Bilateral Vestibular Schwannomas in a Patient with Ring Chromosome 22: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Introduction: Ring chromosome 22 (r[22]) can lead to the development of intracranial tumors such as meningiomas, neurofibromas, and schwannomas similar to neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2).

Case Presentation: An 18-year-old female with r(22) and a history of global development delay and cognitive impairment presented with sudden hearing loss. MRI revealed bilateral vestibular schwannomas.

Balloon dilation of the eustachian tube for dilatory dysfunction: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives/hypothesis: To assess balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube with Eustachian tube balloon catheter in conjunction with medical management as treatment for Eustachian tube dilatory dysfunction.

Study Design: In this prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, we assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, patients age 22 years and older with Eustachian tube dilatory dysfunction refractory to medical therapy to undergo balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube with balloon catheter in conjunction with medical management or medical management alone.

Methods: The primary endpoint was normalization of tympanogram at 6 weeks.

Complication from hearing aid mold material: a case report and review of legal matters.

Ear mold impression middle ear foreign bodies are a rare complication of hearing aid fitting. Only a small number of cases have been reported; however, the actual incidence is unknown and likely much higher than expected. We present the case of a 77-year-old man with a history of preexisting tympanic membrane perforations who presented with an ear mold impression middle ear foreign body that required surgical removal.

Interleukin-8 production in response to tumor necrosis factor-alpha by cholesteatoma keratinocytes in cell culture.

Objectives/hypothesis: Keratinocytes harvested from acquired cholesteatoma and grown in cell culture will demonstrate increased interleukin-8 (IL-8) production in response to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha as compared with a control keratinocyte cell line. Immunohistochemical studies have identified IL-8 and TNF-alpha, mediators of bony destruction, in tissue samples of cholesteatoma. TNF-alpha stimulates IL-8 production in healthy epidermal keratinocyte cell lines.

Late failure rate of hearing preservation after middle fossa approach for resection of vestibular schwannoma.

Objective: To explore the long-term hearing results after a middle fossa approach for resection of vestibular schwannoma.

Study Design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Implantable hearing devices.

Purpose Of Review: Implantable hearing devices have been developed to address the shortcomings of traditional hearing aids. Currently, there are two US Food and Drug Administration clinical trials evaluating fully implantable hearing devices.

Recent Findings: Implantable hearing devices attempt to improve upon stigma, cosmesis, occlusion effect, and feedback, as well as other factors that prevent patients from using traditional hearing aids.