Etiologia formelor severe de otită externă

Rezumat Otita externă este un proces inflamator al canalului auditiv extern, care poate evolua acut sau cronic. Otita externă acută afectează anual 4 ‰ în timp ce forma cronică afectează 3-5% din populaţie. Incidenţa sa înregistrează un maxim între 5-15 ani, pentru a scădea după vârsta de 50 ani şi este frecvent asociată cu umiditatea crescută, căldura, traumatismele locale, profesii care presupun contactul local cu apa (salvamar), aparate auditive. Frecvenţa relativ mare a afecţiunii precum şi rezistenţa la tratamentul local şi general al unor cazuri determină un interes constant privind acest subiect. Din acest motiv am considerat interesant un studiu privind particularităţile privind etiologia otitelor externe in zona noastră geografică.Summary External otitis is an inflammatory process of the skin that cover external auditory meatus with either chronic or acute evolution. Acute external otitis has an incidence of 0.4% whereas the incidence of chronic external otitis is 3-5%. The most affected group of population is that with age between 5 and 15 years old, than after 50 years of age, the incidence decline. External otitis is associated with: high humidity, high temperature, local trauma, profession that imply water entrance in the auditory canal (swimmers), hearing aids etc. The high frequency of the disease as well as the difficulties encountered in certain cases in treating it explain the constant interest for this subject. In this study we present the particularities regarding the etiology of the disease

OBJECTIVE TESTS FOR THE EVALUATION OF COCHLEAR IMPLANT CANDIDATES

Introduction: Cochlear implant indications have changed during the last decade. The objective tests are important in the cochlear implantation procedure. Purpose of the study: We proposed an evaluation for the objective tests in establishing a corect indication for cochlear implant in patients with bilateral sensorineural deafness. Materials and methods: We studied a group of 34 patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss tested by subjective and objective methods for an eventual cochlear implantation. Results: 74% of the patients presented a profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, 15% a severe type, 4% medium, 3% fluctuant and 4% cofosis. The examined patients fulfill the auditory criteria that justify the cochlear implant procedure. Discussions: The evaluation by subjective tests is followed by objective tests, offering provative evidence in clear cases and also in unclear ones. As a supplimentary measure, all the patients evaluated by subjective tests in establishing the possibility for cochlear implantations received at least one objective form of testing. Conclusions: Currently, the objective tests represent an important step in the reccomandation for cochlear implant. In all cases (excepting young children) the objective tests are compared/correlated with the subjective tests before the implantation procedure, specially with the subjective evaluation by a conventional prosthesis

THE BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF ACOUSTIC MICRO SENSORS BASED ON MAGNETOSTRICTIVE NANOFIBERS

Introduction: The introduction of implantable devices in the human body determines a series of issues regarding their long-term tolerance. The biological tests represent the most critical stage in the biocompatibility assessment. Purpose of the Study: We proposed the testing of various materials that might be used in the development of implantable devices that function as auditory sensors. Materials and Methods: We conducted in vivo tests (on experience animals – white rats) for the biocompatibility of magnetostrictive materials based on FeGa20 and Co75Fe10B15. We implanted a sample from each material in the interface of the subcutaneous cellular tissue and paravertebral muscles. The biochemical and cellular modifications and also the immune response are evaluated at 14, 60 and 120 days from the implantation. Results: The results at 14, 60 and 120 days were similar for the both types of implanted materials: normal teguments (epidermal tissue of normal thickness, numerous hair follicles, dermal and hypodermal tissues without any modifications) and a normal layer of skeletal muscle fibers. Discussions: The material biocompatibility was assessed by histological examination of the organsim reaction to the implantated foreign body. The lack of biocompatibility is characterised by acute or chronic inflammatory reaction at the site of implantation, with the presence of inflammatory cells as the determinant criteria. Conclusions: Based on the prelevated histological materials examined macroscopically and microscopically we can conclude that, after 3 succesive tests, the evaluated materials (FeGa20, Co75Fe10B15) are biocompatible

Idiopathic sudden hearing loss: Oxidative status before and after corticoid treatment

The aim of this study was to investigate antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation levels after systemic corticoid therapy (Solu-Medrol, 250mg/day, for 7 days). The effects of corticoid treatment on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity were investigated. Fifteen patients diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss were enrolled. Serum markers of oxidative stress were measured using spectrophotometric methods. In ten cases, the SOD and GPX activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels before and after corticoid treatment were investigated. Corticoid treatment enhanced antioxidant activity by increasing SOD and GPX activities and decreasing MDA serum levels