Cortical mastoidectomy offers no additional benefit in myringoplasty performed on patients with persistent or intermittent discharging CSOM and no evidence of cholesteatoma or mucosal blockage within the antrum.

Purpose. The aim of this study is the investigation of the effectiveness of intratympanic steroids therapy (IST) in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) who had not responded to intravenous treatment, evaluating the overall hearing recovery and comparing the results with different variables. Materials and Methods. Our study consisted of 55 patients with refractory ISSHL who, at the end of 10 days of therapy with intravenous steroids, had puretone 4-frequency average (PTA) of worse than 30 dB. The patients received 0.5 mL of methylprednisolone by direct intratympanic injection. The procedure was carried out up to 7 times within a 20-days period. Statistical analysis was carried out. Results. Overall 29 patients (52.7%) showed improvement in PTA, 24 (43.8%) had no change in hearing, and 2 (3.5%) worsened. There was a significant statistical correlation between hearing recovery and time to onset of symptoms, severity of hearing loss and frequency of hearing loss. Conclusions. IST is an effective and safe therapy in sudden sensorineural hearing loss cases that are refractory to standard treatment. The earlier IST, the hearing losses less than 90 dB and the involvement of the low frequencies seem to influence positively the hearing recovery.

In surgery of semicircular canal fistulas, good hearing outcomes are to be expected if perioperative corticosteroids are administered, matrix removal and fistula sealing is performed in grade II fistulas, and canal occlusion is performed in grade III and IV fistulas.

Since 2003 we are using in our stapedotomies the Nitinol 'Smart' Piston. This prosthesis has a Teflon 'vestibular' end and a wire shaft made by Nitinol, with a heat activated self-crimping loop. Nitinol is an alloy of Nickel + Titanium, belonging to the class of the so-called smart materials, i.e. materials with shape-memory and superelastic properties. Nitinol is lightweight and highly biocompatible thanks to the thin layer of Titanium oxide covering the Nickel surface. The special advantage of this piston is that the loop grips by itself very uniformly and quite tightly around the incudal process or the malleus handle when a minimal heating (about 60 degrees C) is applied using a disposable heater ('Thermal Tip'). This piston was successfully used in our Department between 2003 and 2004 in a first group of 42 cases of stapedotomy and in 7 cases of malleostapedotomy. The shape and the uniformity of the loop grip was controlled by examining fresh temporal bone specimens by S.E.M. (x21 / 166) and in all specimens the loop was uniformly surrounding the ossicle, without 'dead' spaces. It is our feeling that this prosthesis is very useful in stapes surgery for at least two reasons: 1. because it improves the quality of the interface 'piston loop/long process of incus'; 2. because the duration of the procedure is reduced.

This study aims to compare the outcomes of patients with Meniere's disease submitted to either endolymphatic mastoid shunt (ES) or tenotomy of the stapedius and tensor tympani muscles (TSTM). This is a retrospective chart review of patients treated with ES or TSTM between 2000 and 2010 and followed up for at least 12 months. The main outcomes were represented by: (1) vertigo class, hearing stage and functional level according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery criteria; (2) adjustment of dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) and (3) complete and substantial vertigo control using the Kaplan-Meier survival method. Sixty-three patients met the inclusion criteria: 34 underwent ES and 29 TSTM. The baseline demographic characteristics, the hearing stage, the functional level, the DHI and hearing levels were not different between the two groups. No significant difference in vertigo class was demonstrated: 66 % of TSTM patients attained class A compared to 44 % in the ES group (p = 0.14). Kaplan-Meier survival curves specific to class A showed significant differences, favoring TSTM (log-rank test, p = 0.022). TSTM patients demonstrated significantly improved functional level (p = 0.0004) and improved DHI scores (p = 0.001). Eight ES patients (25 %) demanded a second surgical attempt compared to none in the TSTM. Aural fullness was significantly improved in TSTM group (p = 0.01), while the difference in tinnitus improvement was non-significant. Hearing preservation was significantly better in TSTM group (p = 0.001). TSTM is a safe surgical procedure, with significant vertigo control rates, and important hearing preservation rates. More patients and longer follow-up are needed to support our preliminary findings.