[Preliminary analysis of pulse-step-sine test results in healthy population].

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of pulse-step-sine (PSS) test in healthy people of different ages and to discuss its clinical value. Methods: From July 10, 2018 to December 9, 2020, a total of 78 healthy volunteers, including 40 males and 38 females, were enrolled and divided into youth group, middle age group and old age group. The I Portal NOTC rotational-chair system (NKI) was applied for PSS detection to analyze the clinical characteristics of gain, phase, asymmetry, and slope of step and sinusoidal components. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS17.0 software. Results: In the same age group, there were no statistically significant differences in left and right step gain, slope gain and sine gain (All P values were greater than 0.05). Pairwise comparison between different age groups showed that there was no significant difference in the corresponding parameters between the youth group and the middle age group. Compared with young group, the old age group had a significantly lower step gain value in their left side (P<0.01) but not in the right side (P>0.05).The left and right slopes of the old age group were significantly lower than those of the young group and the middle group, and the differences were statistically significant (All P values<0.05). Conclusion: The PSS test can detect bilateral and unilateral horizontal semicircular canal function with good tolerance in different age groups, better than the traditional rotational chair examination to determine the well-compensated unilateral vestibular function. PSS test is a new vestibular detection method.

[Correlation analysis of 3D-FLAIR MRI characteristics of the inner ear and vestibular function in the patients with vestibular neuritis].

Objective: The characteristics of 3D-FLAIR MRI images of the inner ear of patients with vestibular neuritis were preliminarily studied to explore the possible pathogenesis of vestibular neuritis, and the correlation analysis was conducted in combination with vestibular function to provide a basis for accurate diagnosis of vestibular neuritis. Methods: A total of 36 patients with vestibular neuritis (VN) from December 2019 to October 2020 were collected from the Vertigo Department of Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University. There were 36 cases (18 females, 18 males) with unilateral acute vestibular neuritis, 17 cases of left ear and 19 cases of right ear. According to the results of 3D-FLAIR MRI in the inner ears, the patients were divided into the enhanced group and the non-enhanced group (the health side served as the normal control group). The results of vestibular function examination in the two groups were compared. SPSS19.0 software was used for statistical processing to analyze the relationship between the vestibular function and the characteristics of 3D-FLAIR imaging in the inner ears. Results: Abnormal enhancement of 3D-FLAIR was found in 31 cases (86.1%) of the 36 cases, including 14 cases of both vestibular nerve and vestibular terminal organ enhancement, eight cases of superior vestibular nerve enhancement alone, seven cases of vestibular terminal organ enhancement alone, and two cases of cochlear enhancement alone. Observation of abnormal reinforcement of vestibular nerve showed: twenty-one cases of superior vestibular nerve reinforcement, one case of superior and inferior vestibular nerve reinforcement. No abnormalities were found in 3D-FLAIR of inner ear in 5 cases. According to the analysis of vestibular function results, there were 19 cases (52.8%) with total vestibular involvement, sixteen cases (44.4%) with superior vestibular involvement alone, and one case (2.8%) with inferior vestibular involvement alone. Comparison of vestibular function between the five cases (non-enhancement group) and the 31 cases (enhanced group) in the 3D-FLAIR group of the inner ears showed that the CP values of caloric tests in the enhanced group were higher (60.81±3.49 vs 34.12±7.37), with statistically significant difference (t=-2.898, P<0.01). Conclusion: In patients with vestibular neuritis, 3D-FLAIR MRI scan of the inner ear provides visual imaging evidence for clinical practice, considering that the lesion site of vestibular neuritis is not only in the vestibular nerve, but also in the vestibular end organ. Patients with 3D-FLAIR enhanced in the inner ear may have more significant vestibular function damage.

[Frequency characteristics of horizontal semicircular canals damage and the ultrastructure analysis of crista ampullaris in patients with Meniere's disease].

