Acta oto-laryngologica
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Acta oto-laryngologica · Jul 2009
Presentation, treatment, and clinical course of otogenic lateral sinus thrombosis.
Otogenic lateral sinus thrombosis (OLST) is almost always associated with other complications of chronic otitis media (COM) and did not present a distinct clinical expression. In our experience, OLST exhibits a benign course if the underlying disease is controlled. Mastoidectomy in combination with broad-spectrum antibiotics provided effective treatment. Anticoagulation therapy is no longer used routinely. Recanalization is rare and is independent of the use of anticoagulants. ⋯ In all eight patients, the lateral sinus thrombosis was detected by imaging studies performed to evaluate complications and symptoms related to COM. Fever, headache, and cranial nerve paralysis were the main clinical manifestations associated with coexisting mastoiditis, meningitis, and cerebellar and epidural abscess. We could not identify features specific to lateral sinus thrombosis in any case. All patients underwent mastoidectomy and were given broad-spectrum antibiotics for 2 months. Four cases were anticoagulated and all eight cases experienced complete clinical recovery without sequelae.
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Acta oto-laryngologica · Jul 2009
Efficacy of spinal needle aspiration for epiglottic abscess in 90 patients with acute epiglottitis.
Patients with epiglottic abscesses showed more severe symptoms than those with acute epiglottitis and were at increased risk of airway compromise. All 11 patients with epiglottic abscesses underwent spinal needle aspiration; all were cured without severe complications. These findings indicate that spinal needle aspiration is both safe and effective in patients with epiglottic abscesses. ⋯ Of 90 patients, 79 had acute epiglottitis and 11 had epiglottic abscesses. Acute epiglottitis was most common in May (16.5%) and epiglottic abscesses were most common in June (27.3%). The most common symptoms were sore throat (91.1%), dysphagia (38.9%), voice change (33.3%), and dyspnea (16.7%). All patients were treated with antibiotics and steroids. The mean length of hospitalization was 5 days. No patient required a tracheostomy or orotracheal intubation.
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Acta oto-laryngologica · May 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialUse of telemedicine in the remote programming of cochlear implants.
Remote cochlear implant (CI) programming is a viable, safe, user-friendly and cost-effective procedure, equivalent to standard programming in terms of efficacy and user's perception, which can complement the standard procedures. The potential benefits of this technique are outlined. ⋯ Control of the local station from the remote station was carried out successfully and remote programming sessions were achieved completely and without incidents. Remote and standard program parameters were compared and no significant differences were found between the groups. The performance evaluated in subjects who had been using either standard or remote programs for 3 months showed no significant difference. Subjects were satisfied with both the remote and standard sessions. Safety was proven by checking emergency stops in different conditions. A very small delay was noticed that did not affect the ease of the fitting. The oral and video communication between the local and the remote equipment was established without difficulties and was of high quality.
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Acta oto-laryngologica · May 2009
Effects of semicircular canal electrode implantation on hearing in chinchillas.
Implantation of vestibular prosthesis electrodes in chinchilla semicircular canal ampullae can be accomplished without significant loss of cochlear function; however, the risk of hearing loss with the current surgical technique is high. ⋯ Four implanted ears suffered severe hearing loss, with thresholds ranging from 5 to 11 SD above the mean threshold of sham surgery control ears across all tested stimuli. Two implanted ears had preserved hearing, with thresholds remaining within 1 SD of the mean threshold of sham surgery control ears across nearly all stimulus frequencies.
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Acta oto-laryngologica · Mar 2009
Clinical TrialHypertonic saline injections to enhance the radiofrequency thermal ablation effect in the treatment of base of tongue in obstructive sleep apnoea patients: a pilot study.
Hypertonic saline (HS) infiltration in the base of the tongue (BOT) in multilevel radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment was followed by significant acute complications in terms of soft tissue swelling. Three patients were defined as cured. No significant changes in the measured parameters were encountered, although, several of them showed a clear trend. New treatment modalities are needed to keep multilevel RFA treatment as a minimally invasive procedure. ⋯ Twelve males and one female with a median age of 50 years (range 41-62) entered the study. Six patients (46%) had more postoperative swelling in the upper airway than expected. Three patients were defined as cured. The trend in the questionnaires was clear, but not significant. In the soft tissue airway CR measurements no significant changes were encountered, although a trend towards volume reduction was seen in the posterior airway space measure.