Hidetoshi Oshima

Management of patulous eustachian tube with habitual sniffing.

Objectives: Evaluation of the effect of conservative and surgical treatment in patients with patulous Eustachian tube (PET) associated with habitual sniffing. Study Design: Retrospective case review. Setting: University hospital otolaryngology department. Patients: Ninety-seven (23.4%) of 414 PET patients were found to have habitual sniffing to alleviate uncomfortable aural symptoms. Of these, 38 PET patients with sniffing habit were selected. Interventions: Conservative intervention included instructions to stop sniffing and nasal instillation of saline. Surgical interventions used ventilation tube (VT) insertion to the eardrum and/or transmyringeal insertion of the PET plug (PEP). Main Outcome Measures: Relief of uncomfortable symptoms and stopping sniffing. Results: In 52 (53.6%) of the 97 sniff-positive cases, retraction-type eardrum abnormalities or operated ear due to cholesteatoma were identified, whereas normal bilateral eardrums were observed in 34 (87.2%) of 39 sniff (−) cases. Abnormal findings in the eardrum were significantly more common in the sniff-positive group than in the sniff-negative group (p < 0.0001). Twenty-three patients (65.7%) stopped sniffing with conservative treatment. VT insertion was performed in 8 ears. Subsequent PEP was necessary in 2 of the 8 ears because of PET symptoms. PEP was successful in the other 11 ears, including one ear which needed additional VT insertion because of middle ear effusion. Conclusion: The management of habitual sniffing is difficult, but blocking the Eustachian tube by nasal instillation of saline and/or PEP could help PET patients to stop sniffing.

Relationship Between Clinical Test Results and Morphologic Severity Demonstrated by Sitting 3-D CT in Patients With Patulous Eustachian Tube.

Objective: To investigate the correlation of sitting 3-D computed tomography (CT) scans of the Eustachian tube (ET) with subjective and objective findings in patients with patulous Eustachian tube (PET). Study Design: Retrospective. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Subjects: A retrospective survey of medical records in Sen-En Hospital identified 40 patients and 62 ears with PET between September 2014 and June 2015. Method: Diagnosis of PET was based on the presence of three characteristic aural symptoms (autophony of voice or breathing sounds, and aural fullness), as well as verification of synchronous movement of the tympanic membrane in response to forced breathing under an endoscope. Any pressure changes in the external auditory canal (EAC) elicited by deep breathing and sniffing were detected by tubotympanoaerodynamography (TTAG). In addition, sonotubometry was performed where two parameters were used determined to evaluate ET function. Patients were examined by 3-D CT (Accuitomo; Morita, Kyoto, Japan) in the sitting position. The length of the closed ET lumen section was measured. Ears were divided into three groups as follows: completely open, closed-short (3 mm or less), and closed-long (longer than 3 mm). Results: The median length of the closed section of the ET lumen was 1.85 ± 2.69 mm in positive findings of PET. The three groups were significantly different in both aural fullness (p = 0.023) and, similarly, the difference in tympanic membrane movement (p = 0.032) among these three groups was also significantly different (p = 0.032). However, for autophony of breathing sounds, there was no significant difference with regard to autophony of breathing sounds among these three groups (p = 0.324). Although TTAG findings were did not reveal any significantly difference among these three groups (p = 0.589), the difference was significant (p = 0.001) in degree of EAC pressure change in TTAG. The difference among the three groups was significant (p = 0.001) based on sonotubometry findings. Conclusion: Under resting conditions, the lengths of the closed area of the ETs in PET groups are clearly shorter than in groups without PET based on sitting position CT scans in resting condition. Among the symptoms and clinical test findings including the ET function test results, the presence of tympanic membrane movement induced by respiration, the high degree of EAC pressure change in TTAG, as well as the positive results of sonotubometry are significantly correlated with the positive findings of sitting CT revealing the open ET.

