BackgroundLocomotion involves an integration of vision, proprioception, and vestibular information. The parieto-insular vestibular cortex is known to affect the supra-spinal rhythm generators, and the vestibular system regulates anti-gravity muscle tone of the lower leg in the same side to maintain an upright posture through the extra-pyramidal track. To demonstrate the relationship between locomotion and vestibular function, we evaluated the differences in gait patterns between vestibular neuritis (VN) patients and normal subjects using a gyroscope sensor and long-way walking protocol.MethodsGyroscope sensors were attached to both shanks of healthy controls (n=10) and age-matched VN patients (n = 10). We then asked the participants to walk 88.8 m along a corridor. Through the summation of gait cycle data, we measured gait frequency (Hz), normalized angular velocity (NAV) of each axis for legs, maximum and minimum NAV, up-slope and down-slope of NAV in swing phase, stride-swing-stance time (s), and stance to stride ratio (%).ResultsThe most dominant walking frequency in the VN group was not different compared to normal control. The NAVs of z-axis (pitch motion) were significantly larger than the others (x-, y-axis) and the values in VN patients tended to decrease in both legs and the difference of NAV between both group was significant in the ipsi-lesion side in the VN group only (p=0.03). Additionally, the gait velocity of these individuals was decreased relatively to controls (1.11 ± 0.120 and 0.84 ± 0.061 m/s in control and VN group respectively, p<0.01), which seems to be related to the significantly increased stance and stride time of the ipsi-lesion side. Moreover, in the VN group, the maximum NAV of the lesion side was less, and the minimum one was higher than control group. Furthermore, the down-slope and up-slope of NAV decreased on the impaired side.ConclusionThe walking pattern of VN patients was highly phase-dependent, and NAV of pitch motion was significantly decreased in the ipsi-lesion side. The change of gait rhythm, stance and stride time, and maximum/minimum NAV of the ipsi-lesion side were characteristics of individuals with VN.

In many cases of mucormycosis, immediate surgical treatments are necessary because of its fulminant course and destructive characteristics in an immunocompromised patient. However, a chronic indolent type is also observed in a healthy group of people. We experienced rhinomucormycosis in a 56-year-old woman with diabetes who previously had pulmonary mucormycosis. She was treated successfully through endoscopic sinus surgery and nasal irrigation with antifungal agent. Herein, we report the clinical courses and symptoms of this patient with literature review.

Our results suggest that the Phadiatop test is more accurate than the RIDA qLine Allergy in discrepant cases.

Various materials such as fascia, perichondrium, and cartilage have been used for reconstruction of the tympanic membrane in middle ear surgery. Because of its stiffness, cartilage is resistant to resorption and retraction. However, cartilage grafts result in increased acoustic impedance, the main limitation to their use. The aim of this study was to compare the hearing results after cartilage tympanoplasty versus fascia tympanoplasty. This study included 114 patients without postoperative tympanic membrane perforation who underwent tympanoplasty type I between 2007 and 2010, 31 with fascia and 83 with cartilage. Preoperative and 1 year postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) and postoperative gain in ABG at frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kHz were assessed. Both groups were statically similar in terms of the severity of middle ear pathology and the preoperative hearing levels. Overall, postoperative successful hearing results showed 77.4% of the fascia group and 77.1% of the cartilage group. Mean postoperative gains in ABG were 9.70 dB for the fascia group and 9.78 dB for the cartilage group. These results demonstrate that hearing after cartilage tympanoplasty is comparable to that after fascia tympanoplasty. Although cartilage is the ideal grafting material in problematic cases, it may be used in less severe cases, such as in type I tympanoplasty, without fear of impairing hearing.