ABSTRACT
Audiologic and electroacoustic immittance measurements were obtained from each ear of 23 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 13 normal control subjects. Audiologic findings revealed 14 patients with rheumatoid arthritis with hearing loss of either conductive (three patients) or sensorineural (11 patients) type, while only two control subjects demonstrated hearing loss, both of sensorineural type. Immittance data revealed abnormal findings in 59% of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis as compared to only 4% of the control subjects. The increased incidence of sensorineural hearing loss in the sample with rheumatoid arthritis could not be readily explained. The observed prevalence of abnormal immittance findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis suggested either increased middle ear stiffness or increased stiffness associated with decreased stability of ligamentous anchorage.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications , Hearing Loss/complications , Acoustic Impedance Tests , Adult , Aged , Ear Ossicles/pathology , Hearing Loss, Conductive/complications , Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/complications , Humans , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Hemangioma/pathology , Laryngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Vocal Cords/pathology , Adult , Humans , MaleSubject(s)
Cochlea/surgery , Labyrinth Diseases/etiology , Laser Therapy , Lasers , Organ of Corti/surgery , Animals , Argon , Biphenyl Compounds , Blood Vessels/pathology , Cochlea/pathology , Disease Models, Animal , Guinea Pigs , Labyrinth Diseases/pathology , Lasers/instrumentation , Necrosis , Organ of Corti/pathology , Peroxidases , Pigments, Biological , Staining and Labeling , Thrombosis/pathologyABSTRACT
The cochleae of 51 guinea pigs were exposed to focused ultrasound of 1.25 megacycles. The ultrasonic probe, with a tip area of 1.8 mm2 was gently positioned against the otic capsule at the third coil from the base for 3 minutes at an intensity of 20 W/cm2. The only variable factor in this study was the survival time which was selectively set between 12 hours and 2 months. The stria vascularis was stained by the peroxidase-benzidine method. Circumscribed lesions of rather uniform character were found. The acute changes consisted of vascular constriction, thrombus formation, disruption and extravasation of blood. After survival times of one and two months, all vessels within a small segment of the spiral ligament and the stria vascularis had disappeared. No definite signs of revascularization of the target area were observed. Most of the pigment granules of the stria vascularis were dissolved within the treated zone. The effects of focused ultrasound and argon laser irradiation upon the vessels in the lateral wall of the cochlear duct have been compared.
