ABSTRACT
Bone-anchored hearing implants (BAHI) are routinely used to alleviate the effects of the acoustic head shadow in single-sided sensorineural deafness (SSD). In this study, the influence of the directional microphone setting and the maximum power output of the BAHI sound processor on speech understanding in noise in a laboratory setting were investigated. Eight adult BAHI users with SSD participated in this pilot study. Speech understanding in noise was measured using a new Slovak speech-in-noise test in two different spatial settings, either with noise coming from the front and noise from the side of the BAHI (S90N0) or vice versa (S0N90). In both spatial settings, speech understanding was measured without a BAHI, with a Baha BP100 in omnidirectional mode, with a BP100 in directional mode, with a BP110 power in omnidirectional and with a BP110 power in directional mode. In spatial setting S90N0, speech understanding in noise with either sound processor and in either directional mode was improved by 2.2-2.8 dB (p = 0.004-0.016). In spatial setting S0N90, speech understanding in noise was reduced by either BAHI, but was significantly better by 1.0-1.8 dB, if the directional microphone system was activated (p = 0.046), when compared to the omnidirectional setting. With the limited number of subjects in this study, no statistically significant differences were found between the two sound processors.
Subject(s)
Bone Conduction , Deafness/therapy , Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/therapy , Speech Perception , Suture Anchors , Adult , Audiometry, Pure-Tone , Female , Hearing Aids , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Noise , Pilot Projects , Sound LocalizationABSTRACT
We present two cases of sinolith in the ethmoid sinus. The first was a 52-year-old woman who complained of nasal dyspnea, postnasal drip and dry cough. Computed tomography (CT) showed a smooth-margined oval stone embedded in the middle meatus and occupying the bulla ethmoidalis, which was destroyed. The second was a 71-year-old man who had had repeated polypectomies. An oval calcified mass was revealed on CT in the anterior ethmoid sinus adjacent to the left lamina papyracea. All pertinent literature were reviewed and only one further case of ethmoid sinolith was encountered. The etiology, radiological features, differential diagnosis and treatment are discussed.
Subject(s)
Calculi/diagnosis , Calculi/therapy , Ethmoid Sinus , Paranasal Sinus Diseases/diagnosis , Paranasal Sinus Diseases/therapy , Aged , Calculi/etiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Paranasal Sinus Diseases/etiologyABSTRACT
The authors emphasise the key role of the state of the foramen Luschka in indication of neurootologic surgical approaches. Blockage of the foramen of Luschka with a medium or big tumour may impaire the CSF circulation. In such case the lateral transtemporal approaches--translabyrinthine and transotic are the best options. In all other situations where there is no blockage of the CSF circulation in the affected pontocerebellar angle the choice of a surgical approach is determined by the state of hearing and character of disease. Surgical indications schould be elective and individually considered.
