Acta oto-laryngologica
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Acta oto-laryngologica · Feb 2009
Are systemic prophylactic antibiotics indicated with anterior nasal packing for spontaneous epistaxis?
This pilot study did not show an advantage of the routine use of prophylactic antibiotics for spontaneous epistaxis treated by nasal packing. ⋯ We did not observe infection in any of the cases before or after removal of the anterior nasal pack. The bacterial growth profile of packed and non-packed sides of the nose did not differ significantly.
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Acta oto-laryngologica · Feb 2009
Delayed electrical stimulation and BDNF application following induced deafness in rats.
Under the condition of delayed intervention (30 days after deafening) following gentamicin+furosemide deafening in rats, we conclude that chronic intracochlear electrical stimulation (ES) and continuous intracochlear administration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) enhance spiral ganglion cell (SGC) body and peripheral process survival and improve auditory sensitivity. Moreover, the combination of ES and BDNF has a synergistic protective effect rather than an additive effect. Both SGC body and peripheral process influence the auditory sensitivity, and the latter appears to be more important. ⋯ In the AP group, EABR thresholds demonstrated a systematic and rapid increase throughout the treatment period after the deafening procedure and electrode implantation. However, in the other three treatment groups, EABR thresholds showed a slow increase at the beginning and then slow decrease. The thresholds of the BDNF and ES+AP groups were significantly less than those of the AP group from day 7 to 28 and those of the BDNF+ES group were significantly less than those of other three groups from day 21 to 28, indicating that BDNF infusion and chronic ES have a synergistic effect rather than an additive effect. In terms of SGC and peripheral process density, the difference between the treated and control ears of BDNF, ES+AP, and BDNF+ES groups was clearly significant. Analysis of the SGC/peripheral process density of the left cochlea across the treatment groups demonstrated that SGC/peripheral process density of the BDNF and ES+AP groups was significantly greater than that of the AP group and the density of the BDNF+ES group was significantly greater than that of the other three groups, indicating that BDNF infusion and chronic ES have a synergistic effect rather than an additive effect. Finally, a functional formula was developed relating the last EABR threshold and SGC density and process density.