To assess the electrode pitch function in a series of adults with postlingually implanted cochlear implants and with contralateral residual hearing, in order to investigate the correlation between the degree of frequency map mismatch and the subjects' speech understanding in quiet and noisy conditions.

Case series.

Seven postlingually deafened adults with cochlear implants, all with detectable contralateral residual hearing. Subjects' electrode pitch function was assessed by means of a pitch-matching test, in which they were asked to match an acoustic pitch (pure tones delivered to the non-implanted ear by an audiometer) to a perceived ‘pitch’ elicited by stimulation of the cochlear implant electrodes. A mismatch score was calculated for each subject. Speech recognition was tested using lists of sentences presented in quiet conditions and at +10, 0 and 5 dB HL signal-to-noise ratio levels (i.e. noise 10 dB HL lower than signal, noise as loud as signal and noise 5 dB HL higher than signal, respectively). Correlations were assessed using a linear regression model, with significance set at p < 0.05.

All patients presented some degree of mismatch between the acoustic frequencies assigned to their implant electrodes and the pitch elicited by stimulation of the same electrode, with high between-individual variability. A significant correlation (p < 0.005) was found between mismatch and speech recognition scores at +10 and 0 dB HL signal-to-noise ratio levels (r2 = 0.91 and 0.89, respectively).

The mismatch between frequencies allocated to electrodes and the pitch perceived on stimulation of the same electrodes could partially account for our subjects' difficulties with speech understanding in noisy conditions. We suggest that these subjects could benefit from mismatch correction, through a procedure allowing individualised reallocation of frequency bands to electrodes.

Long-term tympanostomy tubes are associated with a significant rate of complications, particularly persistent perforation. We describe the outcomes of 57 subannular ventilation tube insertions in 45 consecutive patients.

Retrospective case series.

We studied 45 consecutive patients with chronic otitis media with effusion and hearing loss (n = 54 cases), associated with adhesive otitis media (n = 7), tympanic membrane retraction (n = 17) and tympanic membrane perforation (n = 3). The mean follow up was 48 months (range, nine to 95 months).

The mean duration of ventilation for tubes still in situ was 22 months (range, one to 76 months; n = 29), and for tubes which extruded or were removed 23 months (range, one to 85 months; n = 28). The mean improvement in air–bone gap was 14 dB (range, −14 to 35 dB). Complications included blockage (16 per cent), perforation after extrusion (9 per cent), granulation (5 per cent) and infection (4 per cent).

Subannular ventilation tubes provide an effective option for management of intractable middle-ear effusion and eustachian tube dysfunction.

To establish normative dimensions for the depth of the olfactory fossa, the length and angulation of the lateral lamella of the cribriform plate, and the height of the ethmoid roof, in adult males and females.

The study assessed 300 high resolution, multislice computed tomography scans of the paranasal sinuses, which were evaluated using Merge Efilm software (version 2.0.0, build 37).

According to the original Keros classification, the type II olfactory fossa was the commonest type in men (66.7 per cent), while the type I fossa was commonest in women (53 per cent). A difference of 3 mm or more between the depths of the right and left olfactory fossae was present in 11 per cent of men and 2 per cent of women. The lateral lamella of the cribriform plate was significantly shorter and less oblique in men than in women. The length of the lateral lamella was greater anteriorly than posteriorly in both sexes. There was a statistically significant difference between the angle of the lateral lamellae, comparing right and left sides. The ethmoid roof was lower in women than men.

The observed differences between men and women and between the right and left sides are of surgical importance, and should alert surgeons to the need for thorough, systematic pre-operative evaluation of computed tomography scans.

To evaluate dysphonia in patients treated for laryngeal tuberculosis, and to assess the effect of speech therapy on patients' vocal quality.

Seven of 23 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of laryngeal tuberculosis, treated at the Evandro Chagas Institute of Clinical Research, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, underwent speech therapy for six months. These seven patients were evaluated by videolaryngoscopy and vocal acoustic analysis, before, during and after a course of speech therapy.

The 23 patients with laryngeal tuberculosis comprised five women and 18 men, with ages ranging from 25 to 83 years (mean 41.3 years). Dysphonia was present in 91.3 per cent of these laryngeal tuberculosis patients, being present as the first symptom in 82.6 per cent. In laryngeal tuberculosis patients with dysphonia, laryngeal tuberculosis treatment resulted in dysphonia resolution in only 15.8 per cent. After speech therapy, dysphonia patients had better vocal quality, as demonstrated by statistical analysis of jitter, shimmer, fundamental frequency variability, maximum phonation time, and the ratio between maximum phonation time for voiceless and voiced fricative sounds.

Following treatment of laryngeal tuberculosis, the incidence of dysphonia was very high. Speech therapy improved patients' vocal quality.

