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Biomedical subjects

K B Hüttenbrink

Publications and source records attributed to K B Hüttenbrink.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Impact of TORP diameter on fracture of the footplate].

BACKGROUND: A columella-prosthesis is the typical reconstruction procedure of the ossicular chain in cases with a destroyed stapedial arch. Lightweight titanium prostheses are commonly used for this type of surgery. The smaller the prosthesis foot the lower the risk of dislocation and friction of the prosthesis with the bony rim of the oval niche. However, using a smaller prosthesis foot, fracture of the footplate and penetration of the prosthesis into the inner ear are conceivable. METHODS: Using fresh temporal bone preparations, lacking the stapedial arch, in conjunction with a load cell, the force needed to fracture the footplate was measured. Different prostheses with different foot diameters (0.2 - 0.8 mm) were used in these experiments. Furthermore, a human stapes was evaluated morphologically by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: The forces leading to fracture of the footplate were measured to be between 250 mN and 980 mN. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm prosthesis foots. Moreover, different forces were attributed to varying thickness of the stapes footplate. In scanning electron microscopy the rough and uneven bony surface of the footplate could be demonstrated. CONCLUSION: Due to the uneven footplate, only punctual contact of the prosthesis foot can be achieved. Hence, the risk of footplate fracture is not considerably higher by using smaller diameters. However, the use of smaller feet in upcoming generations of TORPs seems to be appropriate.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed2006

[Vallecular cyst as a rare cause of progressive inspiratory stridor].

BACKGROUND: Vallecular cysts are frequently observed, benign masses of the upper aerodigestiv tract. Usually they appear as harmless and asymptomatic and go unnoticed by the patient. In rare cases, obstructions of the upper airway due to monstrous vallecular cysts may become life threatening. CASE: We report on a 69-year-old otherwise healthy woman with a rapidly progressive history of dyspnea caused by a pedicled vallecular cyst. Increasing stridor prompted emergency surgical resection. CONCLUSION: Vallecular cysts that increase in size can cause dyspnea due to obstruction of the aditus of the larynx. This case demonstrates the need for surgical treatment at an early stage of pedicled vallecular cysts.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Olfactory dysfunction due to nasal sinus disease. Causes, consequences, epidemiology, and therapy].

Olfaction not only contributes to our quality of life but, among other functions, it is also necessary for identifying potential dangers, e.g., fire or spoilt food. In general the value of olfaction is only recognized when the sense of smell is impaired or lost. Olfactory dysfunction is diagnosed according to its cause (e.g., sinonasal, post-traumatic, post-upper respiratory tract infection, neurodegenerative, and idiopathic). At present little is known about prognostic factors for predicting resolution of olfactory loss on an individual basis. In cases of impaired olfaction due to sinonasal disease, both conservative and operative treatments have been established. Corticoids are used both topically and systemically. In cases of severe mechanical obstructions or advanced stages of nasal polyposis, FESS (functional endoscopic sinus surgery) seems to be the state of the art.

Causality↗
PubMed2005

Gustatory function in chronic inflammatory middle ear diseases.

HYPOTHESIS: Changes of gustatory function after ear surgery have been studied extensively. However, little is known on the influence of repeated/chronic inflammation within the middle ear on taste. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients suffering from either cholesteatoma (n = 25) or chronic otitis media mesotympanalis (n = 21) received quantitative gustatory tests. None of these patients had been operated on before these investigations. RESULTS: Side by side comparison showed a significantly lower taste function on the anterior two thirds of the tongue ipsilateral to the site of inflammation, regardless of the diagnosis. Further analyses exhibited a trend toward greater impairment in relation to the severity of the inflammatory process. CONCLUSION: These data are proof that taste function changes in relation to chronic middle ear diseases. It further shows that many of these alterations go unnoticed by the patients.

Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear↗
PubMed2004

Optical measurement of nasal swellings.

We introduce a new optical method to noninvasively and continuously measure the swelling process of the nasal mucosa whereby we use light of different wavelengths in the red and near-infrared range which is transilluminated through the nasal tissue and whose extinction is recorded as a function of time. From the temporal and spectral extinction data, we are able to extract characteristic parameters that describe the swelling process quantitatively by means of a regression-type parameter estimation algorithm. The method has been applied to the nasal allergen provocation test and verified on a limited number of volunteers.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Assessment of olfactory function after septoplasty: a longitudinal study.

