Faculty Bibliography

Squamous papilloma is a benign exophytic proliferation which can occur occasionally in the external ear canal. It is widely assumed that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is an etiologic factor of papillomas. Available techniques for detection of HPV genomes include immunohistochemistry, Southern blot hybridization, in situ hybridization (ISH), and polymerase chain reaction. To our knowledge, HPV typing has not been reported on tissue sections of papillomas in the external ear canal. We report HPV ISH analysis in ten cases of papillomas, involving the external ear canal in Chinese patients. These papilloma excrescences were less than 1 cm in diameter, and were benign morphologically. Automated HPV ISH analysis was performed for the hybridization of DNA probes, including both low-risk and high-risk HPV subtypes. HPV ISH results revealed that seven out of ten cases were positive for low-risk HPV (6, 11), three cases demonstrated no hybridization for low-risk HPV probe, and none of the cases revealed any detection of high-risk HPV (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 51, 52, 56, 58, and 66). On follow-up after 18-29 months (average 24.5 months), eight patients were doing well, with no local recurrence after excision. Two patients were lost to follow-up. Our results confirm that benign papillomas of the external ear canal are associated with low-risk HPV infection with benign behavior and neither recurrence nor high grade dysplasia

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was 2-fold: (1) document the presence and degree of vascularity in gliomas of different pathologic grades and (2) determine whether the presence of abnormal vascularity, determined by catheter angiography, correlates with a shortened survival. METHODS: As part of a protocol for radiographic data acquisition that was used in a computer-assisted, stereotactic system, all patients who underwent biopsy or resection of a newly diagnosed glioma between 1994 and 2000 at our institution routinely underwent preoperative catheter angiography. The presence and degree of tumor vascularity were recorded and then correlated with survival and pathologic grade. The confounding effects of age, KPS, adjuvant treatment, and extent of resection on survival were considered. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-one patients were included in this study. The mean follow-up of survivors was 7.8 years. Tumor vascularity correlated with a shortened survival (proportional hazards RR for survival, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.58-0.82). This correlation persisted after correction for age, KPS score, adjuvant therapy, and extent of resection (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68-0.97). Abnormal vascularity was present in 25 (30%) of 82 low-grade (WHO grade 2) gliomas. Overall, the extent of vascularity (none [120 patients, 52%], blush [63 patients, 27%], neovessels [25 patients, 11%], and arteriovenous shunting [23 patients, 10%]) correlated with worse WHO tumor grade (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of abnormal vascularity correlates with both a shortened survival and higher grade of malignancy. These findings underscore the importance of antiangiogenesis factor investigation and drug development for the treatment of gliomas, regardless of their pathologic grade

BACKGROUND: The search continues for the "ideal" repair of the midline ventral hernia, and the components separation technique has a low, but still concerning, hernia recurrence rate. The authors hypothesize that adding prosthetic or bioprosthetic meshes to the midline closure during components separation would reduce recurrence rates with minimal added morbidity. METHODS: Over a 3-year period, patients had a components separation procedure where either acellular cadaveric dermis (n = 26) or soft polypropylene mesh (n = 28) was used as an intraperitoneal underlay for reinforcement of the midline repair, but not as a "bridging material." In 36 operations, the mesh or cadaveric dermis was placed at the time of the components separation, and in the remaining cases (n = 18), the underlay was used to treat a recurrence after components separation. RESULTS: Cadaveric dermis was associated with a 46 percent "true" recurrence rate that required reoperation (mean follow-up, 17.3 months), whereas soft polypropylene mesh had a significantly lower recurrence rate of 11 percent (p = 0.0057) during a follow-up period of 16 months. Because of a higher incidence of concomitant bowel surgery and contamination in the cadaveric dermis group, additional subset analysis of uncontaminated cases was performed, demonstrating a 61 percent recurrence rate for cadaveric dermis compared with 12 percent for soft polypropylene (p = 0.0017). No significant differences in major and minor complications were seen between groups. CONCLUSION: Soft polypropylene mesh, but not acellular dermis, demonstrates acceptably low complication and hernia recurrence rates when used as a reinforcement of the midline ventral hernia closure in conjunction with components separation.

