The otologist's tuning fork examination--are you striking it correctly?

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the manner in which a tuning fork is activated affects its vibrational response. STUDY DESIGN: Diagnostic test assessment. SETTING: Hearing Center of Excellence laboratory. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A Polytec OFV-5000 scanning vibrometer was used to measure the vibrational response of 256-Hz, 512-Hz, and 1024-Hz tuning forks after activation. The tuning forks were activated to varying intensities by striking 4 unique surfaces: the head, palm, a metal surface, and a wood table. RESULTS: The fundamental frequency of the individual tuning fork was the dominant observed frequency in all testing scenarios. Additional nonharmonic frequencies were noted when the 256-Hz and 512-Hz tuning forks were struck off metal and wooden surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: Additional nonfundamental sound frequencies produced secondary to striking a tuning fork off a metal object or a wooden table could affect clinical tuning fork examination and complicate decisions regarding surgical candidacy.

Noise-induced hearing loss: a military perspective.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize relevant literature occurring over the past 12-18 months forwarding understanding of noise-induced hearing loss in relation to military service. RECENT FINDINGS: Hearing loss prior to entry into military service is highly predictive of subsequent hearing loss and hearing loss disability. Tightly controlled organic solvent exposure may not be a significant risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss. Increasingly detailed analysis of high intensity noise, impulse and blast noise exposures, and the methods used to mitigate these exposures are leading to breakthroughs in understanding and predicting hearing loss in military service. SUMMARY: Prevention, mitigation, treatment, and prediction of the effects of hazardous noise exposure in military service continue to require a multidisciplinary team of individuals from around the world fully aware of the detrimental effect to service members and their societies of hearing loss disability.

A lightning strike causing a cholesteatoma: a unique form of otologic blast injury.

OBJECTIVE: We present a case of a middle-aged male struck by lightning while walking in a parking lot. Assessment of the patient's injuries demonstrated common sequelae of an otologic blast injury. Review of this case should prepare the otolaryngologist to identify and manage otologic blast injuries regardless of their etiology. METHODS: Case study and literature review CASE REPORT: The patient presented to a level 1 trauma and burn center with a ruptured tympanic membrane, otalgia, mixed hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus. After 3 months of observation, the patient's tympanic membrane perforation demonstrated little spontaneous closure. Additionally, he was noted to have formation of a posttraumatic cholesteatoma in the posterior-superior mesotympanum. Over-under tympanoplasty with excision of the cholesteatoma was successful, and the ossicular chain remained intact. The patient underwent vestibular therapy for an ipsilateral uncompensated vestibular weakness. His dizziness resolved, allowing him to return to full employment. The patient's final audiogram demonstrated normal hearing thresholds sloping to a mild mixed hearing loss in the high frequencies, and the tinnitus reduced significantly in intensity but did not resolve. CONCLUSION: The patient's injury pattern clearly resulted from the damaging effects of the shock wave generated by the lightning bolt, which impacted the patient's thorax. Management of his otologic care was conducted after practices developed for otologic blast injury and resulted in his being able to return to his primary occupation.

Management of the incus body in ossiculoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: (1) Evaluate the sound transfer impact of removal of the incus body in ossicular chain reconstruction (OCR) using an incus strut prosthesis. (2) Provide basic science data to assist clinical decision making in ossiculoplasty. STUDY DESIGN: Basic science. SETTING: Cadaveric temporal bone research laboratory. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ossicular chain reconstruction with an incus strut prosthesis was performed on 7 human temporal bones with and without the incus body. The difference in round window membrane (RWM) peak-to-peak displacements (90-dB sound pressure level, 250-8000 Hz) using single-point laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) was compared with observed baseline, intact ossicular chain values. RESULTS: Comparing OCR using an incus strut prosthesis to an intact ossicular chain across all 7 temporal bones, the largest differences in RWM velocity occurred at 1011 and 2011 Hz. With increasing frequencies, RWM velocities of the OCR approached the intact ossicular chain. Using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test comparing the ossicular chain with and without the incus body showed no statistically significant difference across all frequencies (P = .925). Removing the incus body resulted in improved median RWM velocity (× 10(-2) mm/s) by 0.6 at 1011 Hz and a decrease of 0.6 at 2011 Hz. A rank-sum test to evaluate the difference at 1011 and 2011 Hz did not demonstrate statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Removal of the incus body in OCR using an incus strut prosthesis did not significantly change sound transfer function of the middle ear relative to its preservation. Our data suggest the impact of the retained mass in OCR to be minimal.

