George W. Facer

Meniere's disease: A 30‐Year epidemiologic and clinical study in rochester, mn, 1951‐1980.

One hundred eighty cases of Menieres disease were identified in the Rochester, MN population during the 30‐year period, 1951 through 1980. The annual age‐adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 population was 15.3; the preponderance for females (16.3) over males (13.3) was not statistically significant. There was no change in annual incidence rate from 1951 through 1970, and a slight decrease in the period, 1971 through 1980. The prevalence rate on January 1,1980, was 218.2 per 100,000 population. Clinical aspects of Menieres disease noted during the course of this study are reported.

Inverting papilloma of the nose and paranasal sinuses.

Inverting papilloma of the nose and paranasal sinuses has been classified as a true neoplasm by most authors. It is distinct from the ordinary nasal polyps in that it has a different cause, different histologic features, a higher recurrence rate, and is occasionally associated with carcinoma.

Long-term follow-up of transtympanic gentamicin for Ménière's syndrome.

Objective Recent studies have shown that transtympanic gentamicin for Méniéres syndrome is effective. Current treatment protocols vary. One concept has been to perform a chemical ablation; the other has been to perform a chemical alteration. Ablation requires multiple injections and is effective in controlling the vertigo, but it is associated with a significant incidence of hearing loss. Chemical alteration uses a minimal dose to reduce vestibular function without affecting cochlear function. Study Design Prospective. Setting Tertiary medical center. Patients Patients had classic unilateral Méniéres syndrome that was unresponsive to medical therapy. Intervention A single injection of gentamicin is given, and the patient is seen 1 month after injection. If indicated, the patient receives another injection and is reevaluated 1 month later. Main Outcome Measures Control of vertigo and maintenance of hearing using the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) guidelines (1995). Results Fifty-six patients have documented follow-up for 2 years or more, and 21 have 4 years or more of follow-up. This article presents the 4-year results as outlined by the AAO-HNS guidelines. Vertigo classes A and B were seen in 82% of patients. The patients followed 2 to 4 years had 86% vertigo class A and B results. Those followed 4 years or more show 76% with a vertigo class A or B result. In this study there has been minimal cochlear loss. There was vestibular change clinically, which was documented by electronystagmography. Conclusions It appears that a single transtympanic gentamicin injection is effective in controlling the vertigo of Méniéres syndrome. Cochlear impact has been minimal. It is most useful for those patients who have failed medical management and are severely affected but not totally incapacitated by the disease.

Modified Lynch procedure for chronic frontal sinus diseases: rationale, technique, and long-term results.

The modified Lynch operation (Neel‐Lake) differs in several ways from the operation described by Lynch. The operation begins with an intranasal anterior ethmoidectomy. The agger nasi cells are removed by curetting forward between the frontal process of the maxilla and the septum. The middle turbinate, normal‐appearing mucosa of the frontal‐ethmoid complex, and frontal process of the superior maxilla are preserved. Bone removal is limited in most cases to the anterior floor of the frontal sinus, a portion of the lacrimal bone, and the bone over the anterior ethmoid cells. Another important difference is the use of soft, nonreactive material (thin Silastic® sheeting) to stent the nasal‐frontal passageway. Removal of all the mucosa of the frontal‐ethmoid‐sphenoid complex is unnecessary for a good postoperative result, and the remaining normal mucosa hastens the process of reepithelialization of the nasal‐frontal duct.

Otologic Manifestations of Wegener's Granulomatosis

Review of 112 patients with Wegeners granulomatosis showed that 21 (19%) had ear involvement. Conductive deafness, which was present in all 21 patients, was due to serous middle ear fluid, suppurative otitis media with thickening of the tympanic membrane, perforation of the tympanic membrane, or granulation tissue in the middle ear space. Nine patients also had sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss was improved in five of the nine patients after control of the disease with prednisone and cyclophosphamide.

