[Torsion of the pedicle of ovarian tumor in a 98 years old patient].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to K Ushiro.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
We have summarized various methods for testing Eustachian tube function since the 1980's. There have been numerous contributions to our knowledge on Eustachian tube and middle ear functions, and the pathophysiology of disorders of the middle ear has been clarified. Understanding of the Eustachian tube function and controlling the Eustachian tube dysfunction are mandatory for adequate clinical management and for improvement of the prognosis.
Prognostic value of the Eustachian tube function test remains controversial. To prevent ear drum adhesion or the recurrence of cholesteatoma it is important to select cases with severe organic obstruction of the Eustachian tube and to use surgical procedures to restore function. We summarize here the indications and the surgical procedure for organic obstruction of the Eustachian tube, especially in the region of the tympanic orifice. Adequate preoperative evaluation of Eustachian tube function and pertinent surgical procedures will pave the way for a better prognosis for patients subjected to ear surgery.
To determine whether tinnitus has a masking effect similar to that of general external sounds, the hearing threshold shift when the tinnitus was changed by intravenous administration of lidocaine was measured by contingent negative variation (CNV) audiometry. In a preliminary study, the reliability of CNV audiometry was evaluated in 12 patients with tinnitus. The reproducibility of CNV audiometry was confirmed, based on repeated measurements of CNV audiometry at the tinnitus frequency. The threshold difference between CNV audiometry and pure tone audiometry was -0.76 +/- 1.35 dB, and a high statistical correlation between the threshold of CNV audiometry and pure tone audiometry was evident. The CNV threshold shift at tinnitus frequency after lidocaine injection was measured in 89 ears. In the tinnitus-decreased group, the CNV threshold decreased (4-6 dB) in 22% of cases; however, in the tinnitus-unchanged group, the CNV threshold was little changed. These findings suggest that tinnitus may have a masking effect as is the case with external sounds.
Hemifacial spasm is related to vascular compression of the root entry zone of the facial nerve at the brainstem by elongated tortuous vessels of the vertebrobasilar arterial system. In this study, we performed MR imaging in 16 patients with hemifacial spasm and investigated the vascular structures in bilateral-cerebellopontine angles and the relationship of each vessel to the root entry zone of the facial nerve. MR examination was performed with a 0.5 tesla MRI system, and MR angiography (3D time-of-flight) was obtained. Of 15 patients in whom both the nerve and vessels were clearly visible and could be observed to contact each other at the root entry zone, in 11 the tortuous artery could be identified by name. In only 1 patient was the contact between the nerve and vessel indeterminate, due to nonvisualization of the vessel around the facial nerve at its root entry zone. These findings suggest that MRI is a useful screening method in the preoperative assessment of hemifacial spasm.
Enhanced MRI was performed in 14 patients with Ramsay-Hunt's syndrome to investigate the pathogenesis of this syndrome. All MRI studies were performed on a 0.5T superconductivity MRI system using a head coil with Gd-DTPA. Enhancement was observed in the areas of the distal internal auditory canal and labyrinthine segment in many patients, and was especially prominent in patients suffering from vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss. In some patients it involved not only the facial nerve of the internal auditory canal but also the cochlear nerve and vestibular nerves. Since histological changes of the facial nerve in patients with Ramsay-Hunt's syndrome are assumed to occur in the distal internal auditory canal and labyrinthine segment, which is more proximal than the geniculate ganglion, and the possibility is suggested that inflammation may spread to the vestibular and cochlear nerve via the internal auditory canal.
Sonotubometry and pressure equilibration test are representative test methods to evaluate the active opening capacity of the Eustachian tube. We applied these tests to 72 ears with otitis media with effusion and 21 ears with chronic otitis media. In 73 ears, both tests showed identical results (11 ears with good active function and 62 ears with poor function). Twenty ears showed good active opening by sonotubometry despite inability to relieve applied negative pressure by swallowing. This inconsistency is believed to result from a too short duration of the tubal opening, by which sound is transmitted through the Eustachian tube, without pressure change in the middle ear cavity. We propose that sonotubometry is a suitable method of detecting impairment of the tubal active opening function, but that a good result by sonotubometry does not always indicate a satisfactory pressure equilibration capacity of the Eustachian tube.
Eustachian tube (ET) function was studied in 162 ears with otitis media with effusion (OME) and chronic otitis media (COM), using tubo-tympanoaerodynamic graphy, patency and pressure equilibration test in the inflation-deflation test. Severe impairment of active opening function was found in both OME children and adults compared with that of COM patients. This impairment in active opening was thought to result from functional obstruction of the ET in 71.8% of OME children and 51.8% of OME adults. However, 45.6% of OME adults had an organic obstruction while such was present only in 28.2% of OME children. We deduce from this study that impaired active opening function of the ET in both OME children and adults is the result of functional obstruction rather than organic obstruction, but organic obstruction is considered to be related to the pathogenesis of OME in adults.
A rat model of otitis media with effusion (OME) was developed by intratympanic injection of E. coli endotoxin and section of the third branch of the trigeminal nerve (V3). The period of fluid retention induced by the endotoxin was prolonged for 5 days or longer, in cases when tubal function was impaired by cutting of V3. Three Eustachian tube function tests (patency test of inflation-deflation tests, forced response test and negative pressure test) were carried out before and after the endotoxin inoculation and V3 sectioning. At 4 days after these procedures, passive opening pressure (Po), closing pressure (Pc) and tubal resistance (R2) were significantly lowered. The negative pressure test showed impaired capacity of active opening. This model of Eustachian tube dysfunction is considered to reveal functional obstruction, a condition similar to that of clinical cases of OME. The study shows that both inflammation in the middle ear and tubal dysfunction, such as functional obstruction, are factors in the development and prolongation of OME.
