Comparative study of laser versus radiofrequency myringotomy in rabbits: The effectiveness of mitomycin C application.

OBJECTIVE: To compare laser-assisted tympanostomy (LAT) with radiofrequency myringotomy (RFM), as well as the effectiveness of mitomycin C (MC) on the above techniques, in rabbits. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental animal research protocol. SETTING: University of Crete, School of Medicine, Medical Experimental Education and Research Center. METHODS: Bilateral myringotomies were performed under general anesthesia on 40 rabbits. LAT was performed on 20 animals (40 ears) and RFM on the remaining 20 animals (40 ears). MC (0.3 mg/mL) pledgets were applied to the right ears and saline pledgets to the left ears. Animals were monitored weekly using otomicroscopy until myringotomy closure. Kaplan-Meier survival techniques were used to compare myringotomy patency times. INTERVENTIONS: Under general anesthesia, bilateral LAT was performed on 20 rabbits and bilateral RFM on 20 rabbits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Myringotomy patency time. RESULTS: The mean patency times of the saline-treated ears were: 1.85 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.556-2.144 wk) for the LAT group and 1.70 weeks (95% CI, 1.494-1.906 wk) for the RFM group. This difference was not significant (p > 0.5). MC application significantly prolonged mean patency time (p < 0.0001) in both LAT and RFM groups. The mean patency times in the MC-treated ears were 5.45 weeks (95% CI, 5.226-5.674 wk) for the LAT group and 5.55 weeks (95% CI, 5.285-5.815 wk) for the RFM group. This difference was not significant (p > 0.5). CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference in myringotomy patency times between LAT and RFM techniques in rabbits, whereas MC significantly prolongs the patency rate of either technique.     

Oral mucosal melanoma: a malignant trap

Background

Liposarcoma most commonly arises in the retroperitoneum and lower extremities. Liposarcoma of the head and neck is rare, with only 12 previously reported cases of liposarcoma in the tongue.

Case presentation

We present a case of well-differentiated liposarcoma of the tongue occuring in a 39 year old man, treated with surgical excision. At 14 years of follow-up, the patient remains free of disease.

Conclusion

Liposarcoma of the head and neck is rare, and may easily be misdiagnosed clinically. The diagnosis is made histologically. Clinical behavior is related to histopathologic subtype. Wide surgical excision is the treatment of choice, with limited data to support the use of radiation or chemotherapy. Our case represents the longest follow-up period for a tongue liposarcoma, with 14 years disease-free following surgical extirpation.     

Long-term results of intranasal laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy with the use of a surgical microscope

Objective

To address the long-term results of our method that combines intranasal laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy with the use of surgical microscope.

Methods

The procedure is a modification of the West method. A retrospective series of the long-term results are presented in 105 patients that underwent 118 DCR procedures, over the past 6 years. Selection criteria were mainly acquired idiopathic nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

Results

113 DCR cases (95,8%) were free of symptoms postoperatively (mean follow-up: 24 months).

Conclusion

Our method when compared with traditional methods is correlated with excellent postoperative long-term results.     

The neutralizing antibody response post COVID-19 vaccination in patients with myeloma is highly dependent on the type of anti-myeloma treatment

Recent data suggest a suboptimal antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with hematological malignancies. Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 were evaluated in 276 patients with plasma cell neoplasms after vaccination with either the BNT162b2 or the AZD1222 vaccine, on days 1 (before the first vaccine shot), 22, and 50. Patients with MM (n = 213), SMM (n = 38), and MGUS (n = 25) and 226 healthy controls were enrolled in the study ({"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT04743388","term_id":"NCT04743388"}}NCT04743388). Vaccination with either two doses of the BNT162b2 or one dose of the AZD1222 vaccine leads to lower production of NAbs in patients with MM compared with controls both on day 22 and on day 50 (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Furthermore, MM patients showed an inferior NAb response compared with MGUS on day 22 (p = 0.009) and on day 50 (p = 0.003). Importantly, active treatment with either anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) or belantamab mafodotin and lymphopenia at the time of vaccination were independent prognostic factors for suboptimal antibody response following vaccination. In conclusion, MM patients have low humoral response following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, especially under treatment with anti-CD38 or belamaf. This underlines the need for timely vaccination, possibly during a treatment-free period, and for continuous vigilance on infection control measures in non-responders.Subject terms: Myeloma, Antibodies     

