Tinnitus is usually associated with hearing loss, and patients with tinnitus and normal hearing are unusual. Neuro-otological findings have not previously been described in tinnitus patients with normal hearing.

To analyse neuro-otological examination results from a group of tinnitus patients with normal hearing.

Seventeen normal-hearing tinnitus patients seen over a 10-year period were retrospectively evaluated. Their results were compared with those of a control group of 17 normal subjects without tinnitus.

The main neuro-otological finding in the tinnitus patients was caloric test abnormality: a unilateral canal paresis was present in 15 of the 17 patients. Caloric tests were normal in 15 of the 17 control subjects.

We may infer from these results that tinnitus could be the only clinical manifestation of a cochlear – and presumably cochleo-vestibular – lesion, and that unilateral canal paresis may be the only abnormal finding on neuro-otological examination.

The prognosis for cases of idiopathic facial palsy is usually good. However, some cases develop disabling sequelae, such as synkinesis or severe facial hemispasm, despite targeted medical treatment.

The authors try to achieve that electromyography is useful to identify patients with severe palsy and an unfavourable prognosis. These patients would probably benefit from facial nerve decompression.

The otolaryngology – head and neck surgery department of Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, a tertiary referral centre.

Thirteen cases undergoing surgery between January 1997 and March 2007.

We describe the electromyographic findings that led to surgery. All patients underwent surgery via a subpetrous approach, within four months of the onset of palsy. Decompression involved the first and second portions of the nerve and the geniculate ganglion.

Recovery to House–Brackmann grade III was obtained in all cases at one year follow up.

These results compared favourably with previous reports. A new therapeutic procedure may allow improved results.

Endothelin has many biological activities, including regulation of the functions of the cochlear lateral wall. The present study aimed to analyse the expression of endothelin receptors in the cochlear lateral wall, and to investigate the significance of such receptors in maintaining the homeostatic environment of the cochlea.

The cochleae of healthy guinea pigs were fixed, decalcified, embedded in paraffin and serially sectioned. Expression of the endothelin receptor subunits A and B in the cochlear lateral wall was examined using an immunohistochemical technique.

Different degrees of endothelin receptor subunit A and endothelin receptor subunit B like activity were found distributed in the cells of the cochlear lateral wall.

These findings support the theory that endothelin, via its receptors, plays an important role in maintaining the homeostatic environment of the cochlea.

Tympanoplasty continues to pose a challenge in developing countries, where treatment cost and lack of compliance with second stage surgery are often important factors in determining the surgical strategy. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the newly developed, ‘umbrella’ autograft.

In 22 patients suffering chronic suppurative otitis media, in whom the incus and stapes suprastructure were found to be absent during surgery, reconstruction was achieved using cartilage-malleus umbrella graft assembly. Six-month post-operative results were evaluated on the basis of average hearing gain, measured at 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 kHz.

At six months post-operatively, 77.3 per cent of patients showed hearing improvement. Audiography at this time indicated significant improvement (p < 0.001), suggesting that this hearing gain may stand the test of time.

Umbrella graft tympanoplasty appears to be a promising technique in terms of cost-effectiveness and the autologous nature of implant materials.

To determine the efficacy of vestibular rehabilitation with the electrotactile vestibular substitution system, as a new treatment modality in patients with bilateral vestibular disorders.

Nineteen patients with bilateral, chronic, idiopathic vestibulopathy were studied prospectively. Patients were divided to two groups. Patients in the first group were rehabilitated with the electrotactile vestibular substitution system, while patients in the second group were treated with standard vestibular rehabilitation therapy. The sensory organisation test and dizziness handicap inventory were used to compare the pre- and post-training results of both rehabilitative treatments.

All group one patients in the standardised testing subset demonstrated improved results for both the composite sensory organisation test and for the functional transfer aspect of the dizziness handicap inventory, after five days' training with the electrotactile vestibular substitution system. In contrast, group two patients showed no significant improvement in their composite sensory organisation test or dizziness handicap inventory scores after eight weeks of therapy, compared with pre-treatment levels.

