Design and evaluation of tinnitus synthesis methods: from spectral to spatial matching.

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate methods to help patients suffering from unilateral tinnitus synthesizing an auditory replica of their tinnitus.

Materials And Methods: Two semi-automatic methods (A and B) derived from the auditory threshold of the patient and a method (C) combining a pure tone and a narrow band-pass noise centred on an adjustable frequency were devised and rated on their likeness over two test sessions. A third test evaluated the stability over time of the synthesized tinnitus replica built with method C, and its proneness to merge with the patient's tinnitus.

A tube system for the management of ruptured oesophagus.

In a patient who has ruptured his oesophagus a major objective should be to prevent access of swallowed material or refluxed gastric contents to the area of the rupture. We describe a tube system, introduced into the oesophagus via a cervical oesophagostomy, which prevents swallowed material from getting to the lower oesophagus and allows a tube to the passed into the stomach for continuous aspiration of gastric contents. To discontinue the diversion, a surgical procedure is not required.

Cytologic screening for esophageal cancer.

Using an inflatable balloon catheter with an abrasive, absorbent surface, cytologic material was collected from the whole esophageal mucosa of 500 patients, none of whom were suspected of having esophageal cancer. Cytology identified malignant cells in 15 patients and dysplastic cells in another 26. All lesions were confirmed histologically by endoscopically directed biopsies.