Mastoid obliteration with hydroxyapatite vs. bone pâté in mastoidectomy surgery performed on patients with cholesteatoma and chronic suppurative otitis media: a retrospective analysis.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of hydroxyapatite vs. bone pâté as obliteration material in mastoidectomy surgery for patients with chronic suppurative otitis media and cholesteatoma.

Methods: This is a retrospective, multi-center, cohort study.

Further delineation of the DFNA5 phenotype: results of speech recognition tests.

Speech recognition scores were analyzed in 34 carriers of a DFNA5 mutation. Cross-sectional linear regression analysis (last visit, maximum recognition score in %Correct on age or PTA1,2,4 kHz) established onset age (score 90%) at 16 years and onset PTA1,2,4 kHz level (score 90%) at 41 dB hearing level. The deterioration rate was 0.

Measuring plasma exudation in nasal lavage fluid and in induced sputum as a tool for studying respiratory tract inflammation.

We performed nasal lavage (NAL) combined with induced sputum to determine exudative inflammation in the upper and lower airways in patients with chronic sinusitis and in controls. To monitor plasma exudation into the respiratory lumen and loss of size-selectivity of the mucosa, we determined the sample-to-serum ratio of albumin and alpha-2-macroglobulin, Qa1b and Qa2m, and the dilution independent Relative Coefficient of Excretion, RCE=Qa2m/Qa1b. To detect low protein levels in NAL and induced sputum we adapted an ELISA system for alpha-2-macroglobulin described by Out et al.

National differences in incidence of acute mastoiditis: relationship to prescribing patterns of antibiotics for acute otitis media?

Background: Operating on the principle that most acute otitis media (AOM) episodes resolve without antibiotics, doctors in the Netherlands usually manage AOM in children with initial observation. Prescription of antibiotics is limited to children with a complicated course of AOM and those categorized as high risk. Consequently only 31% of patients with AOM receives antibiotics, compared with >90% in most other countries.