Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery: Outcome and Complications in Lateral Decubitus Position versus Semi-sitting Position-A Personal Learning Curve in a Series of 544 Cases over 3 Decades.

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate influence of intraoperative positioning (semisitting vs. lateral decubitus) and surgeon's learning curve with regard to functional outcome of patients with vestibular schwannoma.

Methods: This study included 544 patients (median age 57 years) and spanned 3 decades: 1991-1999 (n = 103), 2000-2009 (n = 210), and 2010-2019 (n = 231).

Mapping of language and motor function during awake neurosurgery with intraoperative optical imaging.

Intraoperative optical imaging (IOI) is a marker-free, contactless, and noninvasive imaging technique that is able to visualize metabolic changes of the brain surface following neuronal activation. Although it has been used in the past mainly for the identification of functional brain areas under general anesthesia, the authors investigated the potential of the method during awake surgery. Measurements were performed in 10 patients who underwent resection of lesions within or adjacent to cortical language or motor sites.

[Hoarseness – causes and treatments].

Due to a hoarseness or dysphonia about 1 % of patients consult a doctor. The causes of hoarseness are very diverse and can range from a harmless laryngitis to vocal cord tumors. In addition to acute and chronic laryngitis (42 % and 10 %), functional dysphonia (30 %), benign (15 %) and malignant tumors (3 %), vocal cord paresis (5 %), the physiological aging voice (2 %) and psychogenic factors (2 %) can cause hoarseness.

Laterality of sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

It is known that sudden sensorineural hearing loss and other otoneurologic diseases, such as tinnitus or Ménière disease, occur more frequently in the left ear than in the right. We studied lateralization of sudden deafness in 489 patients treated at Radebeul Hospital from January 2004 to December 2009. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.

Assessment of visual function during brain surgery near the visual cortex by intraoperative optical imaging.

Several functional brain imaging and mapping techniques have been used for the intraoperative identification and preservation of the sensory, motor, and speech areas of the brain. However, intraoperative monitoring and mapping of the visual function is less frequently performed in the clinical routine. To our knowledge, here we demonstrate for the first time that the individual visual cortex can be mapped to the brain surface using a contact-free optical camera system during brain surgery.

[Pharmacotherapy of acute and chronic tinnitus].

The aetiology of acute tinnitus is mostly idiopathic like sudden sensorineural hearing loss or caused by noise and rarely infectious or vascular. Therefore there is currently no causal and effective drug therapy available. Although there is a low level of evidence, treatment with glucocorticoids and initially plasma expanding infusions (HES) is recommended for acute tinnitus if there is no spontaneous remission.

[Conservative therapy of chronic sinusitis].

The chronic rhinosinusitis is defined as chronic inflammation of the nose and nasal sinuses, with or without nasal polyps. Patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis report about nasal obstruction and secretion, olfactory impairment, head and facial pain. These symptoms cause also considerable impact on quality of life.

Height of right and left ethmoid roofs: aspects of laterality in 644 patients.

Objective. The goal of the study was to determine the asymmetric distribution of the height of the ethmoid roof (fovea ethmoidalis). Method.

Epistaxis: some aspects of laterality in 326 patients.

Lateralization of primary epistaxis was prospectively studied in 326 patients at Radebeul Elblandklinikum. The male-female-ratio was 1.3:1.

Vestibular neuritis: is there any evidence of an asymmetric distribution?

Statistics in the literature showed that neuro-otological diseases (i.e. sudden hearing loss or tinnitus) occur predominantly in the left ear.

[Epistaxis: diagnosis and therapy].

Epistaxis or nosebleed is one of the most frequent emergencies in otorhinolaryngology. It is clearly an important condition--not only to the ear-nose-throat (ENT)-specialist but also to any general practitioner. This review looks at the aetiology, associated clinical considerations and evolution of its management.

Earedness and auricles.

No strong relationship was observed between earedness and the asymmetry of prominent auricles, suggesting no important function of the auricles in ear preference.

[Suppurative chronic otitis media: etiology, diagnosis and therapy].

The chronic otitis media is defined as a permanent perforation of the drum membrane, which does not close by itself, and an inflammatory reaction in the mucosa (mucositis) of the middle ear. Two main forms of the chronic otitis media are distinct: the suppurative otitis media and the cholesteatoma. The suppurative otitis media is often accompanied by secretion into the external ear canal (otorrhoe), but "dry ears" are also common.

[Analgesic intolerance: pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment].

Analgesic intolerance brings on cutaneous, respiratory and/or gastrointestinal reactions. This review provides an overview of sensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory-drugs (NSAR) and its management. The full clinical picture of analgetic intolerance--the association of bronchial asthma (with severe acute attacks), sensitivity to NSAR and nasal polyps--is commonly summarized as the "Samter triad".

[Presbyacusis: pathogenesis and treatment].

Although many adults retain good hearing as they age, hearing loss associated with ageing is common among elderly persons. There are a number of pathophysiological processes underlying age-related changes to functional components. Presbyacusis is especially caused by cochlear degeneration, most pronounced in the basal cochlear coil.

[Piercing--medical problems from otorhinolaryngological point of view].

Piercing is defined as puncturing an organ in order to place a jewel in the perforated site. There is hardly any external organ in the human body that has escaped piercing. The origin of piercing traces back to the dawn of human history.

[Sialorrhea--causes and treatment options].

Sialorrhea (drooling) is the involuntary spillage of saliva from the mouth. Drooling of saliva appears to be the consequence of a dysfunction in the coordination of the swallowing mechanism, resulting in excess pooling of saliva in the anterior portion of the oral cavity and the unintentional loss of saliva from the mouth. There are specific and symptomatic approaches to manage this condition.

[Sleep disturbances--aspects of obstructive and sleep-related breathing disorders].

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a wide spread affliction in industrialised countries. OSA has to be distinguished from simple snoring which is socially annoying but physically harmless, since it does not harm the physical health. Patients with OSA complain about disruptive snoring, daytime sleepiness, and loss of intellectual power.