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Biomedical subjects

C S Karmody

Publications and source records attributed to C S Karmody.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The first branchial cleft carcinoma.

Primary branchiogenic carcinoma was previously a debated entity. Initially it was a popular diagnosis for many cystic carcinomas of the neck. Then, in 1950, stringent criteria were defined for establishing the diagnosis of primary branchiogenic carcinoma. Only a limited number of cases have successfully fulfilled these criteria. We describe a patient who meets the criteria and who we believe represents the first reported case of a carcinoma arising from the vestigium of the first branchial cleft. We also review the literature on branchial cleft carcinomas and discuss the diagnosis, histopathologic features, and therapeutic options.

Adult

Accelerated superfractionated irradiation for advanced carcinoma of the head and neck: concomitant boost technique.

Between 1980 and 1988, 94 patients with AJCC Stage III and IV squamous cell carcinoma of all sites of the upper aero-digestive tract were treated with radiotherapy. We report here on 62 patients who are followed for a minimum of 2 years. Of these, 30 patients were treated with conventional once-a-day radiotherapy and 32 patients were irradiated using an accelerated superfractionation regimen during part of the treatment course. The altered fractionation schedule employed a concomitant boost technique with clinically demonstrable disease being irradiated twice-a-day during the first or second half of the treatment course. Daily radiation fractions were 1.8 Gy and the boost field was treated with 1.6 Gy after a 4- to 6-hr interval. No significant differences in acute treatment toxicity were observed in the two treatment groups. Patients treated with conventional and accelerated fractionation regimens experienced 36 months actuarial local tumor control rates of 40% and 67% (p = 0.03), respectively, which translated into an actuarial disease-free survival of 40% and 64% (p = 0.04). The increased locoregional control rates in patients treated with accelerated fractionation were associated with an adjusted and overall survival advantage at the p = 0.05 level. We conclude that our regimen of accelerated superfractionated irradiation with shortening of the treatment course resulted in improved control and survival rates at conventional doses of 68.4 to 73.8 Gy.

Adult

The role of combined composite resection and irradiation in the management of carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx can invade the mandible requiring an "en bloc" or composite resection. With this procedure alone, reported local control rates for advanced stage tumors have been suboptimal suggesting the need for adjuvant therapy. The treatment records of 35 patients were reviewed who were treated with composite resection alone, composite resection plus radiotherapy, or composite resection as a salvage procedure for a primary treatment failure. Combined irradiation and composite resection resulted in a higher local control than patients receiving composite resection alone (72% vs. 43%). There was no difference in complication rates between these two treatment groups. Composite resection as a salvage procedure resulted in local control in 38% of patients through this was associated with a 64% rate of complications. This data and a review of the literature suggest that tumors of the oral cavity and oropharynx with extension to the mandible requiring composite resection probably represent a category of tumors with a high risk of local recurrence and may benefit from adjuvant irradiation.

Aged

Presentation of Wegener's granulomatosis in young patients.

We have reviewed 50 cases of Wegener's granulomatosis, seen at the New England Medical Center Hospital between 1970 and 1984, and were impressed that 10 (20%) of these patients were under 25 years of age, with ages ranging from 13 to 23 years. Closer examination of this younger group revealed striking differences in their presenting symptoms and organ involvement when compared to the older group of patients. The presentation of these young patients was varied, with no single predominant symptom. Patients presented with otalgia and otitis media or hearing loss, fulminant sinusitis, arthralgias, and even corneal ulcers. Only one patient had "typical" rhinitis and nasal congestion. This group also had a disproportionate number of patients with involvement of the oral cavity, skin, and trachea. Biopsy of these sites frequently demonstrated necrotizing vasculitis. Three of our 50 patients had intracranial involvement, leading to transient hemiplegia in the first, permanent hemiplegia in the second, and a seizure disorder in the third. Two of these patients were in the younger age group. The proportion of patients with limited and generalized Wegener's granulomatosis was the same in both the younger and older age groups. All the younger patients, however, had manifestations of the disease in the head and neck, while four of the older patients had no symptoms in the upper respiratory tract. The number of young patients in our study emphasizes the fact that Wegener's granulomatosis, indeed, occurs in the younger patient and with a greater frequency than previously supposed. This study suggests that in the teenager and young adult, with an unusual constellation of symptoms of the head and neck and accompanying systemic problems, a diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis should be seriously considered.