Ulnar head arthroplasty has been an emerging alternative for salvage of resection arthroplasty at the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) since the early 1990s. Recently, it has been offered for initially treating painful arthrosis or instability of the DRUJ. This follow-up study reports a surgeon's experience treating DRUJ disorders with ulnar head arthroplasty. Twenty-two wrists in 20 patients (11 females, 9 males), 6 with no prior wrist procedures were treated between 1995 and 2006 for painful DRUJ disorders with either Herbert-Martin (Martin Medizin-Technik, Tuttingen, Germany) or Avanta (Small Bone Innovations, New York, NY) head prosthesis. Follow-up averaged 54.3 months. A standardized telephone survey determined preoperative /postoperative verbal analog pain scores and a modified Mayo Wrist Score (delineating poor, fair, good, or excellent outcomes). Data suggest that ulnar head implant arthroplasty is a reasonable treatment option for DRUJ-related pain, loss of function, or salvage of failed distal ulna resection procedures. The analog pain score statistically significant decreased by 1.68 points when comparing preoperative to postoperative scores. Average Modified Mayo Wrist Scores were good, independent of whether the procedure was primary or salvaged. No significant difference was seen between the primary or salvage group modified Mayo Wrist Scores. Whereas averaged modified Mayo scores for both the primary and salvage groups were in the good category, prostheses used as primary procedures may be associated with fewer poor or fair outcomes. Two good and 1 excellent outcome of 3 wrists requiring revision procedures suggest that even with revision of the implant arthroplasty, satisfactory results may be expected.

OBJECTIVE: Determine long-term loss of mandible height with use of stress-shielding reconstruction plates for free fibula flap mandible reconstruction. DESIGN: Retrospective single-blinded medical record review. SUBJECTS: Seventy patients who had fibula free flap mandible reconstructions performed for 10 years. Patients who underwent radiotherapy were excluded. METHODS: Review of 70 fibula free flap mandible reconstructions performed for the last 10 years in a city hospital revealed 7 patients (10%) who had resections for benign odontogenic diseases. All had a three-dimensional cast model made, on which the reconstruction plate was bent to the desired shape preoperatively. Free fibula height on panoramic x-ray images taken preoperatively and at 2 and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Seven (10%) patients met criteria for the study. Bone height was maintained at 2 months postoperatively, but at 12 months, there was a statistically significant loss of fibular bone height averaging 20% in the anterior, body, and ramus areas (P < 0.05). Despite this, all patients were considered eligible for dental rehabilitation, and 4 of 7 patients have had osseointegrated implants placed. CONCLUSIONS: As opposed to miniplates, increased resorption may have been due to the stress-shielding phenomenon unique to a reconstruction plates. However, this did not seem to affect the ability to place osseointegrated implants.

PURPOSE: Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder associated primarily with bilateral schwannomas seen on the superior vestibular branches of the eighth cranial nerves. Significant morbidity can result from surgical treatment of these tumors. Meningiomas, ependymomas, and other benign central nervous system tumors are also common in NF2. The lack of effective treatments for NF2 marks an unmet medical need. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Here, we provide recommendations from a workshop, cochaired by Drs. D. Gareth Evans and Marco Giovannini, of 36 international researchers, physicians, representatives of the biotechnology industry, and patient advocates on how to accelerate progress toward NF2 clinical trials. RESULTS: Workshop participants reached a consensus that, based on current knowledge, the time is right to plan and implement NF2 clinical trials. Obstacles impeding NF2 clinical trials and how to address them were discussed, as well as the candidate therapeutic pipeline for NF2. CONCLUSIONS: Both phase 0 and phase II NF2 trials are near-term options for NF2 clinical trials. The number of NF2 patients in the population remains limited, and successful recruitment will require ongoing collaboration efforts between NF2 clinics

OBJECTIVE: The treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) often involves radiotherapy. Many HNC patients are treated at the academic center (AC) where the initial surgery or diagnosis was made. Because of the lengthy time course for radiotherapy, some patients are treated at community radiation facilities (non-AC) rather than the AC despite potential AC advantages in terms of experience and technology. Our goal is to determine if these potential AC advantages correspond to a difference in treatment outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Historical cohort study. SETTING: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Review of records of patients with HNC cancers evaluated at the otolaryngology (ENT) department of an AC. Each patient's information and treatment characteristics were recorded, including radiotherapy treatment venue and treatment outcome. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-four patients were analyzed, 263 were treated at an AC and 101 at a non-AC. Patients treated at a non-AC were more likely to present with earlier stage tumors, be treated with radiation alone rather than chemoradiotherapy, and be treated with adjuvant rather than primary radiotherapy. There was no difference in overall survival or recurrence rates between AC and non-AC. CONCLUSION: Patients treated at an AC are more likely to have advanced stage tumors and receive chemoradiotherapy as their primary treatment. In analyses of matching patient subsets, there was no significant difference in patient outcomes. Patients can be treated at a non-AC without affecting outcome compared with treatment at an AC.