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Biomedical subjects

William H Slattery

Publications and source records attributed to William H Slattery.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Underlay tympanoplasty with laser tissue welding.

We investigated the feasibility of using laser tissue welding techniques to perform transcanal underlay tympanoplasty. We used 10 temporal bones obtained from human cadavers. After creating a subtotal tympanic membrane perforation, we introduced harvested periosteum through the perforation and used laser tissue welding to secure the periosteum graft in place in an underlay fashion. The procedure was performed via a transcanal approach and did not require middle ear packing. Immediately after the graft had been placed, we qualitatively tested its integrity with a blunt probe. The graft was as strong as the native cadaver tympanic membrane in all 10 cases. We conclude that laser transcanal underlay tympanoplasty is a feasible and effective method of repairing a tympanic membrane. The ultimate goal is to develop a technique that will allow physicians to routinely perform underlay tympanoplasty on moderately sized perforations in an office setting.

Cadaver↗
PubMed2006

Facial neuroma.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Oral steroid regimens for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE: To determine hearing recovery in patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss treated with varying amounts of oral steroids. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective chart review (n = 75) in a tertiary care clinic examined sudden hearing loss patients treated with 1 60-mg prednisone taper, 1 course of steroid less than a 60-mg taper, or any 2 courses of oral steroid. RESULTS: Overall, 35% of the patients recovered a clinically significant amount of hearing. Recovery was associated with immediate treatment (within 2 weeks from onset), better hearing at the onset of treatment, and treatment with the higher dose of prednisone in patients with just 1 additional symptom (dizziness or tinnitus). Patients tended to continue to experience some recovery in hearing up to 4 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Immediate treatment of patients with unilateral idiopathic sudden hearing loss and additional symptoms (dizziness or tinnitus) with a 14-day course of 60 mg prednisone (with taper) is recommended. EBM RATING: B-3.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2005

Intratympanic steroid injection for treatment of idiopathic sudden hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a clinical trial of intratympanic steroid injection for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss in subjects who failed oral steroid therapy. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Open-label methylprednisolone injection clinical trial in a tertiary neurotologic referral center. Twenty subjects (14 males; 6 females) received 4 injections within a 2-week period (4 days apart). Hearing, dizziness, and tinnitus were evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS: There were no serious unexpected adverse events and 2 types of expected adverse events (tympanic membrane perforation, nausea after injection). No increases in dizziness or tinnitus lasting longer than 24 hours were observed after injections. One of 20 (5%) improved to near-normal hearing. In addition, there was statistically significant improvement in 4-frequency pure-tone average and speech discrimination score at 1 month after treatment. CONCLUSION: Four intratympanic injections of methylprednisolone improved pure-tone average or speech discrimination scores for a subset of sudden hearing loss subjects that failed to benefit from oral steroids. SIGNIFICANCE: A clinical trial of intratympanic injections for idiopathic sudden hearing loss was successfully completed and promising results were found.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

MRI evaluation of neurofibromatosis 2 patients: a standardized approach for accuracy in interpretation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of agreement between local radiologists' and an experienced neuroradiologist's measurements of vestibular schwannomas. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study with uniform magnetic resonance acquisition protocol parameters and reporting instructions across 30 magnetic resonance imaging facilities worldwide. SETTING: Multicenter natural history study of neurofibromatosis Type 2. SUBJECTS: One hundred fifteen magnetic resonance imaging examinations of 57 neurofibromatosis Type 2 patients older than 5 years of age. INTERVENTIONS: Thin-slice, postcontrast cranial magnetic resonance imaging. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Spearman's rho interobserver association coefficient of vestibular schwannoma linear measurements. RESULTS: The local and experienced radiologist measurements and identification of tumors agreement was fair (kappa = 0.77). Discordant interpretations were adjudicated by another experienced neuroradiologist. CONCLUSION: The least interobserver variability was found in measurements of thin-slice postcontrast magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained at neurofibromatosis Type 2 centers in patients without previous operations and moderately sized tumors. If the schwannoma was difficult to assess, because of magnetic resonance imaging acquisition protocol, postoperative changes, or tumors smaller than 5 mm in greatest diameter, the neuroradiologist provided a more thorough assessment. The authors suggest uniform reporting criteria for vestibular schwannoma assessments to ensure clinically relevant information is communicated regarding vestibular schwannoma size.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Acoustic neuroma surgical cost and outcome by hospital volume in California.

