Migraine features in patients with Meniere's disease.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To better understand the features of migraine in Meniere's disease (MD). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively obtained surveys in an outpatient clinic of a tertiary medical center. METHODS: Detailed questionnaires on headaches and dizziness were given to consecutive patients presenting with dizziness. The responses were verified by the clinician with the patient. The data, in addition to the clinical history and audiogram, were used to diagnose patients with migraine headaches and MD using criteria set by the International Headache Society (IHS) and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, respectively. The prevalence of migraine-like symptoms in those patients with MD, who did not fit the diagnostic criteria for migraine, was evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients with definite MD were included. There was a predominance of females (female/male:26/11). Mean age of patients was 52 ± 14 years. Nineteen patients (51%) had migraine headaches. Fifteen patients fulfilled the criteria for definite vestibular migraine. Of those who did not fulfill the IHS migraine criteria, a majority had characteristics such as a family history of migraine, visual motion sensitivity, or lifelong motion sickness that were highly suggestive of a migraine disorder. CONCLUSIONS: A majority of patients with MD have migraine headaches as defined by the IHS. Sensitivity to visual motion, light and sound, head motion, smells, weather changes, or medication was present in 95% of all patients with definite MD and 82% of non-IHS migraine MD patients. This may suggest that MD may be an atypical variant of migraine.

Vestibular Schwannoma Excision in Sporadic versus Neurofibromatosis Type 2 Populations.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the differences in characteristics of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and sporadic patients with surgically excised vestibular schwannomas in the state of California. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING, SUBJECTS, AND METHODS: The records of all patients who underwent vestibular schwannoma excision between 1997 and 2011 were extracted from the California Hospital Inpatient Discharge Databases (CHIDD). NF2 cases were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnosis code 237.72, neurofibromatosis, type 2. All other cases were recoded as sporadic. Trends in total number and population-adjusted rates (per 1 million California residents) of surgery, demographics, hospital case volume, state of residency, complications, length of stay, total charges, expected source of payment, and disposition were examined. RESULTS: Vestibular schwannoma (VS) excision was performed on 7017 patients, of which 464 patients (6.6%) had NF2. The population-adjusted surgery rate declined from 11.8 to 6.2 (P < .001) for sporadic cases and from 0.3 to 0.2 (P = .01) for NF2 cases over the study period. NF2 was associated with younger age (mean, 32.9 vs 51.3), higher rate of other complications (8.8% vs 4.4%) and facial nerve complications (32.3% vs 16.8%), higher total charges (median $70,106 vs $46,395), longer stay (median 5 vs 4), and high volume hospitals (80.4% vs 48.8%) (all P < .001). CONCLUSION: The surgery rates for vestibular schwannoma excision for both sporadic and NF2 patients have declined, but the decline is more prominent for sporadic cases. NF2 patients tend to be younger and have a longer hospitalization and possibly higher corresponding hospital charges compared to patients with sporadic VS.

Curved adjustable fiberoptic laser for endoscopic cholesteatoma surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether endoscopic cholesteatoma removal can be performed efficiently and safely using a curved fiberoptic-based laser. BACKGROUND: Angled instruments are required in endoscopic ear surgery to access recesses of the middle ear without extra drilling. Lasers are effective at ablating visible and microscopic cholesteatoma matrix and removing granulation tissue. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review from 2006 to 2013. SETTING: Single tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent cholesteatoma surgery with otoendoscopy. INTERVENTION: Residual cholesteatoma that could not be reached by conventional microinstruments was identified using an endoscope. This residual cholesteatoma was ablated in a contactless manner using a fiberoptic-based curved laser carrier with an argon laser. The laser tip through the carrier probe has a 45-degree curve, and the length of the tip is adjustable, allowing it to be used in recesses or around corners, such as in the sinus tympani, around the stapes suprastructure, in the oval window, or in the Eustachian tube orifice. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence or absence of residual cholesteatoma after laser ablation and complications. RESULTS: In 7 cases, the fiberoptic curved laser was used to ablate cholesteatoma completely with no injury to surrounding structures and with no evidence of recidivism with a mean follow-up period of 19 months. There were no cases of sensorineural hearing loss or perilymphatic fistula. CONCLUSION: The curved laser probe allows for precise removal of cholesteatoma endoscopically.

