Development of a wireless intra-vaginal transducer for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure in women.

Pelvic floor disorders (PFD) affect one of every four women in the United States. Elevated intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) during daily activity or strenuous physical activity has been identified as a risk factor in the prevalence of PFD. However, the relationship between IAP and physical activity is poorly understood and oftentimes activity restrictions are prescribed by physicians without clinical evidence linking various activities to elevated IAP. There are currently no pressure transducers capable of monitoring IAP non-invasively out of a clinical environment. To overcome this shortcoming, a novel intra-vaginal pressure transducer (IVT) was developed to continuously monitor IAP. Improvements were made to the first generation IVT by incorporating wireless capability to enhance the device's mobility while creating a more robust IAP monitoring system. To ensure the changes maintained the functionality of the original device design, comparison testing with standard clinical pressure transducers in both bench top and clinical settings was conducted. The wireless device was found to have high linearity, robust signal transmission, and dynamic response that outperforms the clinical standard rectal transducer and is similar to the original first generation non-wireless design. The wireless IVT presented here is a mobile wireless device capable of measuring, storing and transmitting IAP data during various physical activities.

[Vestibular neuritis]. / Neuritis vestibularis.

Vestibular neuritis is the second most common cause of peripheral vestibular vertigo. Its assumed cause is a reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection. Methylprednisolone significantly improves the recovery of peripheral vestibular function in patients with vestibular neuritis. Clinical studies suggest that specific vestibular exercises improve vestibulo-spinal and vestibulo-ocular compensation in patients with vestibular neuritis. This review discusses the above and comments etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic procedures and differential diagnosis.

[Local overpressure treatment reduces vestibular symptoms in patients with Menière's disease--secondary publication. A clinically randomised multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled study]. / Lokal overtryksbehandling reducerer vestibulaere symptomer hos patienter med Menières sygdom--sekundaerpublikation. Et klinisk randomiseret multicenter-dobbeltblindet placebokontrolleret studie.

This investigation was performed to evaluate the efficacy of a new device, the Méniètt, in the treatment of Ménière's disease. The device delivers pressure pulses to the middle ear through a ventilating tube in the tympanic membrane. These pressure changes are conveyed to the inner ear, reducing the endolymphatic hydrops. The device is significantly effective in reducing the vestibular symptoms, as compared with the placebo device. Local overpressure treatment is a novel treatment that is non-invasive, non-destructive and safe. It should be offered to patients before more invasive surgical modalities are suggested.

[Parents' perceptions of their deaf children's speech, language and social outcome after cochlear implantation]. / Foraeldrevurdering af talesprog og generel trivsel hos børn med cochleaimplantat.

INTRODUCTION: Our goal was to present results related to the speech and language skills and social well-being of 62 deaf children with cochlear implant performed at the East Danish CI Center, Gentofte County Hospital. We performed an outcome study based on parents' reports and background information. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, we studied 62 hard-of-hearing/deaf children operated on, switched on and fine-tuned from 1993 to 2003 in the East Danish CI center, Gentofte County Hospital. RESULTS: The following parameters were found to have a significant correlation with the children's speech and language outcome: the period of time the CI had been used, educational level, parents' mode of communication. A significant correlation was also found between educational placement and communication mode at home. Sixty of the 61 children were reported to have a satisfactory or very satisfactory level of social well-being. CONCLUSION: The children's level of social well-being is satisfactory. The period of time the CI has been used, educational placement, and the parents' mode of communication are important factors in each child's speech and linguistic development.