Human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) stimulates the growth and differentiation of various tissues. We measured EGF levels in saliva (n = 128), urine (n = 94), and serum (n = 99) with radioimmunoassay in order to study the kinetics of hEGF in saliva of normal subjects and patients with oral disease. Salivary EGF levels showed an apparent diurnal rhythm related to the taking of meals. Urinary and serum EGF levels showed no obvious diurnal rhythm. There was no significant correlation between salivary and urinary EGF levels, nor between salivary and serum EGF levels. Salivary EGF levels were significantly lower in the younger group (0-9 years old, 3.06 +/- 0.32 ng/ml, p < 0.05) than in the elder group (10-79 years old, 4.78 +/- 3.5 ng/ml), but did not correlate with age in the elder group. There was no significant difference between males and females between EGF levels in saliva, urine or serum. The relative proportion of EGF levels in submandibular gland saliva, parotid saliva, and whole saliva was 1:6:4. The positive rate of immunohistochemical EGF showed no significant differences between submandibular gland, parotid gland, sublingual gland or minor salivary gland. Salivary EGF levels were markedly low in patients with oral inflammations (stomatitis aphthosa, or peritonsillar abscess) or head and neck tumors (squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, oral cavity, hypopharynx or larynx). These findings may be significant pathophysiologically. Low salivary EGF levels may reduce the capacity of oral mucosal defense mechanisms to fight against injury by physiochemical agents.
One hundred and ninety-four patients with a sensation of ear fullness were examined with the audiometry, tympanometry, and tubotympanoaero-dynamic graphy (TTAG) as a eustachian tube ventilatory test. In 74 cases of 194, the eustachian tube dysfunction was thought to cause an ear fullness sensation and patulous tube was found in 19 patients which is more frequent than expected. Functional unbalance of the both eustachian tubes which results from minimum ventilatory disturbance on the complaining side was also thought to be one of the causes of this symptom. The eustachian tube dysfunctions like stenotic or patulous tube could not be fully diagnosed by the audiometry and tympanometry because most patients with the eustachian tube dysfunctions showed normal middle ear pressure measured by the tympanometry. From our study, it could be concluded that eustachian ventilatory test like TTAG was very available in the patient with an ear fullness feeling which is one of the most common symptoms in the otolaryngological field.
A 5-year-old girl with congenital sensorial deafness experienced four episodes of bacterial meningitis in a 13-month period. On the fourth episode, an extensive search for the cause of recurrent meningitis was conducted. Complete immunologic studies, humoral, cellular, and phagocytic, yielded negative results. Precise otological examination, i.e., skull roentgenograms, an inner ear target CT scan, and puncture of the eardrum, was attempted, which disclosed the inner ear malformation (Mondini's anomaly) and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula. CSF discharge from the oval window was repaired surgically. Extensive otologic evaluation should be conducted in patients with recurrent bacterial meningitis.
We carried out a double blind comparative trial with placebo serving as control using 250 cases of infant otitis media with effusion (OME) in order to objectively evaluate the clinical usefulness of S-carboxymethylcysteine (S-CMC), an oral mucolytic agent, against OME. The results obtained were as follows. 1) Global improvement rate, when judged in items of overall improvement, was 79.8% in S-CMC group and 58.2% in placebo group, S group being significantly better when compared to P. 2) The degree of improvement in each item for evaluation revealed significantly better results in S group compared to P, in both objective findings of the effusion amount and its property, and in audiological findings. 3) Adverse reactions observed in 3 cases (2.5%) in S group and in 2 (1.5%) in P group were not serious, and were eliminated through suspension or discontinuation of the medication. The results obtained suggested the usefulness of S-CMC when used in the treatment of OME.
Computerized tomography (CT) and endoscopy were used for the objective evaluation of velopharyngeal closure. In 19 patients with cleft palates and 9 normal subjects, CT scans of the velopharynx were made both at rest and during vowel phonation with a scanning time of 3.0 seconds and slicing width of 3 mm. At the same time, endoscopic observations of the velopharynx through the nose were carried out both at rest and during phonation. CT scan during phonation clearly demonstrated the mobility of the velopharynx, i.e., elevation of the soft palate, inward movement of the lateral pharyngeal walls, and protrusion of the posterior pharyngeal wall, in a single picture. Its disadvantage is exposure to x-rays and a rather complicated procedure. However, endoscopy is simple with no exposure to x-rays, but its disadvantage is occasional incomplete visualization because of the dead angle created by the elevated soft palate. Thus the combined use of CT and endoscopy can help to determine a rational choice of treatment for cleft palates.
To determine the opening and closing process of the Eustachian tube during swallowing, the simultaneous recording of cineroentgenograms and electromyograms (EMG) was carried out in three monkeys. It was revealed that synchronous with the activity of the tensor veli palatini muscle, the cartilaginous tube opened for a very short time (ca. 250 ms) by an outward movement of its lateral wall. On the other hand, the pharyngeal orifice of the tube dilated for a relatively long time synchronous with the activity of the levator veli palatini muscle. These time lags between two parts of the tube seemed to help the pumping function of the tube.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Contrast roentgenography and cineroentgenography were carried out on nine patients with perforated eardrums to reveal the opening process of the Eustachian tube and its pumping-like clearance function in human beings. The results were as follows: (1) the tubal lumen opens along the cartilaginous part of the tube owing to the outward displacement of its lateral wall; (2) the pumping function of the tube consists in two phases: accumulation of the fluid in the tube by tensor contraction and discharge of the fluid by tensor relaxation.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.