To investigate hearing loss in patients with Behçet's disease.

Twenty-four consecutive cases of Behçet's disease and 24 sex- and age-matched controls were included in this study. Pure tone and high frequency audiometric tests were performed and pure tone average hearing thresholds calculated for both groups. Transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing was also performed.

Pure tone audiometry showed a sensorineural hearing loss in 15 of the Behçet's disease ears. Hearing thresholds were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group, on both pure tone frequency (except 0.5 kHz) and high frequency audiometry. Significant reductions in transient evoked otoacoustic emission amplitude were found at 1.4 and 2 kHz in the Behçet's disease patients. There were no significant differences in reproducibility, stimulus intensity or stability, comparing the Behçet's disease patients and controls.

Significantly lower mid-frequency amplitudes were found in Behçet's patients on transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing.

To assess the outcome of conservative management of vestibular schwannoma.

Observational study.

Tertiary referral centre.

Four hundred and thirty-six patients with vestibular schwannoma (490 tumours), including 327 sporadic tumours and 163 tumours in 109 patients with neurofibromatosis type two.

The relationship of tumour growth to tumour size at presentation, and to certain demographic features.

The initial tumour size was significantly larger in the neurofibromatosis type two group (11 mm) than in the sporadic vestibular schwannoma group (5.1 mm). In both groups, 68 per cent of tumours did not grow during follow up (mean 3.6 years; range one to 14 years). The mean growth rate was 1.1 mm/year (range 0–15 mm/year) for sporadic tumours and 1.7 mm/year (range 0–18 mm/year) for neurofibromatosis type two tumours. The tumour growth rate correlated positively with tumour size in the sporadic tumour group, and correlated negatively with age in the neurofibromatosis type two group.

Two-thirds of vestibular schwannomas did not grow. Radiological surveillance is an acceptable approach in carefully selected patients. Once a sporadic vestibular schwannoma reaches 2 cm in intracranial diameter, it is likely to continue growing. We do not recommend conservative management for sporadic tumours with an intracranial diameter of 1.5 cm or more. Vestibular schwannoma management is more complex in patients with neurofibromatosis type two.

To identify the greatest difficulties reported by people affected by neurofibromatosis type 2, and to determine the relationship between the primary and secondary effects of the disease.

Postal questionnaire study.

Questionnaire sent to subjects' home addresses.

Eighty-seven adult patients under the care of the Manchester multidisciplinary neurofibromatosis type 2 team were invited to take part.

The response rate was 62 out of 87 (71 per cent).

Respondents' answers emphasised that their greatest problem was deafness, which resulted in communication difficulties with social contacts, close partners, family and friends. Correlation coefficients indicated a relationship between general mood changes and hearing difficulties, social communication problems, balance difficulties and mobility problems. Self-confidence was significantly related only to social communication problems.

The use of a closed set neurofibromatosis type 2 questionnaire identified hearing problems and subsequent communication difficulties as the main problems faced by people with this condition.

This study aimed to review cases of Lemierre's and Lemierre's-like syndromes in paediatric patients, to examine a possible association with Epstein–Barr virus as a predisposing factor, and to assess the impact of this virus on the severity of illness.

We performed a retrospective analysis of data from the in-patient database at Winthrop University Hospital, from January 2001 to October 2007. We reviewed clinical and laboratory findings as well as the outcome of infection in patients aged 21 years or less with a diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome. An additional case of Lemierre's-like syndrome was also included. The illness severity and duration of in-patient management of those testing positive for heterophile antibody were then compared with the same parameters in patients who tested negative.

Of the five patients diagnosed with Lemierre's syndrome, two had concomitant acute infection with Epstein–Barr virus. Additionally, a 19-year-old adolescent was admitted during this period with acute infectious mononucleosis, Fusobacterium necrophorum sepsis, sinusitis, frontal lobe abscess and ophthalmic vein thrombosis. The clinical presentation of all patients included fever, sore throat, and ear or neck pain. The duration of symptoms ranged from two days to three weeks prior to admission. The patients with acute Epstein–Barr virus infection had been diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis prior to admission, and tested positive for heterophile antibody. These patients subsequently underwent more extensive in-patient treatment, including intensive care management and ventilator support. The patients who tested negative for heterophile antibody experienced a milder course of illness, with a shorter duration of in-patient management.

Two patients diagnosed with Lemierre's syndrome, and a third with Fusobacterium necrophorum sepsis, had coexisting acute Epstein–Barr virus infection. Patients who tested positive for heterophile antibody experienced a more severe course of illness. These observations suggest a possible association between Epstein–Barr virus infection and the severity of concomitant Lemierre's syndrome.