CONTEXT: Successful outcome of complex surgical techniques depend on the surgical team's level of experience. However, unless benefit is demonstrated in the presence of cost savings, insurance companies are reluctant to approve care from highly experienced hospitals and surgical teams. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between the number of acoustic neuroma surgeries performed at California hospitals with surgical outcome and hospital stay cost. DESIGN: Acoustic neuroma surgery information was extracted from the California hospital discharge database and was grouped according to the number of surgeries performed at each hospital. SETTING: A database review of California hospitals. PATIENTS: Persons (n=1,213) undergoing acoustic neuroma surgery at a California hospital between 1996 and 1998. Main outcome measures Outcome measures included discharge status (routine vs. not routine), medical procedures indicating surgical complications, total cost of hospitalization, and average cost per hospitalization day. Odds ratios were used to compare the hospital volume groups on likelihood of a routine surgical outcome. RESULTS: The frequency of routine surgical outcome increased as hospital acoustic neuroma surgical volume increased, ranging from 68% among patients in the lowest volume group to 97% in the highest hospital volume group. Patients in the highest hospital volume group were 15 times more likely to have a routine surgical outcome than patients in the lowest hospital volume group. Patients in the second highest volume group were 5 times more likely to have a routine surgical outcome than in the lowest volume group. The two highest volume hospital groups had lower total charges and average charges per day than the two lower volume hospital groups. CONCLUSIONS: Acoustic neuroma surgeries at higher volume hospitals had higher frequency of routine discharge, lower frequency of apparent complications, and lower average cost of hospitalization.

California↗
PubMed2004

Postoperative infection in cochlear implant patients.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, the association of meningitis with cochlear implants has raised concern over the safety of these devices. We examined the incidence of all postoperative infections in patients undergoing cochlear implant surgery. Study design and settings A retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing cochlear implants at a private tertiary referral center from 1993 to 2002 was performed. Cochlear implant surgeries in 462 adults and 271 children were reviewed. Patients with evidence of a postoperative infection or infectious complication related to cochlear implantation were identified, and data on patient characteristics, surgery, and treatment outcome were obtained. RESULTS: The overall incidence of postoperative infection in our cochlear implant series was 4.1%. Major infectious complications occurred in 3.0% of cases, and the majority of infections required surgical intervention. A history of chronic ear disease may increase the risk of infectious complications. There were no cases of meningitis. CONCLUSIONS: Cochlear implants remain a safe procedure with a low complication rate. The majority of infections can be managed without removing the implant device. Advances in surgical technique and flap design have decreased the occurrence of wound-related complications. However, identification of risk factors for infection and optimization of treatment regimens will further reduce the complications associated with postoperative infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Otologics Middle Ear Transducer Ossicular Stimulator: performance results with varying degrees of sensorineural hearing loss.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the Otologics Middle Ear Transducer (MET) Ossicular Stimulator and, in particular, to compare the audiologic benefits of this novel form of electromechanical stimulation with those of conventional acoustical amplification. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 282 patients were implanted with the device in Europe and the USA. Pure-tone audiometry, speech recognition and subjective assessment of benefit were tested before the surgery and 2, 3, 6 and 12 months afterwards. The US patients were fitted with a digital hearing aid for a minimum of 4 weeks prior to surgery, and the same benefit measures were performed with the digital hearing aid and their "walk-in" hearing aid. RESULTS: Group mean postoperative bone and air conduction thresholds did not change significantly from preoperative levels. Postoperative air conduction thresholds decreased slightly in some individual patients, due to the mass loading effect exerted by the transducer on the ossicles. Sufficient gain was available to reach target prescription levels for moderate to severely impaired hearing individuals. Speech and subjective assessment of patient preference indicated that patients did as well or better with the MET Ossicular Stimulator than with their "walk-in" aid or the standardized digital aid. CONCLUSION: The capability of the MET Ossicular Stimulator to provide appropriate gain as a function of degree of hearing loss indicates that the device is a viable treatment for moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss in adults.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Hearing changes after diagnosis in neurofibromatosis type 2.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the changes in hearing ability and progression of disease over time in subjects with neurofibromatosis Type 2 enrolled in a multicenter natural history study of vestibular schwannomas in neurofibromatosis Type 2. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study. SETTING: International neurofibromatosis Type 2 tertiary care centers. PATIENTS: Study participants had a clinical diagnosis of neurofibromatosis Type 2, at least one untreated vestibular schwannoma, and were at least 5 years old. Sixty-three subjects (108 ears) with audiology data at either short-term follow-up (7 mo-2 yr) or long-term follow-up (3-5 yr) after diagnosis were examined in this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in four-frequency pure-tone average and speech discrimination score before any treatment intervention for both follow-up intervals. RESULTS: Within 2 years of the diagnosis of neurofibromatosis Type 2, 27% of the ears experienced a significant loss in pure-tone average relative to diagnosis, and 73% of the ears experienced no significant change in hearing. CONCLUSION: Newly diagnosed neurofibromatosis Type 2 patients who do not require immediate treatment of both vestibular schwannomas are likely to have stable hearing in the unoperated ear(s) for approximately 1 to 2 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

