ABSTRACT
A precise cochleostomy is a crucial step in cochlear implantation, particularly if residual hearing is to be preserved. A contactless ablation of the promontory bone by a pulsed CO(2) laser system seems to be a promising approach. The bone is removed by a scan head controlled laser beam in sequential scan cycles with a pulse rate of 50-100 mus. Digital picture analysis and pattern detection are used to identify the membranous lining of the cochlea. We achieved a bone ablation in a micrometer range per scan cycle with the laser. A perforation of the promontory bone could be detected by automatic pattern detection. The enhancement of automatic pattern detection can lead to a minimally invasive, function-preserving laser cochleostomy.
Subject(s)
Cochlea/surgery , Cochlear Implantation/methods , Hearing Loss/rehabilitation , Lasers, Gas , Otologic Surgical Procedures/methods , HumansABSTRACT
A case of a pneumocele concerning the maxillary sinus causing trigeminal irritation is presented. Pneumoceles are rare conditions of an abnormal dilatation of a paranasal sinus containing only air, lined by unremarkable mucosa, and associated with a bony defect. Symptoms, diagnostic findings, therapy, possible causes, and pathogenesis are discussed.