=248). RESULTS: The overall rate of postoperative haemorrhage was 19% and 22% in the study and control group, respectively. The rate of postoperative bleeding that needed surgical intervention was at 8.9% and 11.3% in the study and control group, respectively. Topical application of TXA did not significantly reduce the rate of postoperative haemorrhage after TE. CONCLUSION: Topically applied TXA did not reduce postoperative haemorrhage after TE. However, a slight tendency to less bleeding which needed surgical intervention was found in pa-tients older than ≥ 12 years.

Quality of life after acute type B dissection in the era of thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

BACKGROUND: Conservative management of acute type B aortic dissection is currently being challenged by primary thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Aim was to assess outcome and quality of life after these different approaches using an adjusted standard population as benchmark. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational study of a prospectively collected (January 2000 to December 2005) consecutive series of 87 patients with acute type B aortic dissection. Patients were 63 +/- 13 years old and 68 were men (78.2 %). Seventy-two were managed conservatively (83 %) and 15 invasively (12 by endovascular aortic repair). Follow-up was 36 +/- 19 months. Endpoints were early and late morbidity and mortality, and long-term quality of life as assessed by the Short Form health survey questionnaire. RESULTS: Patient cohorts were similar regarding age, risk profile and local disease. In the conservative cohort, four patients died during early (5.6 %) and eight during long-term follow-up (cumulative four years survival rate 79 %). Thirty-two patients needed secondary surgical management (44 %), i.e. delayed aortic repair (n = 11), or interventions on adjacent aortic sections or major branches (n = 21). In the surgical cohort no patient died, and no repeated interventions were necessary after the peri-operative period. Long-term quality of life scores were 100 (69-115) in conservatively and 94 (75-124) in invasively managed patients. Normal scores range from 85 to 115. CONCLUSIONS: Primary endovascular management of uncomplicated acute type B dissection is safe and leads to excellent long-term results, whereas secondary interventions were required with high incidence after initial conservative management. Long-term quality of life, however, returned to normal with any successful treatment strategy.

[A scale for measuring symptoms related to degenerative diseases of the cervical spine. A reference in determining indications and evaluating surgical outcome]. / Eine Skala zur Messung von Beschwerden bei degenerativen Veränderungen der Halswirbelsäule (HWS). Hilfe zur Indikationsstellung und zur Evaluation des Operationserfolgs.

A scale for measuring symptoms related to degenerative diseases of the cervical spine is presented. Twenty typical symptoms are listed, e. g., neck pain, dysesthesia, and reduced mobility. Responses are assessed via a 6-point scaling ("did not have symptom" - "had symptom and suffered very strongly".) The cervical spine scale was tested in three samples: patients having undergone cervical spine surgery (n = 70), patients with other orthopedic diagnoses (n = 104), and healthy students (n = 100). The single items of the scale were aggregated into four scores: total number of symptoms, degree of overall symptom distress, functional disability, and pain/psychological distress. Statistical analyses proved the high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85 to 0.95) and validity (content, convergent, discriminant) of all scores. The scale differs clearly between cervical spine patients, other orthopedic patients and healthy individuals, and between cervical spine patients with different subjective operative outcomes. For applied clinical purposes the cervical spine scale can be included in a quality of life profile (QL-profile); this allows for a readily understandable graphic depiction of individual patients' QL-status.