Citrobacter freundii is a rare but potentially aggressive cause of pharyngitis which may progress to retropharyngeal abscess with diaphragmatic extension.

To raise awareness of: (1) citrobacter as a potential cause of head and neck infection, including retropharyngeal abscess; (2) a novel surgical approach to draining such an abscess; and (3) citrobacter's particular biological properties which may affect the clinical course.

Case report.

The abscess was drained via a minimally invasive posterior pharyngeal wall incision and placement of a suction catheter into the mediastinum through this incision. Residual intrathoracic collections were drained by the cardiothoracic team via percutaneous aspiration. The patient made a full recovery.

Early recognition of citrobacter head and neck infections, an awareness of the peculiarities of the clinical course of such infections, and timely surgical intervention can prevent catastrophic outcomes. A minimally invasive approach to mediastinal collections can be considered as a viable alternative to open thoracotomy, which carries a high morbidity rate.

To evaluate dizziness in patients receiving meglumine antimoniate for the treatment of mucosal leishmaniasis.

We retrospectively studied 127 patients treated at the Laboratory of Leishmaniasis Surveillance, Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 2004.

A low dose of meglumine antimoniate (5 mg/kg/day) was used in 86.6 per cent of patients; a dose of 10 mg/kg/day or higher was used in 13.4 per cent of patients. Dizziness was reported by 4.7 per cent of patients. The adjusted odds ratios were 7.37 for dizziness in female patients, 4.9 for dizziness in patients aged 60 years or older, and 7.77 for dizziness in the presence of elevated serum lipase.

We suggest that dizziness may be a side effect of meglumine antimoniate, particularly in elderly individuals, in females and in patients with elevated serum lipase.

Auditory neuropathy is a disorder characterised by preservation of outer hair cell function, with normal otoacoustic emissions and/or cochlear microphonics, but an absent or distorted auditory brainstem response.

This study aimed to objectively assess hearing thresholds in patients with auditory neuropathy, using the auditory steady state response.

Thirteen patients with auditory neuropathy and 15 normal hearing subjects were examined. Audiological evaluation included basic audiological tests, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response and auditory steady state response.

In the auditory neuropathy patients, the auditory brainstem response was absent in 11 patients, while the auditory steady state response was absent in only three.

The auditory steady state response may serve as a valuable objective measure for assessing the hearing threshold across different frequencies in patients with auditory neuropathy. We recommend that auditory steady state response be used to complete the evaluation of patients with auditory neuropathy.

We aimed to review the history of anatomical dissection, and to examine how modern educational techniques will change the way temporal bone dissection is taught to otolaryngology trainees.

Review of the literature using Medline, Embase and PubMed database searches.

Temporal bone anatomy has traditionally been taught using cadaveric specimens. However, resources such as three-dimensional reconstructed models and ‘virtual reality’ temporal bone simulators have a place in educating the otolaryngology trainee.

We should encourage the use of fresh frozen cadaveric temporal bone specimens for future otologists. Artificial three-dimensional models and virtual reality temporal bone simulators can be used to educate junior trainees, thus conserving the scarce resource of cadaveric bones.

Since Virchow's first, 1855 publication on cholesteatoma, this disease has been the subject of extensive debate. The pathogenesis of acquired cholesteatoma is repeatedly explained on the premises of the migration, hyperplasia and metaplasia theories, but proof for the latter theory remains limited. In retrospect, there is progress toward better understanding of all the pathological mechanisms involved, as expounded in this review.

The triggers for cholesteatoma onset are diverse, and may involve tympanic membrane trauma (i.e. perforation, displacement, retraction or invagination), tympanic membrane disease, and/or tympanic cavity mucosa disease. Research has revealed that cell migration is replaced under inflammatory conditions by hyperplasia, which triggers the onset of cholesteatoma. Lately, the hyperplasia theory gained prominence and circumscription of the papillary cone formation concept provided insight into cholesteatoma progression (growth and expansion). Diseased mucosa can contribute to the development of retraction pockets and cholesteatoma. The type of cholesteatoma trigger and the role of chronic inflammation during disease progression and recurrence are important in guiding clinical intervention.

Hearing loss commonly affects quality of life in the elderly, yet is often neglected.

To investigate the impact of untreated age-related hearing loss on the quality of life of elderly individuals, and to assess the usefulness of quality of life questionnaires as screening tools for significant hearing loss.

We recruited 80 patients aged 50 years or more with untreated hearing impairment. The Short Form 36 Health Survey and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening Version questionnaire were administered.

There was no significant association between severity of hearing impairment and Short Form 36 Health Survey scores. However, dose-graded correlation was observed between severity of hearing loss and Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening Version questionnaire scores (p < 0.001). A score for the latter questionnaire of more than 8 was 72.8 per cent sensitive and 71.4 per cent specific in detecting clinically significant hearing loss of at least 40 dB (receiver operating characteristic = 0.83).

