Width of Patulous Eustachian Tube: Comparison of Assessment by Sonotubometry and Tubo-tympano-aerography.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of tubo-tympano-aerodynamic-graphy (TTAG) in the estimation of morphological severity of patulous Eustachian tube (PET), and to compare the results with that of sonotubometry in clinical cases and in model experiments. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and model experiment. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS: A retrospective survey of medical records in Sen-En Rifu Hospital identified 26 patients (12 men and 14 women subjects aged 14-78 yr, average 49.4 ±â€Š20.9 yr), comprising of 35 ears with PET. A definite diagnosis of PET was made for all patients based on the diagnostic criteria proposed by the Japan Otological Society. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Commercial equipment for sonotubometry and TTAG (JK-05A; RION Co., Ltd., Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan) were used in the following investigations. Model Experiment: The ET model was made using two truncated syringes with silicone barrels and a narrow connecting tube (0.2, 0.4, 0.58, 0.8, 1.00, 2.00, and 3.00 mm). Clinical Investigation: Morphological evaluation of ET patency was performed by a three-dimensional (3-D) CT (3D Accuitomo; Morita MFG. Corp., Kyoto, Japan) and analyzed by software (Integrated Information System i-VIEW; Morita MFG. Corp.). RESULTS: The transmitted sound pressure level gradually increased as the tube caliber was widened up to 3 mm diameter. On the other hand, pressure transmission was suddenly elevated and reached a plateau at 0.58 mm in diameter. The cross-sectional area at the narrowest portion of the ET was significantly correlated with the sound attenuation from nostril to external auditory canal (EAC) (Spearman rank correlation test: r = -0.521, p < 0.001). In contrast, the cross-sectional area at the narrowest portion of the ET was not correlated with the pressure changes of TTAG (Spearman rank correlation test: r = 0.317, p = 0.64). CONCLUSION: Sound transmission assessed by sonotubometry could be more useful than pressure transmission assessed by TTAG to predict the morphological severity of PET.

Sonotubometric Assessment for Severity of Patulous Eustachian Tube.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the morphological patency of the eustachian tube (ET) and sound transmission via the ET. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and model experiment. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS: A total of 56 ears of 28 patients (9 men and 19 women, aged from 12 to 82 yr, mean 40.4 ±â€Š21.5 yr) who underwent sonotubometric measurement using postural change as well as computed tomography (CT) of the ET in the sitting position, including 26 ears with definite patulous ET, 9 ears with possible patulous ET, and 21 ears without patulous ET. METHOD: Commercial equipment for sonotubometry (JK-05A; RION Co., Ltd., Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan) was used in the following two investigations. Retrospective survey: sound patency of 7 kHz band noise via the ET was assessed by comparison of acoustic transfer function via the ET in the sitting and forward-bending positions. Sound patency via the ET was compared with morphological patency of the ET (cross-sectional area in the narrowest portion) assessed by three-dimensional CT of the ET in the sitting position. Model experiment: effect of the ET caliber on the acoustic transfer function was examined using a simple model constructed with two truncated syringes with silicone barrels and a narrow connecting tube. RESULTS: Sound patency assessed by sonotubometry was well correlated with the cross-sectional area at the narrowest portion of the ET in the sitting position (r = 0.786, p < 0.001). Correlation between the sound patency via the narrow tube and the caliber of the tube was also confirmed by the model experiment. CONCLUSIONS: Sound patency assessed by sonotubometry using 7 kHz band noise could be useful to predict the morphological severity of patulous ET.

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

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.

Clinicopathological features of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: Report of two cases.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is an extremely rare, pigmented neoplastic entity of neural crest origin. Histological and immunohistochemical profiles indicate the presence of two components, small rounded neuroblast-like cellular areas and areas with large melanin-containing cells which consist of combination of neural, melanocytic, and epithelial cell types. Here we present two interesting cases of infants with MNTI which have different clinicopathological features. The first case is a 3-month-old female with rapidly growing MNTI involving the lacrimal sac and inferior wall of the orbital cavity, treated with total maxillectomy without orbital exenteration followed by chemotherapy. The second case is a 7-month-old male with slow-growing maxillary MNTI treated with complete surgical excision. In the female patient, histological findings revealed a predominance of neuroblast-like cellular areas and a high Ki67 index indicating rapid cellular proliferation. In the male patient however, large melanin-containing cells were dominant in this slow-growing tumor. These findings support the presence of two different types of MNTI, rapid-growing and slow-growing types, determined by the component of neuroblast-like cellular areas.