The evolution of surgical approaches for posterior fossa meningiomas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate surgical outcomes for the treatment of posterior fossa meningiomas at the House Ear Clinic from 1987 to 2001. We review our current treatment algorithm and present our postoperative outcomes with attention to facial and auditory neural preservation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Medical records of 71 patients who underwent posterior fossa meningioma surgery at the House Ear Clinic were reviewed. INTERVENTION: All patients had surgical removal of their meningioma via translabyrinthine, transcochlear, retrosigmoid, extended middle fossa, or combined petrosal approaches by House Ear Clinic neurotologists and neurosurgeons. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preoperative and postoperative auditory and facial nerve function data were collected. Patient and tumor characteristics including presenting symptoms, completion of tumor resection, and complications secondary to surgery were also recorded. RESULTS: The most common presenting symptoms in this series were otologic, with hearing loss (61%), tinnitus (58%), and imbalance (58%) as the three most common. Gross total resection was achieved in 67 (94%) patients. Hearing-preservation surgery was attempted in 37 (52%) patients (68% via extended middle fossa or combined approach). Twenty-one patients with preoperative Class A hearing had follow-up audiometric data and 18 (86%) had serviceable hearing preserved. Excluding transcochlear craniotomies, 85% of patients had normal facial nerve function postoperatively. Cerebrospinal fluid leak (6%) was the most common complication. CONCLUSIONS: Advances in microsurgical techniques have greatly changed our management of patients with posterior fossa meningiomas. These changes have reduced postoperative morbidity. Specifically, use of the anterior and posterior petrosal approaches has facilitated facial and auditory neural preservation while not compromising the extent of tumor excision.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Vestibular schwannoma growth rates in neurofibromatosis type 2 natural history consortium subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the amount of growth in vestibular schwannomas in Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) patients from diagnosis through short-term (up to 2 yr) and long-term (up to 4 yr) follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) films were obtained on subjects enrolled in the NF2 Natural History study and examined for changes in vestibular schwannoma size over time. SETTING: Data were collected from nine foreign and domestic NF2 centers, including hospital-based, academic, and tertiary care centers. SUBJECTS: NF2 patients with MRI data and at least one follow-up examination within 9 months to 2 years of diagnosis were included; n=56 patients with 84 lesions for evaluation of growth. INTERVENTION: Routine, clinically obtained, magnetic resonance images were digitized and measured using image management software. Short-term follow-up was defined as up to 2 years (n=84 lesions), and long-term follow-up was defined as 3 to 4 years (n=29 lesions). OUTCOME MEASURES: Vestibular schwannoma size was assessed using anterior-posterior, medial-lateral, and greatest diameter linear measurements. RESULTS: Vestibular schwannomas increased in size (at least 5 mm) in 8% of the vestibular schwannomas across short-term follow-up. At long-term follow-up, 13% of the tumors had increased in size. On average, schwannomas increased in greatest diameter 1.3 mm per year across short-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: Slightly greater than 1 in 10 diagnosed NF2-related vestibular schwannomas increased in size by at least 5 mm by 4 years of follow-up, if still untreated at that time.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Long-term hearing preservation after middle fossa removal of vestibular schwannoma.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine long-term hearing preservation in vestibular schwannoma patients after undergoing middle fossa resection. STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, AND OUTCOME MEASURES: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients undergoing middle fossa resection from 1990 to 1995 at a tertiary care center. Pure-tone thresholds, before resection and at least 5 years after resection, and speech discrimination scores are reported. RESULTS: Seventy percent of patients with immediate postoperative hearing maintained serviceable hearing at more than 5 years after surgery. Pure-tone average in the operative ear changed at the same rate as hearing in the unoperated ear during this follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: More than two thirds of patients who underwent middle fossa resection of a vestibular schwannoma with some hearing postoperatively maintain that hearing at greater than 5 years of follow-up. Surgery alone does not have a negative impact on long-term hearing preservation.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Autologous fat grafting for the refractory patulous eustachian tube.

