Estimate Hearing Recovery Rate Using Statistical Analysis of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sudden deafness is not rare but its pathophysiology has not been fully determined and treatment is controversial at present. There is much debate regarding the prognostic factors in sudden deafness patients. Various studies have been done to find out factors concerned with the recovery of sudden deafness, but there are still many unknown components as the probability of recovery from sudden deafness depends on many factors. The aim of this study is to identify an expectation of recovery by regression formula. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We reviewed the records of 241 patients who were admitted for treatment between 2002 and 2005 under the initial diagnosis of idiopathic sudden hearing loss. The patients were treated with steroid, vasodilator and plasma expander. Improvement of hearing was measured by Siegel's criteria and correcting rate. Prognostic factors that might be associated with the degree of hearing recovery were classified and analyzed by the optimal scale regression analysis method using SPSS ver. 12.0. RESULTS: Siegel's criteria and correcting rate have statistical correlation with respect to age, initial hearing level, patterns of pure tone audiogram and duration of initial treatment from onset to hearing improvement after treatment. Vertigo is not associated with hearing improvement. CONCLUSION: The initial hearing level, patterns of pure tone audiogram and duration of initial treatment from onset are associated with the degree of hearing recovery. We produced a calculating model of hearing improvement based on factors affecting hearing improvement.

A Case of Cryptococcal Abscess Involving Deep Neck Space in an Immunocompetent Patient / 대한이비인후과학회지

The encapsulated yeast, Cryptococcus, has rapidly risen to a worldwide major opportunistic fungal pathogen. Infection with Cryptococcus neoformans usually occurs in immunocompromised host and but may occur also occur in immunocompetent patients. Cryptococccal infection commonly involves the lung or central nervous system; it can disseminate to any organ. However, Cryptococcal abscess in deep neck space is rare. We report an immunocompe-tent patient, who was 60-years-old with cryptococcal abscess in deep neck space. Incisional biopsy of the involved soft tissue revealed the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans. Abscess culture also yielded Cryptococcus. Surgical debriment and antifungal therapy resulted in cure.