Biomedical subjects

Naoaki Yanagihara

Publications and source records attributed to Naoaki Yanagihara.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Effect of single-drug treatment on idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

OBJECTIVES: In order to evaluate the effect of a medical administration for the sudden deafness patients, single-drug treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) was assessed at multi-centers participating in the Acute Severe Hearing Loss Study Group sponsored by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan. METHODS: The subjects consisted of ISSHL patients who were (1) 20 years of age or older, (2) diagnosed within 2 weeks after the onset of hearing loss, (3) showing a mean hearing level of 40-90 dB at five frequencies from 250 to 4000 Hz, (4) previously untreated, and (5) with normal for age in hearing of the opposite ear. The drugs used in this study were ATP, alprostadil, hydrocortisone and amidotrizoate, which were administered intravenously, and beraprost sodium and betamethasone, which were given orally. Two drugs were assigned to each center, one of which was selected according to the code hidden in envelopes and administered for 1 week. The treatment after the single-drug administration was conducted at the discretion of each center. The hearing gain and recovery rate at 1 week after the initiation of single-drug treatment and at 1 month or over when the hearing level was fixed, were evaluated based on the criteria for hearing recovery prepared by the Acute Severe Hearing Loss Study Group. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the recovery rate among drugs either at 1 week after the initiation of single-drug treatment or at the time of fixed hearing level. At the time when the hearing level was fixed, a statistically significant difference in the complete recovery rate was detected only between amidotrizoate and beraprost sodium. CONCLUSION: From these results, we could not find any specific drugs recommended for ISSNHL. In evaluating the effect of the drugs, however, several problems in the clinical trial for ISSHL should be considered.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2003

Efficacy of early treatment of Bell's palsy with oral acyclovir and prednisolone.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects of acyclovir and prednisolone in relation to the timing of treatment in Bell's palsy. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective study of 480 Bell's palsy patients who were treated with oral acyclovir and prednisolone (94 cases) or prednisolone alone (386 cases). PATIENTS: Patients met the after criteria: (1) severe or complete Bell's palsy with a score lower than 20 on the 40-point Yanagihara facial score and (2) treatment started within 7 days after onset. The patients were treated with oral prednisolone (60-40 mg/day) with or without oral acyclovir (2,000 mg/day). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Rate of recovery, which was defined as a facial score of 36 or more, and the absence of contracture with synkinesis. RESULTS: The overall recovery rate of patients treated with acyclovir and prednisolone was 95.7 percent, which was better than that of patients treated with prednisolone alone (88.6%). The recovery rate in patients who began the combined therapy within 3 days of the onset of palsy was 100 percent and early treatment resulted in early remission. In contrast, the recovery rate in patients who started the combined therapy more than 4 days after onset was 86.2 percent. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that early diagnosis and treatment within 3 days of the onset of paralysis are necessary for maximal efficacy of combined acyclovir and prednisolone therapy for Bell's palsy.

Acyclovir↗

PubMed2002

Swelling of the intratemporal facial nerve in Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

