Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
-
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Oct 1989
Spinal fluid profile following surgery in the subarachnoid space.
Neurotologic and skull base procedures that include dissection within the subarachnoid space carry with them the potential for meningitis. Postoperative aseptic leptomeningitis occurs more frequently than purulent bacterial meningitis. ⋯ The definitive diagnosis is made with cerebral spinal fluid culture. Early differentiation between postoperative aseptic leptomeningitis and purulent bacterial meningitis on the basis of results of cerebral spinal fluid profile before cerebral spinal fluid culture would result in earlier appropriate therapy.
-
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Oct 1989
Comparative StudySurvival of the vestibular nerve after labyrinthectomy in the cat.
Temporal bone studies in cat, monkey, and man demonstrate that the cell bodies of the primary vestibular neurons located in Scarpa's ganglion persist after labyrinthectomy. However, it is not known whether the centrally directed axon process of deafferented vestibular neurons survive or degenerate after labyrinthectomy. If the central axon were to persist, then the primary vestibular neuron could influence vestibular compensation or produce symptoms of vestibular dysfunction. ⋯ This study provides anatomic evidence that primary vestibular neurons that survive labyrinthectomy may retain their central axon processes. The persistence of this neural pathway and data from behavioral studies in the cat suggest that vestibular neurons may affect vestibular compensation after labyrinthectomy. Deafferented vestibular neurons may play a role in human vestibular compensation and dysfunction.
-
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Sep 1989
Case ReportsBlindness and intranasal endoscopic ethmoidectomy: prevention and management.
Blindness is one of the major complications that can occur during and after intranasal ethmoidectomy. Two mechanisms for blindness are apparent: (1) direct injury to the optic nerve and (2) retrobulbar (orbital) hematoma, which increases orbital pressure and compromises vascular supply and drainage to and from the eye. ⋯ Case studies will be used to illustrate methods for prevention and management of blindness. If treated aggressively, blindness associated with retrobulbar hematoma can be reversed medically.
-
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Apr 1989
Otitis media in the pediatric intensive care unit: a prospective study.
Otitis media has been previously shown to be a source of sepsis in the pediatric intensive care unit; however, pneumatic otoscopy and other otologic instruments are not commonly used in the pediatric intensive care unit. We undertook a prospective study to determine the prevalence of otitis media, to assess the risk factors involved with the development of these nosocomial infections, and to identify the causative organisms. We conclude that otitis media is a common entity in the pediatric intensive care unit, that it is probably caused by prolonged dysfunction of the eustachian tube associated with oral and nasally-placed tubes and that the bacteriology reflects that of the hospital environment and not that of the community.