Background: Theoretical disadvantages are associated with the use of heat-crimped piston prostheses in stapedotomy. Loose crimping could result in prosthesis displacement or slippage. Alternatively, overly tight crimping may cause trauma to the incus with resultant necrosis. Objectives: 1) Analyze outcomes of patients undergoing stapedotomy with heat-activated piston-style prostheses, and 2) compare outcomes between prostheses made by different manufacturers. Study Design: Retrospective. Setting: Vanderbilt Medical Center. Patients and Methods: Cases undergoing stapedotomy between 2005 and 2016 were reviewed. Audiometric assessments were recorded in accordance with American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) guidelines. Patients who lacked audiometric follow-up before 6 months or after 1 year were excluded. Intervention(s): Diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative. Main Outcome Measure(s): Postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) and achievement of an ABG is less than or equal to 10dB. Results: Three hundred fifty-eight patients met inclusion criteria. At short-term follow-up (<6 mo), the mean ABG was 11 8 dB in the entire cohort; this did not differ based on manufacturer (p ¼ 0.13). The majority of patients (63%) achieved an ABG less than or equal to 10 dB. At longer-term follow-up, the mean ABG was 9 7 dB; again no differences were noted when comparing prosthesis manufacturer (p ¼ 0.20). 70% of patients achieved an ABG less than or equal to 10 dB at longer-term follow-up. When comparing short- to long-term follow-up, ABG did not significantly change over time (p ¼ 0.76). The overall revision rate was 1.9% (n ¼ 7). Conclusion: Favorable hearing outcomes are obtained both short- and long-term following stapedotomy and placement of heat-crimped piston prostheses. Both prosthesis groups appear stable in the middle ear environment long-term, as evidenced by a 1.9% revision rate among them.

Abstract Patients with orofacial clefts must overcome problems associated with their deformity including multiple surgeries, facial scarring, speech difficulties, dental problems and hearing loss. This study considered dental and hearing problems faced by cleft lip and palate patients in Northern Finland. The research aimed to determine prevalence of dental anomalies in cleft children, assess restorative treatment need and examine dental treatment necessary under general anesthesia. Other aims were to identify middle ear problems, need for ventilation tubes (VTs) among cleft children and examine the relationship between cleft severity, palatoplasty technique and hearing outcomes in cleft children aged between 3 and 9-years. The material comprised 214 cleft patients treated at Oulu University Hospital. In the dental study 26.6% had at least one dental anomaly while 17.9% had 2 or 3, most commonly missing or supernumerary teeth. In the general anesthesia study 11.5% had a syndrome and 52.4% of those with a syndrome aged 6-years-old needed restorative treatment. General anesthesia was required for dental treatment in 17.5% of cleft patients, mostly in those with a syndrome. In the middle ear study 79% had secretions in the middle ear during the study period. On average 3 VTs were placed in each patient. The prevalence of tympanic perforation was 35.9% and cholesteatoma occurred in 3.3%. In the hearing study pure tone average did not significantly differ between right and left ears and was unrelated to cleft severity or palatoplasty technique. Based on the dental study the severity of clefting increased with the prevalence of dental anomalies. The general anesthesia study found that need for restorations increased with cleft severity. The presence of a syndrome increased the need for dental treatment under general anesthesia. The middle ear study found that patients with cleft lip and palate and isolated cleft palate had more extensive clefts affecting Eustachian tube function with more frequent middle ear problems requiring more VTs than isolated cleft lip patients. Continuous presence of VTs increased the prevalence of tympanic perforation and cholesteatoma. The hearing study concluded that most of the 3 to 9 year-old cleft patients had normal hearing thresholds unaffected by cleft severity or palatoplasty technique. / Tiivistelmä Huuli- ja suulakihalkioihin liittyy monia haasteita kuten useita leikkauksia, näkyviä arpia, puheongelmia, hampaiston ongelmia ja kuulonalenemaa. Tässä tutkimuksessa perehdyttiin halkiolasten hampaiden ja kuulon ongelmiin Pohjois-Suomessa. Tutkimus selvitti halkiopotilaiden hampaiden anomalioiden esiintyvyyttä, hampaiden korjaavan hoidon tarvetta sekä hampaiden hoidon tarvetta yleisanestesiassa. Lisäksi selvitettiin välikorvaongelmia, ilmastointiputkien tarvetta sekä kuulontutkimustulosten yhteyttä halkion vakavuuden ja suulaen leikkaustekniikan välillä 3-9-vuotiailla halkiolapsilla. Aineisto koostui 214 halkiopotilaasta jotka hoidettiin Oulun yliopistollisessa sairaalassa. Potilaista 26,6%:lla oli vähintään yksi ja 17,9%:lla kaksi tai kolme hammasanomaliaa. Yleisin anomalia oli puuttuvat tai ylilukuiset hampaat. Yleisanestesiassa hoidetuista potilaista 11,5%:lla oli syndrooma eli oireyhtymä, kaikkiaan yleisanestesiaa tarvitsi 17,5%. 6-vuotiaista syndroomapotilaista 52,4% tarvitsi hampaiden korjaavaa hoitoa. Korvien tutkimuksessa 79%:lla potilaista oli eritettä välikorvissa tutkimusjakson aikana. Jokaiselle potilaalle laitettiin ilmastointiputket keskimäärin 3 kertaa. Tärykalvon perforaatio havaittiin 35,9%:lla ja kolesteatooma todettiin 3,3%:lla. Oikean ja vasemman korvan välillä ei ollut merkittävää eroa kuulontutkimustuloksissa eikä niillä havaittu yhteyttä halkion vakavuuden tai suulaen leikkaustekniikan kanssa. Halkion vakavuus lisäsi hammasanomalioiden esiintyvyyttä sekä korjaavan hoidon tarvetta yleisanestesiassa. Syndrooma lisäsi myös korjaavan hoidon tarvetta yleisanestesiassa. Huuli- ja suulakihalkiopotilailla sekä suulakihalkiopotilailla laaja halkio vaikutti voimakkaasti korvatorven toimintaan ja näin ollen se lisäsi putkituksia vaativia korvaongelmia toisin kuin huulihalkiopotilailla joilla suulaki oli ehjä. Jatkuva ilmastointiputkien läsnäolo lisäsi tärykalvon perforaatioita ja kolesteatoomia. Kuitenkin enemmistöllä 3-9-vuotiaista halkiopotilaista kuulotutkimustulokset olivat normaalit.