The patulous eustachian tube (pET) presents a challenging management problem. Patients with the pET disorder are disturbed to the point of mental illness by their symptoms of aural fullness and autophony, especially the echo of their own voice. Thus far, described treatment methods are often temporary or ineffective. Here, we describe a minimally invasive method for the treatment of pET that involves cauterization with autologous fat graft plugging of the ET at its nasopharyngeal orifice, in conjunction with myringotomy and ventilation tube placement. This procedure has been successful for the treatment of refractory pET in 2 patients at the House Ear Clinic with at least 1-year follow-up and we propose that it may accomplish relief of symptoms by permanent stenosis of the ET.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed2003

Petrous anatomy for middle fossa approach.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to describe the relationship of anatomical landmarks required for the middle fossa approach to lesions of the petrous apex and internal auditory canal (IAC). Landmarks for safe identification of the IAC are defined, as are two zones (safe zones I and II) anterior and posterior to the IAC. STUDY DESIGN: Temporal bone anatomical study. METHODS: Ten temporal bones underwent high-resolution computed tomography followed by wet bench dissection. A set of 39 different distances between vital structures was measured, where possible, from both radiology films and under the microscope. Mean, median, minimum, and maximum measurements of all distances were determined. Angular measurements were made using a specially designed instrument. RESULTS: Measurements were made in an anatomical position to mimic the middle fossa surgical technique. Measurements are presented for the superior surface of the temporal bone from the sigmoid sinus and inner table to vital structures, from the anterior and posterior petrous apex, and from the IAC. CONCLUSIONS: Petrous apex anatomical knowledge is required for the safe middle fossa approach to the IAC and petrous apex. Two safe zones are defined that should prevent damage to the cochlea and the superior semicircular canal.

Cephalometry↗
PubMed2003

Clinical and histopathologic features of recurrent vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma) after stereotactic radiosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: Stereotactic radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma entails uncertain long-term risk of tumor recurrence and delayed cranial neuropathies. In addition, the underlying histopathologic changes to the tumor bed are not fully characterized. We seek to understand the clinical and histologic features of recurrent vestibular schwannoma after stereotactic radiation therapy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Four patients who underwent microsurgical resection of vestibular schwannoma after primary stereotactic radiation therapy. INTERVENTION: Patients were treated primarily with gamma knife radiosurgery or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy followed by salvage microsurgery. Retrosigmoid craniotomy was used in all cases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Histopathologic review. Preoperative and postoperative facial nerve function was assessed with the House-Brackmann scale. RESULTS: We observed highly inconsistent radiation changes in the cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal. Fibrosis outside and within the tumor bed varied markedly, complicating microsurgical dissection. Light microscopy confirmed the presence of viable tumor in all cases. Histopathologic features were typical of vestibular schwannoma, and there was no significant scarring that could be attributed to radiation effect. CONCLUSIONS: The variable fibrosis in the cerebellopontine angle and lack of radiation changes seen histopathologically in irradiated vestibular schwannoma suggest that a uniform treatment effect was not achieved in these cases. Although all four patients with preoperative cranial neuropathies were found intraoperatively to have fibrosis in the cerebellopontine angle, excellent preservation of facial nerve anatomy and function was possible with salvage microsurgical resection. Additional analyses are needed to clarify the histopathologic and molecular characteristics associated with vestibular schwannoma growth after stereotactic radiation.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Magnetic resonance imaging scanner reliability for measuring changes in vestibular schwannoma size.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the intracranial tumor measurement reliability of three different magnetic resonance imaging machines. STUDY DESIGN: Neurofibromatosis Type 2 patients were imaged at three different facilities, two studies per facility, for a total of six studies per patient. Seven subjects were imaged. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Neurofibromatosis Type 2 patients. OUTCOME MEASURE: All tumors were measured by greatest diameter (in millimeters) and volume (in cubic centimeters). Schwannomas were measured in the anteroposterior and mediolateral dimensions (in millimeters), using the petrous ridge as an anatomic landmark. RESULTS: The reliability of magnetic resonance imaging measurement (greatest diameter, volume) of meningiomas and vestibular schwannomas were analyzed together. There were no statistically significant differences by magnetic resonance imaging machine. There was a trend for one scanner to produce greater differences between Test 1 and Test 2 than the other scanners. The minimal detectable change in tumor size for measuring greatest diameter and volume across scanners was calculated. CONCLUSION: The minimal detectable change in greatest diameter (under the study acquisition protocol) was determined to be 1.1 mm. The minimal detectable change in volume (under the study acquisition protocol) was determined to be +/-0.15 cm(3). These results may be used when designing clinical trials using vestibular schwannoma or meningioma size changes as an outcome variable.

Adult↗