[Hearing rehabilitation with the Vibrant Soundbridge in patients with congenital middle ear malformation]. / Die Vibrant Soundbridge zur Versorgung von Patienten mit kongenitalen Mittelohrfehlbildungen.

BACKGROUND: Congenital aural atresia, which is usually unilateral, causes hearing loss and aesthetic impairment. Besides tympanoplasty with/without canalplasty and bone conduction devices, active middle ear implants are also available for functional rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: This article aims to present a contemporary review on the treatment possibilities for middle ear malformations, with a focus on audiological rehabilitation with the Vibrant Soundbridge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A selective literature search for treatment possibilities was performed in PubMed up to October 2020, and personal clinical experiences are reported. RESULTS: The Vibrant Soundbridge, which is approved for children ≥ 5 years, is suitable for treatment of middle ear malformations with a Jahrsdoerfer score ≥ 5. Although implantation of a Vibrant Soundbridge is surgically more demanding than implantation of a bone conduction device, the method is safe, delivers good auditory results (superior to bone conduction devices in terms of speech understanding and spatial hearing), does not involve intensive postsurgical care, and rarely requires revision surgery. The Vibrant Soundbridge can be coupled to (remnants of) the ossicular chain or the round window. CONCLUSION: The Vibrant Soundbridge is an appropriate treatment method in patients with middle ear malformations who have suitable anatomical preconditions.

Acute vestibular syndrome in cerebellar stroke : A case report and review of the literature.

The current paper reports on a patient with recurrent rotational vertigo and persistent dizziness and imbalance lasting several weeks, who underwent extensive neuro-otological and radiological examinations. Pathological findings initially included right-sided benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), persistent horizontal spontaneous nystagmus (SPN) to the left, and a pathological bedside and video head impulse test (HIT) on the left. The pathological HIT on the left and the SPN to the left indicated a central origin. Therefore, cranial magnetic resonance imaging was performed which revealed a left-sided ischemic stroke in the territory of the medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (mPICA).

[Acute vestibular syndrome following cerebellar stroke : Case report and literature review. German version]. / Akutes vestibuläres Syndrom nach Kleinhirninfarkt : Fallbericht und Literaturrecherche.

The current paper reports on a patient with recurrent rotational vertigo and persistent dizziness and imbalance lasting weeks, who underwent extensive neurootological and radiological examination. Pathological findings initially included right-sided benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), persistent horizontal spontaneous nystagmus (SPN) to the left and a pathological bedside and video head impulse test (HIT) on the left. The pathological HIT on the left and SPN to the left indicated a central genesis. Therefore, cMRI was performed and revealed a left-sided cerebral infarction in the territory of the medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (mPICA).

[Hydropic inner ear disease of the vestibular type]. / Hydropische Ohrerkrankung vom vestibulären Typ.

We report the case of a patient with episodic rotational vertigo for years. Ear symptoms were negated. The clinical diagnosis was not clear - Menière's disease, vestibular migraine and recurrent vertigo after vestibular neuritis all qualified for differential diagnoses. A locally enhanced inner-ear MRI established clarity by showing an endolymphatic hydrops in the vestibulum. Besides the classical triad of Menière's disease there are other clinical appearances of endolymphatic hydrops, which can be visualized with inner-ear MRI.

[Optical coherence tomography for early diagnosis of epithelial dysplasia and microinvasive carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract]. / Optische Kohärenztomographie zur Früherkennung epithelialer Dysplasien und mikroinvasiver Karzinome im oberen Luft-Speise-Weg.

BACKGROUND: Gold standard in the evaluation of upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) lesions is white light endoscopy followed by invasive tissue biopsy. This procedure is time consuming and expensive. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive method, which provides high resolution, cross-sectional images of superficial tissue layers in real time. OBJECTIVE: This article aims to present a contemporary and comprehensive review on the role of OCT in differentiating between epithelial dysplasias and early invasive carcinomas of the UADT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed was searched using "optical coherence tomography/larynx" and other appropriate search strings in August 2015. RESULTS: OCT enables differentiation between benign, premalignant, and early malignant lesions of the UADT with high sensitivity and specificity. In addition, OCT holds promise as a clinical tool for guidance of surgical biopsies, follow-up of recurrent lesions, and for demarcation of tumor margins. Inadequate evidence and technical limitations hamper implementation of OCT into clinical routine. CONCLUSION: If the aforementioned problems are successfully solved, OCT seems to have the potential to substantially improve both diagnosis and management of precancerous and early cancerous lesions of the UADT.

[Optical diagnostic methods for early tumour diagnosis in the upper aerodigestive tract: Quo vadis?]. / Optische Diagnoseverfahren zur Tumorfrühdiagnostik im oberen Luft-Speise-Weg: Quo vadis?

BACKGROUND: Optical diagnostic methods may simplify and improve the early diagnosis of tumours of the upper aerodigestive tract; however, these have not yet found their way into clinical routine. OBJECTIVE: This article aims to define the problems that have prevented routine use of optical diagnostic methods so far, as well as listing and also explaining potential trendsetting approaches to overcome these difficulties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on a combined analysis of publically accessible databases (PubMed MEDLINE, Thompson Reuters Web of Science, SPIE. Digital Library; full time period available; search strings: "oral cavity", "pharynx", "larnyx", "optical diagnosis", "optical biopsy", "optical coherence tomography", "confocal endomicroscopy", "fluorescence endoscopy", "narrow band imaging", "non-linear imaging", "fluorescence lifetime imaging"), as well as personal experiences. RESULTS: Both conceptual and methodical problems were determined, and possible solutions based on current developments are discussed. CONCLUSION: Optical diagnostic methods have the potential to revolutionise early diagnosis of upper aerodigestive tract malignancies, providing the different hurdles listed in this review can be overcome.