Speech perception and audiometry thresholds in Nucleus cochlear 22 and Nucleus 24 implant users

INTRODUÇÃO: Clinicamente observa-se contribuição da tecnologia do implante coclear (IC) Nucleus 24 (N24). A confirmação dessa evidência seria importante pois afeta diretamente os critérios de indicação do implante coclear. OBJETIVO: Verificar a contribuição da atualização da tecnologia do IC sobre limiares audiométricos e desempenho na percepção de sentenças após 12 meses de uso do implante. MÉTODO: Estudo retrospectivo de corte transversal, com coleta em banco de dados. Critérios de seleção: idade igual ou superior a 18 anos, uso do dispositivo de IC N22 ou N24, tempo de privação auditiva até 20 anos, cuja etiologia da surdez não seja meningite. A amostra foi dividida em G22 (usuários do N22), e G24 (usuários do N24). Os grupos foram comparados em relação aos resultados no teste de percepção de sentenças no silêncio e limiares audiométricos após 12 meses de uso. RESULTADOS: Dos 84 pacientes adultos selecionados, 54 preencheram os critérios de seleção, sendo 13 usuários de N22 e 41 usuários de N24. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre resíduo auditivo pré-operatório e tempo de privação auditiva dos usuários do N22 e N24. Os usuários do N24 apresentaram melhores médias nos limiares audiométricos, mas os testes de percepção de sentenças no silêncio não indicaram diferença entre modelos. CONCLUSÃO: A contribuição da tecnologia foi evidenciada apenas nos limiares audiométricos. Novos estudos estão sendo conduzidos para avaliar a contribuição da tecnologia na percepção de fala em situações auditivas mais difíceis.INTRODUCTION: Clinically it was observed the contribution of the Nucleus 24 (N24) cochlear implant (CI) technology. The confirmation of this evidence would be important because it affects directly the indication criteria of the cochlear implant. OBJECTIVE: To verify the contribution of the technologys updating of the CI about the auditory thresholds and the performance in the perception of sentences after 12 mouths of implant use. METHOD: A retrospective, cross-sectional study with database collection. Selection criteria: age equal or higher than 18 years old, CI N22 or N24 device use, auditory privation time until 20 years, which deafness etiology does not be meningitis. The sample was divided into G22 (N22 users), and G24 (N24 users). The groups were compared concerning the result in the sentences perception test in the silence and audiometric thresholds after 12 mouths of use. RESULTS: From 84 adults patients selected, 54 filled the selection criteria, being 13 users of N22 and 41 users of N24. There was no difference statistically significant between preoperative auditory residues and time of auditory privation of the N22 and N24 users. The N24 users presented best averages in the audiometric thresholds, but the sentences perception tests in the silence do not indicated difference between models. CONCLUSION: The contribution of the technology was evidenced only in the auditory thresholds. News studies are being performed in order to evaluate the technology contribution in the speech perception in auditory situations more difficult

The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the postoperative management of cholesteatomas

A tomografia computadorizada e ressonância magnética (RM) com seqüências convencionais têm baixa especificidade para a diferenciação entre tecido de granulação e recidiva de colesteatoma. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a aplicação da RM com sequência de difusão e pós-contraste T1 tardio na detecção de recidiva de colesteatoma. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Realizado estudo transversal prospectivo de dezessete pacientes estudados no pós-operatório de colesteatoma utilizando RM de 1.5 T com seqüência difusão, T1, T2 e pós-contraste T1 tardio nos planos coronal e axial. Dois radiologistas avaliaram e decidiram em consenso a presença de foco de hipersinal na difusão e T2, iso/hipossinal em T1 e ausência de impregnação pelo contraste como suspeitos de recidiva de colesteatoma. Os achados da revisão cirúrgica foram comparados com o resultado da RM. RESULTADOS: Onze dos doze casos de recidiva de colesteatoma apresentaram hipersinal na difusão. Todos os pacientes com tecido de granulação na cavidade cirúrgica não apresentaram alteração de sinal na difusão. Um paciente com abscesso no conduto auditivo interno também apresentou hipersinal na difusão. A sensibilidade, especificidade, valor preditivo positivo e negativo foram respectivamente 91,6%, 60%, 84,6% e 75%. CONCLUSÃO: A seqüência de difusão combinada com pós-contraste tardio pode ser útil na diferenciação entre tecido de granulação e recidiva de colesteatoma.Conventional CT and MRI scans have low specificity when it comes to differentiating granulation tissue from relapsing cholesteatoma. AIM: this paper aims to analyze the use of DWI and delayed post-contrast T1-weighed imaging in the detection of recurring cholesteatomas. MATERIALS AND METHOD: this is a cross-sectional prospective study that looked at 17 cholesteatoma patients postoperatively. All patients underwent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5T, T1, T2, and delayed post-contrast T1 and images were produced from both coronal and axial planes. Two radiologists assessed the images and decided consensually that the presence of hyperintensive signal in DWI on T2, iso/hypointensive signal on T1, and absence of contrast uptake were indicative of relapsing cholesteatoma. Surgical review findings were compared to DWI scans. RESULTS: eleven of the twelve cases of recurring cholesteatoma presented hyperintensive signal in the DWI scans. None of the patients with granulation tissue in the surgical wound presented hyperintensive signal in the DWI scans. A patient with an abscess in the internal acoustic meatus also presented a hyperintensive signal in the DWI scans. Sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 91.6%, 60.0%, 84.6%, and 75.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: DWI combined with delayed post-contrast T1 SE sequence proved to be useful in the differential diagnosis of granulation tissue and recurring cholesteatoma

Use of alpha-tricalcium phosphate bone cement in the surgical treatment of mastoid cavity

Introduction: Open cavity mastoidectomy can generate some complications and mastoid cavity obliteration is a technique described and studied for the elimination of this cavity. Alloplastic materials have been studied in mastoid cavity obliteration surgery. Alpha-tricalcium phosphate bone cement is a material composed by calcium and phosphate and presents biochemical characteristics similar to the bone mineral phase. Objective: This study is aimed at evaluating the biocompatibility of alpha-tricalcium phosphate bone cement in the obliteration of the mastoid cavity in guinea pigs. Methods: 20 guinea pigs were submitted to surgical procedure. In 10 cement study group animals, the tympanic bulla was obliterated with alpha-tricalcium phosphate bone cement and in 10 guinea pigs (control group), the cavity was left unfilled. The animals were evaluated for clinical signs of material rejection and other complications. The temporal bones were removed and analyzed as for the type and degree of inflammatory response, as well as the degree of ossification. Results: In the animals that completed the study, there were no complications. There were not either the presence of foreign body inflammatory reaction in none of the samples of both groups. As for the ossification degree, the average ossification scores in the control group (3.5) was greater than that shown by the cement group (1.0). Conclusions: 1) The alpha-tricalcium phosphate bone cement is biocompatible in guinea pig's temporal bone 2) The alphatricalcium phosphate bone cement undergoes bone remodeling, but it doesn´t present osteoconductive properties

Description of 34 patients with complicated cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media

Introduction: Cholesteatomas are cystic destructive lesions that affect any pneumatized area of the temporal bone. They can cause intracranial and extracranial complications. Objective: To register the patients with complicated cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media, who were interned in the otorhinolaryngology nursing of the Clinical Hospital of São Paulo, between the years of 2001 and 2008. Method: Retrospective study involving 34 patients with complicated cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media, who had been otorhinolaryngology nursing in the Clinical Hospital of the Medicine College of the University of São Paulo, from 2001 through 2008. Results: The age of the patients ranged from 7 to 83 years, with predominance of the masculine sex (76%). The extracranial complications were more frequent than the intracranial complications, and some patients presented both types of complication. All the patients received endovenous antibiotic, and only one patient was not submitted to surgical procedure. No patient died, and in the six-month follow-up no incapacitating severe neurological sequels occurred. Conclusion: The precocious and aggressive treatment of the complicated cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media diminishes the disease morbimortality

Communicative and Hearing Performance in Individuals with Cochlear Implants and Delayed Neuropsychomotor Development: A Longitudinal Analysis

Introduction Between 15% to 30% of individuals with bilateral prelingual sensorineural hearing loss present with associated disabilities. Cochlear implant (CI) is an alternative treatment that provides consistent access to environmental and speech sounds, which results in significant benefits regarding quality of life and auditory and language development

