Mamdouh Talaat

Submucous diathermy of the inferior turbinates in chronic hypertrophic rhinitis.

Twenty patients, 10 allergic and 10 non-allergic, with chronic hypertrophic rhinitis and presenting mainly with bilateral nasal obstruction were subjected to submucosal diathermy of their inferior turbinates. There was significant post-operative improvement clinically, histopathologically and histochemically in the non-allergic group, while the improvement was less obvious in the allergic cases. The post-operative clinical improvement as regards rhinorrhea and sneezing was not as marked as that for nasal obstruction. Evaluation of the results showed that submucous diathermy of inferior turbinates is a good line of treatment for cases of chronic hypertrophic rhinitis, with better results in the non-allergic group of patients.

Surgical anatomy of the sphenoid sinus.

In recent years the trans-sphenoidal approach to the pituitary gland has come into vogue and a study of the surgical anatomy of the sphenoid sinus has become increasingly important in order to avoid many surgical mishaps. Moreover, the sphenoid sinus has complicated relationships and its diseases may and do give rise to a complexity of symptoms. The anatomy of the sphenoid sinus has been described by Ridpath (1947), Dobromylsky and Scherbatov (1966), Davies and Coupland (1967), Simpson et al. (1967), Montgomery (1972), Last (1972), Ballenger (1977), Hamilton and Harrison (1979), and Davies (1980). The present work was designed to study the anatomy of the sphenoid sinus and its surgical applications. Particular attention was focused on the relationships of the sella turcica to the sphenoidal sinuses.

Histologic and Histochemical Study of Effects of Anabolic Steroids on the Female Larynx

The larynges of 30 unmated, mature female albino mice were examined histologically and histochemically after injecting them with 19-nandrolone phenylpropionate. Permanent irreversible changes, in the form of parakeratosis and squamous metaplasia of the epithelium, and hypertrophy of the muscle fibers, were observed together with persistence of increased alkaline phosphatase enzyme intensity in the endothelium of capillaries and increased activity of nonspecific esterase in the muscles. Similar changes may be responsible for the alteration in the human females voice after prolonged treatment with anabolic steroids.

Treatment of auricular hematoma using button technique.

10 male patients suffering from auricular hematoma were treated by evacuation of the hematoma followed by suturing two buttons to the ear using through-and-through staying silk sutures, leaving them attached for 1 week. Not a single case of recurrence has been encountered as this technique eliminates the dead space and does not allow reaccumulation of the hematoma.

Human Nasal Epithelium and Cellular Elements in Chronic Allergic Rhinitis

The fine structure of human nasal respiratory epithelium and tunical cellular elements was studied in 15 chronic allergic patients. The epithelium showed characteristic morphological details suggestive of oedematous infiltration occurring in these cases. Eosinophils, mast cells and plasma cells showed ultrastructural changes explaining the role played by each of them in allergic rhinopathies.

The Allergic Nasal Mucosa following Vidian Neurectomy

The fine structure of the allergic nasal mucosa following vidian neurectomy was studied in 15 patients. The structure of the mucous glands, venules, arterioles and tunical cellular elements returned to normal 1 month after the operation, while that of the epithelium and of the capillaries only 3 months post-operatively. The effect of interrupting the hyperactive cholinergic nerve impulses on the various constituents of the nasal mucosa is described.

The Normal Human Maxillary Sinus Mucosa: An Electron Microscopic Study

The fine structure of the maxillary antral mucosa was studied in 5 cases. The findings revealed the similarity of the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosae. Certain differences were recorded denoting relative diminished activity of the seromucinous glands, diminished exchange between tissue fluid and blood, diminished number of cilia, delicacy and loosening of the epithelium. Thus, in inflammation there is lower resistance of the sinus mucosa to infection and easier penetration for microorganisms, requiring early systemic administration of antibiotics with postural drainage and antral irrigation subsequently in treatment.

Sialolithiasis of a labial salivary gland

More than 85% of all salivary calculi occur in the submandibular salivary glands, about 10% occur in the parotid glands, and the remainder occur in the sublingual glands. 1 Review of the literature failed to disclose any description of sialolithiasis in the minor salivary glands scattered throughout the oral and pharyngeal mucosa. The following is a report of sialolithiasis of a labial mucous gland.

Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic, persistent cough: is there an association?

INTRODUCTION Chronic, persistent cough is a common clinical problem, the cause of which sometimes remains unidentifiable. AIMS To study a potential association between Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic, persistent cough. MATERIALS AND METHODS A clinical observational study with symptom analysis, including 162 patients whose main presenting complaint was chronic, persistent cough of unidentifiable cause (study group) and 42 patients with chronic, non-specific laryngopharyngeal manifestations not including chronic cough (control group). RESULTS Active H pylori infection was present in 86.4 per cent (140/162) of patients in the chronic cough group, as opposed to 45.2 per cent (19/42) of the control group, as confirmed by detection of H pylori antigen in stool specimens. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). There was a significant improvement of the chronic cough of 75.4 per cent (98/130) of patients after successful H pylori eradication using appropriate medical therapy (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Helicobacter pylori infection may lead to laryngopharyngeal irritation, with several clinical manifestations including chronic, persistent cough. However, the exact mechanism of this requires further research.

Further observations on nasal mucosal changes in scleroderma. A histochemical and electron microscopic study.

The respiratory nasal mucosa of patients with scleroderma showed several ultrastructural and histochemical changes. These included initial goblet cell hyperplasia, loss of cilia and microvilli, exfoliation of the superficial epithelial layers, increased glandular activity in cases with squamous metaplasia and fibrous tissue deposition in the lamina propria. These changes seem to be related to the duration of the disease, whose nature and pathogenesis are still uncertain.