These preliminary results indicate the efficacy of the electrotactile vestibular substitution system in improving patients' symptoms of vestibulopathy, and constitute evidence of successful sensory substitution.

To compare the use of computed tomography – positron emission tomography and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging for the staging of head and neck cancer.

From January to July 2009, 15 consecutive head and neck cancer patients (11 men and four women; mean age 59 years; age range 19 to 81 years) underwent computed tomography – positron emission tomography and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging for pre-therapeutic evaluation. All scans were staged, as per the American Joint Committee on Cancer tumour–node–metastasis classification, by two blinded consultant radiologists, in two sittings. Diagnoses were confirmed by histopathological examination of endoscopic biopsies, and in some cases whole surgical specimens.

Tumour staging showed a 74 per cent concordance, node staging an 80 per cent concordance and metastasis staging a 100 per cent concordance, comparing the two imaging modalities.

This study found radiological staging discordance between the two imaging modalities. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging is an emerging staging modality with superior visualisation of metastatic disease, which does not require exposure to ionising radiation.

This study aimed to evaluate the anatomical and audiological outcomes of primary type one tympanoplasty performed with a modified cartilage–perichondrium composite ‘ring’ graft, and to compare them with results for primary type one tympanoplasty performed with temporalis fascia, in children.

Retrospective clinical study.

Otolaryngology department, Tanta University Hospital, Egypt.

Records were evaluated for 82 children with dry tympanic membrane perforation (any size) and intact ossicular chain, and with no history of previous ear surgery except for tympanostomy. Patients of similar age and middle-ear pathology were selected to make the two groups as homogeneous as possible. An underlay type one tympanoplasty, using either a ring graft or temporalis fascia, was performed: 40 children were included in the ring graft group and 42 in the temporalis fascia group. All procedures were performed by the same surgeon. A successful anatomical outcome was considered to comprise full, intact healing of the graft without perforation, retraction, lateralisation or blunting, for at least one year post-operatively. Patients' post-operative pure tone average air–bone gap and speech reception threshold were compared with pre-operative levels, within and between the two groups.

Type one tympanoplasty using a ring graft technique resulted in a significantly greater graft acceptance rate (95 per cent) compared with the temporalis fascia technique (76.2 per cent; p < 0.01). Pure tone average air–bone gap and speech reception threshold levels improved significantly in both the ring graft and fascia groups (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in audiometric results between the two groups (p > 0.05), although there was a trend towards better post-operative results in the ring group.

In our paediatric patients, type one tympanoplasty with a modified cartilage–perichondrium composite ring graft yielded good anatomical and functional results. The anatomical results obtained using this graft (with its unique appearance and stability during and after surgery) were superior to those for temporalis fascia. The ring graft group had equivalent, if not better, post-operative audiometric results, compared with the temporalis fascia group. Thus, the ring graft is believed to be effective in enabling both tympanic membrane closure and rapid hearing improvement, in the paediatric population.

To assess impact of site of idiopathic epistaxis on adult patient management and its association with patient demographics and co-morbidities.

The site of epistaxis, patient data, their management and outcomes prior to discharge was recorded prospectively for 100 consecutive eligible adult patients.

Fifty three patients had anterior and 47 patients had a posterior site of bleeding. The site of epistaxis was not related to the patient s age, medical condition or medication.

Most patients with epistaxis can be controlled with nasal cauterisation. However, patients with posterior epistaxis are more likely to need hospital admission, are twice as likely to require nasal packing, and stay in hospital longer. There appears to be no link between the site of epistaxis and patient factors.

Prospective, case–control study.

The study included 26 randomised patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (52 ears) and 30 healthy control subjects (60 ears). Pure tone audiometry was performed at 250 and 500 Hz and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 kHz. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were measured using Biologic System equipment with Scout Acoustic Emissions System software.

