ENG profile in auditory neuropathy

Twelve patients with auditory neuropathy aged 11 - 34 years were subjected to ENG test battery including gaze, random saccades, pursuit, optokinetic, positional and bithermal water caloric tests. Twenty age and gender matched normal subjects were included as a control group. None of the 12 patients had history of vertigo or unsteadiness. Neither gaze evoked nor positional nystagmus was recorded in any patient. 7 patients out of 12 had abnormal gain of pursuit tracking and optokinetic nystagmus [< 0.7] and 2 out of the 7 had abnormal fixation index [> 50%]. Moreover, the average slow phase velocity of the total caloric response in auditory neuropathy patients showed statistically significant reduced values as compared to those obtained from the control group, however none of the 12 patients had total caloric response < 22 degrees/second. These results are suggestive of a potential peripheral vestibular dysfunction in addition to central vestibular dysfunction mainly at the level of brainstem

Cartilage tympanoplasty: audiological and otological outcome

Forty-six patients with chronic suppurative otitis media have been operated upon [using cartilage graft to close tympanic membrane perforation] at ORL Department, Mansoura University Hospital. Otological and Audiological results were compared with the results of 30 tympanoplasties operated at the same period of time [using temporalis fascia graft to close tympanic membrane perforation]. Successful closure of the tympanic membrane perforation was achieved in 91.3% of the cartilage group as compared to 73.3% of the fascia group. The postoperative air-bone gap was smaller in the fascia group than the cartilage group, but the difference was statistically insignificant. According to our results, we concluded that cartilage is a reliable graft material for reconstruction of tympanic membrane perforations especially, large perforations as well as revision cases

Stapes surgery in children and young patients

Thirty two stapes procedures in children and young patients were reviewed. There were 18 males and 14 females. The mean age at the time of surgery was 16 years with a range from 8 to 20 years. Stapedectomy was performed in 12 cases and stapedotomy in 20 cases. Follow up period ranged from 6 monthes to 12 years with an average of 3 years. Our results showed an average postoperative air-bone gap of 9.8 dB and an average hearing improvement of 19.5 dB. The best results were obtained when the small fenestra technique was used. According to our results, we conclude that stapedectomy in children is satisfactory and the results are comparable to the other published results