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Biomedical subjects

A Alaani

Publications and source records attributed to A Alaani.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Heterotopic gastric mucosa in the cervical oesophagus (inlet patch) and globus pharyngeus--an under-recognised association.

Globus pharyngeus is a symptom commonly encountered in ENT practice. The usual complaint is that of the sensation of a ball or lump in the throat generally unaccompanied by dysphagia. This sensation is often more pronounced when taking an 'empty swallow'. The precise mechanism of this remains enigmatic in many cases. Irritant factors such as gastroesophageal reflux, postnasal drip and excessive throat clearing may be contributory factors as may be stress and psychological influences. Although gastric type mucosa occupying the cervical oesophagus has been long recognised, mainly in the specialised gastrointestinal literature, there appears to be more limited awareness of the condition in ENT practice and the clinical significance of such heterotopia is not well established. We present five recent cases of globus pharyngeus encountered in our ENT practice in which rigid pharyngoesophagoscopy and biopsy revealed heterotopic gastric mucosa within the postcricoid and cervical oesophagus constituting a so-called gastric 'inlet patch'. One case re-presented with invasive adenocarcinoma within a short time. Herein we compare and contrast inlet patch with columnar lined oesophagus, discuss the potential clinical significance of inlet patch and comment upon further management of the condition.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Topical antibiotic ototoxicity: does it influence our practice?

INTRODUCTION: We hypothesised that general practitioners and ENT specialists manage discharging ears differently. This study was designed to investigate this further. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Postal questionnaires were sent to all general practitioners in the Birmingham area and all UK consultants on the British Association of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery address list. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In the presence of an intact tympanic membrane, 99 per cent of consultants and 90 per cent of general practitioners would use topical antibiotics. In the presence of a perforated tympanic membrane, 97 per cent of consultants would continue to use topical antibiotics, compared with only 43 per cent of general practitioners. This was attributed to a fear of ototoxicity. If a topical non-ototoxic antibiotic of proven efficacy could be made available, 93 per cent of consultants and 88 per cent of general practitioners in this study would seriously consider using it as first line treatment. CONCLUSION: The majority of general practitioners would not use topical antibiotics in the presence of a perforated tympanic membrane. Most doctors would consider using a non-ototoxic topical antibiotic as first line treatment should one be made available.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2006

Role of information leaflets in improving the practice of informed consent for patients undergoing septoplasty.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of an information leaflet in improving patient understanding of the procedure and complications of septoplasty. DESIGN: The baseline knowledge of a group of patients who had attended a pre-assessment clinic prior to septoplasty was assessed. The procedure and its complications were then verbally explained. The patients' knowledge was then re-assessed on the morning of surgery and any improvements noted. In the second arm of the study, an information leaflet was introduced at the time of verbal instruction and any differences in improvement in knowledge were assessed. RESULTS: Data from the two groups were analysed using an analysis of covariance with differences in baseline (pre-instruction) knowledge controlled. Additional improvements in mean recall score following leaflet distribution were highly statistically significant when compared with mean recall in the control group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of information leaflets increases patients' knowledge about a surgical procedure and its potential complications.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Air bag injury as a cause of inflammatory myofibroblastic pseudotumour of the subglottic larynx progressing to myositis ossificans.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic pseudotumour (IMFPT) is a rare condition. The clinical presentation can be indistinguishable from that of a malignant neoplasm. The most frequently affected organ is the lung; a much less common site is the larynx and subglottic involvement is particularly rare. Trauma is purportedly one potential aetiological factor, although there have been no previous reports of IMFPT occurring in the larynx secondary to external laryngeal trauma. We present a case of IMFPT of the subglottis which occurred subsequent to external trauma of the neck sustained during air bag inflation in a road traffic accident. This mechanism has not been previously reported. Furthermore, the lesion progressed uniquely to show myositis ossificans-like maturation over time. The patient was ultimately treated by means of complete local excision.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2005

Study on spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea: its aetiology and management.

The aim of this study was to identify the common features in a study group of patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea, to develop a hypothesis to explain the cause of this condition and to investigate the outcome of surgical techniques adopted to repair the leak. In this retrospective study the authors have reviewed all the cases of spontaneous CSF leaks attending and receiving treatment from the otolaryngology department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, from 1992 to 2002. Of 34 patients with CSF leaks, 15 were spontaneous in nature and formed the study group. Of these 15 patients, 14 were female; with ages ranging from 37 to 70 years and a median age of 50 years. All the female patients were overweight with a body mass index (BMI) >24.9 and, of these, nine were considered obese with a BMI >30. It was attempted to identify common factors in the study group and it was evident that female sex, obesity and age played a key role in this condition. The follow-up period ranged from two to 98 months. Thirteen patients were asymptomatic but two patients remained symptomatic, one of these despite repeated surgical intervention.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

An analysis of diagnostic delay in unilateral facial paralysis.