In vivo needle-based electromechanical reshaping of pinnae: New Zealand White rabbit model.

IMPORTANCE: Electromechanical reshaping (EMR) is a low-cost, needle-based, and simple means to shape cartilage tissue without the use of scalpels, sutures, or heat that can potentially be used in an outpatient setting to perform otoplasty. OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate that EMR can alter the shape of intact pinnae in an in vivo animal model and to show that the amount of shape change and the limited cell injury are proportional to the dosimetry. DESIGN, SETTING, AND SPECIMENS: In an academic research setting, intact ears of 18 New Zealand white rabbits underwent EMR using 6 different dosimetry parameters (4 V for 5 minutes, 4 V for 4 minutes, 5 V for 3 minutes, 5 V for 4 minutes, 6 V for 2 minutes, and 6 V for 3 minutes). A custom acrylic jig with 2 rows of platinum needle electrodes was used to bend ears at the middle of the pinna and to perform EMR. Treatment was repeated twice per pinna, in proximal and distal locations. Control pinnae were not subjected to current application when being bent and perforated within the jig. Pinnae were splinted for 3 months along the region of the bend using soft silicon sheeting and a cotton bolster. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The ears were harvested the day after splints were removed and before euthanasia. Photographs of ears were obtained, and bend angles were measured. Tissue was sectioned for histologic examination and confocal microscopy to assess changes to microscopic structure and cellular viability. RESULTS: Treated pinnae were bent more and retained shape better than control pinnae. The mean (SD) bend angles in the 7 dosimetry groups were 55° (35°) for the control, 60° (15°) for 4 V for 4 minutes, 118° (15°) for 4 V for 5 minutes, 88° (26°) for 5 V for 3 minutes, 80° (17°) for 5 V for 4 minutes, 117° (21°) for 6 V for 2 minutes, and 125° (18°) for 6 V for 3 minutes. Shape change was proportional to electrical charge transfer, which increased with voltage and application time. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the pinnae identified localized areas of cell injury and fibrosis in the cartilage and in the surrounding soft tissue where the needle electrodes were inserted. This circumferential zone of injury (range, 1.5-2.5 mm) corresponded to dead cells on cell viability assay, and the diameter of this region increased with total electrical charge transfer to a maximum of 2.5 mm at 6 V for 3 minutes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Electromechanical reshaping produced shape change in intact pinnae of rabbits in this expanded in vivo study. A short application of 4 to 6 V can achieve adequate reshaping of the pinnae. Tissue injury around the electrodes increases with the amount of total current transferred into the tissue and is modest in spatial distribution. This study is a critical step toward evaluation of EMR in clinical trials. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA.

Complications of surgery for sporadic vestibular schwannoma.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate the postoperative complications of vestibular schwannoma excision and determine their significant clinical predictors. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: California Hospital Inpatient Discharge Datasets 1997-2011. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data for vestibular schwannoma excisions performed in California were extracted using the ICD-9-CM code "04.01 excision of acoustic neuroma." Demographics, principal payer, state of residence, comorbidities, as well as hospital case volume were examined as possible predictors. Postoperative complications and patient disposition were examined as outcome variables. Comorbidities and complications were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnoses and procedures codes. RESULTS: Overall, 6553 cases were examined. Comorbidities were present in 2539 (38.7%) patients. Postoperative complications occurred in 1846 (28.2%) patients; 1714 (26.2%) neurological and 337 (5.1%) medical complications. Patients' admission ended with death or further care (ie, skilled nursing facilities) in 260 (4.0%) cases. Mortality rate was 0.2%. No significant changes were observed over time. Multivariate analysis revealed that the odds of neurological complications were greater in the 2007-2011 period (OR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.12-2.04), in patients with comorbidities (OR = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.16-1.88), and in hospitals with low case volume (OR = 1.69; 95% CI. 1.31-2.18). The odds of medical complications were also greater in the 2007-2011 period (OR = 1.69; 95%, CI 1.02-2.80). Female gender, non-Caucasian ethnicity, presence of comorbidities, and low hospital case volume were associated with greater odds of patients requiring further care. CONCLUSION: Comorbidities and low hospital case volume were major risk factors for complications. No significant changes in rates of complications from vestibular schwannoma surgery were observed over the 15-year period.