Objective: To investigate the frequency characteristics and the pathological characteristics of the horizontal crista ampullaris in patients with Meniere's disease,and to analyse its structural basis. Methods: Between March, 2019 and November, 2019, seventy-two patients diagnosed as Meniere's disease (27 males and 45 females, aged from 13 to 74 years, with a course of disease ranging from 4 months to 32 years)in Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital were included.Caloric test, sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHA), video-head impulse test (v-HIT), Gadolinium-enhanced inner-ear 3D-FLAIR MRI and pure tone audiometry were conducted in the patients. The function of the horizontal semicircular canal in these patients were analysed as well as its relationship with the degree of endolymphatic hydrops,clinical stage and duration. Light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the ultrastructure of horizontal semicircular canal crista ampullaris from six patients with refractory Meniere's disease who underwent labyrinthectomy. The number of type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ vestibular hair cells, the common pathophysiological changes of horizontal semicircular canal crista ampullaris were investigated in these patients. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19.0. Results: With the increase of detection frequency, the abnormal rate decreased gradually. The abnormal rate of caloric test was 69.4% (50/72), SHA 51.4% (37/72), V-HIT 36.1% (26/72), comparation of the positive rate among the three tests showed statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Neither caloric test nor SHA had correlation with the degree of hydrops(P>0.05), but v-HIT(r=0.434,P<0.01).There was correlation with clinical stage to SHA and v-HIT(r=0.338,0.462,P<0.01), except caloric test(P>0.05).No significant relation was found with caloric test, SHA, v-HIT and course of disease(P>0.05).Morphological observation found abnormal monolayer epithelialization of the horizontal semicircular canal crista ampullaris significantly decreased number of type Ⅱ hair cells compared with type Ⅰhair cells. Hair cells showed perinuclear vacuolization, cytoplasmic vacuoles, mitochondrial electron density increasement and loss of stereocilia. Conclusions: The horizontal semicircular canal damage in the patients with Meniere's disease has a frequency-dependent characteristic, mainly occurres in low frequency area. With progress of the disease, the high frequency area of ampulla will be impaired gradually, and it is related to the degree of endolymphatic hydrops and hearing level. Hair cell injury would be observed,the frequency characteristics may be more associated with the disorder of type Ⅱ hair cells.

[Clinical treatment experience of thyroid cancer with heart disease].

Objective: To explore the perioperative clinical treatment of thyroid cancer patients with heart disease. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 39 thyroid cancer patients with heart disease admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital,Capital Medical University from April 2014 to February 2018,including 25 males and 14 females, the age ranged from 59 to 75 years,with an average age of 67.3±6.2 years. Perioperative clinical monitoring indicators included cardiac ultrasound left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), degree of vascular stenosis revealed by coronary CT, hypersensitive troponin I (TNI), b-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), fibrinogen degradation products,and coagulation indexes. This panel of patients comprised 26 cases with 50% ≤ LVEF<60%,10 cases with 40% ≤ LVEF<50%, 3 cases with 36% ≤ LVEF<40%, 27 cases with 0≤BNP<100 ng/L, 7 cases with 100≤BNP<400 ng/L, and 5 cases with 400≤BNP<700 ng/L. Coronary CT showed no coronary artery stenosis>75%. The vascular graft was patent and the coronary artery after stenting was unobstructed. For 3 patients with LVEF<40% and 5 patients with BNP>400 ng/L,cardiotonic,diuretic,and nutritional myocardial therapy were used for 1 week. SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: All 39 patients successfully completed the operation under general anesthesia,including 32 cases of total thyroidectomy,7 cases of glandular lobe and isthmic resection,and 40 cases of lateral neck dissection. One patient developed heart failure three days after surgery and was discharged after two weeks of treatment. No other cardiac related events,cerebrovascular and pulmonary thrombosis occurred during the perioperative period. The anesthesia preparation time was significant different between the group with 0≤BNP<100 ng/L and 50%≤LVEF<60% and the group with 0≤BNP<100 ng/L and 36%≤LVEF<50%. Conclusions: Multi-indicators were utilized to adequately assess cardiac function before surgery. According to the results of cardiac ultrasound and coronary CT examination, the corresponding treatment should be conducted to improve the cardiac function. After the perioperative risk assessment and management of thyroid cancer patients with heart disease,standardized thyroid cancer surgery can be performed safely.

