ObjectivesTo evaluate the presence of viruses and bacteria in middle ear and adenoids of patients with and without otitis media with effusion (OME).MethodsAdenoid samples and middle ear washes (MEW) were obtained from children with OME associated with adenoid hypertrophy undergoing adenoidectomy and tympanostomy, and compared to those obtained from patients undergoing cochlear implant surgery, as a control group. Specific DNA or RNA of 9 respiratory viruses (rhinovirus, influenza virus, picornavirus, syncytial respiratory virus, metapneumovirus, coronavirus, enterovirus, adenovirus and bocavirus) and 5 bacteria (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus) were extracted and quantified by real-time PCR.Results37 OME and 14 cochlear implant children were included in the study. At the adenoid, virus and bacteria were similarly detected in both OME and control patients. At the middle ear washes, however, a higher prevalence of bacteria was observed in patients with OME (p = 0.01). S. pneumoniae (p = 0.01) and M. catarrhalis (p = 0.022) were the bacteria responsible for this difference. Although total virus detection was not statistically different from controls at the middle ear washes (p = 0.065), adenovirus was detected in higher proportions in adenoid samples of OME patients than controls (p = 0.019).ConclusionsDespite both OME and control patients presented similar rates of viruses and bacteria at the adenoid, children with OME presented higher prevalence of S. pneumonia, M. catarrhalis in middle ear and adenovirus in adenoids when compared to controls. These findings could suggest that these pathogens could contribute to the fluid persistence in the middle ear.

Cisplatin ototoxicity proceeds via the formation of reactive oxygen species in cochlear tissue, with apoptotic cell death as a consequence.

Guinea pigs were considered easy to handle for microdissection purposes because of the size and robustness of their temporal bones, and for surgical experiments involving the stapes, the oval window and the tympanic membrane. Under SEM there are similarities guinea pigs and rats, and both can be used in inner ear studies.

A miringoplastia é uma cirurgia com a finalidade de controlar a infecção no ouvido médio, reconstruir o mecanismo de transmissão sonora para a janela oval e proteger a janela redonda. São descritos diversos materiais para reconstruir a membrana timpânica, destacando-se a fáscia do músculo temporal, pericôndrio do tragus, cartilagem, dura-máter, tecido placentário, entre outros. Objetivo: Este trabalho tem objetivo de demonstrar o efeito de um novo biomaterial, a membrana de látex natural com polilisina, desenvolvida no laboratório de Neuroquímica do Departamento de Bioquímica da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo -USP. Forma de estudo: Coorte Longitudinal. Material e método: O biomaterial utilizado é estimulante da neovascularização e crescimento tecidual organizado em diferentes órgãos e tecidos, sendo um material inócuo e não rejeitado pelo organismo. Foi usada a biomembrana de látex com polilisina como um implante transitório para o fechamento da perfuração da membrana timpânica. A membrana foi colocada na face externa dos bordos da membrana timpânica e a fáscia temporal na face interna da mesma. Foram estudadas 238 orelhas com perfuração de membrana timpânica por seqüela de otite média crônica, submetidas a miringoplastia com enxerto de fáscia de músculo temporal e a membrana de látex natural, com idades de 7 a 76 anos. Apresentavam uma ou mais miringoplastias anteriores sem sucesso 41 dos casos. Resultado: Como ressaltamos preliminarmente, verificamos pega do enxerto em 90,5% das orelhas (181), sendo fechamento de perfuração amplas, 96; médias, 73 e 12 pequenas. Verificamos intensa vascularização em 100% dos enxertos, o que não é habitual quando não se usa a membrana de látex natural. Conclusão: Conclue-se que o biomaterial usado merece nossa atenção quanto ao seu uso como implante transitório em miringoplastias, melhorando o processo de revascularização da membrana timpânica remanescente.

Cisplatin is a potent antineoplastic drug widely used for the treatment of cancer in both adults and children. One of its most important side effects is ototoxicity, which leads to irreversible bilateral hearing loss for high frequencies (4-8 kHz). Several studies have tried to identify drugs that, when combined with cisplatin, may act as otoprotectors. The mechanism of ototoxicity of cisplatin is known to be related to changes in the antioxidant mechanisms of hair cells, especially the outer hair cells of the cochlea. Our proposal was to assess the action of sodium salicylate, which has a known antioxidant property, as a possible otoprotector of outer hair cells against the action of cisplatin, using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and scanning electron microscopy. The study was conducted on albino guinea pigs divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 9, 18 cochleae) receiving a cisplatin dose of 8.0 mg/kg/day by the intraperitoneal (ip) route for 3 days, group 2 (n = 10, 20 cochleae) receiving 100 mg/kg sodium salicylate by the subcutaneous route followed 90 min later by cisplatin, 8.0 mg/kg/day ip for 3 days, and group 3 (n = 3, six cochleae) treated with 100 mg/kg day sodium salicylate for 3 days. In group 1, there was damage with the absence of cilia in all three rows of outer hair cells in the basal turn, followed by turns 2 and 3. In group 2, hair cells were present in all cochlear turns, but exhibited disarrangement of the ciliary structure, especially in row 1, and the DPOAEs were absent after 3 days of treatment. We conclude that drugs such as sodium salicylate, because of their antioxidant properties, may protect, at least partially, the outer hair cells against cisplatin ototoxicity.

