Browsing by Author "Meireles, Luis"
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- Bulletproof Temporal Bone: A Case of Self-Inflicted Ballistic InjuryPublication . Casanova, Maria J; Tavares Correia, João; Lino, João; Magalhães, António; Meireles, LuisTemporal bone injuries due to gunshot wounds are uncommon but devastating, with a high risk of damage to critical neurovascular structures. The high resistance of the temporal bone, the densest bone in the human body, can sometimes avoid a fatal outcome. However, the complications are in many cases devastating and include hearing loss, facial paralysis, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, intracranial damage, and vascular injuries. Our goal was to report a case of ballistic injury to the temporal bone and describe the surgical approach taken for treatment. A 74-year-old man was transferred to the emergency room of our tertiary hospital, intubated and sedated, after an attempted suicide with a firearm. The CT scan showed the metal projectile lodged within the temporal bone on the right side, with the destruction of the ossicular chain and bony labyrinth. After stabilization, sedation was reversed, and the otolaryngology team was called. On examination, the entry wound was located in the cavum concha, with no active bleeding but presenting active otorrhea of cerebrospinal fluid. The patient had complete peripheral facial paralysis on the right side and spontaneous horizontal nystagmus toward the left side. Empirical antibiotic therapy was initiated. A subtotal petrosectomy was performed, with the removal of the foreign body, repair of the cerebrospinal fluid fistula, obliteration of the cavity with abdominal fat, and closure of the external auditory canal. He was discharged on the 11th-day post-surgery, maintaining complete facial paralysis and right-side anacusis, but was able to walk with assistance. In conclusion, penetrating trauma of the temporal bone is a potentially life-threatening situation, and patients that survive have a guarded prognosis, as it often leads to permanent sequelae even when managed promptly.
- Nasal Polyposis and Serum Albumin: Systemic Effects of Local InflammationPublication . Sousa-Machado, André; Rosa, Francisco; Silva, Ana; Meireles, LuisIntroduction The genesis of chronic rhinosinusitis is always a topic of debate. A polyp is a pale, edematous tissue emerging mostly from the middle meatus. An epithelial injury caused by continuous inflammation of the nasal mucosa is considered to be a possible cause of the genesis of nasosinusal polyps. Objective To understand the link between serum albumin levels and nasal polyposis. Methods A retrospective study of 180 consecutive patients between January 2016 and January 2020 at our center. We then divided the patients into three age- and gender-matched groups: 60 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, 60 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyposis, and a control group with 60 patients. No patient had a history of any pathology that could alter serum albumin. We then compared the level of serum albumin between the three groups. Results The group of patients with rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis consisted of 60 patients with a serum albumin value of 4.49 ± 0.29 g/dL, whereas in the control group, the serum albumin value was 4.67 ± 0.2 g/dL. We found a significant difference between the group with nasal polyposis and the other two groups evaluated: chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyposis (p<0.001) and the control group (p<0.001). Conclusions Lower levels of serum albumin can be seen in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis. Further studies should aim to apply its value since it is a non-expensive marker, to the follow-up of those patients or even to stratify them according to their endotype.