Real-time subglottic stenosis imaging using optical coherence tomography in the rabbit.

IMPORTANCE: Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is a severe, acquired, potentially life-threatening disease that can be caused by endotracheal tube intubation. Newborns and neonates are particularly susceptible to SGS owing to the small caliber of their airway. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate optical coherence tomography (OCT) capabilities in detecting injury and scar formation using a rabbit model. Optical coherence tomography may provide a noninvasive, bedside or intensive care unit modality for the identification of early airway trauma with the intention of preventing progression to SGS and can image the upper airway through an existing endotracheal tube coupled with a small fiber-optic probe. DESIGN: Rabbits underwent suspension laryngoscopy with induction of of SGS via epithelial injury. This model was used to test and develop our advanced, high-speed, high-resolution OCT imaging system using a 3-dimensional microelectromechanical systems-based scanning device integrated with a fiber-optic probe to acquire high-resolution anatomic images of the subglottic epithelium and lamina propria. SETTING: All experiments were performed at the Beckman Laser Institute animal operating room. INTERVENTION OR EXPOSURE: Optical coherence tomography and endoscopy was performed with suspension laryngoscopy at 6 different time intervals and compared with conventional digital endoscopic images and histologic sections. Fifteen rabbits were killed at 3, 7, 14, 21, and 42 days after the induction of SGS. The laryngotracheal complexes were serially sectioned for histologic analysis. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE: Histologic sections, endoscopic images, and OCT images were compared with one another to determine if OCT could accurately delineate the degree of SGS achieved. RESULTS: The rabbit model was able to reliably and reproducibly achieve grade I SGS. The real-time OCT imaging system was able to (1) identify multiple structures in the airway; (2) delineate different tissue planes, such as the epithelium, basement membrane, lamina propria, and cartilage; and (3) detect changes in each tissue plane produced by trauma. Optical coherence tomography was also able demonstrate a clear picture of airway injury that correlated with the endoscopic and histologic images. With subjective review, 3 patients had high correlation between OCT and histologic images, 10 demonstrated some correlation with histologic images, and 2 showed little to no correlation with histologic images. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Optical coherence tomography, coupled with a fiber-optic probe, identifies subglottic scarring and can detect tissue changes in the rabbit airway to a depth of 1 mm. This technology brings us 1 step closer to minimally invasive subglottic airway monitoring in the intubated neonate, with the ultimate goal of preventing SGS and better managing the airway.

Mammalian cell-seeded hydrogel microarrays printed via dip-pin technology.

Although significant advances have been made in the development of DNA and protein microarrays, less effort has been put toward developing mammalian cell microarrays. Such cellular microarrays may be useful in examining the effects of biological or chemical agents on cells, particularly in drug development and toxicological applications. Here, mammalian cell-seeded hydrogel microarrays were created using two different commercial microarrayers, with four different pin types. Human dermal fibroblasts were used here as a model cell type, seeded within polyethylene glycol-based hydrogels similar to those under investigation as tissue engineering scaffolds, which serve as synthetic extracellular matrices for the cells. Spot sizes of the hydrogels were found to vary with pin type. Multiple touches on a slide following a single dip in the reservoir print solution led to decreasing spot size with each touch; therefore, subsequent microarrays were printed with single touches after a dip. Individual pins of the same type and tip diameter had significantly different spot sizes, likely due to wear of the pins at the tip. However there was high run-to-run reproducibility between subsequent microarrays. Cell viability varied with pin type, and the number of cells per spot varied with cell density in the print solution, as expected.