The Short Form 36 Health Survey, a generic measure, lacked specificity and sensitivity in detecting clinically significant hearing loss. However, significant hearing impairment was reflected in the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening Version questionnaire scores, suggesting that this is a good, disease-specific screening tool. A combination of functional (i.e. the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening Version questionnaire) and physiological (i.e. audiometric) assessment is recommended to investigate hearing loss in elderly individuals.

To report clinical data from six centres in the US, Western Europe and Asia which have used phase-shift sound wave cancellation for treatment of predominant tone tinnitus, from the first treatment in 2000 to 2009.

Clinical data were obtained from New York City, London, Erie (Pennsylvania, USA), Antwerp, Grottamare (Italy) and Kuala Lumpur, and summarised.

A total of 493 patients were treated. A reduction in tinnitus volume (defined as ≥6 dB) was seen in 49–72 per cent of patients.

Halofantrine is a newly developed antimalarial drug used for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The introduction of this drug has been delayed because of its possible side effects, and due to insufficient studies on adverse reactions in humans. There have been no studies investigating its effect on hearing.

Thirty guinea pigs were divided into three groups: a control group, a halofantrine therapeutic dose group and a halofantrine double therapeutic dose group. One cochlea specimen from each animal was stained with haematoxylin and eosin and the other with toluidine blue.

No changes were detected in the control group. The halofantrine therapeutic dose group showed loss and distortion of inner hair cells and inner phalangeal cells, and loss of spiral ganglia cells. In the halofantrine double therapeutic dose group, the inner and outer hair cells were distorted and there was loss of spiral ganglia cells.

Halofantrine has mild to moderate pathological effects on cochlea histology, and can be considered an ototoxic drug.

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using a 1.3 mm, semi-rigid, interventional salivary endoscope for middle-ear endoscopy, and as a trans-tympanic route for delivery of medication, in human cadaveric temporal bones.

Human cadaveric study.

Five temporal bones harvested from human cadavers were examined. A 1.3 mm, interventional sialendoscope was used to make endoscopy-assisted myringotomy incisions in the postero-inferior quadrant (n = 5) and the antero-inferior quadrant (n = 3).

Middle-ear examination was successful in all specimens (n = 5). Access to the round window niche and adequate visualisation of the round window were achieved in all five temporal bones (100 per cent). A guide wire could be navigated to the round window niche without difficulty. Other structures identified in all specimens included the incudostapedial joint, stapedius tendon, pyramidal eminence and facial nerve via an extended myringotomy incision. The anterior middle-ear space was also successfully examined through an endoscope-guided anterior myringotomy. The opening to the eustachian tube was visualised and cannulated with a guide wire in all preparations in which this was attempted (n = 3).

The 1.3 mm, interventional sialendoscope allowed adequate visualisation of the eustachian tube, middle-ear space and round window niche, with interventional capabilities, in a cadaveric model. Our result validates the feasibility of its use for trans-tympanic drug delivery.

At the turn of the twentieth century, ultraviolet light was successfully used to treat tuberculosis of the skin. Upper respiratory tract infections had been inversely associated with sun exposure. During the last decade, basic scientific research demonstrated that vitamin D has an important anti-infective role.

Review of the relevant literature on the influence of vitamin D on innate immunity and respiratory tract infection.

Vitamin D is involved in the production of defensins and cathelicidin – antimicrobial peptides that provide a natural defence against potential microbiological pathogens. Vitamin D supplementation increases cathelicidin production. Low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections.

Vitamin D appears to play an important role in the regulation of innate immunity in the upper respiratory tract. Optimal vitamin D levels and appropriate dosing schedules have yet to be determined.

Otological surgeons face two recurring challenges. Firstly, we must foster an appreciation of the complex, three-dimensional anatomy of the temporal bone in order to enable our trainees to operate safely and independently. Secondly, we must explain to our patients the necessity for surgery which carries the potential for serious complication.

Amira® software was applied to pre-operative computed tomography images of temporal bones with cholesteatoma, to create three-dimensional computer images. Normal structures and cholesteatoma were displayed in a user-friendly, interactive format, allowing both trainee and patient to visualise disease and important structures within the temporal bone.

Three cases, and their three-dimensional computer models are presented. Zoom, rotation and transparency functions complemented the three-dimensional effect.

These three-dimensional models provided a useful adjunct to cadaveric temporal bone dissection and surgical experience for our residents' teaching programme. Also, patients with cholesteatoma reported a better understanding of their pre-operative condition when the models were used during the consenting process.