Effects of tympanomeatal blunting on sound transfer function.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To measure the peak-to-peak displacement of the round window membrane (RWM) prior to blunting procedure. (2) To evaluate the impact of blunting the anterior tympanomeatal angle (ATA) on middle ear sound transfer function. STUDY DESIGN: Basic science study. Setting. Cadaveric temporal bone research laboratory. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Six fresh human temporal bones were prepared using a mastoidectomy and facial recess approach. Baseline RWM peak-to-peak displacements were obtained by single-point laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) at 90-dB sound pressure level over a spectrum of 250 to 8000 Hz. Temporalis muscle was harvested and then fashioned into a graft for each temporal bone, mimicking ATA blunting. RWM displacement responses with the blunted ATA were measured using the LDV to judge the impact on middle ear transfer function. RESULTS: For each of the 6 temporal bones, the average displacement decreased across all sound frequencies with the ATA blunting when compared with baseline (no blunting). Baseline velocity measurements for all sound signals averaged 4.5 × 10(-3) ± 1.892 × 10(-3) (mean ± SEM) mm/s, while measurements averaged 2.2 ± 6.62 × 10(-4) mm/s with blunting of the ATA (P < .001). This amounted to a 52% decrease in velocity of the RWM following blunting of the ATA. CONCLUSION: Blunting of the ATA decreases the sound transfer function of the tympanic membrane and middle ear. Prevention of blunting at the ATA during tympanoplasty should be emphasized.

Vocal fold immobility following burn intensive care.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate factors associated with the development of vocal fold immobility in patients surviving burn intensive care. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective review of patients referred to Department of Speech Pathology by the Burn Intensive Care Unit between June 2002 and November 2004. Patients underwent videostroboscopic examination, and associations of vocal fold immobility with factors related to patient management were examined by using logistic regression. RESULTS: Vocal fold immobility was diagnosed in 25 (48%) of the 52 patients evaluated. A significant association with a history of intubation during overseas aeromedical evacuation (odds ratio 4.5, P = 0.026) was observed. Multivariate modeling demonstrated an increased risk of 3% for each % total body surface area (TBSA) of burn. CONCLUSION: High-altitude transport of intubated patients was a significant risk factor in the development of laryngeal injury. SIGNIFICANCE: This study magnifies the role that endotracheal tube cuff pressure may play in recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.

Comprehensive head and neck trauma screening: the USS Cole experience.

A prospective study was designed to determine the incidence of occult head and neck injuries after initial triage of patients following the USS Cole terrorist bombing. All 39 patients evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center underwent comprehensive head and neck examinations, regardless of known diagnoses at the time of arrival. Appropriate interventions were performed, and detailed summaries were added to the patients' records. Initial triage listed nine of 39 patients as having sustained head and neck injuries. After screening by an otolaryngology team, 23 of 39 patients were identified as having head and neck injuries requiring further care. The majority of head and neck injuries were not initially reported to the head and neck trauma service. Our conclusion is that occult head and neck injuries are common after blast injuries. Early identification and intervention by a subspecialty head and neck trauma team can aid in achieving optimal outcomes after blast injury.

A case of paranasal sinus angiolipoma.

OBJECTIVE: To present the first documented case of an angiolipoma of the maxillary sinus, our treatment of the patient, and the 1-year follow-up results. At the conclusion of the report, the reader should be able to discuss the incidence, treatment options, and long-term prognosis of angiolipomas of the paranasal sinuses. STUDY DESIGN: A case study reporting on a single patient with the diagnosis of maxillary sinus angiolipoma. METHODS: Review of diagnostic studies, the operative technique, and the patient's chart for the 1-year period after treatment. RESULTS: The patient remains free of disease 1 year after definitive surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Angiolipomas are exceedingly rare in this location. The accepted treatment for this disease in other regions of the body consists of wide local excision with close follow-up. The extent of the disease found in this patient required a medial maxillectomy for en bloc resection. We would advocate such an approach for other physicians who are faced with a patient with this rare diagnosis.