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Optimal treatment of tumors with orbital invasion may exceed the competences of an individual medical specialty and require interdisciplinary cooperation. The aim of this article is to present an interdisciplinary treatment concept based on the examples of intraorbital hemangioma and squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses infiltrating the orbit. In addition to a detailed medical history and a complete ophthalmological examination, a detailed imaging technique with standardized echography and tomography methods such as orbital thin-slice CT and/or in many cases MRI is essential for the primary classification of an intraorbital pathology. Depending on the type of pathology, a purely surgical procedure involving various disciplines such as ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, maxillofacial surgery, neurosurgery, and pathology, or an interdisciplinary treatment regimen including (neo)adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy is necessary. Orbital tumors have a wide range of potential pathologies, requiring complex surgical procedures and multimodal therapies. In case of infiltration of the paranasal sinuses or intracranial structures, an interdisciplinary team including neuroradiologists, oral-maxillofacial surgeons, otorhinolaryngologists, neurosurgeons, radiation therapists, ophthalmologists, pathologists, oncologists, and psycho-oncologists is essential for successful treatment.

Background: Recently identified ABCG5/8 transporters are responsible in part for the different absorption rates of campesterol, sitosterol, and cholesterol. These transporters are also expressed in the liver and might regulate biliary sterol secretion. Aims: This study was therefore conducted to determine the biliary secretion rates and hepatic clearances of campesterol, sitosterol, and cholesterol. Subjects: Six healthy, male volunteers. Methods: Deuterium labelled sitosterol and campesterol, and unlabelled sitostanol were constantly infused together with a liquid formula using a duodenal perfusion technique. Biliary secretion and hepatic clearance rates were calculated from hourly bile and plasma samples. Results: Plasma concentrations of cholesterol, campesterol, and sitosterol averaged 167.5 (50) mg/dl (SD), 0.50 (0.22) mg/dl, and 0.30 (0.10) mg/dl, respectively. Sitosterol showed a significantly higher biliary secretion rate (1.23 (0.87) mg/h) than campesterol (0.76 (0.54) mg/h, p=0.0321), but both plant sterols had significantly lower biliary secretion rates compared with cholesterol (47.7 (17.5) mg/h; p=0.001 for both). Hepatic clearance of cholesterol (0.31 (0.18) dl/h) was significantly lower compared with campesterol (2.11 (2.51) dl/h) and sitosterol (4.97 (4.70) dl/h; p=0.028 for both), and the clearance of campesterol was significant lower compared with sitosterol (p=0.028). Conclusion: The observed inverse relation between hepatic clearance and known intestinal absorption of cholesterol, campesterol, and sitosterol supports the hypothesis that the ABCG5/8 transporters regulating intestinal sterol absorption might also be involved in biliary sterol excretion.

Treatment with carbamazepine (CBZ) affects cholesterol concentrations, but little is known about the precise nature and underlying mechanisms of changes in lipoprotein metabolism. We investigated prospectively the effects of CBZ on lipid metabolism in normolipemic adults. In 21 healthy males, lipoprotein and noncholesterol sterol concentrations were measured before and during treatment with CBZ for 70 ± 18 days. Thirteen subjects underwent kinetic studies of apolipoprotein-B (ApoB) metabolism with the use of endogenous stable isotope labeling. Lipoprotein kinetic parameters were calculated by multicompartmental modeling. Significant increases in total cholesterol, in ApoB-containing lipoproteins [very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)], and in triglycerides, but not in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), were observed. Lipoprotein particle composition remained unchanged. Mean fractional catabolic and production rates of ApoB-containing lipoproteins were not significantly different, although mean production rates of VLDL and IDL were substantially increased (+46 ± 139% and +30 ± 97%, respectively), whereas mean production of LDL remained unchanged (+2.1 ± 45.6%). Cholestanol in serum increased significantly but not the concentrations of plant sterols (campesterol, sitosterol) and the cholesterol precursors (lathosterol, mevalonic acid). There was a significant correlation between the decrease in free thyroxine and the increase in IDL cholesterol. Treatment with CBZ increases mainly ApoB-containing lipoproteins. CBZ seems not to influence endogenous cholesterol synthesis or intestinal absorption directly. The increase is neither related to increased ApoB production nor to decreased catabolism but is rather due to changes in the conversion cascade of IDL particles, most likely as an indirect effect through a decrease in thyroid hormones.

The Internet is becoming increasing-ly important as a source of information for patients in medical issues. However, many patients have problems to adequately understand texts, especially with medical content. A basic requirement to understand a written text is the read-ability of a text. The aim of the present study was to examine texts on the websites of German -plastic-surgical hospitals with patient information regarding their readability.In this study, the read-ability of texts of 27 major departments of plastic and Hand surgery in Germany was systematically analysed using 5 recognised readability indices. First, texts were searched based on 20 representative key words and themes. Thereafter, texts were assigned to one of 3 major themes in order to enable statistical analysis. In addition to the 5 readability indices, further objective text parameters were also recorded.Overall, 288 texts were found for analyzation. Most articles were found on the topic of "handsurgery" (n=124), less were found for "facial plastic surgery" (n=80) and "flaps, breast and reconstructive surgery" (n=84). Consistently, all readability indices showed a poor readability for the vast majority of analysed texts with the text appearing readable only for readers with a higher educational level. No significant differences in readability were found between the 3 major themes.Especially in the communication of medical information, it is important to consider the knowledge and education of the addressee. The texts studied consistently showed a readability that is understandable only for academics. Thus, a large part of the intended target group is probably not reached. In order to adequately deliver online information material, a revision of the analysed internet texts appears to be recommendable.

