Cochlear implantation under local anaesthesia, the Belfast experience.

The profoundly deaf, who gain little or no benefit from conventional hearing aids and meet various criteria are potential candidates for cochlear implantation. The last two decades have witnessed remarkable progress in this field, and it is now a routine clinical procedure. A few adult patients who are potential candidates for cochlear implantation have an unacceptably high risk for hypotensive general anaesthesia due to other systemic conditions. This group has been successfully implanted under local anaesthesia in our centre. The post-implantation progress of these patients was comparable to those carried out under hypotensive general anaesthesia. Data regarding patient selection criteria, examination, anaesthesia, surgery and the outcome are discussed. It was concluded that cochlear implantation under local anaesthesia is a safe and effective procedure for those patients who otherwise may be denied an implant.

Giant cell tumour of the temporal bone presenting as vertigo.

We report a case of giant cell tumour of the temporal bone arising in a 31-year-old man. The presenting symptoms were unusual, being rotational vertigo, unilateral tinnitus, and hearing loss. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a large mass within the right temporal bone and the infratemporal fossa. The radiological appearance was suggestive of an aggressive primary neoplasm arising within bone. Biopsy and subsequent resection showed a giant cell tumour of bone. The tumour was histological grade 1. At two-year follow-up, there was no evidence of tumour recurrence or metastasis.