Hearing and communicative skills in the first years of life in children with congenital Zika syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Microcephaly is recognized as one of the main consequences of congenital Zika syndrome, but other serious problems such as global hypertonia, irritability, excessive crying, swallowing disorders, seizures, visual impairment and sensorineural hearing loss have been identified as associated with the syndrome. OBJECTIVE: Describe the developmental characteristics of hearing and language skills in the first year of life of children with normal hearing thresholds' and congenital Zika syndrome. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that evaluated hearing and language skills in the first year of life of 88 children with normal peripheral hearing and confirmed congenital Zika syndrome. All children were submitted to a behavioral auditory test and a validated questionnaire addressed to parents or caregivers, which was used as an instrument for assessing hearing and communicative skills. RESULTS: The delay in communicative skills was present in 87.5% of the children, while 44.3% of them demonstrated a delay in hearing acuity. Only the alteration of cervical motor control presented as a statistically significant association with delays in both skills (p-value=0.006 and <0.001 for hearing and communicative skills, respectively), while the presence of microcephaly and the degree of its severity were only associated with delayed development of communicative skills. CONCLUSION: Despite a normal peripheral auditory system, children with congenital Zika syndrome may demonstrate delayed language development by having neurological damage at the center of auditory processing, requiring more specific studies to clarify language acquisition in this population.

Hearing and communicative skills in the first years of life in children with congenital Zika syndrome / Habilidades auditivas e de comunicação nos primeiros anos de vida em crianças com síndrome congênita do Zika

Abstract Introduction Microcephaly is recognized as one of the main consequences of congenital Zika syndrome, but other serious problems such as global hypertonia, irritability, excessive crying, swallowing disorders, seizures, visual impairment and sensorineural hearing loss have been identified as associated with the syndrome. Objective Describe the developmental characteristics of hearing and language skills in the first year of life of children with normal hearing thresholds' and congenital Zika syndrome. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that evaluated hearing and language skills in the first year of life of 88 children with normal peripheral hearing and confirmed congenital Zika syndrome. All children were submitted to a behavioral auditory test and a validated questionnaire addressed to parents or caregivers, which was used as an instrument for assessing hearing and communicative skills. Results The delay in communicative skills was present in 87.5% of the children, while 44.3% of them demonstrated a delay in hearing acuity. Only the alteration of cervical motor control presented as a statistically significant association with delays in both skills (p-value = 0.006 and <.001 for hearing and communicative skills, respectively), while the presence of microcephaly and the degree of its severity were only associated with delayed development of communicative skills. Conclusion Despite a normal peripheral auditory system, children with congenital Zika syndrome may demonstrate delayed language development by having neurological damage at the center of auditory processing, requiring more specific studies to clarify language acquisition in this population.

Resumo Introdução A microcefalia é reconhecida como uma das principais consequências da síndrome congênita do Zika, mas outros problemas graves, como hipertonia global, irritabilidade, choro excessivo, distúrbios da deglutição, convulsões, deficiência visual e perda auditiva neurossensorial, foram identificados como associados à síndrome. Objetivo Descrever as características do desenvolvimento das habilidades auditivas e de linguagem no primeiro ano de vida de crianças com limiares auditivos normais e síndrome congênita do Zika. Método Estudo transversal que avaliou habilidades auditivas e de linguagem no primeiro ano de vida de 88 crianças com audição periférica normal e síndrome congênita do Zika confirmada. Todas as crianças foram submetidas a um teste auditivo comportamental e um questionário validado foi endereçado aos pais ou cuidadores e usado como instrumento para avaliar as habilidades auditivas e de comunicação. Resultados O atraso nas habilidades de comunicação estava presente em 87,5% das crianças, enquanto 44,3% delas apresentaram atraso nas habilidades auditivas. Somente a alteração do controle motor cervical apresentou associação estatisticamente significante com atrasos nas duas habilidades (valor de p = 0,006 e < 0,001 para habilidades auditivas e de comunicação, respectivamente), enquanto a presença de microcefalia e o grau de sua gravidade foram associados apenas ao atraso no desenvolvimento das habilidades de comunicação. Conclusão Apesar de um sistema auditivo periférico normal, crianças com síndrome congênita do Zika podem apresentar atraso no desenvolvimento da linguagem por apresentarem danos neurológicos no centro do processamento auditivo, exige estudos mais específicos para esclarecer a aquisição da linguagem nessa população.

Stitchless fibrin glue-aided facial nerve grafting after cerebellopontine angle schwannoma removal: technique and results in 15 cases.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the results of facial nerve (FN) grafting using great auricular cable graft and fibrin glue without suturing to palliate FN disruption after removal of large cerebellopontine angle (CPA) vestibular schwannoma (VS) or facial nerve schwannoma (FNS). To assess whether tumor size and origin influenced the results. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective review of all patients having undergone removal of FNS/VS and needing intraoperative FN repair between 2001 and 2011. INTERVENTION: FN was rehabilitated using great auricular nerve cable graft and fibrin glue (Tisseal) without stitching suture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All data recorded were reviewed to access age, sex, tumor type, and tumor size according to the Koos classification and presenting symptoms. FN function was evaluated preoperatively and at 18 months using the House-Brackmann (HB) grading system. RESULTS: Among the 595 patients operated for CPA schwannomas in this period, 15 patients (2.5%) underwent FN repair, including 7 cases of FNS and 8 cases of VS. Tumor removal was total in all cases. FN recovery was HB3 in 13 cases (86.7%) and HB4 in 2. The mean time to the first clinical signs of facial reinnervation was 10 months (6-12 mo). No significant relation was found between postoperative facial function and tumor size or type, even if all cases of preoperative FP were noted in FNS. CONCLUSION: Immediate FN reconstruction with fibrin glue-aided greater auricular nerve graft can effectively restore FN function with excellent outcomes. The results seem better than those observed by other authors using sutured grafts or delayed hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis.