Interpretation of the nine-step test for Eustachian tube function should consider mastoid cavity volume.

INTRODUCTION: The modified nine-step test is a classical method for evaluating Eustachian tube function. However, clinical interpretation of the increased maximal difference in middle ear pressure (mdMEP) in the modified nine-step test is unknown. We hypothesised that the different reservoir effects of the mastoid cavity can bias the results of the modified nine-step test. METHODS: A total of 108 consecutive participants (216 ears) were retrospectively screened. Of these, 55 participants (82 ears) who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were enrolled. The volumetric results of the mastoid cavity, parameters of the modified nine-step test (mdMEP, middle ear pressure, tympanic membrane compliance), and demographic data were analysed. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation was found between mdMEP and mastoid cavity volume (R = .467, p < .001). Ears with mdMEP >70 daPa showed poor pneumatization in the mastoid cavity, with volumes less than 3000 mm3 (10th percentile of all ears analysed). Ears with mastoid cavity volumes lower than the 25th percentile showed a significantly higher mdMEP (p < .001). Patients with mastoid cavity volumes higher than the 75th percentile were significantly younger (p < .001). Multivariate regression analysis for mdMEP showed a good fit (R = .854) using factors including middle ear pressure, admittance and, most importantly, the reciprocal of mastoid volume (Beta = 0.752, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The mdMEP, the main parameter of the modified nine-step test, was negatively correlated with the mastoid cavity volume. Therefore, the results of the modified nine-step test should be interpreted with consideration of mastoid cavity volume.

Results of Eustachian tube balloon dilation measured using the nine-step test.

Suggested several decades ago, the nine-step test is an intuitive test of Eustachian tube function. However, studies employing the nine-step test to assess the results of Eustachian tube balloon dilation (EBD) are limited. We aimed to objectively evaluate the efficacy of EBD in opening failure patients with decreased maximal peak pressure difference (MPD) using the nine-step test. Patients who had MPD values ≤ 13 daPa in the nine-step test were enrolled. The patients were categorized into two groups according to treatment decisions after discussion with a clinician: an EBD group (N = 26) and a medication group (N = 30). One month after treatment, the seven-item Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ7) and the nine-step test were administered to all participants and subgroups of symptomatic participants (ETDQ7 > 15). MPD improved (increased) in both the EBD group and the medication group. ETDQ7 values improved (decreased) in the EBD group, but not in the medication group. In subgroup analysis, MPD and ETDQ7 values improved only in the symptomatic EBD group. According to the nine-step test, EBD can normalize 53.8% of decreased MPD. Posttreatment MPD and ETDQ7 scores were significantly better in the EBD group than in the medication group. However, EBD in patients with abnormal nine-step test results seemed less efficacious when the treatment results of the medication group were considered.

A Patient Self-Checkup App for COVID-19: Development and Usage Pattern Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Clear guidelines for a patient with suspected COVID-19 infection are unavailable. Many countries rely on assessments through a national hotline or telecommunications, but this only adds to the burden of an already overwhelmed health care system. In this study, we developed an algorithm and a web application to help patients get screened. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to aid the general public by developing a web-based application that helps patients decide when to seek medical care during a novel disease outbreak. METHODS: The algorithm was developed via consultations with 6 physicians who directly screened, diagnosed, and/or treated patients with COVID-19. The algorithm mainly focused on when to test a patient in order to allocate limited resources more efficiently. The application was designed to be mobile-friendly and deployed on the web. We collected the application usage pattern data from March 1 to March 27, 2020. We evaluated the association between the usage pattern and the numbers of COVID-19 confirmed, screened, and mortality cases by access location and digital literacy by age group. RESULTS: The algorithm used epidemiological factors, presence of fever, and other symptoms. In total, 83,460 users accessed the application 105,508 times. Despite the lack of advertisement, almost half of the users accessed the application from outside of Korea. Even though the digital literacy of the 60+ years age group is half of that of individuals in their 50s, the number of users in both groups was similar for our application. CONCLUSIONS: We developed an expert-opinion-based algorithm and web-based application for screening patients. This innovation can be helpful in circumstances where information on a novel disease is insufficient and may facilitate efficient medical resource allocation.