The distortion product otoacoustic emission signal responses were significantly different only at 750 Hz, while the distortion product otoacoustic emission signal–noise ratios were significantly different at 750 Hz and 6 kHz (p < 0.05), comparing patients and controls. The transient evoked otoacoustic emission signal–noise ratios were significantly different at 2 and 3 kHz, comparing patients and controls (p < 0.05). The transient evoked otoacoustic emission total signal–noise ratios were significantly different, comparing patients and controls (p < 0.05). In addition, the pure tone audiometry thresholds were significantly different at 250 and 500 Hz and at 1, 2, 10 and 12 kHz, comparing patients and controls (p < 0.05).

Our findings do not completely agree with those of previous temporal bone histopathological studies. However, our results do support a general picture of low frequency hearing loss in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. We consider these results to be related to endolymphatic and cochlear hydrops, and we suggest that electrocochleography could be performed in further studies for clarification of this subject.

This study aimed to evaluate retrospectively the results of experience with end-to-end anastomosis of cranial nerves VII and XII, performed due to transection of the facial nerve during acoustic neuroma removal.

We assessed the facial reanimation results of 33 patients whose facial nerves had been transected during acoustic neuroma excision via a retrosigmoid approach, between 1985 and 2006, and who underwent end-to-end hypoglossofacial anastomosis. We compared the facial nerve functions of patients receiving short term (two to three years) and long term (more than three years) follow up, and we assessed any complications of the anastomosis.

A House–Brackmann grade III facial function was achieved in 46.2 and 86.4 per cent of the patients in the short and long term, respectively. House–Brackmann grade IV facial function was achieved in 53.8 and 13.6 per cent of the patients in the short and long term, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the facial recovery results, comparing the short and long term follow-up periods (p = 0.03). Disarticulation was the most common complication, seen in 19 (57.6 per cent) patients; numbness of the tongue was the next commonest (10 (30.3 per cent) patients). None of the patients developed dysphagia.

Despite such morbidities as disarticulation and tongue numbness, end-to-end hypoglossofacial anastomosis is still an effective procedure for the surgical rehabilitation of static and dynamic facial nerve functions. Significant improvement in facial nerve function can occur more than three years post-operatively.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is one of the commonest peripheral vestibular causes of vertigo. The particle repositioning manoeuvre (Epley's manoeuvre) has become the ‘gold standard’ treatment for this disorder. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can affect any age group but is commoner in older patients. Cervical spine problems (e.g. spondylosis and disc prolapse) are commoner in this age group. Epley's manoeuvre necessitates passive neck movements. Such movements may not be wise in patients at risk of cervical spine fracture.

This study included 40 patients complaining of vertigo and diagnosed as having benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. A new particle repositioning manoeuvre was designed for these patients, as an alternative to Epley's manoeuvre.

At one week review, 36 patients (90 per cent) reported total relief from vertigo. Three patients reported a major improvement in their vertigo, and their residual vertigo was relieved by performing the new manoeuvre again after two weeks. Further clinical reviews at one month, three months, six months and one year found that seven patients had suffered minor attacks of typical benign paroxysmal positional vertigo after three months. All seven were relieved of their symptoms after undergoing the new particle repositioning manoeuvre again.

The proposed new manoeuvre is simple, effective and safe for treating patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and cervical spine problems.

To assess vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Twenty-four patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (two men and 22 women) and 21 female controls were included in the study. All patients underwent vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing.

Statistical comparison of fibromyalgia patients with control subjects showed a significant difference with respect to n23 latencies and interpeak latencies (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in p13 latencies, nor in p13 amplitudes, n23 amplitudes or interpeak amplitudes (p > 0.05).

Although patients with fibromyalgia syndrome generally have subjective neurotological symptoms, clinical and laboratory assessments usually fail to detect any objective abnormality. However, it is possible to detect abnormalities on vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing in such patients, indicating dysfunction in the vestibulospinal pathway, possibly in the saccule. Elongation of the n23 latency and of the interpeak latency of waves p13–n23, during vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing, may be a useful, objective indicator demonstrating neurotological involvement in fibromyalgia syndrome patients. Future research investigating the mechanisms of this latency elongation may help increase understanding of the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia syndrome.