Bell's palsy or idiopathic facial palsy is the commonest cause of unilateral lower motor neuron facial palsy. Misdiagnosis of facial nerve palsy as Bell's palsy is still seen in clinical practice. The clinician should always consider the possibility of a potentially serious underlying pathology before making the diagnosis of Bell's palsy. We present a series of 13 patients referred to our ENT department with an initial diagnosis of Bell's palsy. Further clinical examination and investigation revealed the underlying cause. Many had additional symptoms and signs related to the ear. In all patients with unilateral facial palsy a detailed history should be taken and thorough clinical examination carried out. Where no recovery occurs within the expected time period further radiological investigations such as computerized axial tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be performed. Current scanning techniques provide good quality images, which can show occult lesions of the temporal bone, internal acoustic canal and/or cerebellopontine angle. Radiologists with a special interest and experience in otoneurological radiology should ideally report these images, and a close co-operation between ENT surgeon and radiologist is essential in arriving at a proper diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Cerebellopontine angle arachnoid cysts in adult patients: what is the appropriate management?

Arachnoid cysts can occur at different intracranial sites, including the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). The incidence of arachnoid cysts is 1 per cent of all intracranial lesions. Recent advances in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan techniques have led to CPA arachnoid cysts being more frequently diagnosed and with a higher degree of certainty. The need for further understanding of their natural history as well as for the development of a management rationale has been highlighted with this increased rate of diagnosis. We present a series of five adult patients with different clinical presentations attributed to CPA arachnoid cysts. These lesions have a characteristic location in the posterior-inferior aspect of the CPA below the facial and vestibulocochlear nerves. These cysts did not show change in size on repeated MRI scan and the patients' symptoms did not progress over the period of follow up. Our findings would support a conservative management approach to the majority of these cysts.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Parapharyngeal abscess: diagnosis, complications and management in adults.

Parapharyngeal abscess may cause life-threatening complications. Peritonsillar abscess and tonsillitis may result in parapharyngeal abscess. Since the introduction of antibiotics, the incidence of parapharyngeal abscess secondary to tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess has decreased dramatically. We present five cases of parapharyngeal abscess resulting from tonsillitis and peritonsillar infection extending to the parapharyngeal space in adult patients. Two were complicated by mediastinitis despite early treatment by wide spectrum antibiotics. We believe that early diagnosis and aggressive antibiotic treatment with early surgical drainage in cases associated with pus collection are the key points in preventing serious and fatal complications. We emphasize the diagnostic role of computerized tomography (CT) scan and the importance of early and proper drainage of these abscesses.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Pseudoaneurysm after total pharyngolaryngectomy with jejunal graft insertion: two different presentations.

Pharyngeal reconstruction after total pharyngolaryngectomy using a jejunal graft is now a common procedure in head and neck oncological surgery. The vascular supply of this graft comes from the anastomosis between a branch of the mesentric artery and a branch of the external carotid artery. We report two cases of pseudoaneurysm, one at the site of ligation of the lingual artery and the other at the site of arterial anastomosis. One presented with dramatic hematemesis and was managed by the interventional radiologist, and the second presented with a pulsating neck mass and required a surgical revision. In both cases, the jejunal graft survived.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Wegener's granulomatosis and subglottic stenosis: management of the airway.

Wegener's granulomatosis is a multisystemic disease characterized by foci of necrotizing vasculitis and granuloma formation. Subglottic stenosis may occur either as a presenting feature or a late-stage manifestation of the disease, but will occur in approximately 10-20 per cent of cases. We present a series of seven cases of Wegener's granulomatosis with subglottic stenosis and discuss our management of this condition. Where there is active disease, tracheostomy is the first-line surgical treatment of respiratory obstruction, as an adjunct to full medical therapy. More aggressive or elaborate surgical treatments should be reserved for non-active cases in which patients have not required medical treatment for one year.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Management of laryngeal amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis of the upper aerodigestive tract is rare. However, the larynx is the commonest site within the upper airways to be affected. Three cases of uncomplicated primary amyloidosis of the larynx and one case of laryngeal amyloidosis with more generalized dissemination throughout the head and neck are presented. In this article the different presentations of laryngeal amyloidosis and principles of management of this condition at that site are highlighted.

Adult↗