Round-Window Vibroplasty: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Audiological Effectiveness With Different Round-Window Coupling Techniques.

Objective: Active middle ear implants can be directly coupled to the round-window (RW) membrane via RW Vibroplasty. The objectives of this systematic review were to summarize data on different RW coupling techniques and to investigate their effect on audiological and safety outcomes using meta-analyses.

Databases Reviewed: PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Library, and Embase (DIMDI).

Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life after Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Long-Term Deafness.

Background: Hearing-related quality of life (QoL) after cochlear implantation (CI) is as important as audiological performance. We evaluated the functional results and QoL after CI in a heterogeneous patient cohort with emphasis on patients with long-term deafness (>10 years). Methods: Twenty-eight patients (n = 32 implanted ears, within n = 12 long-term deaf ears) implanted with a mid-scala electrode array were included in this retrospective mono-centric cohort study.

[Emergencies in ear, nose and throat medicine].

Emergencies in ear, nose and throat medicine in the preclinical setting are common. Due to the narrow anatomical conditions, relocation or bleeding in this area can quickly lead to an emergency situation. In this article, the most important causes of bleeding, shortness of breath and trauma are to be presented and the corresponding treatment briefly outlined.

Long-term audiological benefit with an active transcutaneous bone-conduction device: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate long-term audiological, surgical and safety outcomes of a complex patient cohort treated with an active transcutaneous bone-conduction device (tBCD).

Methods: This retrospective, monocentric cohort analysis involves 31 adults with conductive (CHL) and mixed hearing loss (MHL). For outcome analysis, study results were divided into short-term follow-up data (< 12 months) and long-term follow-up data (> 12 months).

Comparison of Clinical Examination and Various Imaging Modalities in the Diagnosis of Head and Neck Cancer.

 Squamous cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (HNSCC) is the most common tumor entity of malignant processes in the head and neck area. Due to the metastasizing behavior of these tumors, the staging is indispensable for the treatment planning and requires imaging techniques, which are sensitive, specific, and as far as possible cost-effective, to benefit ultimately the patient and to ensure optimal care.  The aim of the present study is to compare the clinical examination including palpation, ultrasound and computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of neck metastases to make the correct indication for a neck dissection.

Acceptance and adoption of transoral robotic surgery in Germany.

Purpose: Since its introduction over a decade ago, the use of robotic surgery (RS) in head and neck surgery has widely spread around the globe, with very differential adoption of this novel surgical technique in different parts of the world. In this study, we analyze the acceptance and adoption of robotic surgery in the head and neck in Germany.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional analysis using a questionnaire evaluating the acceptance and adoption of RS was performed.

Patient-reported long-term benefit with an active transcutaneous bone-conduction device.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term benefits in hearing-related quality of life, patient satisfaction and wearing time of patients rehabilitated with an active transcutaneous bone-conduction device. Adverse events and audiological outcomes are reported as secondary outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective, mono-centric cohort analysis involves 16 adults with conductive or mixed hearing loss with a mean device experience of 51.

Etiology and therapy of delayed facial paralysis after middle ear surgery.

Purpose: This review focuses on the etiology, incidence and therapy of delayed paralysis of the facial nerve (DFP) after different types of middle ear surgery.

Methods: Retrospective review of studies published in English from 1970 until 2019 reporting DFP after tympanoplasty, tympanomastoid surgery, stapedotomy and stapedectomy. The search used the databases of PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library.

Diagnostic Value of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging With Intratympanic Gadolinium Administration (IT-Gd MRI) Versus Audio-Vestibular Tests in Menière's Disease: IT-Gd MRI Makes the Difference.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the validity and reliability of clinically relevant tests in the diagnosis of Menière's disease (MD) according to the criteria formulated during 2015 as well as their efficacy in detecting endolymphatic hydrops (EH). The focus was on: three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery-SPectral Attenuated Inversion Recovery (3D-FLAIR-SPAIR) sequences using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (3T MRI) performed 24 hours after intratympanic Gadolinium injection (IT-Gd) in comparison with the functional tests pure tone audiometry (PTA), caloric test, video head impulse test (vHIT), and cervical-vestibular-evoked-myogenic-potentials (cVEMP).

Study Design: Retrospective study.

ENT COBRA ONTOLOGY: the covariates classification system proposed by the Head & Neck and Skin GEC-ESTRO Working Group for interdisciplinary standardized data collection in head and neck patient cohorts treated with interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy).

Purpose: Clinical data collecting is expensive in terms of time and human resources. Data can be collected in different ways; therefore, performing multicentric research based on previously stored data is often difficult. The primary objective of the ENT COBRA (COnsortium for BRachytherapy data Analysis) ontology is to define a specific terminological system to standardized data collection for head and neck (H&N) cancer patients treated with interventional radiotherapy.

[Immunotherapy Against Head and Neck Cancer Stem Cells].

Immunotherapy against head and neck cancer stem cells Immunologic therapies like antibodies in solid tumors like squamous cell cancer of the head and neck are administered either alone or in combination with radiation and chemotherapy. Despite some respectable successes, the effect of this therapy reaches its limits due the ability of the tumor to escape the immune system. Cancer stem cells seem to play an important role in this process due to their intrinsic resistance to conventional therapy and the ability to regenerate tumor heterogeneity.