The exact role of fine needle aspiration in the pre-operative assessment of patients presenting with parotid masses is controversial. Some surgeons propose that fine needle aspiration be performed only selectively in those patients with likely malignant disease, whilst others recommend it for all patients presenting with such a mass. Intuitively, one would expect older patients to be more likely to suffer from primary malignant parotid tumours and secondary deposits of malignant skin tumours. Therefore, we hypothesised that older patients with a parotid mass should undergo fine needle aspiration regardless of their medical history.

We retrospectively reviewed 197 consecutive parotidectomies to test this hypothesis.

One hundred and twenty-one patients (61.4 per cent) were diagnosed with benign disease, whilst 76 (38.6 per cent) were diagnosed with malignant disease. Eighty-three per cent of patients aged 60 years or younger had benign disease, as opposed to 35.6 per cent of patients aged more than 60 years. Malignant disease occurred more commonly in patients older than 60 years (odds ratio 8.962, 95 per cent confidence interval 4.607–17.434).

In patients with a parotid mass, fine needle aspiration should be performed on all those aged 60 years or older.

To assess whether different compact disk recording protocols, used to prepare speech test material, affect the reliability and comparability of speech audiometry testing.

We conducted acoustic analysis of compact disks used in clinical practice, to determine whether speech material had been recorded using similar procedures. To assess the impact of different recording procedures on speech test outcomes, normal hearing subjects were tested using differently prepared compact disks, and their psychometric curves compared.

Acoustic analysis revealed that speech material had been recorded using different protocols. The major difference was the gain between the levels at which the speech material and the calibration signal had been recorded. Although correct calibration of the audiometer was performed for each compact disk before testing, speech recognition thresholds and maximum intelligibility thresholds differed significantly between compact disks (p < 0.05), and were influenced by the gain between the recording level of the speech material and the calibration signal.

To ensure the reliability and comparability of speech test outcomes obtained using different compact disks, it is recommended to check for possible differences in the recording gains used to prepare the compact disks, and then to compensate for any differences before testing.

We aimed to evaluate a practical, computerised database for collection of patient-reported and clinical outcome data, introduced as a means of characterising our patient population and assessing the effect of our interventions.

A prospectively updated, computerised database was used to detail each patient's coded and structured diagnosis and clinical findings. Response to treatment was recorded using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 22 and changes in graded clinical examination findings.

Data for 770 patients were prospectively entered into the database. Patients were grouped diagnostically as follows: rhinitis (20.4 per cent), chronic rhinosinusitis (12.2 per cent), chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps (24.7 per cent), anatomical anomaly (22.7 per cent), epistaxis (3.4 per cent) and ‘other’ (18.4 per cent). Following initial medical intervention, the greatest improvement in the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 22 score was seen in the chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps group (−11.3), followed by the rhinitis group (−6.1) and the chronic rhinosinusitis group (−5.4).

The tested rhinology database provides a simple, effective and practical tool for integrating the recording of clinical and patient-reported outcome measures during the out-patient visit. It enables characterisation of the patient population, and accurately monitors and records treatment responses.

This study aimed to evaluate a single institute's experience with resection of metachronous pulmonary malignancy in patients treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Sixty-three consecutive patients treated curatively for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma underwent surgical resection of malignant lung lesions. Survival was estimated and potential prognostic factors investigated.

The median overall survival for the total group was 22.2 months. Fifty-one patients (81 per cent) had one lung lesion, while the remainder had multiple lesions (range, two to seven). In the 63 patients, 35 lobectomies, 4 pneumonectomies and 24 wedge resections were performed. For patients with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (n = 52), the three-year survival rate was 35 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval, 22–48); for patients with resected adenocarcinoma (n = 10), it was 50 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval, 18–75). The overall five-year survival rate was 30 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval, 19–42).

In patients treated curatively for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, resection of secondary pulmonary cancer is associated with favourable long term overall survival, especially for patients with adenocarcinoma lesions.

Patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the external ear may develop metastatic spread to the nearby ipsilateral parotid and/or upper cervical lymph nodes. The literature suggests that the external ear is a high-risk subsite for such tumours, due to nodal metastasis and its associated morbidity and mortality.