Complicações em 550 cirurgias consecutivas de implante coclear

Cochlear implantation is a safe and reliable method for auditory restoration in patients with severe to profound hearing loss. Objective: To describe the surgical complications of cochlear implantation. Materials and Methods: Information from 591 consecutive multichannel cochlear implant surgeries were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were followed-up for at least one year. Forty-one patients were excluded because of missing data, follow-up loss or middle fossa approach. Results: Of 550 cochlear implantation analyzed, 341 were performed in children or adolescents, and 209 in adults. The mean hearing loss time was 6.3 +/- 6.7 years for prelingual loss and 12.1 +/- 11.6 years for postlingual. Mean follow-up was 3.9 +/- 2.8 years. Major complications occurred in 8.9% and minor in 7.8%. Problems during electrode insertion (3.8%) were the most frequent major complication followed by flap dehiscence (1.4%). Temporary facial palsy (2.2%), canal-wall lesion (2.2%) and tympanic membrane lesion (1.8%) were the more frequent minor complications. No death occurred. Conclusion: There was a low rate of surgical complications, most of them been successfully managed. These results confirm that cochlear implant is a safe surgery and most surgical complications can be managed with conservative measures or minimal intervention.A cirurgia de implante coclear (IC) é método seguro e factível de restaurar audição em pacientes com surdez grave a profunda. \ud OBJETIVO: Descrever complicações do IC. \ud MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Dados de 591 IC com tempo de seguimento de pelo menos 1 ano foram retrospectivamente analisados. Foram excluídos 41 pacientes por dados incompletos, acesso via fossa media ou perda de seguimento. \ud RESULTADOS: Dos 550 IC analisados, 341 foram realizados em crianças e adolescentes e 209 em adultos. O tempo médio de surdez foi de 6,3 ± 6,7 anos para pré-linguais e 12,1 ± 11,6 anos para os pós-linguais. O tempo médio de seguimento foi 3,9 ± 2,8 anos. Complicações maiores ocorreram em 8,9% casos e menores em 7,8%. Problemas durante a inserção do feixe de eletrodos (3,8%) foi a complicação maior mais frequente, seguido pela deiscência de ferida operatória (1,4%). Paralisia facial temporária (2,2%), lesão muro facial (2,2%) e lesão de membrana timpânica (1,8%) foram as complicações menores mais frequentes. Nenhum óbito foi observado. \ud CONCLUSÃO: Complicações cirúrgicas tiveram baixa ocorrência, sendo a maioria solucionada com sucesso. Esses resultados confirmam que o IC é uma cirurgia segura e a maioria das complicações cirúrgicas pode ser manejada com medidas conservadoras ou intervenções menores

Evaluation of Intracochlear Trauma Caused by Insertion of Cochlear Implant Electrode Arrays through Different Quadrants of the Round Window

Hypothesis. This study aimed to evaluate whether there is a difference in the degree of intracochlear trauma when the cochlear implant electrode arrays is inserted through different quadrants of the round window membrane. Background. The benefits of residual hearing preservation in cochlear implant recipients have promoted the development of atraumatic surgeries. Minimal trauma during electrode insertion is crucial for residual hearing preservation. Methods. In total, 25 fresh human temporal bones were subjected to mastoidectomy and posterior tympanotomy. The cochlear implant electrode array was inserted through the anterosuperior quadrant of the round window membrane in 50% of the bones and through the anteroinferior quadrant in the remaining 50%. The temporal bones were dehydrated, embedded in epoxy, serially polished, stained, viewed through a stereomicroscope, and photographed with the electrode arrays in situ. The resulting images were analyzed for signs of intracochlear trauma. Results. Histological examinations revealed varying degrees of damage to the intracochlear structures, although the incidence and severity of intracochlear trauma were not influenced by the quadrant of insertion. Conclusions. The incidence and severity of intracochlear trauma were similar in all samples, irrespective of electrode array insertion through the anterosuperior or anteroinferior quadrant of the round window membrane

Conditions of Personality Predicting Results with Cochlear Implant in Post-lingual Patients with Long-time Hearing Deprivation

Introduction: In the individuals with post-lingual deafness, one of the mostly questioned topics about the efficiency of the results of the implant is the time of hearing deprivation. In the cochlear implant group of HCFMUSP [Clinics Hospital of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo], we found implanted patients with long time sensorial deprivation, but not necessarily with poor audiological outcomes. Objective: To identify conditions of personality predicting good results in post-lingual patients with long-time hearing deprivation. Method: Retrospective study of cases series. We reviewed Wartegg's tests carried out prior to IC, in patients with post-lingual loss and who had hearing deprivation for longer than 10 years upon surgery. The test's results were related and compared to their auditory outcomes, two years after cochlear implant. Results: The deafness incidence and the time of deprivation do not interfere with the results. As for the conditions of personality, patients with good audiological results presented a well-structured ego, easiness for affective interchanges which favors the facing of difficult situations and concretization of ideas, besides spontaneity in the projection of their contents. Those who presented unsatisfactory results have not a very clear view of themselves, difficulty for interpersonal contacts, production according to their potential, poor level of assertion, self-aggressive tendencies in addition to no response according to the situations. Conclusion: The preoperative psychological evaluation may identify conditions of differentiated personality in patients with good audiological results, although they have a long-time deprivation