Vestibular Assessment with the vHIT and Skull Vibration-Induced Nystagmus Test in Patients with Nonprogressive Vestibular Schwannoma.

Background: Our primary objective was to monitor nonprogressive unilateral vestibular schwannomas (VSs) to assess the efficiency of rapid bedside examinations, such as the video head impulse test (vHIT) and skull vibration-induced nystagmus test (SVINT), in identifying vestibular damage. Methods: An observational study was conducted from March 2021 to March 2022 on all adult patients (>18 years old) with a confirmed nonprogressive VS (no active treatment). The SVINT (using a 100 Hz vibrator with two (SVINT2) or three (SVINT3) stimulation locations) and vHIT (for the six semicircular canals (SCCs)) were performed on all patients. The asymmetry of function between the vestibules was considered significant when the gain asymmetry was greater than 0.1. Rapid and repeatable assessment of VSs using two- and three-stimulation SVINT plus vHIT was performed to quantify intervestibular asymmetry. Results: SVINT3 and SVINT2 triggered VIN in 40% (24/60) and 65% (39/60) of patients, respectively. There was significant asymmetry in the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), as shown by a VS-side gain < healthy-side gain in 58% (35/60) of the patients. Among the patients with significant gain asymmetry between the two vestibules according to the vHIT (VS-side gain < healthy-side gain), the proportion of patients expressing vestibular symptomatology was significantly greater than that of patients without any symptoms [67% (29/43) vs. 35% (6/17), respectively; p = 0.047]. Conclusions: The SVINT2 can be combined with the vHIT to form an interesting screening tool for revealing vestibular asymmetry. This work revealed the superiority of mastoid stimulation over vertex stimulation for SVINT in patients with unilateral vestibular loss.

Allograft bone vs. bioactive glass in rehabilitation of canal wall-down surgery.

Canal wall-down (CWD) mastoidectomy creates a radical cavity that modifies the anatomy and physiology of the middle ear, thus preventing it from being self-cleaning and causing epidermal stagnation in the posterior cavities. Canal wall-down tympanomastoidectomy with reconstruction (CWDTwR) can obliterate such radical cavities. The main objective of this study was to compare postoperative results after CWDTwR by using either bone allografts or 45S5 bioactive glass as a filling tissue with an 18-month follow-up. This was a single-center observational trial including all patients undergoing CWDTwR. Patients were divided into two groups according to the filling material used: allograft bone (AB group) or 45S5 bioactive glass (BG group). Clinical monitoring was performed regularly, with control imaging performed at 18 months (CT scan and DW MRI). The two groups were compared with the t test for quantitative variables and the chi square test for qualitative variables (no revision surgery, audiometric results, complications, mastoid obliteration volume). Thirty-two patients underwent CWDTwR between October 2015 and 2018. The mean age was 48 years, and 71.9% (23/32) were men. A total of 46.9% (15/32) of the patients had undergone at least 3 middle-ear surgeries prior to CWDTwR. The most frequent preoperative symptom was otorrhea (100.0%, 32/32), and only 12.5% (4/32) experienced dizziness. Fifteen and 17 patients underwent surgery with bone allografts and 45S5 bioactive glass, respectively. At 18 months post-operation, 53.3% of the patients (8/15) in the AB group presented with recurrent otorrhea versus 5.9% (1/17) of patients in the BG group (p = 0.005). Seventy-eight percent (7/9) of symptomatic patients had undergone revision surgery at 18 months postoperation: 40.0% (6/15) in the AB group and 5.9% (1/17) in the BG group (p = 0.033). One patient's surgery was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and one patient refused surgery. The effects of CWDTwR with bone allografts are disappointing in early follow-up, with significant resorption leading to a 40.0% revision surgery rate. 45S5 BG is a simple solution, with preliminary results that are superior to those of AB. However, prospective controlled studies with longer follow-up times are needed to evaluate the value of BG versus other synthetic materials (such as hydroxyapatite) in surgical management of CWDTwR.Trial registration: retrospectively registered.

Incidence of Underlying Abnormal Findings on Routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Bell Palsy.

