Published papers

A variety of drugs in veterinary use have side effects that can potentially damage the senses of hearing or balance in animals. A large body of literature exists on the incidence and mechanisms of ototoxicity in experimental animals and in humans, but little is documented in domestic dogs and cats. However, the generality of these adverse actions across species allows one to extrapolate and provide the veterinarian with insight into possible complications of chemotherapy. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of depression among otolaryngology patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) and the outcome of treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Method: Ninety patients with MUS from a population of 983 consecutive otolaryngology outpatients were enrolled. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) was used to screen for depression. In addition to standard treatment, all depressed and nondepressed patients received SSRIs for 8 weeks. The Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale was used to evaluate clinical changes in patients with MUS. Results: There were 49 patients with depression among those with MUS, according to the SDS criteria. The patients with depression showed a better outcome than those without depression, demonstrating more significantly improved CGI-I scores. Conclusion: More than half of the individuals with otolaryngological MUS had depression, and their MUS were successfully treated withSSRIs. © 2012 Elsevier Inc..

Advances in broad-spectrum antibiotics are enabling general physicians and pediatricians to treat acute middle-ear infection without otolaryngologists' intervention. Most such subjects also recover without serious complications. Middle-ear infection remains potentially life-threatening, however, due to potential infectious intracranial complications, requiring surgery by otolaryngologists. We report two cases of acute pediatric mastoiditis following acute otitis media. Both had been initially treated by pediatricians and administered several antibiotics. One subject had masked mastoiditis when first seen and the other serious complications involving intracranial infection thought due to comorbid congenital cholesteatoma. Both were treated successfully with mastoidectomies followed by intravenous antibiotic therapy.

We present a case of advanced hypopharyngeal cancer occurring in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A 58-year-old man diagnosed with ALS 2 years previously noticed a mass in his neck and dysphagia. We diagnosed him as having hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma with the left cervical lymph node metastases (T3N2bM0) and treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. During and after the treatment, his neurological symptoms showed no worse signs. The patient has been cancer-free for 13 months after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The influence of ALS on the patients' quality of life (QOL) and/or prognosis had to be taken into consideration when determining an appropriate treatment for the hypopharyngeal cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this may be the first case with ALS who was treated for hypopharyngeal cancer. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Objective: To assess factors that contribute to Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) scores in Japan. Design: Case series with chart review. Study sample: Two hundred and eighty-five tinnitus patients at tertiary referral center, who completed the Japanese version of the THI, the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results: In multiple regression analysis, the SDS score contributed the most to the THI score. The state section of the STAI score and pure tone average (PTA) at four high frequencies also contributed significantly, but to lesser degrees. The other following factors were not statistically significant: age, gender, time from the onset of tinnitus to the first clinical visit, PTA at three mid frequencies, and trait section of the STAI score. This model may account for approximately 45% of THI score variability. Conclusions: The THI scores may be influenced by depressive symptoms, state anxiety, and pure tone thresholds in Japan. © 2011 British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology, and Nordic Audiological Society.

Conclusion: Pure tone auditory thresholds can change according to duration of interrupted tones in patients with mild to severe psychogenic hearing loss (PHL). Objectives: To examine how the duration of stimulus tones affects the hearing thresholds of patients with PHL. Methods: Twelve patients with PHL (21 ears) were enrolled in this study. We initially measured their hearing thresholds using interrupted tones with a duration of 2 s and equal length of on-time and off-time, 225 ± 35 ms, respectively. After a 10 min interval, we measured their hearing thresholds using the same interrupted tones conditions lasting 5 s. The average threshold gains (2 s thresholds minus 5 s thresholds) were compared to those of 15 control subjects with normal hearing (25 ears), 15 patients with cochlear hearing loss (23 ears), and 4 patients with retrocochlear lesions (4 ears). Patients with profound PHL (4 patients, 6 ears) were analyzed separately. Results: The average threshold gain of PHL patients (excluding profound PHL patients) at all frequencies was 18.3 dB, which was significantly larger than that of other groups: 0.3 dB (profound PHL patients), 3.8 dB (controls with normal hearing), 3.0 dB (patients with cochlear hearing loss), and 3.2 dB (patients with retrocochlear lesions). © 2011 Informa Healthcare.