Adolescent

Dysphagia as the presenting symptom of tetanus.

Tetanus is an infectious disease affecting the neuromuscular system. Two of its most common symptoms, trismus and dysphagia, fall within the expertise of the otolaryngologist, and may result in the patient with the disease seeking his attention initially. Since the diagnosis of tetanus is a purely clinical one and does not involve diagnostic laboratory tests, it is of paramount importance for the practicing otolaryngologist to be thoroughly familiar with the clinical presentation of the disease.

Aged

Congenital fibrous lesion of the temporal bone.

A neonate had a destructive, fibrous lesion of the temporal bone. There was x-ray evidence of disseminated, lytic disease. A histologic diagnosis of malignant fibrous histiocytoma was made. No treatment was given, yet the child survived with spontaneous resolution of her lesions. We briefly discuss malignant fibrous histiocytoma and propose congenital generalized fibromatosis as an alternative diagnosis to explain the child's recovery.

Bone Neoplasms

Letterer-Siwe disease. Presentation as an otologic problem.

Letterer-Siwe disease is one of the three clinical syndromes that are collectively known as histiocytosis X. This is the most aggressive form of histiocytosis and is frequently fatal. Recently, however, early treatment with chemotherapeutic agents and steroids has prolonged survival and has even resulted in remission of a number of cases. This paper draws attention to a persistent external otitis as an early symptom of Letterer-Siwe disease and identifies, histologically, involvement of the external auditory canal.

Child, Preschool

Osteogenesis imperfecta of the stapes: an histological study.

Two cases of Van der Hoeve's Syndrome are presented with histological findings consistent with the diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta. These findings support the view that otosclerosis can be clearly differentiated histologically from osteogenesis imperfecta. Pre-operative impedance studies are recommended on each patient with osteogenesis imperfecta as a useful diagnostic adjunct to determine whether the conductive component in the hearing loss is secondary to stapedial crural deformity and/or footplate fixation.

Acoustic Impedance Tests

Viral labyrinthitis -- an experimental study.

Summary--An attempt was made to produce viral labyrinthitis in the rhesus monkey. Rhesus monkeys are susceptible to the mumps virus. Nine animals were used. After removal of the stapes, the left oval windows were plugged with Gelfoam soaked in a culture of live mumps virus; right oval windows were plugged with Gelfoam soaked in killed cultures. Animals were sacrificed at different time intervals, postinfection. In eight of the nine animals there was seroconversion from negative to positive; however, none of the animals developed the histologic changes of viral labyrinthitis.

Animals

Reversible sensorineural hearing loss with intravenous erythromycin lactobionate.

Three patients are presented who developed reversible sensorineural hearing losses during treatment with intravenous erythromycin lactobionate. A fourth patient treated with erythromycin gluceptate did not develop hearing loss. Ototoxicity with erythromycin lactobionate has been previously reported in only three patients, one of whom had medication orally. Withdrawal of the antibiotic resulted in prompt improvement in every case with return of hearing to pretreatment levels.

Adult

Wegener's granulomatosis: presentation as an otologic problem.

Presentation of Wegener's granulomatosis as an otologic problem is unusual and leads to incorrect diagnosis and unsuccessful therapy. In seven years, five patients with a diagnosis of otitis media failed to respond to the usual therapeutic regimens. All had surgical manipulations on the middle ear or mastoid, or both. Wegener's granulomatosis was suspected because of persistence of the otologic problem. All patients developed pulmonary lesions and had positive diagnoses by biopsy of either the lung, kidney, or upper respiratory mucosa. Withe timely treatment, all patients have survived.

Adolescent

A classification of the anomalies of the first branchial groove.

Anomolies of the first branchial groove cleft are common and variable. There has been, however, a tendency in the literature to refer to only one or two types as the first branchial cleft syndrome. A classification of first groove anomalies is offered to clarify this topic. Anomalies can be divided into aplasia, atresia, stenosis, and duplication.

Branchial Region