BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate that usefulness of the endoscopic ear surgery (EES) through the systematic review. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We searched literatures in literature databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, etc.). Inclusion criteria is 1) studies of patients with chronic otitis media, otitis media with effusion, cholesteatoma, conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss etc. 2) studies in which a transcanal endoscopic surgery was performed; and 3) studies in which one or more of the appropriate medical outcomes have been reported. We excluded that 1) non-human studies and pre-clinical studies; 2) non-original articles, for example, non-systematic reviews; editorial, letter and opinion pieces; 3) research not published in Korean and English; and 4) grey literature. Finally, 65 articles were selected and those results were analyzed. RESULTS: The safety of the EES was reported in 61 articles. Some studies reported damaged facial nerve or perilymph gusher but these are the complications that can arise due to the characteristics of the disease and not due to the EES and other reported complications were of similar or lower level in the intervention group rather than the microscopy group. The effectiveness of the EES was reported in 23 articles. The EES tended to show improved effects in terms of graft uptake status, cholesteatoma removal, and hearing improvement although effective outcomes of most studies reported no significant difference between EES and microscopic ear surgery. CONCLUSION: EES is a safe and effective technique and as it is less invasive than the microscopic ear surgery.
Cholesteatoma ; Ear ; Endoscopes ; Facial Nerve ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural ; Humans ; Methods ; Microscopy ; Otitis Media ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; Otologic Surgical Procedures ; Perilymph ; Transplants

Epidural anesthesia has significantly advanced in neuraxial anesthesia and analgesia. It is used for surgical anaesthesia and treatment of chronic pain. Hearing loss during or after epidural anesthesia is rare, and it is known to occur by the change of the intracranial pressure. Cerebrospinal fluid is connected with perilymph in the cochlear and vestibule that is important to hearing and balance. If the intracranial pressure is abruptly transferred to the inner ear, perilymph can be leak, that called perilymphatic fistula, dizziness, and hearing loss can occur suddenly. We report a 65-year-old woman who presented with acute onset dizziness and hearing loss during the epidural nerve block for back pain, wherein we speculated a possibility of perilymphatic fistula as the mechanism of hearing loss and dizziness. The mechanism of dizziness and hearing loss was suspected with perilymphatic fistula.
Aged ; Anesthesia and Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Back Pain ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Chronic Pain ; Dizziness ; Ear, Inner ; Female ; Fistula ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Nerve Block ; Perilymph ; Pneumocephalus ; Vertigo

Perilymphatic fistula (PLF) is an uncommon disease characterized by abnormal leakage of the perilymph from the inner ear into the middle ear. The symptoms of PLF include sudden-onset hearing loss, tinnitus, ear fullness, and vertigo resulting from inner-ear trauma, stapedial surgery or barotrauma such as valsalva, and nose blowing. As nystagmus can be induced by the affected-ear in down position, benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV) should be considered for differential diagnosis. About 40-50% of PLF patients have experienced spontaneous healing, but surgical repair should be considered when the hearing symptom and dizziness are not alleviated or are aggravated within a few days. Reported herein, with a review of the relevant literature, is a case of PLF initially misdiagnosed as BPPV but where successful fistula repair was finally achieved.
Barotrauma ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dizziness ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Ear, Middle ; Fistula* ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Nose ; Perilymph ; Tinnitus ; Vertigo*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endolymphatic hydrops has been considered as an important histologic substrate of Meniere's disease. A permanent displacement of basilar membrane (BM) by increased endolymphatic pressure has been thought to be an explanation for hearing change. Direct observation of histological sections of temporal bones, however, suggested that stereocilia and tectorial membrane decoupling is more associated with pressure induced by mechanical deformation of the organ of Corti rather than with the displacement of BM. METERIALS AND METHOD: 26 cochleae from 13 female pigmented ginea pigs were harvested. One cochlea per each animal was injected with artificial perilymph. The other one was used as control. After fixation, followed by embedding and mid-modiolar sectionning, specimens were observed with a microscope. Morphometric parameters of each row and turn of the organ of Corti were measured and quantified. RESULTS: The average area and height of the organ of Corti were significantly smaller in the apical turn of the experimental group (p<0.05). The lengths of outer hair cell and Deiters cell in the apical turn were also significantly reduced in the experimental group (p<0.05). The angle between the outer hair cell and Deiters cell was smaller in the apex and in the 3rd turn of the experimental group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Results show that compression and deformation of the organ of Corti, especially in the apical turn, is a prominent feature in the acute endolymphatic hydrops model. We suggest that the deformation of organ of Corti is the primary cause of hydrops that induce the decoupling of tectorial membrane and stereocilia rather than the displacement of BM.
Animals ; Basilar Membrane ; Cochlea ; Edema ; Endolymphatic Hydrops* ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Hair ; Hearing ; Humans ; Meniere Disease ; Organ of Corti* ; Perilymph ; Stereocilia ; Swine ; Tectorial Membrane ; Temporal Bone

