Update in the classification and the role of intra-arterial stenting in the management of carotid body paragangliomas.

Background: To review the Shamblin classification of carotid body paragangliomas (CBPs) and the role of intra-arterial stenting in their surgical management.

Methods: Retrospective case series of 20 patients with 28 CBPs that were surgically resected at our center. Intra-arterial stenting was performed in Shamblin II and II classes.

Facial Nerve Outcomes Following Total Excision of Vestibular Schwannoma by the Enlarged Translabyrinthine Approach.

Objective: To study the early and late facial nerve (FN) outcomes in different tumor classes in addition to determining the predictive factors for the same.

Study Design: A retrospective clinical study.

Setting: A quaternary referral otology and skull base center.

Cholesteatoma of the External Auditory Canal: Review of Staging and Surgical Strategy.

Introduction: External auditory canal cholesteatomas (EACC) is insidious in nature and rare entity. There are only few case series on EACCs and surgical strategy is not standardized.

Objectives: 1) To elucidate etiology of EACC and cardinal features.

Temporal Bone Meningo-Encephalic-Herniation: Etiological Categorization and Surgical Strategy.

Objective: To study the clinical presentation, intraoperative findings and surgical management in meningo-encephalic-herniation (MEH) based on the etiology.

Study Design: A retrospective clinical study and is a follow-up on the previously published report in 2009.

Setting: A quaternary referral otology and skull base center PATIENTS AND METHODS:: The inclusion criteria were intraoperatively verified MEH in patients with a minimum follow-up of 12 months, which yielded 262 operated ears.

Correction to: Paragangliomas arise through an autonomous vasculo-angio-neurogenic program inhibited by imatinib.

The given and family names of two co-authors were incorrect in the published article. The correct spelling should read as: Sampath Chandra Prasad and Vinagolu K Rajasekhar.

Paragangliomas arise through an autonomous vasculo-angio-neurogenic program inhibited by imatinib.

Tumours can be viewed as aberrant tissues or organs sustained by tumorigenic stem-like cells that engage into dysregulated histo/organogenetic processes. Paragangliomas, prototypical organoid tumours constituted by dysmorphic variants of the vascular and neural tissues found in normal paraganglia, provide a model to test this hypothesis. To understand the origin of paragangliomas, we built a biobank comprising 77 cases, 18 primary cultures, 4 derived cell lines, 80 patient-derived xenografts and 11 cell-derived xenografts.

Decision Making in the Wait-and-Scan Approach for Vestibular Schwannomas: Is There a Price to Pay in Terms of Hearing, Facial Nerve, and Overall Outcomes?

Background: The wait-and-scan modality has emerged as an important strategy in the management of vestibular schwannoma (VS) as it has been demonstrated that many tumors grow slowly or do not show any growth over long periods.

Objective: To analyze long-term outcomes of wait-and-scan in the treatment of patients with VS, discuss the factors contributing to the decision making, determine the inherent risks of the policy, and compare our results with literature.

Methods: In total, 576 patients with sporadic unilateral VS who were managed with wait-and-scan were reviewed retrospectively.

Cochlear Implantation in Cochlear Ossification: Retrospective Review of Etiologies, Surgical Considerations, and Auditory Outcomes.

Objectives: 1) To review the surgical and auditory outcomes and complications of cochlear implantation in cases with cochlear ossification. 2) To evaluate association between the extent and etiology of ossification to outcomes.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Surgical Management of Intrinsic Tumors of the Facial Nerve.

Background: Intrinsic tumors of the facial nerve are a rare entity. Dealing with this subset of tumors is challenging both in terms of decision making and surgical intervention.

Objective: To review the outcomes of surgical management of facial nerve tumors and cable nerve graft interpositioning.

Cochlear Implantation in Otosclerosis: Surgical and Auditory Outcomes With a Brief on Facial Nerve Stimulation.

Objectives: 1) To review the surgical and auditory outcomes in patients of cochlear implantation in otosclerosis. 2) To review complications and postimplantation facial nerve stimulation (FNS). 3) To compare the auditory outcomes between patients displaying cochlear ossification to the nonossified ones.

Rapidly growing cystic vestibular schwannoma with sudden onset facial palsy, ten years after subtotal excision.

An elderly male patient diagnosed with a right-sided cystic vestibular schwannoma (CVS) at our center underwent a translabyrinthine approach with a subtotal excision to preserve the facial nerve (FN). The tumor grew slowly for the first 9 years but in the subsequent 2 years grew rapidly, with the patient developing a FN paralysis. Using the previous approach, a second surgery was done and the tumor was excised, leaving behind a sheath of tumor on the facial and lower cranial nerves.

Effects of PPARα inhibition in head and neck paraganglioma cells.

Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) are rare tumors that may cause important morbidity, because of their tendency to infiltrate the skull base. At present, surgery is the only therapeutic option, but radical removal may be difficult or impossible. Thus, effective targets and molecules for HNPGL treatment need to be identified.

Surgical technique and results of cable graft interpositioning of the facial nerve in lateral skull base surgeries: experience with 213 consecutive cases.

OBJECTIVE The aim in this study was to review the technique and outcomes of cable graft interpositioning of the facial nerve (FN) in lateral skull base surgeries. METHODS The authors retrospectively evaluated data from patients who had undergone cable graft interpositioning after nerve sacrifice during skull base tumor removal between June 1987 and May 2015. All patients had undergone lateral skull base approaches to remove tumors at a quaternary referral center in Italy.

Subtotal petrosectomy: Surgical technique, indications, outcomes, and comprehensive review of literature.

Objectives/hypothesis: To describe the technique of subtotal petrosectomy (STP), to analyze the outcomes, and to review the literature STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review.

Methods: Four hundred sixty cases of STP performed for various indications were included in the study, which was conducted at a quaternary referral center for otology and skull base surgery. Surgical and audiological parameters, and complications were evaluated.

Lateral skull base surgery in a pediatric population: A 25-year experience in a referral skull base center.

Objective: To analyze the pathology and surgical outcomes of lateral skull base (LSB) procedures in a pediatric population.

Study Design: Retrospective case review in a referral skull base center.

Methods: Charts of pediatric patients who underwent defined LSB procedures from 1983 to 2015 for various pathologies were evaluated at our center.

Vestibular Schwannoma Resection with Ipsilateral Simultaneous Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Normal Contralateral Hearing.

Objective: To report the hearing results of cochlear implantation simultaneous to vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection by means of a translabyrinthine approach in patients with normal contralateral hearing.

Methods: This was a prospective study including adults with sporadic VS. Tumors were resected by means of a modified translabyrinthine approach with preservation of the cochlear nerve.

Outcomes of Drill Canalplasty in Exostoses and Osteoma: Analysis of 256 Cases and Literature Review.

Objective: 1) To describe the surgical technique of drill canaplasty for exostosis and osteoma and to evaluate our results. 2) To propose a new grading system for external auditory canal stenosis (EACS). 3) To review the recent literature.

Surgical Strategy and Facial Nerve Outcomes in Petrous Bone Cholesteatoma.

Objective: To review the classification and management of petrous bone cholesteatomas (PBCs) at our center and the outcomes of facial nerve (FN) management in these lesions.

Methods: This was a retrospective study. The setting was a quaternary referral center for skull base pathology in Italy.