Hearing loss due to urate deposition in the middle ear: A case report and literature review.

Gout is the most common cause of monoarthritis in men occurring classically in the great toe and the knee. Extra-articular gout manifestations are rare. Only a few cases of head and neck urate crystals deposits have been described in the literature. Precipitations in the middle ear cause conductive hearing loss with common otoscopic anomalies and difficult imaging diagnosis. We report a case of a healthy 58-years-old man with a middle ear urate deposit causing a progressive hearing loss as the very first symptom of gout. The nature of the deposit was unsure on computer tomography (CT) due to atypical density. The final diagnosis was revealed after surgical procedure and histologic examination. A review of the literature is also presented. Seven cases of middle ear urate deposit as the first symptom of gout were found and compared. Progressive conductive hearing loss in middle-aged patients with abnormal otoscopy and middle ear atypical density mass on CT scan must lead to a minimal surgical procedure with a histologic examination to exclude urate crystals deposits.

Recurrent Adenomatous Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Middle Ear: A Diagnostic Challenge.

Middle ear adenomatous neuroendocrine tumor (MEANT) poses a diagnostic challenge. Clinical symptoms are nonspecific. Definite diagnosis is made by histopathological analysis of the tumor after a complete surgical resection based on an extensive computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI). Controversial terminology of the neoplasm arises from the differentiation of this tumor composed of both endocrine and exocrine glands. Middle ear (ME) localization is rare and less aggressive than gastrointestinal tract or lung localizations. Nevertheless, clinical and CT/MRI analyses are necessary follow-ups for preventing or detecting recurrence or metastasis. A case of a female patient aged 26 with recurrent middle ear neuroendocrine adenoma is presented herein.

A Symptomatic Killian-Jamieson Diverticulum Detected by Ultrasonography.

Killian-Jamieson diverticulum (KJD) is a rare entity resulting from the mucosal herniation through a lateral area of weakness known as the Killian-Jamieson space below the cricopharyngeal muscle. Ultrasonographic diagnosis is exceptional. Moreover, symptoms are found in only eleven percent of patients. KJD in its symptomatic form must be correctly identified because its therapeutic management is in some points different of Zenker's diverticulum.

Exudative lesions of Reinke's space: a terminology proposal.

There has been an ongoing confusion among pathologists in their attempt to accurately identify lesions of Reinke's space. Nodules, polyps and Reinke's edema fall in the same basket and differentiation between them relies largely on the clinical description of the pathologic specimen by the operating surgeon than on their distinct pathologic features. By revising the pertinent literature, the need for an establishment of the aforementioned term still remains and is further stressed out, as confusion among the various pathologic descriptions of these lesions still exists. This is further verified by a study conducted in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the University Hospital of Louvain at Mont-Godinne, Belgium, involving 323 operative specimens obtained from 200 patients with macroscopic picture. Statistical analysis showed lack of agreement between surgical and histopathologic diagnosis in almost a third of the cases (Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.683 +/- 0.037, P < 0.001). We, therefore, propose the term "exudative lesions of Reinke's space" to include Reinke's edema, polyps and nodules. These lesions share common histologic features, which are located in the Reinke's space and whose macroscopic appearance is largely dependent upon the presence and duration of certain causative factors.

Microsurgery of sulcus vergeture with carbon dioxide laser and injectable collagen.

Between January 1989 and June 1998, we operated on 45 patients for sulcus vergeture. The studied population encompassed 38 women (84%) and 7 men (16%). The median age was 36 (range 12 to 71 years). The surgical technique is based on a concept of Cornut and Bouchayer according to which the dissection of the epithelium adherent to the deep subepithelial plane improves the vocal fold vibration. Dissection is performed with a single-pulsed carbon dioxide laser at 2 to 3 W with a pulse duration of 0.1 second. We use the Super-pulse microwave. The Acuspot micromanipulator provides a spot size of 250 microm at 350-mm focal length. When the vocal fold is atrophic, surgery is completed with a bovine or autologous collagen injection; the median injected quantity is 0.3 mL (range 0.1 to 0.4 mL). The epithelial microflap is redraped with fibrin glue. Voice therapy is indispensable for correcting the associated hyperkinetic dysphonia. The median postoperative follow-up period is 5 months (range 1 to 18 months). In terms of median values, the maximum phonation time improved from 9 to 13 seconds, the phonation quotient improved from 296.5 to 228.5 mL/s, and the spectral analysis distribution improved by 1 class. Stroboscopic examination reveals an improvement of the vibratory symmetry, amplitude, and wave. Subjectively, the patients describe an improved ability for vocal effort and the regression or disappearance of vocal fatigue. Although the timbre is improved, the voice often remains breathy and hoarse.