OBJECTIVES: Rupture of the round window membrane with consecutive development of a perilymphatic fistula (PLF) is still a matter of controversial debate in the pathogenesis of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). Until now no consensus exists about whether these patients benefit from performing an exploratory tympanotomy with sealing of the round window. The aim of the present study was to analyze critically the effectiveness of sealing the round window membrane in patients with SSHL. METHODS: The clinical data of 51 patients with SSHL and a mean hearing decline of at least 60 dB over 5 frequencies who were treated with tympanotomy and sealing of the round window membrane were retrospectively analyzed. The results have been compared to the current state of the literature. RESULTS: Intraoperatively a round window membrane rupture or fluid leak was observed in none of the patients. After performing tympanotomy the mean improvement of hearing level was 32.7 dB. Twenty of 51 examined patients (39.2%) showed a mean improvement of the hearing level of more than 30 dB and a complete remission could be detected in 12 patients (23.5%). Reviewing the literature revealed no standard guidelines for definition or treatment of SSHL as well as for evaluation of hearing loss and its recovery. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study and the literature should be discussed critically. It is unclear whether tympanotomy and sealing of the round window membrane may be a meaningful treatment for SSHL. Therefore this procedure should be discussed as a therapeutic option only in selected patients with sudden deafness or profound hearing loss in which PLF is strongly suspicious or conservative treatment failed.
Consensus ; Ear ; Fistula ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Hearing Loss, Unilateral* ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Perilymph ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture

Barotraumatic perilymph fistula is difficult to diagnose and needs diagnosis of suspicion. Symptoms like hearing loss, tinnitus, ear fullness and positional dizziness can develop following barotrauma such as valsalva, nose blowing, straining and diving, etc. We reported 2 cases of perilymph fistula following barotrauma. The patients developed hearing loss, tinnitus and ear fullness followed by sudden onset of positional dizziness mimicking benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). On positional tests, the direction of nystagmus has changed over time. In addition, the characteristics of nystagmus on positional test were not similar to typical BPPV, which showed longer duration of nystagmus, no reversibility and no fatigability. We concluded that barotraumatic perilymph fistula could present as hearing loss with positional dizziness mimicking sudden hearing loss with BPPV. The differential diagnostic points were history of barotrauma, time sequence of development of hearing loss and positional dizziness, and atypical positional nystagmus unlike BPPV.
Barotrauma ; Diagnosis ; Diving ; Dizziness ; Ear ; Fistula ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Nose ; Nystagmus, Physiologic ; Perilymph ; Tinnitus ; Vertigo

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to investigate the feasibility of isosorbide delivery into perilymph through the round window membrane (RWM), and to compare the intracochlear isosorbide concentration in perilymph after oral administration (PO) versus that after round window perfusion (RWP). METHODS: Sixteen male guinea pigs (32 ears) were used. Isosorbide, an osmotic diuretic, was administered via RWP or PO. First, to investigate the optimal perfusion time, perilymph sampling of scala tympani from the RWM was performed after RWP for 15, 30, or 60 minutes. Second, to compare the drug concentration after RWP versus that after PO, perilymph was aspirated at 3 and 6 hours after administration. Intracochlear concentration of isosorbide was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to refractive index detection. RESULTS: Isosorbide passed through the RWM into perilymph after RWP. After RWP for 15, 30, and 60 minutes, mean isosorbide concentrations in perilymph were 116.27+/-44.65, 245.48+/-112.84, and 279.78+/-186.32 mM, respectively. The intracochlear concentration after RWP for 30 minutes was higher than that after RWP for 15 minutes (P=0.043). At 3 and 6 hours after PO, isosorbide concentrations in perilymph were 28.88+/-4.69 and 12.67+/-2.28 mM, respectively. In contrast, the corresponding concentrations after RWP were 117.91+/-17.70 and 75.03+/-14.82 mM at 3 and 6 hours, respectively. Isosorbide concentrations in perilymph following RWP were significantly higher than those following PO at both 3 and 6 hours (P=0.025 and P=0.034, respectively). CONCLUSION: Isosorbide can rapidly pass through the RWM after RWP in guinea pigs, and 30 minutes of perfusion is considered to be appropriate. In addition, over a 6-hour period, RWP can deliver higher concentrations of isosorbide into perilymph than those achieved with PO.
Administration, Oral* ; Animals ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Diuretics, Osmotic ; Guinea Pigs* ; Humans ; Isosorbide* ; Male ; Membranes ; Meniere Disease ; Perfusion* ; Perilymph* ; Refractometry ; Scala Tympani