No abstract

Acute acoustic trauma (AAT) is a sudden sensorineural hearing loss caused by exposure of the hearing organ to acoustic overstimulation, typically an intense sound impulse, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HOT), which favors repair of the microcirculation, can be potentially used to treat it. Hence, this study aimed to assess the effects of HOT on guinea pigs exposed to acoustic trauma. Fifteen guinea pigs were exposed to noise in the 4-kHz range with intensity of 110 dB sound level pressure for 72 h. They were assessed by brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) and by distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) before and after exposure and after HOT at 2.0 absolute atmospheres for 1 h. The cochleae were then analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There was a statistically significant difference in the signal-to-noise ratio of the DPOAE amplitudes for the 1- to 4-kHz frequencies and the SEM findings revealed damaged outer hair cells (OHC) after exposure to noise, with recovery after HOT (p = 0.0159), which did not occur on thresholds and amplitudes to BAEP (p = 0.1593). The electrophysiological BAEP data did not demonstrate effectiveness of HOT against AAT damage. However, there was improvement of the anatomical pattern of damage detected by SEM, with a significant reduction of the number of injured cochlear OHC and their functionality detected by DPOAE.

A Cisplatina é uma potente droga antineoplásica, largamente utilizada para o tratamento do câncer, tanto em adultos quanto em crianças. Dentre seus efeitos colaterais, a ototoxicidade se apresenta como um dos mais importantes e leva à perda auditiva irreversível, bilateral, para as altas freqüências (4KHz#8KHz). Estudos têm tentado identificar drogas que, associadas à cisplatina possam atuar como otoprotetores. Sabe-se que o mecanismo da ototoxicidade pela cisplatina está relacionado a alterações nos mecanismos antioxidantes das células ciliadas, principalmente as células ciliadas externas da cóclea. Objetivo: Nossa proposta foi de avaliar através de emissões otoacústicas, por produtos de distorção (EOAPD) e por microscopia eletrônica de superfície (ME), a ação do extrato de ginkgo biloba (EGB 761), que tem conhecida ação antioxidante, como possível otoprotetor, utilizando como modelo experimental cobaias albinas. Forma de estudo: Experimental. Material e método: Observamos EOAPD presentes pré e pós tratamento no grupo EGB (100 mg/Kg/dia via oral) e 90 minutos após cisplatina (80 mg/Kg/dia via intraperitoneal) por 8 dias. Resultado: Houve também manutenção da arquitetura ciliar nas células ciliadas externas em todas as espiras da cóclea, enquanto que no grupo tratado somente com cisplatina (80 mg/ Kg/dia via intraperitoneal) por 8 dias, houve desaparecimento das EOAPD pós tratamento, com desaparecimento dos cilios das células ciliadas externas e distorção na arquitetura dos cílios remanescentes à ME. Conclusão: Concluímos que a EGB, por sua ação antioxidante, atua como fator otoprotetor à ototoxicidade pela cisplatina, devendo ser testada tal ação na prática clínica em pacientes que utilizam a cisplatina, pois o uso do EGB está extremamente difundido no tratamento de diferentes doenças. ci splatin is an antineoplastic drug for cancer treatment in children and adults. The side effects of cisplatin ototoxycity are important with irreversible auditory and bilateral damage to high frequencies (4kHz -8 kHz). Reports recognize some drugs that are associated with cisplatin to obtain an otoprotector effect. The ototoxycity mechanisms of cisplatin are related to injury of conduct the hair cell oxidation mechanism, with particular injury to outer hair cells. Aim: We intend to studies using otoacoustic emissions -distortion products (DPOEA) and scanning microscopy to verify the action of ginkgo biloba (GBE-761) that has well known antoxidizing characteristics, that can function like otoprotector effects. Study design: Experimental. Material and method: We use an experimental guinea pig model. We found DPOEA positive before and after treatment in the GBE group (100 mg/ Kg/ day -oral) and after 90 minutes cisplatin (8,0 mg/ Kg/ day -intraperitoneal -8 consecutive days). Results: The normal cilium architecture of outer hair cells was supported in all cochlear spirals and in the group treated only with cisplatin (8,0 mg/ Kg/ day -intraperitoneal -8 consecutive days), the DPOEA was not present and strong injury to cilium of out...