ABSTRACT
CONCLUSION: Our data prove that lasers are safe and useful instruments in stapes surgery. Good postoperative results can be attained in both KTP and Er: YAG lasers. There was no significant inner ear damage related to the Er: YAG laser use. OBJECTIVE: To compare the postoperative results of stapedotomies performed with KTP and Erbium: YAG lasers in patients with otosclerosis in order to assess the risk of Er: YAG for the inner ear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The charts of 152 consecutive adult patients who underwent primary laser stapedotomies for otosclerosis from 1999 to 2005 were reviewed. One hundred and thirty-seven stapedotomies (98 patients) were performed using the KTP laser and 54 stapedotomies (54 patients) were performed with Er: YAG laser. All the patients were separated in two groups according to the type of laser, which was used. Hearing results were analyzed according to the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium Guidelines of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Pure-tone audiometry was performed before the surgery, three months and one year postoperatively. RESULTS: The study indicated that KTP and Er: YAG stapedotomies have similar rates of the air-bone gap closure. There was no significant postoperative sensorineural hearing loss found in both techniques.
Subject(s)
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/etiology , Lasers, Solid-State , Otosclerosis/surgery , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Stapes Surgery/instrumentation , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Audiometry, Pure-Tone , Bone Conduction/physiology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is suspected when the patient complains of brief episodes of vertigo induced by changes in the head position. The direction of the positional nystagmus during the positional maneuvers is essential to affirm the canal involved. There is a consensus for the diagnosis of a PC-BPPV and HC-BPPV (geotropic and ageotropic form) as well as for the treatment of a PC-BPPV and a geotropic HC-BPPC. However, there is still a debate for the diagnosis of an AC-BPPV and the treatment of an ageotropic HC-BPPV and an AC-BPPV.
Subject(s)
Ear Canal/physiopathology , Vertigo , Head/physiology , Humans , Posture/physiology , Vertigo/diagnosis , Vertigo/physiopathology , Vertigo/therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of our study has been to describe the pre-operatively MR Imaging appearance of masses in the parotid gland which may be sources of clinical and radiological confusion. METHODS: Sixty-eight adults patients with a parotid mass (39 female, 29 male) has been prospectively investigated. T1-weighted, T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted and contrast-enhanced dynamic MR images were performed by using a 1.5 or 1 T MR Imaging unit (Philips Gyroscan Intera 1.5 T. Siemens Expert 1 T). All patients underwent a parotidectomy with histopathologic analysis. RESULTS-CONCLUSIONS: In case of pleomorphic adenoma (N=30) MR imaging sensibility, specificity and accuracy were respectively 87.5, 80.5 and 83%. In case of Warthin tumors (N=13) the same values were respectively 45.5, 93 and 85%. In case of malignant tumors (N=13) theses values were respectively 71, 89 and 87%. Our routine MR Imaging study appears excellent not only for assessing the type and extent of benign salivary gland tumors and the relationship to adjacent structures, but also for determining whether the tumor is benign or malignant.