Complications associated with the surgical treatment of cholesteatoma

The surgical complications associated with a cholesteatoma are predictable preoperatively depending upon the location of a cholesteatoma. If the patient has an attic cholesteatoma the surgeon can anticipate postoperatively a dry ear, minimal chance of a persistent or recurrent cholesteatoma, a satisfactory hearing restoration, and, although a mastoidectomy is usually necessary, the size of the mastoid cavity in an adult can be extremely small. If a patient has a middle ear cholesteatoma the surgeon can anticipate postoperatively a relatively high incidence of moist ears, persistent or recurrent cholesteatoma, and an unsatisfactory hearing result. However, rarely will the creation of a mastoid cavity be necessary as rarely will mastoidectomy be required. Although most of the children “before puberty” in the study had middle ear cholesteatomas, all children, regardless of the location of cholesteatoma, had a higher incidence of surgical failure than did adults.     

Should Valve Replacement and Related Procedures Be Performed in Elderly Patients?

The cases of 135 consecutive elderly patients 70 years old or older who had valve replacement and related surgical procedures from October, 1977, through April, 1982, were reviewed. There were 75 men and 60 women. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 50.16 ± 5%. The overall operative mortality was 8% (11 patients). The early operative deaths were related mainly to cardiac failure, low cardiac output, sepsis, and renal and multiorgan failure. To assess the operative risk, these 135 patients were compared with 312 younger patients (less than 70 years old) who had undergone similar procedures during the same period. The operative mortality in this group was 5.2% (16).In-hospital complications included arrhythmia (13%), psychosis (7.4%), respiratory failure (6.7%), renal failure (6.7%), cerebrovascular accident (5.2%), myocardial infarction (4.4%), and reoperation for bleeding (2.2%). Wound dehiscence occurred in 1.5% of the patients, and pulmonary emboli and sepsis developed in 0.7%. Of these complications, only the incidence of cerebrovascular accident appeared to be more common in the elderly group (5.2% versus 2.8%), but it had no statistical significance (p = 0.18).A follow-up of 3,892 patient-months was completed in 98.4% of the survivors. There were 8 late deaths (6.4%). Six were related to the valve or to ongoing cardiovascular disease. Thirty-four patients subsequently required medical attention: 4 had bleeding because of the anticoagulant; 3 required a blood transfusion; and 27 were hospitalized. Six were admitted for related cardiac conditions and 7, for observation of other conditions; 14 underwent surgical procedures not related to the cardiovascular system. All of the survivors had substantially improved their life-style and New York Heart Association Functional Class. They were active and able to participate in daily life.Valve replacement and necessary related procedures can be accomplished in elderly patients with an acceptable operative mortality. Medium-term follow-up of these patients showed functional improvement and low mortality.     

Quantitation of postischemic skeletal muscle necrosis: histochemical and radioisotope techniques

Skeletal muscle necrosis will result from prolonged periods of ischemia. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to estimate the extent of necrosis using nitroblue tetrazolium staining and technetium scanning. The bilateral canine gracilis muscle preparation with total vascular isolation was exposed to 4 hr of complete normothermic ischemia followed by reperfusion. After 45 hr of reperfusion 99mTc pyrophosphate (PYP) was injected and 3 hr later the muscles were harvested, cut into six slices, and stained with nitroblue tetrazolium. Biopsies were taken from tetrazolium-positive and -negative areas for electron microscopy to confirm the ability of the stain to distinguish viable from necrotic muscle. Computerized planimetry of the staining pattern was used to estimate the extent of necrosis as a percentage of the total muscle. Electron microscopy confirmed the validity of nitroblue tetrazolium to discriminate between viable and necrotic skeletal muscle in this experimental model. After 4 hr of ischemia the percentage necrosis was 30.2 +/- 6.1% (mean +/- SEM, n = 12), there was no difference in the extent of necrosis in left vs right paired muscles, using tetrazolium staining or technetium PYP uptake. There was a statistically significant correlation between the percentage necrosis and the density of 99mTc PYP uptake per muscle (r = 0.83, P less than 0.001) and per slice (r = 0.94, P less than 0.001). This study demonstrates the ability of tetrazolium staining to accurately differentiate between viable and necrotic skeletal muscle and provides a reproducible method for estimating the extent of necrosis in the gracilis muscle model.     