Objective: There is compelling evidence that tinnitus is associated with functional alterations in the central nervous system. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a potent tool for modifying neural activity at the stimulated area and at a distance along the functional anatomical connections. Depending on the stimulation parameters, cortical networks can be functionally disturbed or modulated in their activities. Low-frequency rTMS has been shown to result in a decrease in cortical excitability. The technique can alleviate tinnitus by modulating the excitability of neurons in the auditory cortex. We aimed to investigate the effects of low-frequency rTMS in patients and determine the factors that predict a beneficial outcome with rTMS treatment. Methods: Sixteen patients (male 10, female 6) with chronic tinnitus underwent low-frequency (1. Hz) rTMS (intensity: 110% motor threshold; number of stimuli: 1200) to the left auditory cortex. The treatment outcome was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS) of loudness, annoyance and duration, loudness balance test, and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI). Therapeutic success was studied according to the patients' clinical characteristics. Results: A significant reduction in the VAS (loudness and annoyance) occurred immediately after rTMS, with a gradual return to pretreatment levels after 7 days. The tinnitus patients with sudden deafness were significant resistant to rTMS treatment compared with those diagnosed with age-related hearing loss. Conclusion: These results support the potential of rTMS as a new therapeutic tool for the treatment of chronic tinnitus. Because this study was performed with a small sample size and showed high interindividual variability in treatment effects, further development of the technique is needed before it can be recommended for clinical applications. © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Introduction: Approximately 5% of the population worldwide suffers from industrial, military or recreational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) at a great economic cost and detriment to the quality of life of the affected individuals. This review discusses pharmacological strategies to attenuate NIHL that have been developed in animal models and that are now beginning to be tested in field trials. Areas covered: The review describes the epidemiology, pathology and pathophysiology of NIHL in experimental animals and humans. The underlying molecular mechanisms of damage are then discussed as a basis for therapeutic approaches to ameliorate the loss of auditory function. Finally, studies in military, industrial and recreational settings are evaluated. Literature was searched using the terms 'noise-induced hearing loss' and 'noise trauma'. Expert opinion: NIHL, in principle, can be prevented. With the current pace of development, oral drugs to protect against NIHL should be available within the next 5 - 10 years. Positive results from ongoing trials combined with additional laboratory tests might accelerate the time from the bench to clinical treatment. © Informa UK, Ltd.

We report a very rare case of hearing improvement after removal of the intracranial part of a jugular foramen schwannoma (JFS) presenting with chronic and severe progressive sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The patient presented with progressive hearing impairment in his right ear, lasting 2 years. The patient's pure tone audiogram revealed severe SNHL. His speech discrimination score (SDS) was 0%. Auditory-evoked brain responses (ABRs) comprised only I waves following 30-100. dB stimulation, although distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) had good responses. These test results indicated that his hearing impairment was retrocochlear SNHL. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed within the right jugular foramen a large intracranial-extracranial tumor that compressed the brainstem. The intracranial part of the tumor was resected through retrosigmoidal craniotomy, and the tumor was pathologically diagnosed as a schwannoma. Several months after the operation, the patient's auditory thresholds improved to a level consistent with mild SNHL, ABR V waves emerged following 60-90. dB stimulation, and SDS improved significantly to 95%. This case demonstrates that hearing improvement can be achieved after surgery for JFS presenting with severe and chronic progressive SNHL, and that good DPOAE responses and the presence of ABR I waves may be predictors of postoperative hearing recovery in JFS. © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

This is the report of rare cases to show the potential ototoxicity of Burow's solution in clinical use. We encountered two cases of acute sensorineural hearing loss occurring after the administration of 8% Burow's solution (pH 2.93) into the tympanic cavities. Prior to treatment, both cases presented with tympanic membrane perforations in the posterior and inferior portions and a small amount of serous discharge. Fortunately, hearing loss recovered almost completely except for high tones within a few weeks. These two case reports demonstrate that the ototoxicity of Burow's solution should be considered when it is used to treat otitis media accompanied by tympanic membrane perforation. © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

A 54-year-old man transferred to our emergency department due to sudden vertigo and left-side hearing impairment lasting several hours was found in clinical examination and audiovestibular tests to have profound sensorineural hearing loss and spontaneous right horizontal rotatory nystagmus. He had no other neurological deficits and was given intravenous steroids. On day 4, he reported mild numbness in the right hand. MRI showed infarctions in the left pons (basilar artery region) and in the left middle cerebellar penduncle (AICA region). These were followed by a right Babinski reflex, gait ataxia, and delayed left-sided facial palsy with newly left horizontal rotatory nystagmus. Antiplatelet agents and anticoagulation therapy were begun. He recovered completely except for the profound hearing loss.

A 52-year-old male patient consulted our hospital with complaints of long lasting pain in the throat and swelling in the neck. Physical, pathological and X-ray examinations led to a diagnosis of carcinoma in the base of the tongue, which had already extended deeply into the tongue and epiglottis (oropharyngeal carcinoma, T4N2cM0). After chemoradiotherapy which did not successfully reduce the tumor, surgical removal of both the tongue and larynx, and reconstruction of the base of the oral cavity with a PM-MC flap were performed. Unfortunately, the operation was accompanied by a subcutaneous infection which occurred as a result of a surgical complication of a pharyngeal fistula. The germ culture examination revealed that the wound was infected with MRSA. Since povidone-iodine and general use of antibiotics were not effective in suppressing the inflammation, possibility arose for serious and critical complications such as MRSA pneumonia or rupture of a major neck artery. However, immediately after we started using methylrosanilinium chloride for the MRSA-infected wound, the inflammation began to disappear quickly without any serious side effect to surrounding tissue. We concluded that methylrosanilinium chloride was effective in the treatment of MRSA-infected wounds.