Radiofrequency myringotomy with the topical use of mitomycin C: an experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of radiofrequency myringotomy in combination with mitomycin C as an alternative myringotomy technique on rabbits. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental animal research protocol. SETTING: University of Crete, School of Medicine, Medical Experimental Education and Research Center. METHODS: Radiofrequency myringotomies were performed under general anesthesia on both ears of 20 rabbits. Mitomycin C (0.3 mg/ml) pledgets were applied in the right ears (study group) and saline pledgets in the left ears (control group). Animals were monitored using otomicroscopy weekly until myringotomy closure. Kaplan-Meier survival techniques were used to compare myringotomy patency time between the two sides. INTERVENTION: Radiofrequency myringotomy under general anesthesia on both ears of 20 rabbits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Myringotomy patency time. RESULTS: The mean patency time of the study group was 5.45 weeks (95% confidence interval, 5.185-5.715 weeks). The mean patency rate for the control side was 1.60 weeks (95% confidence interval, 1.38-1.82 weeks). The Breslow (generalized Wilcoxon) test showed the study group to have significantly longer patency of radiofrequency myringotomy than the control group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The patency period of radiofrequency myringotomy was not long enough to be proposed as an alternative to the insertion of ventilation tubes, although mitomycin C had a significant adjunct effect in prolonging the patency rate of radiofrequency myringotomy on rabbits.     

Low neutralizing antibody responses in WM,CLL and NHL patients after the first dose of the BNT162b2 and AZD1222 vaccine

Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is considered as the most important preventive strategy against COVID-19, but its efficacy in patients with hematological...     

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists

The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) has been implicated in many cases of angioedema, but, given the potential mechanism of this complication, it was not expected to be caused by angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). However, in the past few years, scattered reports of angioedema associated with ARBs have appeared in the medical literature. We performed a retrospective chart review from January 1, 1998, through June 30, 2003, and a review of the literature. During this time, we managed head and neck angioedema induced by ACEIs (n = 27) and ARBs (n = 4) in 31 patients. All of them had significant mucosal swelling, and in some of them dyspnea and dysphagia coexisted. The most frequently involved areas were the oral tongue (13 cases), uvula and soft palate (5 cases), and larynx, mouth floor, and lips (3 cases each). Angioedema may be a more common complication of ACEI and/or ARB use than originally thought. This complication may occur after long-term use of these drugs. We advise that ARBs not be prescribed to patients with a history of angioedema, particularly that due to the use of ACEIs.     

Ligasure versus cold knife tonsillectomy

OBJECTIVE: To assess parameters related to ligasure tonsillectomy (LT) versus cold knife tonsillectomy (CKT) procedure. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized study. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 200 consecutive adult patients undergoing tonsillectomy. Indications included chronic tonsillitis and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Patients undergoing adenoidectomy, or any procedure together with tonsillectomy, and patients with peritonsillar abscess history or bleeding disorders were excluded. Patients were randomly assigned to either the LT or CKT group. Intraoperative bleeding, operative time, postoperative pain using a visual analogue scale, and complication rates were evaluated. RESULTS: The LT and CDT groups consisted of 108 and 92 individuals, respectively. In the LT group, there was no measurable intraoperative bleeding, whereas mean bleeding for CKT group was 125 mL. The mean operative time was 15 +/- 1.43 minutes for the LT group and 21 +/- 1.09 minutes for the CKT group (P < .001). The overall mean pain score for the LT group was 3.63, whereas for the CKT group it was 5.09 (P < .001). Primary hemorrhage occurred in one subject of the CKT group. Secondary postoperative hemorrhage was noticed two subjects of the LT group and two subjects of the CKT group. In 21 subjects of the LT group, limited peritonsillar edema was noticed. No other complication occurred in both groups. CONCLUSION: LT procedure provides sufficient hemostasis, lower postoperative pain, and reduced operative time, as well as safety against Creutzfeld Jakob disease transmission.     

Outcomes of patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis after failure of daratumumab-based therapy

As daratumumab use in AL amyloidosis increases, more patients will either relapse after or become refractory to daratumumab. We present the outcome of 33 patients with AL who failed on daratumumab (due to haematological relapse in 21 [64%] patients and inadequate haematological response in 12 [36%]) and received further treatment. Overall response rate in the post-daratumumab failure treatment was 55% (CR/VGPR: 14 [42%] and PR: 3 [9%] patients). Patients retreated with daratumumab and patients harbouring +1q21 had lower rates of response. Treatment of patients with AL who fail daratumumab therapy is feasible when non-cross-resistant drugs or other targeted therapies are available.