Control of Disabling Vertigo in Ménière's Disease Following Cochlear Implantation without Labyrinthectomy.

BACKGROUND: The placement of a cochlear implant (CI) can restore auditory function in the case of profound cochlear deafness, which may be due to Ménière's disease (MD) or be associated with symptoms related to endolymphatic hydrops. The usual treatment of disabling vertigo in MD is based on vestibular deafferentation by labyrinth ablation. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of the CI in the control of disabling vestibular manifestations in the case of MD unresponsive to medical treatments. METHODS: A case series of five MD patients with disabling vestibular manifestations associated with profound hearing loss was included. A complete audio-vestibular evaluation was performed after CI positioning. RESULTS: All patients reported clinical benefits after implant positioning: no vestibular crisis was reported after the surgery. The vHIT and the caloric test showed a normal function or a mild vestibular hypofunction. The auditory performances were comparable to those in the general implanted population. All patients reported subjective tinnitus reduction. CONCLUSIONS: To date, very few studies have reported vestibular outcomes in hydropic pathology on the implanted side; our results are encouraging. We can therefore confirm the efficacy and safety of the CI as a unique treatment for hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus in case of disabling cochlear hydrops, especially in those patients where the history of the disease requires preservation of the vestibular function.

Pignat's vertical partial laryngectomy with crico-hyoido-epiglotto-plasty.

PURPOSE: Pignat's partial laryngectomy with crico-hyoido-epiglotto-plasty (CHEPL) is a vertical laryngectomy with resection of the anterior portion of the thyroid cartilage and reconstruction with a wires net and the subhyoid muscles. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate and analyze oncologic and functional outcomes in patients affected by laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and treated with Pignat's partial laryngectomy. METHODS: Seventy patients with cT1-cT3 glottic cancer were surgically treated with Pignat's technique. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: invasion of posterior cricoid arch, more than 3 mm under glottis, of more than one arytenoid, of posterior portion of thyroid cartilage, of the suprahyoid epiglottis. Overall survival, disease free survival, rates of decannulation and enteral feeding were analyzed. RESULTS: 23 (32.9%) pT1, 37 (52.9%) pT2, 5 (7.1%) pT3, 5 (7.1%) pT4a, 64 (91.5%) pN0, 5 (7.1%) pN1, 1 (1.4%) pN2. Adjuvant treatment was administered to 13 patients (18.6%). All patients had tracheotomy. Five year OS and DFS were 81.66 and 77.95%, respectively. A statistically significant DFS difference was observed between early and late stages. Five year local control was 81.16%. Five year larynx preservation rate was 89.16%. Median decannulation time was 12 days. Median duration of enteral nutrition was 16 days. All patients achieved efficient phonation. CONCLUSION: Pignat's partial laryngectomy with CHEPL can represent an alternative to horizontal supracricoid laryngectomy to achieve laryngeal preservation. Good oncologic and functional outcomes are possible as long as indications are followed.

Frontalis Sling Surgery With IBCN-Ritleng Probe: A New Technique With a 20-Gauge Catheter.

INTRODUCTION: Frontalis sling surgery is the reference procedure for severe ptosis due to poor Levator function. Autologous or synthetic materials are used for lifting the upper eyelid. OBJECTIVE: To describe a new technique of passage of a silicon wire through a 20-gauge intravenous catheter and to explore literature. METHODS: A 83-year-old male patient with simple, severe ptosis with previous levator resection surgery (7 month before) had frontalis sling with a silicone IBCN wire placed under local anesthesia with a closed technique. It consisted in realization of 3 punctiform incisions upper the eyebrow, through which a 20G intravenous catheter was inserted and droven to the free border of the upper eyelid. The polypropylene part of the IBCN probe silicone tube, IBCN set, was interlocked into the needle tip, enabling to drag the wire through its tunnel without eyelid dissection. The body of the IBCN probe was consequently placed on the free edge of the eyelid, whereas its 2 ends were tied under the middle upper eyebrow incision, enabling to adjust tension of the probe according to the severity of ptosis. The node was kept subcutaneously, allowing correction "on demand" of wire tension in the future by the surgeon. RESULTS: No infections, exposures, or granuloma formations were seen in our patient at 2 months, whereas visual field was improved and the patient fully satisfied. DISCUSSION: Small punctiform incisions and limited skin dissection offer a significant advantage, as well as the materials that are easy to access and cheap, in the frontalis sling surgery. CONCLUSION: The authors added to frontalis sling surgery a simple and cost-effective alternative technique of passage of a subcutaneous probe, with an IBCN wire whose dimensions fit perfectly a 20-gauge intravenous catheter and allowing later correction "on demand" of the ptosis.

"Gauze Technique" in the Treatment of the Fungus Ball of the Maxillary Sinus: A Technique as Simple as It Is Effective.

Fungus ball of maxillary sinus generally affects immunocompetent and nonatopic subjects. Although endoscopic removal is the current gold standard treatment, removal is at times difficult due to an accumulation of fungal elements in the anterior ad inferior recesses. Aim. To present our experience of maxillary fungus ball treated by the "gauze technique" that avoids these removal difficulties. Materials and Methods. A retrospective, cross-sectional, and descriptive study of 25 patients affected by maxillary fungus ball was carried out: 19 were treated by the "gauze technique" and 6 were treated without "gauze technique." Results. A comparison was made between the two groups for surgery procedure time, length of hospitalization, time from surgery to nasal unpacking, complications, and postsurgical patient satisfaction. The only statistically significant difference observed was a shorter surgical procedure time (p < 0.05) for the "gauze technique." Conclusions. The data obtained in this study demonstrated that the "gauze technique" is a safe, simple, and quick technique, able to reduce surgery procedure time whilst providing excellent functional outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Skull vibration-induced nystagmus test in unilateral superior canal dehiscence and otosclerosis: a vestibular Weber test.

CONCLUSIONS: The skull vibration-induced nystagmus test (SVINT) acts as a vestibular Weber test and reveals a vibration-induced nystagmus (VIN), elicited mainly on the vertex location, with a horizontal or torsional component beating more often toward the side of the lesion in superior canal dehiscence (SCD) than in otosclerosis (OS). In SCD, the VIN vertical component is most often up-beating. These results suggest more a global vestibular contribution than the sole stimulation of the superior semicircular canal. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the possible occurrence of nystagmus during SVINT in unilateral conductive hearing loss related to SCD or OS. METHODS: The slow-phase velocities (SPVs) of the VIN horizontal, torsional, and vertical components were recorded in patients with a unilateral otologic lesion (17 SCD, 38 OS) and 12 control subjects. Vibratory stimulations (60 Hz, 100 Hz) were applied on the vertex and on each mastoid. RESULTS: In SCD, VIN was observed in 82% of patients with a primarily torsional, horizontal, and vertical (up-beating) component in 40%, 30%, and 30%, respectively. Horizontal and torsional components beat toward the side of the lesion more often than in OS. Higher SPVs were observed after vertex stimulation. In OS, VIN was sparse with low amplitude and was not systematically lateralized to a specific side.