Cortical activation during a pitch discrimination task in tinnitus patients and controls--an fMRI study.

Chronic subjective tinnitus has been associated with aberrant activation of cortical areas involved in the perception of auditory information. This leads to the hypothesis that neural correlates of altered auditory perception may be found in tinnitus patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging. To study brain activation patterns due to acoustic stimulation in a pitch discrimination task, 6 tinnitus patients and 6 age-matched controls were investigated.

Otologic manifestations of relapsing polychondritis. Review of literature and report of nine cases.

Objective: Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is an episodic disease most likely of autoimmune etiology, characterized by recurrent inflammation of cartilaginous structures.

Methods: Retrospective case study at two tertiary referral centers with presentation of nine patients with otologic involvement of RP, review of the spectrum of otologic disorders seen, and treatment.

Results: The clinical course of otologic manifestations of RP was highly variable and ranged from mild to moderate.

Anomalies of the ear in the Pierre Robin triad.

Objectives: The Pierre Robin triad (PRT) consists of micrognathia-retrognathia, glossoptosis, and an oval or cleft palate. The goal of this study was to identify patterns of similarity to and differences from the two previous temporal bone studies of the PRT.

Methods: Seven children with the PRT (ages, 45 minutes to 2 years; gestational ages, 41 to 43 weeks) were studied.

Fixation of the stapes footplate in children: a clinical and temporal bone histopathologic study.

Objective: To clarify the anatomic characteristics, cause, and surgical outcomes relating to fixation of the stapes footplate in children.

Study Design: Retrospective case review and four-center histopathologic study of temporal bones.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

[Reimbursement of patients with high costs in a department of otorhinolaryngology of maximum care and refinancing by the German DRG system].

Background: With the introduction of a diagnosis related groups (DRG)-system in Germany, the medical analysis of the total costs of caring for a given patient is of significance. The medical identification of cost intensive patients becomes of increasing importance for the financial perspective of a department, because the averaged lump sum system might not break even these treatments.

Patients And Methods: In the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Ulm, a tertiary referral center, the 56 most expensive patients from 3131 inpatients which were treated in 2002 were retrospectively identified and expenses for diagnostic tests, therapy and post-operative complications were analyzed.