Although Ramsay Hunt syndrome is one of the most important diseases causing peripheral facial palsy, the detailed pathology of the disease in the intratemporal facial nerve remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge of the pathogenesis of the syndrome by means of surgical findings. Between April 1976 and March 1997 we performed subtotal decompression of the facial nerve in 74 patients with severe Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The grade of nerve swelling was assessed using a microscope and recorded in a standardized form. The relationships between nerve swelling, the timing of surgery and the swelling of each segment were analyzed. Pronounced neural swelling, involving the geniculate ganglion and the horizontal segment, was consistent finding in the acute phase. Although the incidence of pronounced swelling of the horizontal segment gradually declined with time after onset, in most cases nerve swelling persisted even beyond the 16th week after onset. These data suggest that diffuse viral neuritis occurs throughout the intratemporal facial nerve. We assume that the viral inflammatory swelling involving the geniculate ganglion and horizontal segment is mostly responsible for the acute facial palsy in the acute phase.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Mastoid cortex plasty using bone pate.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the surgical technique of mastoid cortex plasty using bone pate and its clinical significance. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Tertiary medical center. METHODS: Bone pate collected while drilling the mastoid cortex was mixed with fibrin glue to make a pate plate. The mastoid cortex defect was closed with a pate plate cut to the desired shape and size. PATIENTS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mastoid cortex plasty was included in the first-stage operation in 49 patients who underwent staged tympanoplasty. The second-stage operation was an inspection to see whether the mastoid cortex was reconstructed and the ingrowth of fibrous soft tissue was prevented. RESULTS: In 35 patients, the mastoid cortex was reconstructed completely, and soft tissue ingrowth into the mastoid cavity was blocked completely. In the remaining 14 patients, a defect of varying size occurred at the site of drainage-tube insertion. This defect was small enough to prevent soft tissue ingrowth into the mastoid cavity. CONCLUSION: Mastoid cortex plasty is a simple and rapid procedure for preventing postoperative deformity of the mastoid process and is valuable for restoring mastoid cavity function.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Efficacy of mastoid cortex plasty for middle ear aeration in intact canal wall tympanoplasty for cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of closing the bone defect of the mastoid cortex using bone pate after mastoidectomy (mastoid cortex plasty) during the first-stage operation for the restoration of the mastoid cavity aeration. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective study. SETTING: Tertiary medical center. PATIENTS: Thirty-five patients with cholesteatoma invading the mastoid cavity. INTERVENTION: Seventeen patients received mastoid cortex plasty with scutum plasty and insertion of a Silastic sheet after removal of the cholesteatoma using a combined approach during the first-stage operation. The 18 control patients received only scutum plasty with the insertion of a Silastic sheet without mastoid cortex plasty during the first-stage operation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The restoration of the middle ear aeration was assessed with high-resolution computed tomography before both the first-stage operation and the second-stage operation. RESULTS: The range of middle ear aeration ameliorated significantly whether or not mastoid cortex plasty was performed. Scutum plasty with the insertion of a Silastic sheet without mastoid cortex plasty was significantly effective only for the amelioration of the epitympanum aeration. Mastoid cortex plasty with scutum plasty with the insertion of a Silastic sheet was significantly effective for the amelioration of the epitympanum and also the mastoid cavity aeration. In both groups, before the first-stage operation, approximately 70% of the patients had good mesotympanum aeration, and the mesotympanum aeration ameliorated further after the first-stage operation, although this amelioration was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Mastoid cortex plasty is statistically effective for the amelioration of mastoid cavity aeration after the first-stage operation.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bilateral spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea.

We present a rare case of bilateral cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea via multiple bony defects in the left tegmen and a single defect with the herniated brain tissue on the right side. Initially, the patient complained of left hearing loss and fullness and was diagnosed with serous otitis media. After myringotomy, the pulsating watery discharge suggested CSF otorrhea. Five months after surgical repair of the left side, right-side CSF leakage occurred. The right side was repaired surgically, and the patient recovered without incident. From our findings and a review of the literature, we postulate that bilateral CSF otorrhea resulted mainly from the thinness of the tegmen because of well-pneumatized mastoid air cells and the weakness of the dura after chronic inflammatory changes. In case of spontaneous CSF otorrhea, the roof of tegmen should be assessed bilaterally with care using radiologic examinations so as not to overlook a subclinical condition on the contralateral side.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ossicular reconstruction using hydroxyapatite prostheses with interposed cartilage.

PURPOSE: Despite the excellent biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite ossicular prostheses, extrusion of the prosthesis may be found during long-term follow-up, mainly due to the retraction of the eardrum. Although interposition of autologous cartilage between the eardrum and the prosthesis is empirically used to prevent extrusion, the clinical effect of this procedure has not been confirmed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of interposing a cartilage on the extrusion rate and hearing outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four ears in which cartilage was interposed with a hydroxyapatite prosthesis were compared with 53 ears without interposition. Three years after surgery, the otoscopic findings and hearing outcome were evaluated. RESULTS: The extrusion rate was 1.9% in the group with interposition and 13.2% in the group without interposition. The difference between the two groups was statistically different (chi(2) = 4.986; P =.03). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the postoperative air-bone gap. CONCLUSION: This procedure is an effective method for reducing the extrusion rate of hydroxyapatite prostheses without reducing the hearing gain resulting from ossiculoplasty.

Adolescent↗