Effectiveness of Kobayashi plug for 252 ears with chronic patulous Eustachian tube

Abstract Conclusions: Trans-tympanic plugging of the Eustachian tube (ET) with the silicone plug (Kobayashi Plug) induced long-term effectiveness for over 80% of chronic and severe patulous ET (PET) patients. The New Kobayashi Plug was more effective with fewer complication of plug descent to the pharyngeal orifice. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and complications of trans-tympanic plugging of the ET using a Kobayashi Plug for chronic PET. Method: Trans-tympanic plugging of the ET using the Kobayashi Plug was performed for 252 ears of 191 patients. The Prototype Plug (115 ears of 82 patients in 2001–2007) and the New Plug (137 ears of 109 patients in 2008–2013) were inserted for chronic PET patients. Results: The success rate of the Kobayashi Plug for PET was 83.0% of a total (Prototype Plug 80.0%, New Plug 85.4%). In 26 ears, the Prototype Plugs were found to have descended toward the nasopharynx. Conversely, this did not happen with the New Plug. The rate of TM perforation (Prototype 22.6%, New 17.5%), middle ear effusion (Prototype 20.2%, New 10.2%) and ventilation tube placement (Prototype 14.8%, New 4.4%) decreased after transition to the New Plug.

Effect of Aspiration of Perilymph during Stapes Surgery on the Endocochlear Potential of Guinea Pig

Objective. Suction applied to the vestibule through the oval window during stapes surgery is considered a primary risk for postoperative sensorineural hearing impairment. This study investigated the mechanism of acute phase change in cochlear function caused by aspiration of the opened oval window. Study Design. Guinea pig model. Setting. Academic hospital laboratory. Subjects and Methods. Guinea pigs were divided into 3 groups: stapes footplate removed without suctioning (6 animals), with indirect suctioning (5 animals), and with direct suctioning of the vestibular perilymph (6 animals). Endocochlear potentials (EPs) were measured at the second turn of the cochlea, and temporal bones were examined histologically. Results. Removal of the stapes footplate without suctioning caused little change in the EP (original value, 80.12 ± 3.52 mV), indirect suctioning caused minor decline of the EP of 9.14 ± 1.84 mV, and partial recovery ensued, whereas direct but gentle suctioning, resulting in dry vestibule, caused reduction in the EP of 16.38 ± 6.63 mV. Recovery was not observed or incomplete. No animals showed profound decrease in the EP. Conclusion. Gentle suctioning and removal of the vestibular perilymph can cause a mild decrease in the EP even without damaging the inner ear structures. Therefore, suctioning of the perilymph should be avoided during stapes surgery because acute hearing loss can result even without damaging the inner ear structures. However, hearing loss may not be profound, if suctioning is not vigorous enough to cause damage to the inner ear structures.

Ototoxic Effect of Ultrastop Antifog Solution Applied to the Guinea Pig Middle Ear

Objectives Recent advances in endoscopic technology have allowed its application to middle ear surgery. An antifog agent is necessary for endoscopy because moisture and blood may obscure visibility. Ultrastop is one of the most commonly used antifog agents. The current study examined the ototoxic effect of topical application of Ultrastop in the guinea pig ear. Study Design A preliminary experimental animal study. Setting University hospital. Subjects and Methods Eighteen male Hartley guinea pigs (weight, 480-620 g) were divided into 3 groups to be treated with Ultrastop, gentamicin (50 mg/mL, positive control), or saline solution (negative control). After auditory brainstem responses were measured, topical solutions of 0.2 mL were applied through a small hole made at the tympanic bulla. Posttreatment auditory brainstem responses were obtained 14 days after the treatment. The extent of middle ear damage was investigated and scored. Results The saline-treated group showed no deterioration in auditory brainstem response threshold. The Ultrastop-treated and gentamicin-treated groups showed severe deterioration in auditory brainstem response threshold. Middle ear examination revealed extensive changes in the Ultrastop-treated group and medium changes in the gentamicin-treated group. Conclusion Ultrastop applied topically to the guinea pig middle ear caused significant middle ear inflammation and hearing impairment.

