Geniculate ganglion hemangiomas: clinical results and long-term follow-up.

Objective: To review the clinical presentation, evaluation, and management of 18 patients with geniculate ganglion hemangiomas seen at the House Clinic.

Study Design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Private neurotological tertiary referral center.

Hearing results using the SMart piston prosthesis.

Objective: SMart, a newly introduced piston prosthesis for stapedotomy, is a nitinol-based, heat-activated, self-crimping prosthesis. We review our hearing results and postoperative complications using this self-crimped piston prosthesis and compare them with those obtained using stainless steel or platinum piston prostheses.

Hypothesis: Audiometric results using the SMart piston are identical to those obtained using a conventional piston prosthesis.

Jugular foramen tumors: clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes.

Objective: To describe the diagnosis, management, and treatment outcome of jugular foramen (JF) tumors.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Methods: Charts of the 83 patients diagnosed with JF tumors between January 1997 and May 2008 were reviewed.

Current assessment and management of glomus tumors.

Purpose Of Review: To provide an overview on the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of glomus tumors (paragangliomas).

Recent Findings: The review focuses on the genetics of paragangliomas and discusses the role of newer therapeutic modalities in the management of jugulotympanic paragangliomas.

Summary: Recent advances in the field of genetics allowed the identification of three main loci involved in hereditary paragangliomas.

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and sensorineural hearing loss.

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, (WM) first described in 1944, is an uncommon disease caused by the abnormal production of immunoglobulin M monoclonal macroglobulin. Presenting signs and symptoms most frequently include fatigue or generalized weakness; tendency to bleed from mucosal surfaces; characteristic retinal lesions, including dilated and tortuous retinal veins, retinal hemorrhages, and exudates; lymphadenopathy; hepatosplenomegaly; sensory motor peripheral neuropathy; worsening normochromic anemia; increased sedimentation rate; and extremely high serum viscosity. Hearing loss is an unusual presenting symptom of WM; only 6 cases are reported in literature.

Incidence of carcinoma in incidental tonsil asymmetry.

Objective: To determine the incidence of malignancy in patients with incidentally discovered unilateral tonsillar enlargement with an otherwise normal physical examination.

Study Design: A retrospective review of our institution's experience with unilateral tonsillar enlargement.

Results: During a five-year period, 570 patients underwent tonsillectomy at our institution.