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Biomedical subjects

S D Handler

Publications and source records attributed to S D Handler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Salivary gland neoplasms in children: a 10-year survey at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Fifteen salivary gland tumors were treated at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia between 1982 and 1991. Eight of these lesions were malignant and 7 were benign. All of the benign tumors were pleomorphic adenomas. For these, superficial parotidectomy or excision of the submandibular gland was the treatment of choice. One child had recurrence 2 years after her initial surgery. Among the malignant lesions, mucoepidermoid carcinoma was diagnosed in 5 children, and acinic cell carcinoma in 3. Six malignant tumors involved the parotid gland, while 2 originated in the submandibular salivary gland. Superficial or total parotidectomy, or excision of the submandibular gland was performed, according to the nature and the location of the lesion. The facial nerve was sacrificed in one patient because of extensive involvement of the nerve. A 2-year survival rate of 100% was achieved, and all the patients were free of disease at the end of the follow-up period. Successful management of salivary gland lesions in children requires a high index of suspicion of possible malignancy and complete surgical removal as the initial treatment. Radiation therapy is recommended in the management of those patients with microscopic residual tumor and/or nodal involvement.

Adenoma, Pleomorphic↗
PubMed1993

Endoscopic assessment in children with tracheotomies.

Pediatric tracheotomy is a safe procedure, and the tube can be maintained for a prolonged period. There are, however, few guidelines regarding the endoscopic assessment of the airway following tracheotomy. From January 1988 through December 1989, the Division of Otolaryngology of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa) performed tracheotomies on 81 patients. Thirty-two children had direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy at the time of the procedure, 1 week later, and at 6-month intervals for a minimum of 18 months. Four children had normal airways while 21 had intraluminal stomal granulomas, 16 had development of subglottic stenosis, nine had collapse of the anterior tracheal wall, and three had development of distal tracheal granulations. Sixteen children had multiple lesions. Anatomic changes occur in the airways of the majority of children with long-term tracheotomies, and endoscopic evaluation is an essential part of their care.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1993

Laryngeal involvement in neurofibromatosis.

Neurofibromas of the larynx are an uncommon component of neurofibromatosis, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with a submucosal supraglottic mass. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice; however, incomplete excision may be preferable to aggressive debilitating surgery. Plexiform neurofibroma differs from non-plexiform neurofibroma in that it is poorly circumscribed and highly infiltrative. Tracheostomy may be necessary. Sarcomatous degeneration is reported and carries a poor prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Ventilation tube removal. Indications for paper patch myringoplasty.

Paper patch myringoplasties are commonly performed in children at the time of ventilation tube removal, yet no series documenting their efficacy appears in the otolaryngology literature. Over an 18-month period at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa), 163 ventilation tube removals were performed on 131 children aged 1 to 18 years. In 95 of these ears, a paper patch myringoplasty was performed after tube removal. No significant difference (87% vs 85%) in the overall healing rate at 6 months was shown between these two groups. An analysis of the variables potentially affecting outcome revealed that healing following simple tube removal was influenced by the frequency of tube placement and by tube size. Paper patch myringoplasty significantly improved outcome (93% vs 61%) in ears with more than three previous tube placements.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Usefulness of computed tomographic scan in the evaluation of sensorineural hearing loss in children.

A retrospective chart study was conducted to determine the diagnostic yield of temporal bone imaging for children with sensorineural hearing loss of unknown cause. Seventy consecutive cases, spanning 4.5 years, were identified and individual computed tomography films reviewed. Cases were analyzed with respect to patients' age, duration of hearing loss, sudden onset vs progressive loss, unilateral vs bilateral, and other symptoms. Of the 70 computed tomographic scans, nine showed temporal bone or other intracranial abnormalities. The majority of these findings were localized to structures in the posterior and middle cranial fossae. No eight nerve tumors were identified. Congenital hearing loss and hearing loss secondary to viral infections are the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss when discovered in early childhood and, often, have no radiographic abnormality. The decision to explore an ear for a presumed perilymph fistula is based almost exclusively on the history and physical examination, and not on the demonstration of any radiographic findings. For the children presenting with stable hearing impairment in the absence of other findings, computed tomographic scans were either negative or did not contribute to diagnosis. Since tumors of the eighth nerve are rare in children under 16 years of age (without neurofibromatosis), and radiologic studies have a low yield in identifying perilymph fistulas, the routine use of computed tomographic imaging in such children may be unjustified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Is outpatient tonsillectomy appropriate for young children?

The current literature suggests that outpatient tonsillectomy is a safe, cost-effective procedure. These reports have based their conclusions on the low rates of postoperative bleeding and dehydration. Generally, they have not examined other factors that may influence the postoperative course or identified groups of patients in whom outpatient management may not be appropriate. The literature regarding tonsillectomy in young children is conflicting. A retrospective analysis of the records of 223 children, 36 months of age and younger who had tonsillectomies, was performed. Postoperative airway complications including oxygen desaturation and airway obstruction developed in 115 patients. Seventeen (7.6%) children required postoperative care in an intensive care unit while an additional 117 (52.5%) patients received more than standard management. Preoperative apnea, an age of less than 12 months, and the presence of accompanying medical conditions were associated with a higher incidence of postoperative airway complications. It is recommended that tonsillectomy in patients under 36 months of age be planned as an inpatient procedure.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

Nasopharyngeal malignancies in children.

