Pharyngeal orifice of the eustachian tube was ligated on ten patients, 15 ears with intractable patulous eustachian tube. While the eustachian tube orifice was observed by an endoscope inserted through the contralateral nostril, the orifice was ligated transnasally and/or transorally using instruments usually used in the endoscopic nasal surgery. Now 13-27 months after the surgery, the outcome was excellent (both symptoms and sonotubometry were normalized) in two ears, good (either symptoms or sonotubometry was improved) in seven ears, and unchanged in the remaining six ears. In one of the ears with an outcome of unchanged, the ligation was found to be spontaneously released soon after surgery, but the symptom was improved after the second operation 2.5 months after the first operation. Temporary otitis media with effusion was seen in one ear, mild inflammation around the ligated site also in one ear, but no other serious complication has been observed. Although further improvement in the surgical procedure and further discussion about its long-term outcome should be required, this procedure appeared to be one of the therapeutic options for intractable patulous eustachian tube.

No abstract

In Streptococcus pneumoniae, the ermB gene is carried by transposons, such as Tn917 and Tn1545. This study investigated the relationship between macrolide resistance and the presence of the ermB gene on Tn917 or Tn1545 in 84 Japanese pneumococcal isolates. Macrolide-resistant strains were classified into two groups as follows. Group 1 (19 strains) showed a tendency to high resistance to erythromycin (MIC at which 50% of isolates are inhibited, 4 mg/liter; MIC at which 90% of isolates are inhibited [MIC 90 ], 128 mg/liter) but susceptibility to rokitamycin (MIC 90 , 1 mg/liter), with the ermB gene located on Tn1545. Group 2 (65 strains) showed a tendency to high resistance to both antibiotics (MIC 90 s for both erythromycin and rokitamycin, >128 mg/liter), with the ermB gene located on Tn917. There were no strains with constitutive macrolide resistance in either group. All of the strains in group 2 had a deletion in the promoter region of ermB and an insertion of the TAAA motif in the leader peptide. The results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and serogrouping showed that Tn1545 spread clonally while Tn917 spread both horizontally and clonally. In conclusion, in Japanese macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae isolates, the ermB gene is carried and spread primarily by Tn917.

We report a case of unusual presentation of actinomycosis in the tonsil causing massive unilateral enlargement in a 78-year-old female. To our knowledge, only three cases of actinomycosis causing unilateral tonsillar enlargement have previously been published. Since this anaerobic organism is difficult to culture, the diagnosis is made by observing its associated sulfur granules in the biopsy specimen.In the present case, treatment consisting of tonsillectomy and antibiotic therapy (penicillin) for several days revealed a good prognosis.

To clarify the usefulness of modified soft-wall reconstruction method by combing with mastoid obliteration, 96 patients (98 ears) with their age ranging from 5 to 82 (average 51.3), including 62 ears with chronic otitis media (COM) with cholesteatoma, 18 ears with non-cholesteatomatous COM, 14 ears with postoperative cavity problem, and 4 ears with adhesive-type COM, who had soft-wall reconstruction of the posterior ear canal and mastoid obliteration using mainly bone powder following mastoidectomy, were evaluated their postoperative conditions more than a year after surgery. Overall success rate was 76.5% (75/98), and fresh cases showed better success rate (84.8%) than those with a history of multiple surgeries (69.2%). Among unsuccessful cases, crust and/or debris accumulation was observed most (nine ears), followed by persistent wet condition (seven ears), and exposure of the obliterated material (five ears), while only two ears showed a retraction pocket formation. The success rates remained almost the same among those who were followed for more than 2 and 3 years (46/61, 75% and 21/28, 75%, respectively). In 60 ears on which postoperative hearing was assessed, 41.7% showed less than 15 dB of air-bone gap (ABG), and 61.7% showed less than 20 dB of ABG. Mastoid obliteration with bone powder in combination with soft-wall reconstruction of the posterior ear canal appeared a useful method for obliterating mastoidectomized cavity especially for prevention of postoperative pocket formation.