Characterization and interaction of taste responses in chorda tympani fibers of the cat.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M B Wang.
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BACKGROUND: A dramatic case of infected emphysema involving multiple deep cervical and mediastinal fascial planes following surgical extraction of a lower third molar in an otherwise healthy man is presented. METHODS: The differential diagnosis and management of this condition are discussed, specifically contrasting it to necrotizing fasciitis. RESULTS: The direct cause of this complication was the use of an air turbine handpiece and air syringe for the tooth extraction. CONCLUSIONS: It is advised that air turbine handpieces and air syringes not be used during minor oral surgical procedures.
PURPOSE: Tricholemmal cysts, sometimes termed pilomatrixomas, are benign skin neoplasms. This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical experience with management of pilomatrixomas at a large, referral-based university hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of patients treated at the UCLA Medical Center were reviewed retrospectively. Patients treated during the years 1966 to 1991 inclusive were reviewed for details of the clinical course. All pathology slides were confirmed histologically. RESULTS: Pilomatrixoma was confirmed in 53 patients. Of these, 29 patients (55%) had pilomatrixoma isolated to the head and neck region. All were treated with surgical excision. One patient (3%) experienced recurrence due to inadequate initial excision. Subsequent re-excision resulted in a cure. CONCLUSION: Tricholemmal cysts present as solitary, painless, slow-growing cutaneous nodules often resulting in discoloration of the overlying skin. Simple excision cures this benign neoplasm, and recurrences are rare. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy may aid in the diagnostic workup.
PURPOSE: There is no ideal method for reconstruction of hemilaryngeal defects because there is no autologous flap or graft that can reproduce the unique structural properties of the larynx. In this article, the technique, potential research, and clinical applications of hemilaryngeal transplantation are addressed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a canine model, transplantation of a hemilarynx was performed. The thyroarytenoid muscle was reinnervated, and an arytenoid adduction was performed to ensure a competent larynx during the early postoperative period. RESULTS: The canine tolerated the procedure well and the transplanted larynx remained healthy and well vascularized during the postoperative period. Electromyography of the transplanted thyroarytenoid muscle verified reinnervation 2 months after the procedure. During induced phonation, vibration was symmetrical with a normal-appearing laryngeal geometry. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary experience indicates that this technique has unique advantages compared with other available techniques for laryngeal reconstruction. Only with additional progress in transplantation medicine could this procedure be considered an option for reconstruction of human partial laryngeal defects.
PURPOSE: Chondromas and chondrosarcomas of the larynx are rare cartilaginous tumors making up less than 1% of all laryngeal tumors. Patients typically present with symptoms of hoarseness, dysphagia, or dyspnea. The most common location in the larynx for these tumors is the cricoid cartilage. Radiographically, these lesions are typically hypodense, well-circumscribed masses containing mottled calcifications with smooth walls centered within the cartilage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present 6 cases of chondroid tumors of the larynx. RESULTS: One patient had a chondroma, 4 patients had low-grade chondrosarcomas, and 1 patient had an intermediate-grade chondrosarcoma. Two partial laryngeal resections and 4 total laryngectomies were performed. CONCLUSIONS: In most cases of chondroma or chondrosarcoma of the larynx, conservative surgery should be attempted, but total laryngectomy may be required for large or recurrent lesions.
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BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains a cancer with one of the lowest five-year survival rates. Despite a better understanding of the disease and recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, survival rates for HNSCC patients have not improved. Chromosomal abnormalities are common in HNSCC, and aberrations of chromosome 11q13 have been correlated with a poor prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study we utilized fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to determine the incidence of 11q13 amplification in twenty primary HNSCC tumors. INT-2 was used as the 11q13 probe, and 9 and 11 centromeric probes were used as controls. RESULTS: Polysomy, greater than two copies of chromosome 11, was found in 2 of 20 tumors. INT2 (11q13) amplification was found in 3 other tumors. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary studies indicate tht analysis of a larger sample of tumors using FISH may yield important diagnostic and prognostic information about head and neck tumors.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of positron emission tomography (PET) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging in the workup of unknown primary head and neck tumors. METHODS: Fourteen patients with squamous cell carcinoma of cervical lymph node metastasis of unknown primary origin (clinical stage N2-N3) were studied prospectively. The patients underwent conventional workup, including physical examination, computed tomography, and random biopsies of the potentially suspected sites. If no primary site was found, 8 to 13 mCi of FDG was given intravenously, and whole-body scans with standardized uptake values were obtained. The results of FDG-PET imaging were compared with clinical, CT, and histopathologic findings. To eliminate bias, PET scans were reviewed by nuclear medicine physicians who had no previous knowledge of the other findings. RESULTS: PET identified the location of primary tumor in three patients: lung hilum, base of tongue, and pyriform sinus. These lesions were pathologically confirmed. All these primary sites were not visualized on CT or physical examination, except for a pyriform sinus lesion, which was seen on CT, but initial biopsy result was negative. In one patient, the initial PET did not identify a primary tumor, but a nasopharyngeal carcinoma was identified in post-radiation therapy follow-up PET. In the remaining nine patients, a primary lesion was never found. All cervical lymph nodes detected by CT were identified by PET. DISCUSSION: A previously unknown primary tumor can be identified with FDG-PET in about 21% of the patients in our prospective series. PET can be of value in guiding endoscopic biopsies for histologic diagnosis and treatment options.