Ear, nose, & throat journal
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Case Reports
Unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and facial nerve paralysis associated with low-voltage electrical shock.
Electrical injuries can occur as a result of contact with low- or high-voltage electricity. Low-voltage injuries are more common, as they usually occur in the home, but reports in the literature are few. After exposure to electric current, almost every organ system in the body is affected. ⋯ Reported cases of hearing loss and facial nerve paralysis associated with low-voltage electrical shock are rare, and minimal information is available about this circumstance. In this article, the author describes a case of low-voltage electrical shock in a 20-year-old man. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of a resolution of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and facial nerve paralysis caused by a low-voltage electrical shock.
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Case Reports
Vertebral artery dissection: an unusual cause of transient ataxia, vertigo, and sensorineural hearing loss.
We present the case of a 33-year-old man who was admitted with intermittent ataxia, vertigo, and sensorineural hearing loss as a result of a vertebral artery dissection following minor neck trauma. Our aim is to highlight the importance of obtaining magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, and/or duplex color-flow imaging when presented with a case of fluctuating vertigo and sensorineural hearing loss with side-specific ataxia. Likewise, it is important to obtain the input of neurologists to optimize a patient's prognosis and minimize long-term sequelae.
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We conducted a prospective study of 74 adults-34 men and 40 women, aged 18 to 90 (mean: 60.2)-to determine the prevalence of middle ear effusion (MEE) among patients in the setting of an intensive care unit (ICU) and to compare the findings with those of a control group of non-ICU hospitalized patients. Other goals were to identify risk factors associated with MEE in ICU patients and to evaluate any association with fever. Both groups included 37 patients. ⋯ We conclude that adult ICU patients have a high prevalence of MEE (51.4% in our sample) that is perhaps unrecognized. We believe that MEE in these patients is most likely related to altered consciousness, sedation, and mechanical ventilation. MEE was an unlikely cause of fever.
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Case Reports
Traumatic tracheostomy and spent bullet aspiration after a gunshot injury: a case report.
Penetrating tracheal injuries are rare. Even rarer is the finding of intrabronchial foreign bodies caused by penetrating objects. We report a patient who experienced a gunshot injury to the trachea and mandible. ⋯ A careful examination of radiographs is essential to aid with the diagnosis. Flexible bronchoscopy is the best means of bullet retrieval. Management of any associated injuries is made easier after the airway is secured.