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Surgical Outcomes of Cystic and Solid Vestibular Schwannomas.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics of cystic vestibular schwannomas (CVSs) and solid vestibular schwannomas (SVSs). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: A total of 220 patients who underwent microsurgery for vestibular schwannomas between 2007 and 2016. INTERVENTION: CVSs were defined as cystic components ≥1/3 of total tumor volume based on automated volume measurement. Tumors larger than 5 cm were defined as large tumors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes, including preoperative symptoms, hearing threshold, vestibular function, tumor volume, extent of resection, facial nerve outcomes, and nonfacial complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Tumor volume was significantly larger in CVSs (20.44 ±â€Š13.85 cm in CVSs; 4.75 ±â€Š6.48 cm in SVSs, p < 0.001) and the proportion of larger tumors was also greater in CVSs (66.0% in CVSs; 11.4% in SVSs, p < 0.001). Preoperative dizziness was highly prevalent in CVSs (32.1% in CVSs; 18.6% in SVSs, p = 0.038) and postoperative facial nerve outcomes were significantly worse in CVSs (67.9% favorable rate in CVSs; 87.4% favorable rate in SVSs, p = 0.001). When the comparison was limited to large tumors, no clinical characteristics or surgical outcomes were significantly different. Tumor volume had a greater effect than tumor type on the surgical outcomes. The odds ratios for subtotal resection and unfavorable facial nerve function with a large tumor were 5.77 (confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-21.95, p = 0.010) and 5.34 (CI: 1.41-20.22, p = 0.014), respectively. CONCLUSION: CVSs tend to be larger than SVSs. Tumor volume, not cystic component, is thought to be a major determinant of surgical outcomes.

microRNA-183 is Essential for Hair Cell Regeneration after Neomycin Injury in Zebrafish.

PURPOSE: microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs composed of 20 to 22 nucleotides that regulate development and differentiation in various organs by silencing specific RNAs and regulating gene expression. In the present study, we show that the microRNA (miR)-183 cluster is upregulated during hair cell regeneration and that its inhibition reduces hair cell regeneration following neomycin-induced ototoxicity in zebrafish. MATERIALS AND METHODS: miRNA expression patterns after neomycin exposure were analyzed using microarray chips. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to validate miR-183 cluster expression patterns following neomycin exposure (500 µM for 2 h). After injection of an antisense morpholino (MO) to miR-183 (MO-183) immediately after fertilization, hair cell regeneration after neomycin exposure in neuromast cells was evaluated by fluorescent staining (YO-PRO1). The MO-183 effect also was assessed in transgenic zebrafish larvae expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in inner ear hair cells. RESULTS: Microarray analysis clearly showed that the miR-183 cluster (miR-96, miR-182, and miR-183) was upregulated after neomycin treatment. We also confirmed upregulated expression of the miR-183 cluster during hair cell regeneration after neomycin-induced ototoxicity. miR-183 inhibition using MO-183 reduced hair cell regeneration in both wild-type and GFP transgenic zebrafish larvae. CONCLUSION: Our work demonstrates that the miR-183 cluster is essential for the regeneration of hair cells following ototoxic injury in zebrafish larvae. Therefore, regulation of the miR-183 cluster can be a novel target for stimulation of hair cell regeneration.

Facial reanimation using hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis after schwannoma removal.

CONCLUSION: In this series, the split type hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis resulted in more favorable outcomes in terms of both facial function and tongue atrophy. OBJECTIVE: This study compared surgical techniques for hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis after schwannoma removal and evaluated which technique achieves better facial outcomes and less tongue morbidity. METHOD: This study included 14 patients who underwent hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis after schwannoma removal and were followed for more than 1 year. Three surgical techniques were performed: end-to-end, end-to-side, and split anastomoses. Facial palsy and tongue atrophy after anastomosis were evaluated using the scales suggested by House-Brackmann and Martins, respectively. Tumor volume and the time to surgery were also evaluated, and the effects on facial outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, nine of 14 (64.3%) patients had favorable facial outcomes, and eight of 14 (57.1%) had favorable tongue outcomes. Regarding facial palsy, five of seven (71.4%) end-to-end, three of four (75%) split, and only one of three (33.3%) end-to-side patients had favorable facial function. Regarding tongue atrophy, all three (100%) end-to-side, three of four (75%) split, and two of seven (28.6%) end-to-end patients had favorable tongue outcomes. The effects of tumor volume and time to surgery on facial outcome were not significant.

