No abstract

Six patients with severe, recalcitrant, juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis were treated with 7 independent trials of acyclovir. In 2 trials, patients received acyclovir in place of interferon-alpha; the remaining 5 trials were in patients not otherwise receiving chemotherapy. Quantitative analysis of overall disease extent, laryngeal involvement, and degree of glottic obstruction for the 6 months prior to acyclovir administration and during acyclovir administration demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in all parameters evaluated in those patients who were otherwise unmediated. The 2 patients who discontinued interferon-alpha immediately prior to beginning acyclovir demonstrated worsening disease, consistent with the well-recognized rebound phenomenon associated with stopping interferon. This study suggests that acyclovir decreases the extent of respiratory papillomatosis in patients with recalcitrant disease. The beneficial effect of acyclovir appears to be insufficient to counteract the rebound of disease when interferon is stopped abruptly.

No abstract

Maintaining chronically indwelling catheters and avoiding destruction, dislodgement, or infection of the catheters is often a significant challenge for the investigator using large animals. A method is described that, in the hands of the authors, has provided long-term venous and arterial access with a low rate of malfunction and infection.