Adenocarcinoma and adenoma of the middle ear

Primary middle ear glandular tumors of the adenocarcinoma and adenoma types are rare. The terminology used in describing them is quite varied. Some investigators presume that a distinct recognizable group of these tumors are benign, but because of the rarity of the lesions, such conclusions have been difficult to verify. We review the literature of these lesions and report 11 additional cases. The course was documented in 25 cases in the literature; 20 of these were reported to be benign over periods of follow‐up from 1 month to 10 years, and 5 were fatal. Among our patients, 5 had a benign course, 3 died of causes related to the tumor, and 3 had persistence of their lesion and substantial consequent morbidity. We emphasize the slow growth and elusive nature of these lesions. Histologic evidence of mitoses, roentgenologic evidence of bony destruction, and cranial nerve involvement were factors consistent with a poor prognosis. The origin of these tumors may vary. A similarity to paragangliomas is noted. The ultimate course of these tumors cannot always be predicted from the histologic appearance. Early surgical removal appears to be the most successful therapy.

Symptoms, findings, and methods of diagnosis in patients with acoustic neuroma.

The records of 225 patients with surgically documented acoustic neuromas seen at the Mayo Clinic between 1966 and 1976 were studied. Included in this group were 4 patients who had von Recklinghausens disease with bilateral ear involvement, 7 patients with recurrence of acoustic neuroma, and 8 patients who were referred because of recurrent acoustic neuroma. Symptoms, clinical findings, and results of audiologic, vestibular, and roentgenographic studies were analyzed. Nine patients had a history of sudden onset of hearing loss, and 11 had a history of vertigo. A correlation between the size of the lesion and the symptoms, physical findings, and roentgenographic accuracy was made in an attempt to gain further knowledge of the natural course of the pathologic processes involved.

Neural Response Telemetry With the Nucleus CI24M Cochlear Implant

Objectives: To review our intraoperative and post‐operative testing protocol for cochlear implant patients. This study describes the methodologies and applications of a new technique called neural response telemetry (NRT) for the Nucleus CI24M cochlear implant system. NRT uses radiofrequency telemetry technology to measure the action potentials of the auditory nerve.

Use of Methotrexate for Autoimmune Hearing Loss

To assess the efficacy of low-dose methotrexate (MTX) given long-term for the treatment of autoimmune hearing loss, we performed a prospective open-label study of 11 patients with treatment-refractory autoimmune hearing loss. All patients had ongoing episodic worsening of hearing in 1 or both ears before enrollment despite traditional medical therapy. The MTX dose was 7.5 to 17.5 mg/wk. Hearing loss and vertigo were evaluated at baseline and at completion of the study. Hearing improvement was defined as an improvement in the pure tone threshold (PT) average of >10 dB or an increase in speech discrimination (SD) of >15%, whereas worsening was defined as a worsening of >10 dB in PT or a decrease of >15% in SD in at least 1 ear. The MTX was well tolerated. Among the 6 patients with Menieres disease, 4 had improvement or resolution of vertigo, while 2 had no improvement. Disequilibrium improved in all 3 patients with Cogans syndrome. According to the parameters defined above, hearing improved in 9 patients (82%), was unchanged in 1 patient (9%), and worsened in 1 patient (9%). Long-term low-dose MTX therapy may be a useful therapy for some patients who have hearing loss with a presumptively autoimmune-mediated component that is refractory to traditional therapies.

Surgical treatment of stenosis of the external auditory canal

Analysis of the outcomes of reconstruction for stenosis of the ear canal in 20 patients revealed that the key step in the procedure after the stenotic meatus and ear canal skin have been removed (in the process accomplishing a wide meatoplasty) is widening the posterior bony canal wall until some mastoid cells are encountered. After the tympanic membrane has been deepithelialized, the bony canal should be lined with two separate pieces of split-thickness skin grafts and protected with Silastic sheeting and packing. Average follow-up of 3 1/3 years revealed that 2 ear canals have restenosed, 2 have partially restenosed, and 18 have healed. Of the 22 ears, 15 have had hearing improved to within 25 dB SRT or better, 5 have moderate hearing improvement, and 2 have no improvement. There were no complications.