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Biomedical subjects

E E Rebeiz

Publications and source records attributed to E E Rebeiz.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Sinusitis and headache.

The association of headache and sinusitis was studied in 207 patients who underwent surgery for chronic sinusitis that failed to respond to medical management. Sixty-nine percent of the patients had headaches and 31% did not. In 9% headache was the only symptom and the diagnosis of sinusitis was made on clinical and/or CT grounds. The pain was usually pressure in character, moderate in intensity and lasted for hours. Its location usually, but not always, pointed to the sinuses involved. Discreet sphenoid or ethmoid disease discovered on imaging may be responsible for midline pains. Sinusitis may also trigger or aggravate vascular headaches.

Adult↗

Lasers in otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

Lasers have been used in otorhinolaryngology for more than 2 decades. The Carbon Dioxide laser has been the ideal choice for many otolaryngologists, in addition to the Nd:YAG, KTP, and Argon lasers. Each of the presently available lasers has it benefits and limitations. Advances in laser technology, new laser wavelengths, and delivery systems provides more choices for clinical use. A review of the uses of lasers in otology, rhinology and head and neck surgery, and advances in technology is presented. The advantages, limitations, tissue interaction, complications, present, and future clinical applications are discussed.

Aluminum Silicates↗

Intravenous fluorescein for detection of perilymphatic fistulas.

It has been reported, in animal models and recently in human beings, that intravenous fluorescein is taken up in perilymph and may be useful as a tracer for the detection of perilymphatic fistulas. We attempted to reproduce the results of these animal experiments. Twenty-one middle ears of eight cats and four dogs were exposed. Fluorescein was given intravenously. Fluorescence was initially noted in transudates pooling in the oval and round window niches. Fistulas created with a straight pick produced a bright fluorescence in the leaking fluids, possibly from a ruptured small membrane vessel. Fistulas created with the carbon dioxide laser and with complete hemostasis demonstrated no fluorescence. We concluded that intravenously administered fluorescein causes dramatic fluorescence of vessels and transudates that may be interpreted falsely as fluorescence of perilymph. Fluorescence was not evident in perilymph when complete hemostasis was obtained.

Animals↗

Laser therapy for lymphatic malformations of the upper aerodigestive tract. An evolving experience.

Lymphatic malformations of the upper aerodigestive tract can present therapeutic challenges. Symptoms associated with these lesions include bleeding, dysphagia, changes in speech, and dyspnea. Surgical therapy is recommended, which often leads to functional interference and cosmetic deformities. Laser photocoagulation of these malformations can control symptoms and may be repeated as necessary, preserving tissue and function. The results in four patients treated with the carbon dioxide laser and in five patients treated with the neodymium-YAG laser were reviewed. Reduction of bulk and improvement of symptoms were achieved in all patients, most of whom required multiple treatments. The average duration of each procedure was 30 minutes. All patients were discharged from the hospital on the same day or 1 day after laser therapy with minimal morbidity. The indications, evolving technique, and results of laser therapy are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Tracheobronchial obstruction from esophageal carcinoma: bronchoscopic treatment with neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser.

Tracheobronchial obstruction resulting from esophageal carcinoma is uncommon. Patients with advanced esophageal carcinoma with tracheobronchial obstruction usually present with severe dyspnea or hemoptysis or both and may die of suffocation. The Lahey Clinic experience using laser bronchoscopy for the palliation of symptoms of airway obstruction in patients with esophageal carcinoma is presented. From 1982 to 1990, nine patients were treated in 13 procedures using the neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. Of the patients, seven had undergone previous treatment of the primary tumor. Tumors were located in the trachea in seven patients and in the main stem bronchi in three patients. Improvement of the airway caliber was achieved in all patients with relief of the dyspnea. The mean hospital stay was 2 days. One patient lived 4 years after laser treatment with no recurrence of tumor, and one patient died 1 week after treatment as a result of his poor general condition. The rest of the patients lived 3 to 41 weeks, with a median survival of 35 weeks. No complications were related to the procedures, and in particular, no tracheoesophageal fistulas developed. Our experience indicates that bronchoscopic application of this laser in conjunction with other treatment modalities can improve the quality and duration of life in selected patients with esophageal carcinoma that invades and obstructs the trachea.

Aged↗

Transtympanic endoscopy of the middle ear.