Labyrinthine fistula after cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media.

OBJECTIVES: To report on cases of labyrinthine fistula diagnosed in an ear, nose, and throat department and to study the incidence, location, pre- and postoperative symptoms (hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, facial palsy), preoperative diagnostic imaging, and surgical treatment of two types of cholesteatomatous labyrinthine fistulae-the extensive fistula that erodes both the bony and membranous labyrinths and the bone fistula that affects only the bony labyrinth. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. PATIENTS: Fifty-four patients with cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media with labyrinthine fistulae. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. INTERVENTIONS: Diagnosis and treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical, imaging, and surgical correlation of extensive fistulae and bone fistulae. RESULTS: The incidence of labyrinthine fistulae was 7% in all patients who underwent surgery for chronic otitis media. The bone type (66%) is more common than the extensive type (33%). Compared with bone fistulae, the outcome for extensive fistulae is more severe in terms of hearing loss, vertigo, and facial palsy. In terms of preoperative diagnosis, computed tomography imaging ensured early diagnosis in 89% of extensive cases and in 28% of bone cases. For extensive fistulae, the surgical technique was more radical, requiring an open technique in 66% of cases versus 22% of the bone fistulae cases. The most common location is the lateral semicircular canal (61%). CONCLUSIONS: The breach in the membranous labyrinth is consistent with a more aggressive pathology, causing more severe pre- and postoperative symptoms. Preoperative computed tomography is more sensitive for diagnosing extensive fistulae, which also require a more radical treatment.

[Maxillary actinomycosis and maxillary candidiasis in the immunocompetent patient]. / Actinomycose et candidose du sinus maxillaire chez le patient immunocompétent.

Two distinct cases of maxillary actinomycosis and maxillary candidosis in immunocompetent hosts are reported; These infections are rare and similar to mycotic extramucosal non allergic sinusitis. Microbiology and microscopic examination are mandatory to prompt and successful management. Endoscopic endonasal surgery by middle meatotomy seems to be an adequate treatment for these particular entities.

External auditory canal cholesteatoma.

A cholesteatoma originating in the external auditory canal is a rare finding. We report 2 cases illustrating its typical localization in the inferior part of the auditory canal and its marked osteolytic character. The extension of such a cholesteatoma in the depth of the temporal bone is often larger than suggested by clinical examination. Since the purpose of treatment is to achieve the complete eradication of the epidermic matrix, surgical treatment is required in most cases. We discuss herein the follow-up strategies, keeping in mind that local recurrence and bilateral disease are not uncommon.

Exudative lesions of Reinke's space. An anatomopathological correlation.

Few anatomopathological criteria for distinguishing vocal nodules, polyps or REINKE's edema have been established in previously published studies. In order to study this issue, 163 samples (from 119 patients) were examined by an experienced anatomopathologist, without her prior knowledge of the macroscopic or microscopic diagnosis. In all the cases, the presence of exudative phenomena in REINKE's space proved to be the determining factors, with four outstanding stages of evolution: edema, fibrosis, deposits of fibrin and development of vascular ectasia. Although each of the three entities were seen to have their specific characteristics, a large number of lesions showed histological features which were not very specific, and were dominated by edema. Furthermore, the coexistence of different anatomopathological features makes each group heterogeneous. We propose a model which groups all the exudative lesions of REINKE's space by insisting, on the one hand, on the evolution of the anomalies and, on the other hand, the etiological factors (vocal misuse, tobacco, alcohol acute, vocal trauma ...) which determine the onset of either one or other lesion.