Surgical Outcomes of Sigmoid Sinus Resurfacing for Pulsatile Tinnitus: The Predictive Value of the Water Occlusion Test and Imaging Studies

Objectives@#. Sigmoid sinus resurfacing (SS-R) is one of the most effective surgical treatments for patients with pulsatile tinnitus (PT) originating from anatomical variants of the vascular walls in the temporal bone. This study aimed to provide updated information on the clinical outcomes of SS-R and evaluate the efficacy of the water occlusion test (WOT) as an additional diagnostic modality. @*Methods@#. We retrospectively reviewed medical records including tinnitus questionnaires, temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT) scans, audiologic tests, and preoperative WOT results from patients who underwent SS-R. @*Results@#. In total, 26 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 44 years, and the mean symptom duration was 3 months. Fourteen patients (53.8%) were completely cured, seven (26.9%) significantly improved, and five (19.2%) remained stable. The mean visual analog scale loudness score decreased from 5.26 to 1.34 (P<0.001) and the mean Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score also improved from 50.23 to 5.5 (P<0.001) after SS-R surgery. In 10 patients with discrepancies between the preoperative TBCT and intraoperative findings, WOT showed a significant additive effect in predicting surgical outcomes. No patients experienced severe intraoperative or postoperative complications during the entire follow-up period. @*Conclusion@#. SS-R provides significant symptom improvement in patients with sigmoid sinus dehiscence who had a positive WOT without other sigmoid sinus variants. A combined diagnostic approach with TBCT, WOT, and intraoperative findings is crucial for achieving better surgical outcomes in patients with PT caused by sigmoid sinus variants.

Two Cases of Intra-Operative Cardiac Arrhythmia During Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty: The Mechanism and Treatment / 대한이비인후과학회지

Balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET), a surgical technique to expand the cartilaginous portion of the eustachian tube by ballooning via opening at the nasopharynx, has been introduced as a useful surgical modality for eustachian tube dysfunction patients. Although BET is known as a relatively safe procedure, we recently have experienced two cases of cardiac complications during balloon inflation. In one case, an asystole occurred for 13 seconds during this procedure; the heart rate was recovered after balloon deflation with an intravenous injection of glycopyrrolate and atropine. In the other case, bradycardia occurred and continued during BET. Heart rate was recovered immediately after deflation of balloon without drug injection. As far as we know, this is the first report of cardiac complications during BET, probably related with trigemino-cardiac reflex. In both cases, no other sequelae remained after the surgery. We report these two cases of cardiac complications that occurred during BET along with a review of literature.

Otoplastic Surgery for Calcified Auricular Deformity / 대한이비인후과학회지

Auricular hematoma is one of the most common problems among people who have got repetitive blunt trauma to the external ear. Prompt managements are drainage of hematoma and following prevention of re-accumulation (e.g. compression dressing). If the treatment is not successful, many complications can occur, including perichondritis, infection and necrosis. Especially long-lasting loss of blood supply to the ear cartilage and formation of neocartilage from disrupted perichondrium can result in cauliflower ear deformity. There were some studies trying to classify and to treat the cauliflower ear by the degree of deformities. And excision of deformed cartilage with reshaping of the auricle has been reported several times. In this article, we would like to introduce a successful drilling technique of otoplasty as a useful treatment option.

Clinical Feasibility of Suppression Head Impulse Test in Vestibulopathy Patients / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The suppression head impulse (SHIMP) test has emerged as one of the new vestibular function tests. The SHIMP test is an analysis of anti-compensatory saccadic movements in gazing moving targets as the head moves. In this study, we investigated the accuracy and sensitivity of the test. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We analyzed the results of SHIMP test (gain, amplitude, and latency) in 24 cases, which included normal, vestibular neuritis, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, bilateral vestibular function loss, temporal bone fracture, tuberculosis meningitis and acoustic schwannoma patients. We also carried out a physical exam, audiologic study, video electronystagmography (vENG) and a conventional video head impulse test to evaluate the feasibility of SHIMP test in cases of vesitibulopathy. RESULTS: In patients with vestibulopathy, the analysis of SHIMP test indicated high sensitivity and accuracy, which were supported by accompanying audio-vestibular studies. Patients suspected with BPPV, vestibular neuronitis and Meniere's disease showed low vestibulo ocular reflex (VOR) gain and delayed anticompensatory saccade with smaller and more scattered amplitudes than the control. Patients with bilateral vestibular function loss, temporal bone fracture, tuberculosis meningitis, and acoustic schwannoma showed delayed latency, and small amplitude or few anticompensatory saccades. Finally, changes in the SHIMP test values might be a hint that patients had recovered from vestibular neuronitis and tuberculosis meningitis. CONCLUSION: We found the feasibility of SHIMP test in detecting the pathologic condition of VOR in vestibulopathy patients. We argue that the usefulness of SHIMP test might be extended to evaluating the effectiveness of rehabilitation.

Clinical Feasibility of Suppression Head Impulse Test in Vestibulopathy Patients / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES@#The suppression head impulse (SHIMP) test has emerged as one of the new vestibular function tests. The SHIMP test is an analysis of anti-compensatory saccadic movements in gazing moving targets as the head moves. In this study, we investigated the accuracy and sensitivity of the test.SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We analyzed the results of SHIMP test (gain, amplitude, and latency) in 24 cases, which included normal, vestibular neuritis, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, bilateral vestibular function loss, temporal bone fracture, tuberculosis meningitis and acoustic schwannoma patients. We also carried out a physical exam, audiologic study, video electronystagmography (vENG) and a conventional video head impulse test to evaluate the feasibility of SHIMP test in cases of vesitibulopathy.@*RESULTS@#In patients with vestibulopathy, the analysis of SHIMP test indicated high sensitivity and accuracy, which were supported by accompanying audio-vestibular studies. Patients suspected with BPPV, vestibular neuronitis and Meniere's disease showed low vestibulo ocular reflex (VOR) gain and delayed anticompensatory saccade with smaller and more scattered amplitudes than the control. Patients with bilateral vestibular function loss, temporal bone fracture, tuberculosis meningitis, and acoustic schwannoma showed delayed latency, and small amplitude or few anticompensatory saccades. Finally, changes in the SHIMP test values might be a hint that patients had recovered from vestibular neuronitis and tuberculosis meningitis.@*CONCLUSION@#We found the feasibility of SHIMP test in detecting the pathologic condition of VOR in vestibulopathy patients. We argue that the usefulness of SHIMP test might be extended to evaluating the effectiveness of rehabilitation.

Severe Complication of Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) has become an increasingly popular method of establishing an airway for patients in need of chronic ventilator assistance. We report a rare case of a 42-year-old female who developed extensive subcutaneous emphysema, bilateral pneumothoraces, pneumomediastinum, and pneumoperitoneum after percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy. The patient suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and underwent PDT after a period of mechanical ventilation. During PDT, tracheostomy tube was inserted into the paratracheal space. Follow-up chest radiography and computed tomography of chest and abdomen revealed extensive subcutaneous emphysema, bilateral pneumothoraces, pneumomediastinum, and pneumoperitoneum. The patient was treated successfully with insertion of the thoracostomy tube and conservative care.