Slow-flow phenomena in magnetic resonance imaging of the jugular bulb masquerading as skull base neoplasms.

Enhancement in the region of the jugular foramen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is highly sensitive to the presence of a skull base neoplasm. Unfortunately, this imaging method lacks the specificity to be the sole criterion in the diagnosis of a lesion of the jugular foramen. Although well described in the radiological literature, the phenomenon of gadolinium enhancement of the relatively static blood in the jugular system continues to be erroneously diagnosed as glomus jugulare tumor. Instances of this phenomenon present in patients referred to our practice for surgical opinions before radiation therapy and/or definitive resection will be presented. The purpose of this communication is to bring this potential treatment pitfall to the attention of the neurotology community. Treatment planning for lesions of the lateral skull base cannot singularly be based on MRI findings but requires a healthy skepticism satisfied only by more complete evaluation.

A surgical solution for the difficult chronic ear.

We all encounter them: difficult chronic ears that seem to confound management efforts and that constitute an unrelenting imposition to the patient. Typically these ears have undergone multiple surgeries and are chronically infected. Such cases are commonly associated with residual or recurrent cholesteatoma. Those rare ears that temporarily respond to therapy promptly recur once treatment is withdrawn. Even the most aggressive nonsurgical protocols fail these patients, who exhibit lifelong social and professional incapacity. They seem to ultimately defy resolution. The purpose of this article is to present a surgical solution to the difficult chronic ear dilemma that emphasizes disease control. Treatment outcome is reviewed in 541 cases. Management pitfalls are analyzed with follow-up, in some cases 20 years.

Ossiculoplasty using the black hydroxylapatite hybrid ossicular replacement prostheses.

The problems of ossicular reconstruction in chronic ear surgery have led to the development of new ossicular replacement prostheses. Improvements in biocompatibility and design led to the development of hydroxylapatite hybrid (HaH) ossicular replacement prostheses. The senior author's (M.E.G.) experience with the Black HaH prostheses is reviewed. Sixty cases are grouped by procedure and prosthesis (19 TORPs and 41 PORPs) with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Audiometric data are analyzed to determine the success rate in air-bone gap closure. Complication and extrusion rates are reviewed. These results are compared against those obtained using other prostheses using similar criteria, and this report serves as a follow-up on a previous paper on this subject by the senior author.

Awake evoked electromyography recording from the chronically implanted rat.

Investigation of the effects of various factors on nerve regeneration has been compromised by the lack of an accurate and objective technique which can monitor dynamic changes in the status of nerve-muscle innervation over the entire course of regeneration. The approach of evoked electromyography (EEMG) was adopted to obtain temporal and quantitative data during nerve regeneration. Initially, transcutaneous nerve stimulation and percutaneous muscle recording was performed, but the approach was abandoned because of the high interest variability (20% average deviation) and requirement for anesthesia during testing. A new approach using chronically implanted stimulation and recording electrodes was adopted in an attempt to circumvent these problems. Initial acute studies performed in the hindlimb of the anesthetized rat identified stable EEMG recording sites with sciatic nerve stimulation. In a second study conducted in chronically implanted unanesthetized unrestrained animals, EEMG recording from these sites demonstrated remarkable stability with an average interest variability of only 5%. Preliminary results have been obtained with this technique in monitoring the progression of hindlimb reinnervation following crush and transection nerve injuries.