Faculty Bibliography

The emergence of magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium has dramatically enhanced our ability to accurately detect the presence of acoustic tumors as small as 2 mm in diameter. Early diagnosis and improved surgical techniques continue to reduce the morbidity associated with surgical removal of these lesions. There exists, however, a select group of patients in whom no treatment may be the most appropriate management. Since 1979, a total of 51 patients with radiographic evidence of an acoustic neuroma have been prospectively followed for tumor growth and progression of symptoms. Patients were chosen for this conservative approach on the basis of age, medical condition, tumor size, audiometric data, and patient preference. This study reveals that a significant number of patients with acoustic tumors can be safely followed with regular imaging studies and may never require treatment. Discussed are tumor growth rates, epidemiology, and the impact of these factors on patient management.

The stria vascularis in the C3H/lpr autoimmune strain mouse was ultrastructurally examined in order to better understand the potential mechanisms by which systemic autoimmune disease affects the ear. The inner ear from C3H/lpr mice before disease onset and C3H/HeJ controls showed no apparent pathology. However, the stria vascularis from older C3H/lpr mice after systemic autoimmune disease onset showed considerable intercellular edema around the stria capillaries and thickening of the capillary basement membrane, compared to controls. These observations suggest that perivascular abnormalities, which are the hallmark of systemic autoimmune diseases, may underlie the stria dysfunction and hearing loss seen in autoimmune diseases in humans.