Modern optical technology has made available fiberoptic and rigid endoscopes with diameters of 2 mm and less with acceptable resolution. Endoscopes of small caliber were introduced through a strategically placed myringotomy or an existing perforation to perform exploration of the middle ear as an in-the-office procedure. This technique is now routinely used as an adjunct in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected middle ear conditions. Exploratory surgery of the middle ear may be avoided or definitive procedures may be planned better based on endoscopic findings.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of perilymphatic fistulas by middle ear endoscopy.

Transtympanic endoscopy provides a unique opportunity to view the undisturbed contents of the middle ear. Fiberoptic and rigid endoscopes have been used for thorough examination of the middle ear without the need for local anesthetics or surgical trauma. Endoscopy is now routinely used in the evaluation of a perilymphatic fistula and the patient is awake during an intermittent forceful Valsalva maneuver. Oval and round windows in both ears of five cats were studied endoscopically to evaluate surgically created fistulas. Excellent visualization of the defect was obtained in all instances. Endoscopy is a useful office technique for the evaluation of perilymphatic fistula. It reduces the need for surgical exploration and provides a satisfactory examination of the middle ear. Obliteration of the window niche can even be performed through the myringotomy using autologous blood.

Adult↗

Endoscopic laser therapy for obstructing tracheobronchial lesions.

The Lahey Clinic experience using laser bronchoscopy for relief of obstructive tracheobronchial lesions during a 7-year period from 1982 to 1989 involves 269 patients treated with 400 procedures. The carbon dioxide (CO2) laser was used for tracheal stenosis and granulation tissue. The neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser was used for all obstructing endobronchial neoplasms. Indications for therapy included severe dyspnea, hemoptysis, and postobstructive pneumonitis. All patients had relatively central lesions. A rigid bronchoscope was used to treat 88% of patients, and 12% of patients were treated with a flexible bronchoscope. One death occurred during the intraoperative period. Eleven deaths occurred within 1 week of therapy and were related to the presence of extensive malignant lesions or to coronary artery disease. Our experience indicates that bronchoscopic application of the CO2 or Nd:YAG laser affords effective palliation for patients with obstructive tracheobronchial lesions. The Nd:YAG laser is recommended for patients with bulky vascular endobronchial neoplasms, and the CO2 laser is best reserved for patients with benign tracheal stenosis and granulation tissue.

Bronchial Diseases↗

Endoscopic holmium laser laryngotracheoplasty in animal models.

Subglottic stenosis remains a difficult clinical problem with varied management approaches. An accepted procedure has been anterior and posterior cricoid incisions through an external approach for treatment of severe stenoses without a tracheotomy. The holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser, 2.1 microns wavelength with a pulsed output, is transmissible through standard fibers and ablates soft tissue and cartilage with minimal surrounding damage. This study in in vitro and in vivo animal models shows that this new laser can be used to incise the anterior and posterior cricoid and tracheal cartilages with precise control and may be suitable for endoscopic laryngotracheoplasty.

Animals↗

Holmium: yttrium aluminum garnet laser-assisted endoscopic sinus surgery: laboratory experience.

Endoscopic sinus surgery has gained wide acceptance since its introduction into the United States. Complex sinus anatomy and troublesome bleeding have been associated with complications, which vary in severity from synechia to blindness and leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. Endoscopic sinus surgery using a holmium: yttrium aluminum garnet pulsed solid-state laser oscillating at 2.1 microns with fiberoptic delivery was performed in the laboratory, and the results were compared with those of conventional endoscopic sinus surgery. Three beagle dogs, six human cadaver heads, and one calf head were used in the in vivo and in vitro studies to evaluate the bone ablation, tissue coagulation, and hemostatic properties of the holmium: yttrium aluminum garnet laser. Modified endoscopic telescopes for sinus surgery, a newly developed handpiece for fiberoptic delivery, and other surgical instruments were used. The results indicate that the holmium: yttrium aluminum garnet laser and new delivery instrumentation provide good hemostasis and controlled soft-tissue ablation and bone removal. The access to all sinuses in the human cadaver model was very good. The canine in vivo study showed delayed but complete healing on the laser-treated side. Clinical evaluation of the holmium: yttrium aluminum garnet laser is warranted to increase the precision and safety of endoscopic sinus surgery.

Animals↗

Application of pulsed and continuous wave 1.32 and 1.06 microns wavelengths of the Nd:YAG laser in the canine tracheobronchial tree: a comparative study.