ENT COBRA (Consortium for Brachytherapy Data Analysis): interdisciplinary standardized data collection system for head and neck patients treated with interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy).

Purpose: Aim of the COBRA (Consortium for Brachytherapy Data Analysis) project is to create a multicenter group (consortium) and a web-based system for standardized data collection.

Material And Methods: GEC-ESTRO (Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie - European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology) Head and Neck (H&N) Working Group participated in the project and in the implementation of the consortium agreement, the ontology (data-set) and the necessary COBRA software services as well as the peer reviewing of the general anatomic site-specific COBRA protocol. The ontology was defined by a multicenter task-group.

Epidemiology of laryngeal carcinoma in Germany, 1998-2011.

Constituting 25-30 % of all head and neck cancer cases, laryngeal carcinoma is the most prevalent entity. Major risk factors of laryngeal cancer are smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. This study presents the recent developments in the incidence of laryngeal cancer from 1998 to 2011 in Germany.

Intensity modulated perioperative HDR brachytherapy for recurrent and/or advanced head and neck metastases.

Recurrent neck metastases following surgery and full dose adjuvant radiotherapy of squamous cell head and neck cancer remain a clinical challenge. After revision neck dissection and chemotherapy re-irradiation dosage is often limited and survival prognosis deteriorates. Here, adjuvant high-dose rate intensity modulated perioperative brachytherapy (HDR IMBT) offers a second full radiation dose with a limited volume of normal tissue radiation in the neck.

Perioperative image-adapted brachytherapy for the treatment of paranasal sinus and nasal cavity malignancies.

Purpose: Sinonasal malignancies are a rare group of cancers often associated with late presentation and poor prognosis. In the past, there was little progress regarding survival rate, and often, multimodal treatment regimens are required. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of perioperative image-adapted brachytherapy (IABT) as part of a multidisciplinary treatment regimen for the therapy of sinonasal cancer.

Aspirin sensitivity and chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps: a fatal combination.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) refers to aspirin sensitivity, chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), nasal polyposis, asthma, eosinophil inflammation in the upper and lower airways, urticaria, angioedema, and anaphylaxis following the ingestion of NSAIDs. Epidemiologic and pathophysiological links between these diseases are established. The precise pathogenesis remains less defined, even though there is some progress in the understanding of several molecular mechanisms.

Evaluation and development of a predictive model for ultrasound-guided investigation of neck metastases.

Ultrasound investigations for the correct identification of lymph node metastases depend on the experience and qualifications of the investigator; thus, model that provides better preoperative evaluation is desired. Data from 290 patients with an upcoming neck dissection were analyzed to compare the preoperative ultrasound assessment of neck metastases with the pathologically proven postoperative neck status. In total, 364 data sets with 200 malignant and 164 benign lymph nodes were explored.

Perioperative intensity-modulated brachytherapy for refractory orbital rhabdomyosarcomas in children.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of perioperative intensity-modulated brachytherapy (IMBT) as well as functional outcome in children with therapy-refractory orbital rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS).

Patients And Methods: Since 1993, children with therapy-refractory orbital RMS have been treated by a multidisciplinary approach combining function-preserving, mostly R1 tumor resection and perioperative IMBT at the University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. All children with orbital RMS, who were enrolled in this multidisciplinary treatment protocol between 1993 and 2002, were prospectively assessed with respect to evaluation of side effects and functional outcome.

Antimicrobial peptides in oral cancer.

There is increasing evidence that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are differentially regulated in cancers such as oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). Data showing that AMPs influence the growth of tumor cells, exhibit direct cytotoxic activity towards cancer cells, function as a tumor suppressor gene or activate the adaptive immunity suggest that a dysregulation of AMPs may be associated with the development of cancer. There is no question that, with increasing resistance against conventional chemotherapy, novel anticancer agents are needed.

Overexpression of p68 mRNA in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are aggressively growing tumors with only marginal improvement in outcome despite ongoing developments in treatment protocols. This problem has been associated with a lack of therapy individualization on tumor biological properties.

Materials And Methods: mRNA expression profiles of HNSCC and normal epithelial cells were compared in order to identify genes associated with cancer formation.

Nasal RANTES and eotaxin production pattern in response to rhinovirus infection.

Tissue eosinophilia is a hallmark of nasal polyposis and its pathogenesis is an area of high interest. RANTES and eotaxin are both known to recruit eosinophils, however, the mechanisms triggering their induction are still uncertain, and viral infections have been suggested to be involved in this process. Therefore, we investigated whether rhinovirus infection is a stimulus for RANTES and eotaxin expression and production.

Association between human beta defensin expression and cholesteatoma formation.

Objective: To investigate an association between human beta defensin (hBD) expression and cholesteatoma formation.

Methods: hBD-2 mRNA expressions were assessed in healthy external acoustic meatus skin organ cultures before and after stimulation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, hBD-1 and hBD-2 protein production of stimulated and non-stimulated external acoustic meatus skin was visualized by immunohistochemistry.