New Scoring System for Evaluating Patulous Eustachian Tube Patients.

OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of patulous Eustachian tube handicap inventory (PHI) for patulous Eustachian tube (PET) patients. STUDY DESIGN Prospective. SETTING Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS A prospective survey of medical records in Sen-En Hospital identified 31 ears of 31 patients with definite PET who received insertion of the silicone plug as surgical treatment group, 29 ears of 29 patients treated with self-instillation of physiological saline solution as conservative treatment group, and 29 ears of 29 patients of sensorineural hearing loss without findings of PET treated between June 2015 and December 2015. METHOD Diagnosis of definite PET was based on the proposal on PET diagnosis criteria announced by the Otological Society of Japan. The evaluation scale of PHI was modified from the Japanese version of the tinnitus handicap inventory-12 (THI-12). The classification for grading of severity is defined as follows: 1) no handicap (0-8), 2) mild handicap (10-16), 3) moderate handicap (18-24), and 4) severe handicap (26-40), matching the severity grades of tinnitus handicap inventory-25 (THI-25). The outcome measurement was modified from the previous scoring system and is defined as 1) complete relief, 2) significant improvement, 3) slight improvement, 4) unchanged, and 5) worse, and is applied according to the classification for grading of severity. The PHI was conducted at the first visit to our center for all patients in the three groups. For cases requiring surgery for plug insertion, patulous Eustachian tube handicap inventory 10 (PHI 10) was also conducted postsurgery after the treatment (postsurgery). RESULTS The findings from questions 1 to 7 and 9 to 11 were significantly different between the surgical (presurgery) and conservative treatment groups (p < 0.05). Taking these results, we analyzed 10 questions excluding questions 8 and 12 (PHI 10). The total score of PHI 10 averaged 19.5 ± 9.3 (n = 31) and 30.6 ± 8.6 (n = 29) in the surgical treatment (presurgery) and conservative treatment groups, respectively, with a significant difference (p < 0.05). Internal consistency reliability testing of the PHI 10 yielded a Cronbach α of 0.887 for all questions. In the surgical treatment (presurgery) and conservative treatment groups, there were 0 (0%) and 3 cases (12%) of no handicap, 3 (10%) and 13 cases (50%) of mild handicap, 6 (19%) and 4 cases (15%) of moderate handicap, and 22 (71%) and 6 cases (23%) of severe handicap, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the PHI 10 and Likert scale (r = 0.796, p < 0.01). In the surgical group, the presurgery and postsurgery PHI 10 scores (n = 25) were 29.6 ± 8.5 and 7.8 ± 11.3, respectively. CONCLUSION The PHI 10 is suitable for evaluating severity of PET if the patients have been diagnosed as definite PET. Furthermore, this scoring system could be suitable for surgical treatment assessment.

Ototoxic effect of daptomycin applied to the guinea pig middle ear

Abstract Conclusion: Daptomycin applied topically at a concentration of 50 mg/ml caused mild but statistically significant hearing impairment. Outer hair cells were not damaged by daptomycin. Great care must be taken when there is a chance that daptomycin can reach the middle ear. Objective: Ototopic antibiotic eardrops are frequently used to treat external and middle ear infections. Daptomycin is a new anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococccus aureus (MRSA) drug with unknown ototoxicity. The current study examined the ototoxic effect of daptomycin in topical applications to guinea pig ears. Methods: Twenty-three male Hartley guinea pigs (weight, 250–640 g) were divided into three groups receiving daptomycin (50 mg/ml), gentamicin (50 mg/ml, positive control), or saline solution (negative control). After insertion of a pressure-equalizing tube, pretreatment auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were obtained. Topical solutions of 0.1 ml were applied through the tube into the middle ear twice a day for 7 days. Post-treatment ABRs were obtained 7 days after the last treatment. Hair cell loss was investigated with whole-mount cochlear surface preparations. Results: The saline-treated (negative control) group showed no deterioration of ABR threshold. The daptomycin-treated group showed mild deterioration and the gentamicin-treated group showed severe deterioration in ABR threshold. Hair cells were preserved in the daptomycin- and saline-treated groups but severely damaged in the gentamicin group.

