History of otorhinolaryngology in Germany before 1921.

In 2021, the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its foundation. The aim of this article is to present the main inventions and progress made in Germany before 1921, the date the society was founded. Three chronological periods are discernible: the history of otorhinolaryngology (ORL) in Germany until the beginning of the 19th century, focusing mainly on the development of scattered knowledge; the birth of the sub-specialties otology, laryngology (pharyngo-laryngology and endoscopy), and rhinology in the 19th century, combining advances in knowledge and implementation of academic structures; and the creation of the ORL specialty at the turn of the 20th century, mainly concentrating on academic organization and expansion.

Subjective voice quality, communicative ability and swallowing after definitive radio(chemo)therapy, laryngectomy plus radio(chemo)therapy, or organ conservation surgery plus radio(chemo)therapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.

This retrospective analysis focusses on the impact of therapy on perceived long-term post-cancer treatment function. A validated questionnaire including items and components for the assessment of communicative ability, quality of voice and swallowing was sent to 129 patients. All patients were treated between 1998 and 2007.

Gene expression profiling of circulating natural killer cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are a major player of the innate immune system. Besides known risk factors for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), impaired immune surveillance may as well lead to tumor manifestation.

Materials And Methods: In the present study, microarrays technologies were employed in order to perform gene expression profiling of NK cells in HNSCC patients.

Distribution of circulating natural killer cells and T lymphocytes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: Natural killer (NK) cells are capable of eliminating malignantly transformed cells without prior sensitization. In contrast to NK-cells, T lymphocytes possess antitumourous activity that is restricted to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) recognition. The aim of this study was to determine the causes of the different distributions of these cell types in the peripheral blood of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC).

Limited mouth opening after primary therapy of head and neck cancer.

Objectives: Patients after surgery and radiation/chemoradiation for treatment of head and neck cancer often suffer from oral complications. These problems may be caused by surgery and radiation. Patients complain, for example, of swallowing problems and limited mouth opening (trismus).

Tracheostomy cannulas and voice prosthesis.

Cannulas and voice prostheses are mechanical aids for patients who had to undergo tracheotomy or laryngectomy for different reasons. For better understanding of the function of those artificial devices, first the indications and particularities of the previous surgical intervention are described in the context of this review. Despite the established procedure of percutaneous dilatation tracheotomy e.

Prospective controlled study of microbial colonization of the trachea in tracheotomized and laryngectomized patients with HME (heat and moisture exchanger).

Conclusion: The use of heat and moisture exchangers (HMEs) does not endanger tracheostomy patients in terms of additional exposure to pathogenic microorganisms.

Objective: Stoma filters in the form of HMEs cause a beneficial convection of respiratory air in tracheotomized and laryngectomized patients. We investigated whether or not this may lead to an altered microbial ecology in the non-physiologically colonized lower respiratory tract.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) patches for covering anterior skull base defects - an animal study with minipigs.

Conclusion: We conclude that PHB patch material may fulfil the specific requirements that are necessary for a dural substitute, including defect closure, stability and biocompatibility. Our results support the assumed positive influence of PHB on bone regeneration.

Objectives: Although many experimental and clinical studies have been performed to identify a suitable material to repair defects of the dura mater, no ideal dural substitute is currently available.

Laser scanning microscopy of the human larynx mucosa: a preliminary, ex vivo study.

Objective: Laser scanning microscopy (LSM) supplies in vivo information from epithelia up to depths between 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

In vitro and in vivo studies on blends of isotactic and atactic poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) for development of a dura substitute material.

Blends of semicrystalline isotactic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) with amorphous atactic PHB (at-PHB) were prepared by solution-casting using 30%, 50% and 70% at-PHB, and were studied for medical applications. The mechanical properties of the blends including the elastic modulus and elongation at break are strongly affected by the blend composition. The elastic modulus decreases with increasing fraction of at-PHB in the blend from 3350 MPa in the case of PHB to 170 MPa of PHB/at-PHB (30/70).