Search results for "obstruction"
showing 10 items of 260 documents
Nasal airway in cleft-palate patients: acoustic rhinometric data
1997
The objective of this study was to investigate an instrumental assessment technique for acquiring reproducible, metric data on the nasal airway in cleft-palate associated nasal dysplasia. A consecutive sample of 23 unilateral, 17 bilateral CLP patients and 15 controls with subjective normal nasal patency from a cleft-palate rehabilitation centre were studied. A series of transnasal acoustic measurements (pressure wave: 55 dB for 2 ms) of nasal volume were performed before and after topical decongestion with 2 x 0.3 mg of xylometazoline. A standardized regimen of acoustic parameters of the nasal valve and the adjacent segment of the nasal cavity were calculated. The cleft side yielded a sign…
Four-phase rhinomanometry: a multicentric retrospective analysis of 36,563 clinical measurements
2015
Rhinomanometry can still be considered as the standard technique for the objective assessment of the ven- tilatory function of the nose. Reliable technical requirements are given by fast digital sensors and modern information technology. However, the xyimaging of the pressure-flow relation typically shows loops as a sign of hysteresis, with the need for resolution of the breath in four phases. The three pillars of 4-phase rhinomanometry (4PR) are the replacement of estimations by measurements, the introduc- tion of parameters related to the subjective sensing of obstruction, and the graphical information regarding the disturbed function of the nasal valve. In a meta-analysis of 36,563 clini…
Sputum metalloproteinase-9/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 ratio correlates with airflow obstruction in asthma and chronic bronchitis
1998
Asthma and chronic bronchitis are inflammatory diseases with extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and collagen deposition. Collagen homeostasis is controlled by metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). We evaluated MMP and TIMP balance in induced sputum of 10 control, 31 untreated asthmatic, and 16 chronic bronchitic subjects. We first performed zymographic analysis to identify the profile of MMPs. Zymography revealed a similar MMPs profile in all populations studied and that MMP-9 was the major enzyme released. We then measured, using enzyme immunoassay, the concentrations of MMP-9 and of its inhibitor TIMP-1 and evaluated whether airflow limitation m…
Colon pouch (Mainz pouch III) for continent urinary diversion after pelvic irradiation
2000
Abstract Objectives. Urinary diversion after previous pelvic irradiation is challenging. The use of irradiated bowel in particular is associated with an increased rate of early and late complications. We therefore performed continent cutaneous urinary diversion using exclusively nonirradiated bowel segments in this group of patients. Methods. A continent colon pouch for urinary diversion was performed in 44 female patients after pelvic irradiation. The indications were irreparable vesical fistula in 20, local recurrence of gynecologic tumors in 22, and radical cystectomy for bladder cancer in 2 patients. Depending on the length of the nonirradiated bowel segment, a transverse-ascending colo…
Sudden upper airway obstruction in patients with hereditary angioedema.
2003
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is clinically characterized by recurrent and self-limiting skin, intestinal, and life-threatening laryngeal edema. This study describes the age at which laryngeal edema first occurred, the time between onset and full development, and the effectiveness of therapy and prophylaxis in 123 HAE patients. 61 (49.7%) patients experienced a total of 596 laryngeal edema episodes. The ratio of laryngeal edema episodes to skin swellings and abdominal pain attacks was approximately 1:70:54 in patients who had laryngeal edema. The mean (SD) age at the first laryngeal edema was 26.2 (15.3) years. Nearly 80% of the laryngeal edemas occurred between age 11 and 45. The mean interv…
The Treatment of Mild and Moderate Asthma in Adults
2020
BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease that usually causes variable airway obstruction. It affects 5–10% of the German population. METHODS: This review is based on relevant publications retrieved by a selective search, as well as on national and international guidelines on the treatment of mild and moderate asthma in adults. RESULTS: The goal of treatment is to attain optimal asthma control with a minimal risk of exacerbations and mortality, loss of pulmonary function, and drug side effects. This can be achieved with a combination of pharmacotherapy and non-drug treatment including patient education, exercise, smoking cessation, and rehabilitation. Pharmacohterapy is ba…
Acoustic Airway Profiles in Unilateral Cleft Palate Patients
1999
Objective: This study investigates the nasal airway in unilateral cleft palate patients by means of a noninvasive, objective diagnostic method that provides topographic information about the airway profile. Design: A consecutive sample of patients was measured. Setting: Cleft palate rehabilitation center of the University of Mainz, Germany. Patients: Forty-nine subjects were investigated: 34 full-grown patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and 15 controls with subjective normal nasal patency. Intervention: A transnasal series of three acoustic measurements of nasal volume was performed per nostril; measurements were taken both before and after decongestion with 0.3 mg xylom…
Eustachian Tube Function Assessment after Radiofrequency Turbinate Reduction in Atopic and Non-Atopic Patients.
2021
(1) Background: Inferior turbinates&rsquo
Quantifying stenosis in renal arteriograms: a fuzzy syntactic analysis.
1999
AbstractThe introduction of fuzzy logic improves a system for the automatic quantification of renal artery lesions seen in digital subtraction angiograms. A two-step approach has been followed. An earlier system based on non-fuzzy syntactic analysis provided a clear symbolic description of the stenotic lesions. Although this system worked correctly, it did not take into account the variability and uncertainty inherent to image processing and to knowledge on the reference diameter. This system has been improved by the introduction of fuzzy logic in the representation of the reference diameter. It provides a description of the stenosis in terms of fuzzy quantities. To illustrate the benefits …
Difference in Mortality Risk in Elderly People with Bronchial Obstruction Diagnosed Using a Fixed Cutoff or the Lower Limit of Normal of the FEV1/FVC…
2017
Background: Whether a fixed cutoff or the lower limit of normal of the FEV1/FVC ratio should be used to diagnose bronchial obstruction is still a matter of debate. This issue is particularly important for elderly people. Objectives: We used equations applicable up to 90 years of age to evaluate the mortality of elderly people diagnosed with bronchial obstruction using either a fixed cutoff of 0.7 or the lower limit of normal (LLN). Methods: Participants in the SaRA (Salute Respiratoria nell'Anziano, Italian for "Respiratory Health in the Elderly") study were grouped as follows: FEV1/FVC ≥0.7 and ≥ LLN (n = 535: F-/L-), FEV1/FVC <0.7 but ≥ LLN (n = 118: F+/L-), and FEV1/FVC <0.7 and < LLN (n…