Importance: There is no consensus on the benefits of routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the facial nerve in patients with suspected idiopathic peripheral facial palsy (PFP) (ie, Bell palsy [BP]). Objectives: To estimate the proportion of adult patients in whom MRI led to correction of an initial clinical diagnosis of BP; to determine the proportion of patients with confirmed BP who had MRI evidence of facial nerve neuritis without secondary lesions; and to identify factors associated with secondary (nonidiopathic) PFP at initial presentation and 1 month later. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective multicenter cohort study analyzed the clinical and radiological data of 120 patients initially diagnosed with suspected BP from January 1, 2018, to April 30, 2022, at the emergency department of 3 tertiary referral centers in France. Interventions: All patients screened for clinically suspected BP underwent an MRI of the entire facial nerve with a double-blind reading of all images. Main Outcomes and Measures: The proportion of patients in whom MRI led to a correction of the initial diagnosis of BP (any condition other than BP, including potentially life-threating conditions) and results of contrast enhancement of the facial nerve were described. Results: Among the 120 patients initially diagnosed with suspected BP, 64 (53.3%) were men, and the mean (SD) age was 51 (18) years. Magnetic resonance imaging of the facial nerve led to a correction of the diagnosis in 8 patients (6.7%); among them, potentially life-threatening conditions that required changes in treatment were identified in 3 (37.5%). The MRI confirmed the diagnosis of BP in 112 patients (93.3%), among whom 106 (94.6%) showed evidence of facial nerve neuritis on the affected side (hypersignal on gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images). This was the only objective sign confirming the idiopathic nature of PFP. Conclusions and Relevance: These preliminary results suggest the added value of the routine use of facial nerve MRI in suspected cases of BP. Multicentered international prospective studies should be organized to confirm these results.

Systematic MRI in persistent post-Covid-19 olfactory dysfunction should be reassessed.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard in the etiological assessment of a persistent olfactory dysfunction (OD). While the utility of imaging in COVID-19-related OD has yet to be established, MRI is recommended in all patients with persistent OD. The high prevalence of the latter after SARS-CoV-2 infection means evaluating this strategy is an important public health matter. METHODS: The main objective was to examine the impact of systematic MRI on the management of patients with OD. All adult patients consulting for persistent OD (>2 months) after primary SARS-COV-2 infection (PCR) between March 2020 and December 2021 were included (n = 67). The secondary objective was to evaluate the relationship between the severity of the OD as measured by psychophysical testing (ETOC) and the volume of the olfactory bulb (OB) measured by MRI. RESULTS: All patients underwent MRI, and none led to a change in diagnosis or treatment. Among them, 82% (55/67) were considered normal by the radiologist on initial interpretation. There were no significant differences (visual analysis or OB volume) between groups (mild, moderate, and severe hyposmia). CONCLUSION: Systematic MRI may be unnecessary in patients whose persistent OD began soon (a few days) after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Estimated Costs Associated With Management of Otosclerosis With Hearing Aids vs Surgery in Europe.

Importance: Surgery and hearing aids have similar outcomes in terms of hearing acuity but differ in terms of cost, aesthetics, and patient quality of life. The cost-effectiveness and budget impact of otosclerosis treatments have never been studied in Europe. Objectives: To compare the estimated mean costs per patient over 10 years of surgery vs hearing aids for the treatment of otosclerosis and to estimate the budget impact of an increase in the proportion of patients receiving surgical treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants: This economic evaluation analyzed French and European epidemiological data on the surgical management of symptomatic otosclerosis and compared them with data from the literature to build economic models. The analysis was conducted in January 2021. Exposures: Two care pathways were considered in the treatment of otosclerosis, either hearing aid or surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures: Costs were studied over 10 years using Markov models of the 2 care pathways (hearing aid vs surgery). The budget impact analysis was performed over 5 and 10 years, assuming a 1-percentage point yearly increase in the proportion of patients receiving surgical treatment. Results: Over 10 years, the estimated mean cost per patient was significantly lower in the surgery group compared with the hearing aid group (€3446.9 vs €6088.4; mean difference, -€2641.5; 95% CI -€4064.8 to -€1379.4 [US $3913.4 vs US $6912.4; mean difference, -US $2999.0; 95% CI, -US $4614.9 to -US $1566.1]). Increasing surgical treatment by 1 percentage point per year for 10 years would lead to overall savings of €1 762 304 (US $2 000 798) in France, with an increase of €1 322 920 (US $1 501 952) at 10 years for the public health insurance system and a decrease of €3 085 224 (US $3 502 750) at 10 years for patients and private health insurers. Sensitivity analyses showed that these results were robust. Conclusions and Relevance: These results suggest that in France, treating otosclerosis surgically is slightly less expensive over 10 years than using hearing aids, when considering all payers. The proposed models developed in this study could be adjusted to perform the same analysis in other countries.