Acute and subacute symptoms among workers in the printing industry. (65/77)

The study population comprised 52 male printers and 52 controls. Each person was interviewed about job history, general health, and work-related symptoms. Symptoms from eyes and airways, neurological symptoms, and general symptoms were recorded. A lung function test and a measurement of the sense of smell were also carried out. The printers had significantly more eye, airway, and neurological symptoms than the controls; the main complaints being irritation of eyes, nose, throat, and a reduced sense of taste. The neurological symptoms were disorders of vision, vertigo, feeling of intoxication, and headache. Furthermore, abdominal pain and flatulence occurred more often among the printers. The symptoms showed no relation to age or job seniority, but neurological and general symptoms were related to shift work. No difference in lung function was found between the two groups. The printers had a slightly lower threshold of smell than the controls. Although the total load due to organic solvents and dust in the air was far below legal limits, the number of magnitude of symptoms experienced by the printers exceeded what is supposed when norms for workroom exposure are set. It is suggested that either the irritative effects of solvents are underestimated or the assumption of additive effects when great numbers of solvents are found does not hold true. A reduction of the number of solvents by eliminating the most toxic solvents or by using dyes without solvents is suggested.  (+info)

CT and MR appearance of otolaryngologic packing materials. (66/77)

PURPOSE: To examine the CT and MR appearances of four packing materials commonly used in otolaryngologic surgery. METHODS: The CT and MR appearances of bismuth and iodoform paraffin paste, aqueous betadine gauze, calcium sodium alginate, and triadocortyl cream were examined. CT attenuation values were measured using phantoms containing packing materials. MR characteristics were examined by packing the external auditory meati of volunteers. Two illustrative case reports also are presented. RESULTS: Bismuth and iodoform paraffin paste has a high CT attenuation (> 3000 Hounsfield units) resulting in severe image degradation attributable to streak artifact. Aqueous betadine gauze was of high attenuation (258 Hounsfield units; SD, 16.5) but did not cause image degradation. The attenuation values of calcium sodium alginate and triadocortyl creme coincided with those of muscle and fat, respectively. On MR, calcium sodium alginate and bismuth and iodoform paraffin paste had imaging characteristics similar to muscle and aqueous betadine gauze had appearances similar to bone marrow. Triadocortyl cream had a high signal equal to that of fat on T1-weighted images but a lower signal similar to bone marrow on T2-weighted images. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of bismuth and iodoform paraffin paste can give rise to clinically important image degradation on CT. More seriously, residual packing material may be misinterpreted as infection or tissue necrosis.  (+info)

Emergency workload in otolaryngology. (67/77)

A 6-month prospective audit of the otolaryngology emergency workload in a district general hospital was undertaken. A total of 742 cases was referred of whom 193 (26%) were children (< 16 years). The male to female ratio was equal, and 69% of cases were referred from the accident and emergency department. Although most conditions were minor enough to be managed in the ward treatment room and either discharged (40%) or followed up as outpatients (27%), more than one-quarter of patients (28%) needed management by a post-fellowship ENT surgeon. Of the patients, 31% (230/742) were admitted, of whom 107 (46%) required an operation under general anaesthesia. The consequent ENT emergency workload represented 24% of all new patient referrals, 20% of ENT ward admissions and 10% of ENT surgical procedures.  (+info)

Comparison of penicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the treatment of ear, nose and throat infections. (68/77)

A double-blind trial of penicillin and the combination trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was undertaken in adult patients with active infection of the ears, nose or throat. The results indicated that the drug trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was as effective as penicillin in achieving clinical improvement and showed a broader spectrum than penicillin the the elimination of pathogenic organisms. The difficulties in obtaining positive cultures that were reflective of the clinical condition are described.  (+info)

Health effects of attending a public swimming pool: follow up of a cohort of pupils in Paris. (69/77)

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the health effects of attending a well-kept school swimming pool maintained according to French public health regulations. METHODS: This prospective month long study was carried out on a randomised sample of pupils aged 5 to 18 years who attended a private French school with two swimming pools. The children surveyed, helped by their parents, had to fill in questionnaires about their bathing habits and symptoms during the survey period. Inspections of the pool complex were made and these included physicochemical and bacteriological analyses of the pools' water. PARTICIPATION: The response rates achieved were 70% at primary and middle school levels but only 25% in the high school pupils. Because of this older teenagers were excluded from the final analysis (of 246 children). RESULTS: Compared with non-bathers, bathers experienced fatigue and eye irritation significantly more often (p < 0.001). The eyes were red (38% of bathers) and/or watery (16%) after swimming but this resolved spontaneously within 24 hours. Bathing behaviour (bath duration, head immersion, wearing swimming goggles) did not affect these incidence rates noticeably. There were no differences between bathers and non-bathers with regard to other symptoms, especially otolaryngological ones. This survey does not allow definite conclusions to be made about verrucas because 22% of non-bathers were exempted from swimming because of verrucas that they might have caught previously in a pool. CONCLUSIONS: Except for verrucas, the methodology was adequate and daily self reporting of symptoms was feasible. This college largely recruits pupils from higher social classes and is not therefore representative of schools in Paris.  (+info)

Otolaryngology manifestation of postpolio syndrome. (70/77)

Twenty-one patients with postpolio syndrome were surveyed to determine otolaryngologic symptoms. An alteration in voice, dysphagia, and fatigue were the most common symptoms reported. Prevailing etiologic theories are presented, and treatment recommendations are offered.  (+info)

Informed consent: what do patients want to know? (71/77)

Informed consent is an important aspect of surgery, yet there has been little inquiry as to what patients want to know before their operation. This study has questioned 50 patients within 3 months of an ENT (ear, nose and throat) operation. We found that most were happy to allow doctors to determine their treatment but they wanted to know about their condition, the treatment, and the important side effects. Fifty per cent of patients admitted worrying about some aspect of their recent surgery. More than two-thirds thought signing a consent form primarily signified agreement to undergo treatment and that it was a legal document; 54% thought there was an important medico-legal aspect. Over half thought information sheets would be reassuring, one-third thought they would provoke anxiety and 8% thought they would frighten them from having surgery. Closer examination of the answers to our questions showed that those who were most worried about aspects of their surgery had a higher mean anxiety score, as did those who thought an information sheet would be either frightening or anxiety provoking. However, a higher anxiety score was not associated with a desire to know less about the proposed treatment.  (+info)

A nurse-led preadmission clinic for elective ENT surgery: the first 8 months. (72/77)

A nurse-led preadmission clinic was set up in the Department of Otolaryngology of The Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, for patients undergoing elective ENT surgery. The progress of the clinic has been monitored during its first 8 months of service. A two-part study was undertaken: (a) A prospective study of the process from the time an admission appointment was sent until completion of surgery and, (b) a retrospective review of the case notes to study the quality of clerking and note keeping and the pattern of requests for investigations made by the nurses. In all, 514 patients were invited to attend the preadmission clinic before operation. Of these patients, 454 attended the clinic for preadmission clerking, 440 (96.9%) of whom underwent their operation without complication. All clerking notes were well kept, but a number of unnecessary investigations were requested. It is concluded that a nurse-led preadmission clinic is effective in the management of elective ENT operating lists. It assists in improving the quality of an SHO's training by reducing time spent on service commitments, thereby increasing the potential training time. More guidance to nurses on the use of preoperative investigations is needed.  (+info)