The aim of this study was to evaluate the equilibrium of the active rotational head movement. The balance and function of the active rotational head movement was examined in 35 healthy volunteers and 12 subjects with vestibular neuritis in the compensation phase using a stabilometer. The load and locus were separately evaluable in each extremity using this stabilometer. There was no statistically significant difference in the stabilometer score between the rotation to footedness and the other side in the healthy volunteers group. In the group of vestibular neuritis, the maximum load factor on the rotation side was significantly larger, and the minimum load factor on the oppose side was significantly smaller, than those in the healthy volunteers group. The total locus length and enveloped areas in the patients were significantly higher than in the healthy volunteers. These results suggest that the patient may show head rotation abnormalities, even if the balance function is considered to be normal.

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This study examined the effect of tympanic membrane perforation on conductive disturbances in association with the case of chronic otitis media. The study examined 29 cases of chronic otitis media that underwent only type I tympanoplasty. The size and longer axis of perforation were calculated to determine the perforation area rate and the longer axis ratio using image analysis system. The conductive disturbance was calculated from the gap between the preoperative and postoperative air conduction. The correlations between the conductive disturbance and perforation area rate or longer axis ratio were analyzed. Furthermore, a conductive disturbance index was calculated for the purpose of examining the effect that a perforation size had on a conduction disturbance. The calculated conduction disturbance indices were classified and examined by the shape of the perforation, perforated site, and presence or absence of interference to the malleus. The conductive disturbance grew significantly larger in the low range when the perforation occurred in the eardrum, and it became larger in the presence of inflammatory changes. The effect of a circular perforation on the conductive disturbance was significantly small. However, the effect of a perforation of the anteroinferior quadrant on the conductive disturbance was significantly large in the high range.

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Although we often encounter patients presenting with angular cheilitis in routine clinic practice, such patients seldom mention this as a chief complaint. We investigated what doctors should notice in such patients and examine them from a clinical and microbiological study. The chief complaints and the identified microbes associated with angular cheilitis were found to differ by age. In cases under 29 years of age, angular cheilitis was frequently associated with either oral or pharyngeal disease, and the identified microbes were often the same as ones as identified for the chief disease. In cases more than 30 years of age it was often found in patients with either dry mouth or an abnormal sensation of mouth and/or pharynx which is probably caused by stress. Microbiological studies revealed Candida to be detected in 35.1% and MRSA in 19.3% of the cases who were more than 60 years of age. Angular cheilitis tends to be caused by a Vitamin B₂ or B₆ deficiency. While, in addition, these deficiencies can also be caused by gastrointestinal lesions, the administration of antibiotics, stress, liver lesions, and so on. We therefore consider it important for physicians to accurately identify angular cheilitis in order to understand the background of the patients.

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The presence of a skull base defect can lead to major complications, such as meningocele, encephalocele and meningoencephalocele. Meningoencephalocele is associated with herniations of both the brain parenchyma and dura mater due to a skull base defect. These skull base defects are either acquired due to such occurrences as surgery, trauma, and either cholesteatoma or congenital defects. Meningoencephalocele of the temporal bone is a rare condition. We herein report a case of meningitis that was caused by meningoencephalocele of the temporal bone.

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This study investigated the antimicrobial susceptibility of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae isolated from adult patients with acute bacterial sinusitis. DRSP and ABPC-resistant H. influenzae accounted for 40/124 (32%) of the S. pneumoniae isolates and 150/204 (73%) of the H. influenzae isolates, respectively. Penicillin antibiotics were demonstrated to be more active than CDTR and GRNX against PSSP, which accounted for 68% of the S. pneumoniae isolates. GRNX was therefore found to be more active than CDTR against DRSP and ABPC-resistant H. influenzae.

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The frequency of detecting ampicillin (ABPC)-resistant Haemophilus influenzae strains increased significantly from 45% in 2002-2003 to 72% in 2006-2007. In the period between 2006 and 2007, the MIC90 value of amoxicillin against ABPC-resistant H. influenzae strains was over 4 μg/ml, thus revealing a high level of resistance. The number of inpatient cases rose markedly from 4 subjects in 2002 to 2003 to 10 cases in 2006 to 2007, and ABPC-resistant H. influenzae strains were detected in 80% of all inpatient cases. Prior to 2007, the standard treatment was penicillin antimicrobials, but since 2008, patients with severe H. influenzae infections have been treated with cefditoren pivoxil (600 mg/day), which shows an antimicrobial activity against ABPC-resistant H. influenzae. As a result, no such inpatient cases were observed from 2008 to 2009.

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