AIM: Aim of the study was to evaluate septoplasty-related changes of lateralised olfactory function during both early and late postoperative periods in comparison to the preoperative situation. MATERIAL/METHODS: Lateralised olfactory function was assessed in 30 patients using the "Sniffin' Sticks" test battery. Measurements were performed preoperatively, and 4 and 9 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Prior to septal surgery measurements revealed significantly higher odor thresholds for the obstructed nostril compared to contralateral thresholds. No such observations were made for suprathreshold measures. Postoperatively, a significant decline of odor discrimination was found in comparison to the preoperative situation. However, there was no significant change of odor thresholds and odor identification function during the 9-month postoperative follow up. On an individual basis, one of the initially normosmic patients became hyposmic following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicate that odor thresholds, but not suprathreshold olfactory function, are related to nasal obstruction resulting from septal deviation. In contrast, postoperative changes were only seen for odor discrimination. Apart from psychological explanations of this finding, it may be hypothesized that these observations result from changes in intranasal airflow following surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Clinical presentation of qualitative olfactory dysfunction.

Many patients with olfactory dysfunction not only experience quantitative reduction of olfactory function, but also suffer from distorted olfactory sensations. This qualitative dysfunction is referred to as parosmia (also called "troposmia") or phantosmia, with the major difference that distorted olfactory sensations are experienced in the presence or absence of an odor, respectively. Our clinical observations corroborate the literature in terms of a general underestimation of the incidence of olfactory distortions. Based on selected cases we try to show that olfactory distortions exhibit a large variance in their clinical appearance. Further, emphasis is placed on the fact that only a detailed and directed history of the patient can provide cues to the correct diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[The human vomeronasal organ].

Odors influence human behavior. The perception of so-called pheromones is frequently mentioned in the context of a functional vomeronasal organ. Vomeronasal ducts can be detected in approximately half of the population. Its functionality, still a matter of debate, seems to be unlikely, at least after birth. It is easily conceivable that pheromone-induced changes in behavior are mediated through receptors in the human olfactory epithelium.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Modeling light distribution in nasal tissue structures].

There are different applications in the field of optical diagnostics in which the theories explaining the light transport in tissue do not lead to simple solutions for complicate geometric conditions. In these cases the Monte Carlo method provides a powerful tool to solve this problem statistically. In order to simulate the light transport in the nasal region a model was created which includes the structure depending on the swelling of the mucous membrane as well as the Monte Carlo model. Using this model it is possible to evaluate the measured values qualitatively. However, due to the long distance between light source and detector the statistical error becomes a major problem for reliable statements.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

A threshold-like measure for the assessment of olfactory sensitivity: the "random" procedure.

Many tests of olfactory dysfunction are either too complex, too expensive, or too time-consuming to be of use in routine clinical testing. Thus, the present multicenter study was undertaken to investigate a new approach, the so-called "random" test. In this test different concentrations of citronellal and phenyl ethyl alcohol are applied according to a pre-established order; patients are asked to identify the odor if possible. The test score is the sum of correctly identified odors. Test administration takes about 10 min. Two studies were performed. Basic characteristics of the test were explored in experiment 1 in 176 healthy subjects (76 male, 100 female; age 12-85 years, mean age 30 years), namely test-retest reliability, correlation with other measures of olfactory sensitivity, and sensitivity of the test to differences in age and gender. In the second experiment the test was tried in 97 patients (45 male, 52 female; age 19-78 years, mean age 47 years) in a clinical environment to investigate its usefulness in diagnosing olfactory loss. The "random"-test was found (1) to exhibit a test-retest reliability similar to that reported for established measures of olfactory function (r = 0.71; P < 0.001), (2) to correlate with other measures of olfactory sensitivity (0.82 > r > 0.60; P < 0.001), (3) to differentiate between expected differences in olfactory sensitivity in relation to gender (t > 2.602, P < 0.011), and (4) to discriminate between different degrees of olfactory loss (F > 36.6, P < 0.001). Based on these data, and the fact that the new test requires little time and is easy to use, this approach can be expected to suit clinical needs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Middle ear mechanics and their interface with respect to implantable electronic otologic devices.