A retrospective analysis identified 29 children with nasopharyngeal malignancies who were evaluated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 1970 through 1989. Rhabdomyosarcoma (15) and carcinoma (9) were the most common tumor types, and there were distinct differences in the clinical presentations of these two malignancies. Patients with rhabdomyosarcoma were generally younger than those with carcinoma and enjoyed longer survival. Six (67%) of the children with carcinoma were black; all of the patients with rhabdomyosarcoma were white. Patients with carcinoma were also more likely to present with cervical metastases. The presentation, evaluation, and methods of treatment for pediatric nasopharyngeal malignancies are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Preoperative history and coagulation screening in children undergoing tonsillectomy.

To evaluate the usefulness of preoperative screening for coagulation disorders in children, we prospectively studied laboratory and bleeding histories in 1603 children undergoing tonsillectomy. All patients had preoperative laboratory screening with a complete blood count, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and bleeding time. Persistent abnormalities on repeat testing 1 week later were investigated further by a standardized schema. A subset of 129 patients, including all those who bled perioperatively or had laboratory abnormalities, completed a standard historical questionnaire. Thirteen patients had persistent laboratory abnormalities diagnostic of lupus inhibitor (5), non-lupus inhibitor (6), mild hemophilia A (1), and vonWillebrand disease (1). Two patients had persistently prolonged activated partial thromboplastin times of undefined cause. Fourteen patients (10.8%) interviewed reported positive bleeding histories. Of these, five, including the patient with vonWillebrand disease, had persistent laboratory abnormalities. History alone failed to detect the patient with hemophilia A. For patients with inhibitors or prolonged activated partial thromboplastin times of unknown cause, surgery was delayed until the coagulation abnormalities resolved, and there was no perioperative bleeding. The patient with vonWillebrand disease had severe postoperative bleeding despite treatment with cryoprecipitate. In predicting perioperative bleeding, history and laboratory screening had a high specificity but a very low positive predictive value due to poor sensitivity and a low prevalence of bleeding. Some children with bleeding disorders may be identified first during routine preoperative coagulation testing, and replacement therapy or delay or cancellation of surgery may reduce or prevent perioperative hemorrhage. However, the large number of false positive laboratory tests and bleeding histories, coupled with the relative rarity of inherited and acquired coagulopathies, raises doubts about the overall value of routine screening.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Mandibular fractures in the pediatric patient.

Seventy-three patients were admitted to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa) between January 1979 and June 1989 with a diagnosis of mandibular fracture. Data were obtained through a retrospective review of these cases. The cases were divided into three age groups that reflected the developing structure of the mandible and the maturation of the dentition. A trend toward a greater number of fractures and a predominance of males is shown with increasing age. Child abuse is a relatively frequent cause of fractures throughout all groups. Associated injuries are more common in young children, except in cases where abuse has been documented. The high osteogenic potential of the pediatric mandible allowed conservative management to be successful in 25% of younger patients and was responsible for a low complication rate overall.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1991

Radial versus circumferential incision in myringotomy and tube placement.

Pressure equalization tubes are a well-recognized treatment for persistent otitis media with effusion and recurrent acute otitis media. Ideally, the tube should remain in place until the Eustachian tube function returns. Efforts to improve the functional life expectancy of tubes have concentrated on tube design with little attention directed at modification of the surgical technique. Some authors have noted that a radial incision offers theoretical advantages over a circumferential incision. A randomized study comparing radial and circumferential incisions in myringotomy with tube placement was conducted. Two hundred and twenty-eight patients had a circumferential incision performed in one ear and a radial incision in the opposite ear. On follow-up examinations the tube position and time to extrusion were noted. Using the sign test, there was no statistical difference in extrusion rates between the two groups. This study does not support the theoretical advantages espoused in the literature.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

Granular cell tumors of the head and neck in children: the experience at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Granular cell tumors are rare, usually benign tumors of controversial histogenesis. These tumors are uncommon in children. Granular cell tumors in adults have a predilection for the head and neck, but this was not noted in our experience with children. Of the 22 granular cell tumors diagnosed and managed at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 1960 to 1988, 7 were from the head and neck. One child with a subglottic granular cell tumor is of particular interest and is presented in detail.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck in children.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma in infants and children, with the head and neck being the most frequent site of involvement. Treatment for this neoplasm has undergone many changes, with a much improved prognosis using a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. This retrospective analysis presents the management and outcome of 60 children (aged 3 months to 18 years) with rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck evaluated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa) between 1970 and 1987. The overall death rate for all head and neck sites decreased from 50% in 1970 to 1979 to 23% in 1980 to 1987, reflecting the improved management protocol.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1990

The efficacy of cefaclor vs amoxicillin on recovery after tonsillectomy in children.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy continues to be one of the most commonly performed operations in the pediatric age group. The morbidity from tonsillectomy can be severe and includes throat and ear pain, fever, lethargy, and poor oral intake. A previous study at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa) demonstrated the efficacy of amoxicillin therapy in minimizing some of these postoperative symptoms. However, some children continue to have a prolonged recovery even while receiving this antibiotic regimen. Because of these children and the high incidence of Staphylococcus found in tonsillar core tissue, a randomized, prospective study was undertaken at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to evaluate the efficacy of cefaclor vs amoxicillin in patients recovering from tonsillectomy. The patients received either ampicillin or cefazolin intravenously at the time of surgery and for 12 to 24 hours postoperatively. When oral intake was adequate, they received either amoxicillin or cefaclor orally for 7 additional postoperative days. Intraoperative cultures of the oropharynx and tonsillar tissue were obtained, as well as cultures of the tonsillar fossa 7 to 14 days postoperatively. The patients were evaluated for severity and duration of postoperative symptoms as well as complications. The results of this study showed no difference between the two groups of patients. We conclude that there is no justification for routine use of cefaclor over amoxicillin in the posttonsillectomy patient.

Amoxicillin↗