Acute postobstructive pulmonary edema.

Acute postobstructive pulmonary edema may occur after airway obstruction. A decrease in intrathoracic and intraalveolar pressures causes an increased blood flow into the pulmonary vasculature and favors the development of pulmonary edema. Two mechanisms for the development of acute postobstructive pulmonary edema are proposed: type 1 follows acute airway obstruction, and type 2 follows relief of chronic airway obstruction.

The effects of bolus flow on vertical pharyngeal pressure measurement in the pharyngoesophageal segment: clinical significance.

Measurement of pressures in the pharyngeal esophageal segment (P-E segment) is complicated by the vertical motion and by the rapidly changing pressures in the segment. The sensors move superiorly and inferiorly with respect to the P-E segment during the swallow. This study examines the validity of manofluorographic measurements taken in the P-E segment by using a catheter with sensors spaced at 1 cm intervals.

Giant cell variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the head and neck.

The giant cell variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma is a rare entity in head and neck. Only eight well documented cases of this type are reported in the English literature. These tumours affect the superficial and deep structures of the neck most often and are best treated with prompt radical surgery.

The effect of asymmetric pharyngoesophageal pressures on manofluorographic measurements.

The fact that pressures in the pharynx are asymmetric has raised questions about the validity of measurements made using manofluorography. Using a special manometric catheter that measures the pressures in four different directions, manofluorography was performed on seven normal volunteers and the measurements in the four directions were compared. When the bolus was not present the measurements were found to be asymmetrical.

Timing of major events of pharyngeal swallowing.

Normal swallowing depends on the synergistic motion of the tongue, larynx, and pharyngeal wall to develop a bolus pressure gradient for bolus transit. However, few studies have provided timing relationships for clinical evaluations. To examine the timing relationships of pharyngeal anatomic motion, pressure generation, and bolus transit in the normal swallow, this study uses a new method, manofluorography, to correlate these swallowing aspects.