Classification and management of cervical paragangliomas.

INTRODUCTION: Cervical paragangliomas are slow-growing tumours that eventually cause lower cranial nerve palsies and infiltrate the skull base. Surgical treatment may cause the same deficits and, in some, risks more serious neurological deficits. We describe a classification used to guide investigation, consent and management of cervical paragangliomas based on extensive experience. METHODS: The case notes of patients managed by the senior author at a tertiary referral skull base unit between 1987 and 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 87 cervical paragangliomas were identified in 70 patients (mean age: 46 years, range: 13-77 years). Of these, 35 patients had 36 vagal paragangliomas, 43 patients had 50 carotid body paragangliomas and 8 had both. One cervical paraganglioma arose from neither the carotid body nor the nodose ganglion. The main outcome measures were death, stroke, gastrostomy and tracheotomy. RESULTS: All tumours were classified pre-operatively based on their relationship to the carotid artery, skull base and lower cranial nerves. Type 1 tumours were excised with a transcervical approach, type 2 with a transcervical-parotid approach and type 3 with a combined transcervical-parotid and infratemporal fossa approach. Type 4 patients underwent careful assessment and genetic counselling before any treatment was undertaken. There were no peri-operative deaths; two patients had strokes, one required a long-term feeding gastrostomy and none required a tracheotomy. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a pre-operative classification system guides management and surgical approach, improves accuracy of consent, facilitates audit and clarifies which patients should be referred to specialised centres.

Cochlear function following implantation with a full electrode array.

OBJECTIVES: Clinicians traditionally advise patients that implantation with a conventional full cochlear implant array will lead to loss of any remaining hearing in the implanted ear. We sought to assess the extent to which 'standard' insertion of a full electrode array affects cochlear function. METHODS: Air conduction pure tone audiometry was performed as part of the routine 6-month postimplantation audiological assessment for 81 adult patients who preoperatively had identifiable pure tone thresholds. All patients were implanted with the nucleus CI24 device, with complete insertion of a straight array in 68 and a contour array in 13 patients. A separate cochleostomy was fashioned anterior to the round window using a 1 mm diamond burr, and the array inserted without lubrication. The operating surgeon was blinded to the inclusion of patients in this study at the time of surgery. RESULTS: Of 81 patients, 58 preserved some residual hearing at 6 months. The rate of preservation of hearing was higher in the low frequencies. At 500 Hz 77 patients had an identifiable preoperative pure tone threshold, still identifiable postoperatively in 48. At 4 kHz only 25 patients had an identifiable preoperative threshold, preserved in 9, and at 8 kHz 6 of 13 patients still had identifiable pure tone thresholds postoperatively. There was no correlation between the depth of insertion and hearing preservation, both groups having a mean of 5 stiffening rings inserted in addition to the 22 active electrodes. The mean deterioration in threshold in those who had residual hearing was 15 dB at 500 Hz, and in 29 patients the deterioration in the threshold was less than 15 dB. CONCLUSION: Insertion of a full conventional electrode array is not as damaging to cochlear function as often assumed. Residual low-frequency hearing may be preserved in approximately two-thirds of patients 6 months postoperatively. This study supports our counselling patients that despite the delicate nature of the inner ear there is a significant chance that their air conduction hearing will not be lost.

An approach to the management of paroxysmal laryngospasm.

OBJECTIVE: To review the presentation, risk factors and management of paroxysmal laryngospasm. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of cases. SETTING: A teaching hospital otolaryngology department with a subspecialty interest in airway disorders. PATIENTS: All patients diagnosed with laryngospasm over a two-year period were reviewed. Information was obtained about disease presentation, risk factors, management and symptom resolution. RESULTS: Laryngospasm was diagnosed in nine women and six men. The average age at presentation was 56+/-6.5 years, and there was an 80 per cent association with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Proton pump inhibitors led to complete symptom resolution in six patients and to partial symptomatic relief, requiring no further treatment, in a further four patients. Of the remaining five patients unresponsive to proton pump inhibitor therapy, two continued to experience syncopal episodes due to laryngospasm. Both these patients achieved complete remission after laryngeal botulinum toxin injection. Symptoms recurred after three to four months and were successfully treated with a repeat injection. CONCLUSIONS: The primary risk factor for spontaneous laryngospasm is laryngopharyngeal reflux. Symptoms are distressing and may be relieved in most cases by treatment aimed at suppressing gastric acid secretion. Laryngeal botulinum toxin injection appears to be a viable treatment modality in selected patients with refractory symptoms.

Magnetic resonance imaging screening for vestibular schwannoma: analysis of published protocols.

This study seeks to define the most appropriate guidelines for selection of patients for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to exclude a vestibular schwannoma. Improved selection may reduce patient anxiety and improve resource utilization. All MRIs of the internal auditory meatus, performed during the year 2000, were reviewed. Audiograms and symptoms were collated for all 'positive' scans and 100 negative scans. Information was analysed using seven published protocols and other defined frequency specific criteria. A diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma was made on 36 scans. Four criteria had a sensitivity of >95 per cent; of these the highest specificity (49 per cent) utilized an interaural difference at two adjacent frequencies of 15.dB in unilateral hearing loss and 20.dB in bilateral asymmetric loss. Applying our best protocol would have reduced the number of scans performed from 392 to 168. The one patient with a vestibular schwannoma who was excluded had trigeminal paraesthesia, an independent indication for investigation.

A novel retractor for use in cochlear implantation.

A new self-retaining scalp retractor is described, which elevates the scalp away from the skull to allow better access and vision in preparing the bony recess for a cochlear implant and protect the pericranium from surgical trauma. It is designed for use with the present generation of small vertical scalp incisions in cochlear implant surgery. In these incisions, the part of the skull drilled to create the implant bed is not directly under the wound; instead, it extends under a flap of scalp and pericranium for 5 cm or more. The retractor is simple to use, and the authors believe that it represents a new type of retractor, which may have other uses in the fields of orthopedic; ear, nose, and throat, cosmetic, and plastic surgery. Photographs demonstrate the instrument in use. A cochlear implant company has agreed to manufacture the instrument.

A novel retractor for use in cochlear implantation.

A new self-retaining scalp retractor is described, which elevates the scalp away from the skull to allow better access and vision in preparing the bony recess for a cochlear implant and protect the pericranium from surgical trauma. It is designed for use with the present generation of small vertical scalp incisions in cochlear implant surgery. In these incisions, the part of the skull drilled to create the implant bed is not directly under the wound; instead, it extends under a flap of scalp and pericranium for 5 cm or more. The retractor is simple to use, and the authors believe that it represents a new type of retractor, which may have other uses in the fields of orthopedic; ear, nose, and throat, cosmetic, and plastic surgery. Photographs demonstrate the instrument in use. A cochlear implant company has agreed to manufacture the instrument.

Intratympanic gentamicin for Ménière's disease; a survey of current UK practice.

Intratympanic gentamicin is increasingly used in the treatment of Ménière's disease. Many protocols have been published for its use, but there is little difference in outcome between them. The goal of the study was therefore to assess current UK practice in the use of intratympanic gentamicin. A postal and e-mail survey of consultant ENT surgeons in the UK was conducted. Of 34 consultants who regularly used intratympanic gentamicin, 21 used a protocol based upon a single intratympanic dose of gentamicin via a needle through the tympanic membrane and repeated after at least a week. The remaining 13 used either a regime of more frequent administration or attempted a more complicated route of delivery in an effort to improve reliability and selectivity of action. In the absence of evidence demonstrating benefit from regimens of increased complexity the majority of consultants are using the simplest possible protocol.