Simultaneous Translabyrinthine Tumor Removal and Cochlear Implantation in Vestibular Schwannoma Patients.

Refinement of surgical techniques has allowed hearing preservation after tumor resection to be prioritized. Moreover, restoration of hearing after tumor removal can be attempted in patients with bilateral vestibular schwannomas or those with a schwannoma in the only-hearing ear. Cochlear implantation (CI) has emerged as a proper method of acoustic rehabilitation, provided that the cochlear nerve remains intact. Studies of electrical promontory stimulation in patients after vestibular schwannoma resection have demonstrated favorable results. We describe herein two cases of hearing rehabilitation via CI implemented at the time of vestibular schwannoma resection. Tumors were totally removed, and cochlear implant electrodes were successfully inserted in both cases. Also, post operative CI-aided hearing showed improved results.

Treatment of Hemorrhagic Vocal Polyps by Pulsed Dye Laser-Assisted Laryngomicrosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: Conventional surgical techniques of laryngomicrosurgery (LMS) on hemorrhagic vocal polyps are often difficult due to obscuration of the surgical field by inadvertent bleeding from the lesion, and there are often significant amounts of mucosal epithelium loss. Here, we introduce our surgical technique using pulsed dye laser (PDL), which can effectively resect the polyp with vocal fold mucosa preservation. METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with hemorrhagic vocal polyp and who were surgically managed using PDL from March 2013 to October 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative clinical outcomes and surgical findings were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients were treated with PDL-assisted enucleation LMS. The average age was 43.7 years (range 20-73), and there were 20 males and 19 females (17 professional voice users). In all cases, the hemorrhagic polyp was successfully enucleated after application of PDL, thereby preserving the overlying epithelium. Postoperative voice outcomes were favorable with clear preservation of the vocal fold mucosal wave. CONCLUSION: PDL-assisted enucleation LMS for the treatment of hemorrhagic vocal polyps can be a safe and effective surgical technique. It can be considered a promising treatment option for hemorrhagic vocal polyps.

Learning curve for robot-assisted neck dissection in head and neck cancer: a 3-year prospective case study and analysis.

IMPORTANCE: Robot-assisted neck dissection (RAND) for the management of regional metastases is a recently developed technique in the field of head and neck cancer that uses a robotic surgical system. This is the first report that estimates the learning curve for RAND. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a learning curve for RAND according to the types of neck dissection and report clinical outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective case study of 90 patients undergoing neck dissection between May 2010 and April 2013 at a university tertiary referral center. INTERVENTIONS: Fifty modified radical neck dissections (MRNDs) and 40 supraomohyoid neck dissections (SONDs) were performed by a single surgeon using a robotic surgical system to treat head and neck cancer. The MRND and the SOND groups were subdivided into 5 and 4 consecutive subgroups of 10 patients each, respectively. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Perioperative parameters were compared, including mean operation time, duration and amount of drainage, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Significant decreases in mean operation time were observed as experience performing RAND increased in both the MRND and the SOND groups. The mean operation time for the MRND group decreased by 29% over the course of our study (initial subgroup, 298.1 minutes; last subgroup, 212.4 minutes). The mean operation time for the SOND group decreased by 53% over the course of our study (initial subgroup, 226.5 minutes; last subgroup, 106.1 minutes). There were no significant differences between subgroups for the other perioperative parameters. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: We explored the RAND learning curve in a single institution over a 3-year period. This study can be used as a timeline reference for institutions where the RAND procedure will be adopted as an alternative procedure.