Prematurity, incubator noise and hearing disturbances (author's transl)

1. An audiologic follow-up study was done on 62 children, ages 10-11 years. All children had been pre-term infants, with a gestational age between 29 and 35 weeks. They had been maintained in an incubator for a period of 21-61 days. The children had frequently received ototoxic antibiotics in the newborn period, and had been subject to many perinatal risk factors with a high "non-optimal score." 2. 44 children (71%) were found to be audiologically normal, whereas 8 (13%) had minor auditory defects and 10 (16%) had major hearing defects. 3. There was a significant correlation between hearing defects and the "non-optimal score": children with the most difficult perinatal course were more likely to develop hearing difficulties. 4. This study was unable to support the assumption that the hearing loss found was due to high incubator noise levels: (a) The incubator noise level was slightly below the probably dangerous limit for noise exposure. (b) There was no correlation between the hearing impairment and the length of incubator stay. (c) The type of hearing defect was not generally consistent with that associated with noise pollution.     

Dumping-prophylaxis (author's transl)

The dumping syndrome is due to a vigorous reflex distension of the jejunum, caused by the stomach violently evacuating its contents. The aim of treatment is to overcome the drastic evacuation by restoring the rhythmic peristalsis of the stomach (eukinetics). This can be achieved by a special diet. Every meal should begin with well chewed solids (pulp) and avoid all fluids. With a well organised medical staff a complete success can be achieved. Surgical measures in Dumping can be avoided.     

Rehabilitation into employability after traumatic loss of an eye (author's transl)

After the loss of an eye re-education can become either imperative according to present law or because of medical reasons. The insurer's attention should be drawn to these facts very early, perhaps already by the accident report, to avoid unnecessary long times of incapacity for work.     

Endoscopic-radiologic cholangio-pancreaticography (author's transl)

Results of 408 own endoscropic-radiologic cholangio-pancreatico-graphies are presented, indications and diagnostic relevance of the method are discussed. Low rate of complications and its high diagnostic value are reasons for ERCP's clinical importance even as a routine procedure at gastro-enterological centers. In the future, cytological, immunological and biochemical analysis of juices and aspirates as well as endoscopic surgery will contribute to an even wider clinical use of the method. In 337 patients (82.6%) cannulation of the papilla of Vater and visualization of one or both duct systems were successful. In 198 cases with visualization of ducts (58.8%) pathological lesions were found. Thus observation of indications and contra-indications of ERCP is documented, of a method, which is not too risky, but relatively expensive and difficult to employ.     

Epididymal tumors (author's transl)

Six cases of benign primary epididymal tumor have been investigated in our patients. The tumor size fluctuated between 3 and 35 mm in diameter. Frequency, histology and medical development are described. The majority of epididymal tumors (53%) is comprised of so-called adenomatoid tumors of benign nature and their histogenesis is being discussed. The difficulties of differential diagnosis are pointed out. Since malignity exists in 26% of the cases, the surgical exposure and diagnosis by frozen section is being postulated, when suspicion of epididymal tumor becomes evident.     

Postmenopausal bleeding (author's transl)

In the study reported here, 554 cases of postmenopausal bleeding were analyzed, i.e. 4.1% of the gynecological cases admitted during the 11 years from 1961 to 1971. In over one-third of these cases (35.3%) bleeding was caused by genital carcinoma. Among nonmalignant causes, endometrial atrophy was the most common (28.5%) followed by uterine polyposis (21.2%). As expected, corpus carcinoma (51%) was the most commonly found malignant genital disease, followed by cervical cancer (38%) which, surprisingly, is almost as common. The time-lapse between onset of bleeding and hospitalization with diagnosis is alarmingly long. In our patients it averages 19.2 weeks, is 36.3 weeks in corpus carcinoma cases and 16.3 weeks in women with cervical cancer.