A 68-year-old woman presented dizziness whenever she put her finger into the right ear and also complained of water-streaming tinnitus, which indicated she would have been suffering from perilymph fistula. An exploratory tympanotomy was conducted. Leakage of perilymph from the round window was suspected, although the cochlin-tomoprotein (CTP) results were negative. After the procedure, the patient's finger-induced dizziness, tinnitus, and vertigo spells disappeared completely. However, her dizzy symptom did not improve. The patient also complained of general fatigue, weight loss, and insomnia, which led us to suspect comorbid depression. Antidepressants and vestibular rehabilitation treatment resulted in a significant improvement in her dizziness. Although it is not apparent whether the patient had a perilymph fistula, this case demonstrates the importance of evaluating not only physical symptoms but also psychological comorbidity, especially when the physical symptoms are intractable despite treatment.
Aged ; Antidepressive Agents ; Comorbidity ; Depression* ; Dizziness ; Ear ; Fatigue ; Female ; Fingers ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Perilymph* ; Rehabilitation ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Tinnitus ; Vertigo ; Weight Loss

OBJECTIVES: Treatment of traumatic perilymph fistula (PLF) remains controversial between surgical repair and conservative therapy. The aim of this study is to analyze the outcomes of early surgical exploration in suspected barotraumatic PLF. METHODS: Nine patients (10 cases) who developed sudden sensorineural hearing loss and dizziness following barotrauma and underwent surgical exploration with the clinical impression of PLF were enrolled. Types of antecedent trauma, operative findings, control of dizziness after surgery, postoperative hearing outcomes, and relations to the time interval between traumatic event and surgery were assessed retrospectively. RESULTS: All patients had sudden or progressive hearing loss and dizziness following trauma. Types of barotrauma were classified by the origin of the trauma: 4 external (car accident, slap injury) and 6 internal traumas (lifting, nasal blowing, straining). Surgical exploration was performed whenever PLF was suspected with the time interval of 2 to 47 days after the trauma. The possible evidence of PLF was found during surgery in 9 cases: a fibrous web around the oval window (n=3), fluid collection in the round window (RW; n=6) and bulging of the RW pseudomembrane (n=1). In every patient, vestibular symptoms disappeared immediately after surgery. The hearing was improved with a mean gain of 27.0+/-14.9 dB. When the surgical exploration was performed as early as less than 10 days after the trauma, serviceable hearing (< or =40 dB) was obtained in 4 out of 7 cases (57.1%). CONCLUSION: Sudden or progressive sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by dizziness following barotrauma should prompt consideration of PLF. Early surgical exploration is recommended to improve hearing and vestibular symptoms.
Barotrauma ; Dizziness ; Fistula ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Perilymph

While systemic steroid therapy is most widely considered as a main treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), the disadvantages of its use are numerous side effects. Intratympanic steroid injection (ITS) delivers steroids through transtympanic route, hence avoids possible side effects with higher perilymph concentration. We conducted a reviewed 47 clinical studies after an online search of the PubMed databases for the following terms "sudden hearing loss, intratympanic steroid". Although the study settings are varied among reviewed articles, most studies in this review consistently showed some benefit of hearing in salvage cases. In addition, it is suggested that intratympanic steroids are equivalent to systemic steroid therapy as initial treatment for SSHL. In patients with contraindications against the use of systemic steroid, ITS may be considered as valuable option for primary therapy. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the optimal protocol of administration.
Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Perilymph ; Steroids