Between 1980 and 2007, 43 patients with a diagnosis of metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the external ear were treated with surgery alone, surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy, or radiotherapy alone.

Patients comprised 39 men and four women. Their median age at diagnosis was 72 years, with a median follow up of 35 months. The median size of the primary lesion was 21 mm, with a median thickness of 7 mm. Fifteen patients presented concurrently with nodal metastases. Thirty patients developed parotid metastases (with positive cervical nodes in six patients), while 13 developed cervical metastases only. Eight patients underwent surgery alone, 32 underwent surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy, and three received radiotherapy alone. At the last follow up, 15 patients had relapsed and nine had died of their disease, with a median survival after relapse of 5.5 months.

Patients with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the external ear have a relatively poor outcome, with a significant number of patients experiencing nodal relapse and death after treatment.

Granular myringitis is a poorly understood disease which causes considerable discomfort and concern to affected individuals. Some cases may progress to inflammatory obliteration of the deep ear canal. Treatment options are diverse, and no single accepted treatment modality exists. Local application of 5-fluorouracil has recently been trialled in the treatment of chronic otitis media, with promising results.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of topical 5-fluorouracil in cases of granular myringitis.

Sixty patients with granular myringitis were enrolled in this controlled, double-blinded study. Patients were divided randomly into two equal groups. Patients in the study group (n = 30) received three successive applications of topical 5-fluorouracil 5 per cent cream, with two-week intervals between treatments. Patients in the control group (n = 30) received only local petroleum jelly cream packing at the same intervals. Follow-up appointments were scheduled every two weeks for the first three months; patients were then seen again after two years for evaluation of any persistent disease. Outcome measures were: (1) after three months, symptomatic response to treatment (i.e. quantity of aural discharge as reported by patient) and change in the amount of granulation tissue (as assessed by the physician via endoscopic examination); and (2) persistent disease after two years.

There was a highly statistically significant difference in the studied outcomes, comparing the study and control groups.

Local application of 5-fluorouracil is a new treatment method for granular myringitis. In this study, it proved safe and efficacious, with no serious local reactions or complications.

To evaluate the outcome of mobile ear surgery, in terms of tympanic membrane perforation closure, absence of otorrhoea and hearing threshold improvement.

Descriptive study.

The study enrolled patients with chronic ear disorders requiring surgery who presented to the mobile ear surgery unit at Sakaeo Hospital, Thailand, from 1 to 4 July 2008. The following data were recorded: pre-operative audiogram, post-operative middle-ear and mastoid infection, wound infection, graft condition, any complications, and post-operative audiogram. Patients were followed up at one week, two weeks, four weeks and 24 weeks post-operatively.

For the 31 cases of tympanic membrane perforation, the closure rate was 90.3 per cent. For the 32 patients with otorrhoea, the rate of ear dryness was 87.5 per cent. All 35 patients had impaired hearing initially; the rate of hearing improvement was 74.3 per cent (95 per cent confidence intervals = 56.7–87.5 per cent). Patients' mean hearing improvement was 22.9 dB.

The assessed ear surgery procedures had good results.

To characterise the appearance of lesions of the tongue base and soft palate induced by bipolar radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction, using magnetic resonance imaging up to six weeks post-procedure.

Five men with sleep-disordered breathing were treated with one session of bipolar radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction to a number of sites, including the tongue base and soft palate. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed pre-operatively and one week and six weeks after surgery.

Lesions were visible from day one. T1 (spine lattice relaxation Time)-weighted images demonstrated areas of central hyperintensity, reflecting haemorrhagic, coagulative necrosis, surrounded by hypointensity, representing oedema; corresponding short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequences showed central hypointensity with surrounding high signal. The lesions expanded up to day three and then gradually diminished, but were still evident at week six on short tau inversion recovery images.

The characterisation of lesions induced by bipolar radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction enables us to elucidate the pathophysiology of this procedure, to optimise treatment benefits and clinical outcomes, and to explain patient symptoms.