The understanding of construction principles of the middle ear and its mechanical behavior is valuable in the development of implantable hearing aids, as these devices have to adapt to the mechanics of the normal middle ear for optimal function. The input of the vibrational energy of a transducer into the ossicular chain follows the same mechanical fundamentals as in passive prostheses. Many aspects of middle ear mechanics, which are relevant for the acoustic quality of ossicular prostheses thus are also applicable for implantable transducers: the direction of vibrational mode, the stability of the contact zone between driver and ossicles, the increase of mass and impedance of the vibratory elements in the middle ear, the performance at changes of ambient air pressure, the potential feed back effects, and so forth.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2001

[The enjoyment of red wine is influenced by the shape of the wine glass].

BACKGROUND: It is frequently claimed that the glass shape has a direct impact on wine aroma. METHODS, PATIENTS: Healthy volunteers (43 m, 46 f, age 19-60 years) tried 3 glasses. Three glasses of different shape but of the same height and of comparable opening diameter were used. Glasses were of "tulip"-like, "beaker"-like, and "egg"-like shapes. Intensity, hedonic tone, and quality of a red wine were rated before and after drinking. RESULTS: Both intensity and hedonic ratings of wines from different glasses were influenced by glass shape. Glass shape also influenced the complexity of wine odors. This appeared not to be related to the esthetic impression the glasses made. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicate that egg-shaped glasses, compared to "tulip" or "beaker" glasses, appear to produce higher intensity and higher complexity of wine odors. This may relate to the trapping of odors in egg-shaped glasses.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Normal sense of smell in Kallmann syndrome. A case report].

BACKGROUND: Kallmann's syndrome (KS) was first mentioned in 1944 as an association of anosmia and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Causes are multiple genetic defects the most common of which is the x-linked KS appearing mostly in men. However, autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive forms have also been described. PATIENT: We present a case of KS with normosmia (male, 39 years of age). All symptoms of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism were present. RESULTS: Psychophysical olfactory testing revealed left-sided anosmia with right-sided normosmia which was confirmed by electrophysiological measures of olfactory function. Magnetic resonance imaging indicated aplasia of the left olfactory tract and bulb, whereas the right-sided structures appeared to be normal. CONCLUSIONS: As indicated in this case with lateralized anosmia and contralateral normosmia, overall olfactory function strongly depends on the "best" nostril. Therefore, in many clinical situations, lateralized olfactory testing appears to be extremely important.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Intraoperative measurement of stapes mobility using a hand-guided electromagnetic probe].

BACKGROUND: The hearing results of otosurgery are still unsatisfactory. Even after successful implantation of middle ear prostheses there often remains an air bone gap of 30 dB or more. As possible reasons dislocation of the prostheses due to scar growth, changes in prostheses' attachment or ventilation disorders are being discussed. Decreased stapes mobility, which has been judged only manually up to now, is supposed to be a further reason. METHOD: We are introducing a new electromagnetic probe. The output signal of this device is proportional to the impedance of the stapes-annular ligament cochlear fluid system at the sensor's resonance frequency (2.4 kHz). The advantage of this system is characterised by its hand-guidance. Injury of the sensitive stapes-annular ligament due to tremor movements of the surgeon can be excluded using a special construction of the sensor head. The maximum force of the sensor's tip onto the stapes during measurement is limited to below 5 mN. RESULTS: Preliminary measurement results of 20 patients are presented with normal and abnormal stapes mobility. These results are compared to the subjective impression of the surgeon, who usually tested the stapes mobility by hand. As a result of our investigations probe measurements can detect more exactly decreased mobility of the stapes than the surgeon. CONCLUSIONS: Our device may help to detect latent stapes fixation caused by chronic inflammation of the middle ear. The intraoperative measurement of stapes mobility may influence the strategy of the surgeon. Furthermore it would be helpful in patient consulting prior to a revision-tympanoplasty with predicting the potential hearing improvement.

Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear↗