Objective The light and electron-microscopic examination was utilized to study the tissue from middle ears diagnosed as having tympanosclerosis. The main purpose of this article is to understand the clinicopathologic and electron-microscopic characteristics of 68 patients with tympanosclerosis. Methods The material for histopathologic and electron-microscopic studies were taken from the tympanic mucosa in various localities, especially from the whitish sclerotic masses in the tympanum of the patients with tympanosclerosis, during middle ear surgeries between 2006 and 2008. Specimens were divided into two groups: one group of 68 specimens was fixed and stained for light microscopic study with hematoxylin-eosin; the second group of 12 specimens was viewed in the electron microscope. Results The specimens from tympanic mucosa showed granulation tissue with infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells, and slight fibrosis in the submucosal layer. The histopathology of the plaques after haemaoxylin and eosin staining revealed dense bundles of collagen with hyaline degeneration and scattered areas of calcification. An ultrastructural examination of these specimens revealed fibrocytes that were irregularly shaped, elongated, and degenerating. The osmiophilic cytoplasm contained vesicles and collagen bundles. There were clusters of mitochondria in perinuclear cytoplasm and lots of electron dense calcareous deposits within lysosomes and degenerated mitochondria in fibrocyte cells. Conclusion The histopathologic examinations of tympanosclerosis revealed dense fibrous and collagenous connective tissues, poor in cell, with hyaline degeneration and occasional calcification in the tympanic mucosa. Electron-microscopic studies further revealed marked proliferation of collagen fibers and electron dense calcareous deposits within lysosomes and degenerated mitochondria in fibrocyte cells.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the disease incidence, clinical symptoms, prevention and treatment measures of the large vestibular aqueduct syndrome (LVAS). METHOD: Retrospective analyse the medical history, hearing, vestibular function examination and treatment of 76 LVAS patients who were diagnosed in our department of Otolaryngology from 2002 to 2008. RESULT: Most patients (93.4%) showed sensorineural hearing loss. Part of patients (61.8%) showed air-bone conduction gap in low frequency. The hearing loss of 43 ears is > 40-60 dB HL, > 60 -80 dB HL 47 ears, > 80 dB HL 62 ears. Decline curve is the characteristic of the Audiogram. The decline in high-frequency 112 ears, flat curve in 29 ears, island hearing in 11 ears. Forty-six patients were conducted the vestibular function examination, which showed low vestibular function. Tympanogram showed that 141 ears are type A, 11 ears are type C. High-resolution CT scan revealed that vestibular aqueduct minimum diameter is 2.2 mm and the largest is 6.2 mm, with a wide opening and deep narrower, and showed the "triangle" or "flared". Forty-two cases of this group were simple dilatation of the vestibular aqueduct, and no large vestibular semicircular canal malformation or cochlear malformation. There was no intellectual and other development disorders. In accordance with the degree of hearing loss, 20 cases of patients restored hearing after drug treatment. Eleven were cases fit a suitable hearing aid and carried out the language rehabilitation training. Forty-five very severe patients were implanted the cochlear and mapping one month later. CONCLUSION Fluctuative and progressive hearing loss is the main clinical symptoms of large vestibular aqueduct syndrome. The patients should be examined by high resolution CT scan of the temporal bone. There is no precise and effective treatment for the disease. It is very important for the deaf children who have residual hearing to fit hearing aids and carry out the language rehabilitation training as soon as possible. As for the patients who suffer from hearing loss severely and the hearing aid cannot achieve effective compensation, the cochlear implant should be considered.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Syndrome ; Temporal Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vestibular Aqueduct ; physiopathology ; Vestibular Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Young Adult