Management of the mastoid air cell system in chronic otitis media

The influence of the Mastoid Air Cell System in Chronic Otitis Media is subject to much speculation. Does a mastoidectomy influence the surgical results following chronic inflammatory ear surgery? An understanding of the pathology associated within the mastoid air cell system is necessary before a discussion of the need for a mastoidectomy can be presented. Most mastoid air cell systems are sclerotic in chronic otitis media patients. The report summarizes one author's experiences with the influence of mastoidectomy upon surgical reconstruction for chronic inflammatory diseases of the ear. Emphasis is directed toward the eustachian tube rather than the mastoid air cell system.     

The big and/or soft spleen: a survey of necropsy specimens

A statistical survey of the necropsy population, for the year 1973, at the Veterans Administration Hospital, Long Beach, Calif, was performed to determine changes occurring in the spleen. When cirrhosis of the liver was present, spleens were usually enlarged but not substantially firmer. In cases in which there was no cirrhosis, severe systemic infection was not accompanied by splenomegaly, although spleen softening was present. Generally, spleen size did not appear to be related to its own consistency. However, when cirrhosis of the liver was present, severe infection was accompanied by a decrease in the size of the spleen, with no change in consistency; but in these cases, there was less infection at the time of death. Splenomalacia was not shown to be related to postmortem autolysis. The spleen weight decreased only slightly with aging.     

Nutritional support in a general urological service

A nutritional support team was used in the assessment and management of patients on a general urological service. Indications for nutritional evaluation included history of weight loss, anorexia, significant infection, chronic neoplastic disease, trauma or major surgery. The fat and protein status of the patient was assessed by anthropomorphic and laboratory determinations. The patient then was categorized as having mild, moderate or severe degrees of nutritional depletion. Deficiencies in vitamins, trace elements or essential fatty acids were not noted. Caloric and protein needs were calculated by multiplication of the basal energy expenditure by a metabolic activity factor, which was derived from the degree of illness or stress. Nutritional support was provided by enteral feedings via oral, nasogastric or jejunal feeding tubes and/or intravenous hyperalimentation via peripheral or central venous nutrient lines. During a 6-month interval nutritional consultation was requested for 50 patients, who represented 7 per cent of the urological admissions. Nutritional support was provided for patients who had obstructive uropathy with or without neoplasms, radiation cystitis, sepsis, urinary fistulas, mental depression, end stage renal disease or neurological dysfunction. In patients in whom urological treatment controlled the disease nutritional support maintained the weight, and stabilized serum albumin and lymphocyte counts. We concluded that a nutritional support program has a significant and, often, unappreciated role in the management of urological patients.     

Long-term outcome in children with temporal lobe seizures. I: Social outcome and childhood factors.

One-hundred children, diagnosed as having temporal lobe epilepsy and reported on in 1966, have been followed into adult life. In this 1977 survey they have been coded into four social outcome categories, A, B, C and D. A: 33 per cent are found to be seizure-free and independent; B: 21 per cent are socially and economically independent but are receiving anticonvulsant treatment and are not necessarily seizure-free; C: O9 per cent are dependent either on their parents or in institutions; D: 5 per cent died under the age of 15. Biological factors ascertained and coded in childhood are related to adult outcome. Eight adverse factors emerged: an IQ below 90, onset of seizures before 2 years 4 months, five or more grand mal attacks, temporal lobe seizure frequency of one per day or more, a left-sided focus, the hyperkinetic syndrome, catastrophic rage and special schooling. The presence of first-degree relatives with seizure disorders was a good prognostic sign. Disorderly homes in childhood did not significantly affect adult outcome. All but one of those achieving Group A status had received normal schooling. In general, the prognosis for children with limbic seizures is clear before the end of adolescence. A simple count of the number of childhood adverse factors predicts adult outcome at a high level of significance.