[Simultaneous triple semicircular canal plugging and cochlear implantation in advanced Meniere's disease].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of combining simultaneous triple semicircular canal plugging (TSCP) and cochlear implantation (CI) to treat vertigo and hearing loss in advanced Meniere's disease(MD) patients, so as to provide an alternative surgical procedure for treating this disorder. Methods: Data from seven patients, who were referred to our hospital and diagnosed with unilateral MD strictly meeting the criteria issued by Chinese Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Committee (2006), from Jan. 2015 to Jan. 2016, were retrospectively analyzed in this work. Seven patients, in whom the standardized conservative treatment had been given for at least one year and frequent vertigo still occurred, underwent simultaneous TSCP and CI under general anesthesia via mastoid approach. Postoperative follow-up time was more than six months. Vertigo control and auditory function were measured. Pure tone audiometry, speech perception scores, caloric test, head impulse test (HIT), and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) were performed for evaluation of audiological and vestibular functions. Results: All patients had bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss preoperatively. One side hearing loss was due to MD and another side was due to reasons including sudden sensorineural hearing loss, mumps and other unknown reason. The total control rate of vertigo in seven MD patients was 100.0% in the six-month follow-up, with complete control rate of 85.7% (6/7) and substantial control rate of 14.3% (1/7). Improved hearing threshold and speech perception scores were observed in all study participants. Postoperative average aided hearing threshold was 32.5 dBHL, the average monosyllabic word score was 42.6% and speech perception scores of sentences tested in quiet was 52.3%. Tinnitus improved in five cases, and no significant change in two patients. Post-operatively, all patients suffered from temporary vertigo and balance disorders. Vertigo was disappeared in all patients within 3-5 days, while, an average recovery time of balance disorders was 19.7 days. Six months after treatment, loss of semicircular canal function by caloric test was found in the operation side of all patients and no change in cVEMP or oVEMP test was noted. All patients had no facial paralysis, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and other complications. Conclusions: A combined approach of TSCP and CI which could control vertigo effectively and improve hearing loss and tinnitus represents an effective and safe therapy for some advanced MD patients.

[Analyses of prognostic factors relevant to acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss].

Objective: To investigate the prognostic factors relevant to acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL). Methods: 196 adult ALHL patients, including 82 males and 114 females with mean age of (43.1±14.3)years old were included. All patients received the same therapy and were evaluated the curative effect. To evaluate the impact factors on the prognosis of hearing, inclusive of age, gender, time delay before the first visit, degree of deafness, vestibular function, electrocochleogram, and the serum levels of thyroxines by SPSS 18.0 software. Results: Of those 196 patients with ALHL, 124(63.3%) were recovery, 5(2.6%) were excellent better, 42(21.4%) were better, and 25 (12.8%) were poor, with a total effective rate of 87.2%. Among 15 (12.1%) who recurred the hearing loss, 2 developed into Meniere's disease during the follow-up. The mean age of patients with poor hearing effect was significantly older than that of other patients (P<0.05). No relativity was found between gender and hearing curative effect. There existed a statistical difference in total effective rate among subjects with different histories (P<0.05). In addition, the recovery rate was significantly different between groups, i. e., the course of disease was less than 14 days, between 14 days and 6 months, and between 6 months and 2 years (P<0.05). There was no statistical significance in total effective rate among different degrees of deafness (P>0.05). However, in term of the recovery rate, the difference was statistical significance (P<0.05). The recovery rate in patients with mild hearing loss was higher than that in middle or heavy hearing loss (both P<0.05). Among patients with mild deafness, the recovery rate in patients whose history was less than 3 months was significantly higher than that more than 3 months (P<0.05). For moderate deafness patients, the recovery rate in patients whose history was less than 7 days was significantly higher than that more than 1 month (P<0.05). There were statistical differences in hearing effect of 130 (66.3%) patients with abnormal vestibular function in comparison to that with normal vestibular function (χ2=15.1, P<0.05). There were 17(8.7%) patients with abnormal electrocochleogram combined with abnormal vestibular function, and the hearing effects were all poor. There were 45 (23.0%) patients with abnormal thyroxine levels in serum, which was significant higher than that in health adults of 5.9%(χ2=7.26, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in hearing prognosis between patients with abnormal and normal thyroxine levels (χ2=2.51, P>0.05). Conclusions: With respect to ALHL, the hearing effect is associated significantly with the history. The severity of hearing loss is negative prognostic factor for hearing recovery. Age, vestibular function, and electrocochleogram might predict hearing recovery. Gender and thyroxine levels couldn't predict the hearing prognosis, although there is a high incidence rate in patients with ALHL.