Previous investigations have shown good clinical potential for the use of the 1.32 microns wavelength Nd:YAG laser because its soft tissue absorption is better than that of the 1.06 microns wavelength Nd:YAG laser. The 1.32 microns wavelength Nd:YAG laser has an absorption coefficient in water that is 10 times higher than the 1.06 microns wavelength Nd:YAG laser. A comparative in vivo study of laser soft tissue effects was performed by using the 1.32 microns wavelength and the 1.06 microns wavelength Nd:YAG lasers in a pulsed wave (PW) mode and continuous wave (CW) mode using a non-contact endoscopic delivery system. A standard 5 mm mucosal lesion was made in the canine tracheobronchial tree down to the level of the perichondrium. Soft tissue and cartilage effects were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy, acutely, 1 week and 2 weeks after operation, and a comparison was made between the different laser modalities. To create similar lesions, higher energy was required when using the 1.06 microns wavelength Nd:YAG laser. Soft tissue injury was greater with the 1.06 microns wavelength in CW mode, and no cartilage damage occurred in the PW mode. Soft tissue and cartilage repair after 1 and 2 weeks was better with the 1.32 microns wavelength laser. In comparison, the CO2 laser and the contact Nd:YAG laser proved to be more precise cutting tools than the 1.32 microns wavelength or the 1.06 microns wavelength Nd:YAG lasers. Both Nd:YAG laser wavelengths were useful for coagulation and vaporization of tissues and blood vessels. More studies are needed to determine the effect of the new 1.32 microns wavelengths on endotracheal tumors.

Animals↗

Benign lesions of the larynx: should the laser be used?

The use of the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser in the treatment of patients with benign laryngeal lesions, excluding respiratory papillomatosis, has been questioned because of potential adverse thermal effects on surrounding tissue. We question whether wound healing and subsequent quality of voice would be better if the surgeon used the "cold technique" with microlaryngeal instruments. Since the advent, in 1987, of a small-spot (0.3 mm) CO2 laser micromanipulator and more precise microlaryngeal instruments, we have redefined our use of the CO2 laser for benign laryngeal lesions. Over the past 4 years, in a series of 68 consecutive patients with vocal cord nodules, polyps, polypoid changes, or granulomas, the CO2 laser was useful for mucosal micro-flap dissection techniques and for vascular lesions. Smaller pedunculated lesions, such as vocal cord nodules, were more efficiently removed with the new microlaryngeal instrumentation. The combined selective use of a microspot CO2 laser at low-power settings (1 to 3 W), with 0.1-second pulses, and with precise microlaryngeal instruments will give the best results.

Adolescent↗

Topical application of mitomycin-C in endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a well-established alternative to external DCR for treatment of obstruction of the lacrimal pathway and has a success rate of up to 95% in primary cases. Despite the benefits of using an endoscopic approach, including enhanced intranasal access to the lacrimal drainage system, there still exists a significant failure rate, particularly in revision procedures. As these failures are mainly due to obstructive postoperative adhesions, intraoperative adjuncts that prevent or minimize scarring should enhance the success rate. Endoscopic DCR was performed with intraoperative topical application of mitomycin-C, an antimetabolite often used in ophthalmologic procedures to reduce scarring and formation of adhesions following surgery. The procedure was successful in 7 of 8 instances, with a follow-up of 3 to 27 months. In one procedure, obstruction recurred 10 weeks after surgery. We feel that the results of this small series are encouraging and that further studies are warranted to determine the effectiveness of mitomycin-C as an adjunct to endoscopic DCR.

Administration, Topical↗

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: what the otolaryngologist should know.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) or Rendu-Osler-Weber disease is a systemic autosomal dominant disorder involving blood vessels. Phenotypically, the disease presents with telangiectases that involve all areas of the body. Ninety percent of patients experience epistaxis and are referred to the otolaryngologist for evaluation. Because otolaryngologists may be the primary physicians caring for these patients, it is critical they be knowledgeable about high risk groups, screening protocols for arteriovenous malformations, antibiotic prophylaxis, and genetic screening. It is important that they be aware of the many therapeutic modalities available for the treatment of epistaxis. In this article, the diagnosis, screening, treatment, and molecular genetics of HHT will be discussed. In addition, our experience with 20 patients treated with the Nd:YAG laser for recurrent epistaxis will be reviewed.

Adult↗