Bilateral endoscopic endonasal marsupialization of nasopalatine duct cyst

Nasopalatine duct cysts are the most common non-odontogenic cysts in the maxilla, and are conventionally treated through a sublabial or palatine approach. Recently, the endoscopic approach has been used, but experience is extremely limited. We treated a 29-year-old male with nasopalatine duct cyst by endoscopic marsupialization, but paresthesia of the incisor region occurred after surgery. This paresthesia gradually remitted within 6 months. The nasopalatine nerve, which innervates the upper incisor region, enters two lateral canals separately at the nasal floor and exits the central main canal at the palate. Damage to the bilateral nasopalatine nerves might lead to paresthesia, so we recommend careful examination for nerve fibers during endoscopic surgery, especially if fenestration is performed on both sides.

Change in endocochlear potential during experimental insertion of a simulated cochlear implant electrode in the guinea pig.

Objective Preservation of residual hearing during cochlear implantation is important. This study investigated changes in endocochlear potential (EP) during simulated cochlear implant (CI) electrode insertion. Study Design Laboratory animal study. Setting Academic hospital laboratory. Subjects and Methods Guinea pigs were divided into 4 groups: cochleostomy only (4 animals), suction after cochleostomy (5 animals), simulated CI electrode insertion parallel to the longitudinal axis of the scala tympani without suctioning (7 animals), and simulated CI electrode insertion toward the modiolus without suctioning (7 animals). The EP was measured from the second turn of the cochlea, and the values after 20 minutes were compared. Results The EP showed little change at 20 minutes after cochleostomy with a nearly normal value of 84.83 ± 2.12 mV. Suctioning of the perilymph from the cochleostomy site caused a slight acute reduction in EP by about 6 mV, and the value at 20 minutes after cochleostomy was 78.64 ± 4.42 mV. Insertion of the simulated CI electrode parallel to the longitudinal axis of the scala tympani caused a slight decrease in EP to 78.91 ± 5.06 mV. Insertion toward the modiolus caused a marked decrease in EP to 54.13 ± 4.42 mV at 20 minutes after the treatment, significantly lower compared with the other 3 groups. Conclusion EP was well preserved during carefully performed surgical procedures of simulated CI electrode insertion, but it decreased significantly if the simulated CI electrode was inserted toward the modiolus. Careful attention is necessary to ensure the correct direction of CI electrode insertion to preserve residual hearing. Use of suction should be minimized if possible.

Tubal function tests with optional myringotomy detect Eustachian tube closing failure in acquired pars flaccida retraction cholesteatoma

OBJECTIVE To re-evaluate the incidence of Eustachian tube closing failure in acquired middle ear cholesteatoma. METHOD Thirty-one cases with acquired middle ear cholesteatoma who received surgery were enrolled. Presence of Eustachian tube closing failure was determined through two Eustachian tube function tests. First Step Tests: Test 1: Positive sniff test identified by retraction of the tympanic membrane upon sniffing was observed. Test 2: The pressure in the external auditory meatus was found to change synchronously with that of the nasopharynx during respiration or upon sniffing. Second step test: For cases with negative First Step Tests, myringotomy was performed and Test 2 was repeated. RESULTS Test 1 was positive in six (19.4%) and Test 2 was initially positive in nine (29.0%) out of 31 cases. Twelve out of 31 cases (38.7%) were positive for either one of the tests. The remaining 19 cases with initial negative test results subsequently received myringotomy and were subjected to Test 2 again. Positive results were obtained in five (13.9%) additional cases, and a final total of 17 (54.8%) out of 31 cases were positive for Eustachian tube closing failure. CONCLUSION Sniff test with optional myringotomy may be useful for preoperative diagnosis of Eustachian tube closing failure.