The hepatic metabolism of lidocaine (1 mg/kg intravenously) to its metabolite monoethylglycinexylidide (MEG-X) is the basis of the standard MEG-X test. To reduce the lidocaine-induced side effects, we evaluated the MEG-X formation after 0.5 and 1 mg/kg lidocaine intravenously in subjects with normal (n = 5) and severely impaired liver function (n = 7) (study I). From this study, a low-dose test (MEG-X concentration 30 minutes after 50 mg lidocaine intravenously [MEG-X30min] normalized to standard MEG-X test results) was developed. Sensory side effects from this low dose and from the standard MEG-X test were compared in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over study (study II) comprising 15 individuals with normal liver function and 45 patients with cirrhosis (15 Child A, 15 Child B, and 15 Child C). In study I, MEG-X formation rate was dose-independent in patients with severely impaired liver function. In study II, normalized MEG-X test results (ranging fromor = 4 to 120 microg/L) were virtually identical to the standard test results (mean difference: -1.9 microg/L; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -5.3; 1.5 microg/L). Fewer individuals experienced side effects (30% vs. 53%) with the low-dose test (P = .0013). In a multivariate analysis, the Child-Pugh score was inversely related to the occurrence of side effects. The low-dose MEG-X test gives almost identical results to the standard MEG-X test and is associated with fewer side effects, which occur less often in individuals with more severely compromised liver function.

There are many benign and malignant tumors of the epipharynx, which makes differential diagnosis difficult. As a very rare differential diagnosis, a schwannoma is possible. The origin of the tumor is most likely a small branch of a sensitive nerve of the glossopharyngeal nerve or the trigeminus nerve. A clear differentiation in the MRI scan is often not possible; especially differentiation from MPNST (malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors) is difficult. To confirm the diagnosis and exclude malignancy, every tumor in the epipharynx should be surgically excised if possible, even if the patient has no discomfort.

Besides eradication of chronic middle ear disease, the reconstruction of the sound conduction apparatus is a major goal of ear microsurgery. If available, the autogenous ossicle represents the gold standard as material for the partial ossicular reconstruction. In the event of a more extensive destruction of the ossicular chain diverse alloplastic materials are used for total reconstruction. Such prostheses must fulfil high demands in terms of biocompatibility and their acoustic-mechanic properties. In recent years, filigree titanium middle ear implants, allowing individual adaptation to anatomical variations, have been widely used for this procedure. However, despite the development of modern prostheses, the postoperative hearing result is significantly influenced by a number of prosthesis-unrelated factors, such as the status of the middle ear mucosa and the aeration of the middle-ear. This article reviews the up-to-date standard for reconstruction of the ossicular chain.

A 24-year-old female complained of difficulty articulating and chewing of 2 more than weeks' standing. She reported that her tongue felt "heavy and inert". Clinically, right-sided atrophy of the tongue and deflection of the tongue to the right were observed. Tone audiogram demonstrated normal hearing on both sides and tympanometry was also normal. On CT, a bone-destroying process was seen in the area of the right lateral skull base, which reached as far as the internal carotid artery. MRI demonstrated atrophy of the right tongue musculature with fatty degeneration, as well as an oval, smoothly edged lesion which showed marked contrast-medium uptake with a "salt and pepper" configuration in the region of the right jugular foramen. The diagnosis was hypoglossal paresis due to ipsilateral jugular paraganglioma (Fisch classification C1). Following embolization of the feeding vessels of the paraganglioma, the tumor was completely resected, including the hypoglossal nerve which ran through the tumor. Postoperative dysfunction of the vagus and facial nerves became unsymptomatic with time as a result of logopedic therapy.

Piriform sinus fistulas are rare congenital deformities that may become symptomatic through cyst enlargement and inflammation. The fistula usually manifests as bacterial thyroiditis and is very uncommonly seen as a cause of acute dyspnea in newborns. We report the case of a newborn in whom a piriform sinus fistula led to acute breathing impairment. If the piriform sinus fistula and adherent cyst cannot be totally removed initially, the treatment must be followed later by a complete resection to prevent infection.

A 15-year-old female, having developed recurrent infections of the upper airway, hoarseness, dyspnea, and nasal congestion, was referred to our department. There was no history of trauma or intubation. The subglottic space was circularly narrowed. The test for c-ANCA was negative. Chest X-ray and renal function were normal. A tracheotomy was performed; the histology showed infiltrating plasma cells, but no signs of vasculitis or granulomatous inflammation. One year later the patient developed acute renal failure. Biopsy of the kidney confirmed Wegener's disease. The laryngeal stenosis completely resolved after therapy with cyclophosphamide. Juvenile Wegener's granulomatosis is extremely rare; the larynx and trachea seem to be involved more frequently in children than in adults. The positive testing of c-ANCA can support the diagnosis; however, even when c-ANCA do not test positive, the disease can never be excluded. Surgical interventions within the larynx or trachea might only be considered after ineffective therapy with immunosuppressive drugs.