Potential for Use of Portable Ultrasound Devices in Rural and Remote Settings in Australia and Other Developed Countries: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has become more common for rapid evaluation. Applications are limited by lack of training of users, difficulty maintaining ultrasound competencies, access to equipment for optimal imaging, and limitations in quality control. Such barriers exist in low-resource, underserved health care settings.

An experimental study of inner ear pathology due to NaCl on the round window.

An animal experiment was performed to evaluate structural and ultrastructural changes to the inner ear as a result of placing 3-4 crystals of reagent grade sodium chloride (NaCl) on the round window membrane. Chinchillas were sacrificed at 8 and 24 hours after treatment and the cochlear and vestibular tissues were examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Inner ear pathology consisted of destruction of both sensory and supporting cells in the basal turn of the organ of Corti, atrophy of the stria vascularis and alterations to the otoconia and the maculae and ampullae of the vestibular system.

A morphometric study of microvascular pathology following experimental rupture of Reissner's membrane.

In a previous paper (this volume) we described a method for evaluating the cochlear microvasculature. This method was applied to the analysis of lateral wall tissue from chinchillas sacrificed 1 h, 24 h, 1 week and 3 weeks after surgical rupture of Reissner's membrane. The degree, direction, and time course of pathological changes seen in the microvessels were different for the system of stria vascularis vessels, the system of spiral ligament vessels, and the system of spiral prominence vessels.

A morphometric technique for analysis of cochlear vessels.

A computer based system was developed for morphometric analysis of the cochlear lateral wall vasculature. Variables measured were vascular density, RBC density, vessel width, aggregation density, lumen compression count, WBC count and pigment density. Vessels were divided into three systems based on the lateral wall structures that they supplied.

Effect of high intensity impulse noise on the vascular system of the chinchilla cochlea.

Changes in the vasculature of the chinchilla cochlea were quantitatively assessed 45 days after impulse noise exposure of either 155- or 160-dB peak sound pressure level. The condition of the vessels in the lateral wall and spiral lamina of each cochlea was evaluated in terms of 20 morphological parameters. Multivariate statistical analysis identified the parameters that were significantly affected by the noise exposure.