Effects of Experimentally Induced Maxillary Sinusitis on Ciliary Beat Frequency and Histopathology of the Nasal Mucosa in Rabbits / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although sinusitis is commonly caused by nasal diseases that interfere with ostiomeatal unit, non-rhinogenic sinusitis, for example, post-traumatic or odontogenic, is often encountered. However, it remains unclear whether non-rhinogenic sinusitis affects the function and morphology of the nasal mucosa. The aim of the current study is to observe effects of experimentally induced maxillary sinusitis on ciliary beat frequency and histopathology of the nasal mucosa in rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Maxillary sinusitis was induced in the right sides of 10 rabbits by partially occluding the natural ostia and inoculating the maxillary sinus with P. aeruginosa. After 4 weeks, the nasal mucosa was obtained from the inferior turbinate and the septum in the right (experimental group) and the left side (control group A). Both sides of the nasal mucosa in another 5 normal rabbits were used as the control group B. Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) was measured by video-computerized analysis and degree of inflammation in histopathology was graded using a 100-point scale of inflammation score. CBF and inflammation score were compared between the three groups. RESULTS: CBFs of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control groups A and B. Inflammation scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control groups. In the experimental group, there were no correlations between CBFs of the maxillary and nasal mucosa, but weak correlations existed between inflammation scores of the maxillary and nasal mucosa. CONCLUSION: Primary maxillary sinusitis can locally induce dysfunction and inflammation of the nasal mucosa.

Laser-Assisted versus Coblation-Assisted Partial Turbinoplasty: Comparison by Their Postoperative Outcome / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Conventional turbinoplasty and laser-assisted partial turbinoplasty (LAPT) are commonly performed to control nasal obstruction secondary to inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Coblation, one of radiofrequency electrosurgeries, has recently been introduced as a new treatment modality for turbinate surgery. The aim of the current study is to compare the postoperative outcome of Coblation-assisted partial turbinoplasty (CAPT) with that of LAPT. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Forty-one patients with nasal obstruction due to inferior turbinate hypertrophy refractory to medical therapy were prospectively evaluated with a follow-up period of 6 months. Twenty-one patients (42 sides) were treated with LAPT, and 20 patients (39 sides) with CAPT. Postoperative changes in degree of nasal obstruction, minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) and nasal volume from the nostril to 5 cm posteriorly (V5), operation time, duration of crust formation, operation-associated pain, intraoperative bleeding and episodes of delayed bleeding were compared between the two surgical methods. RESULTS: Crust was formed for a shorter postoperative period and operation-associated pain was less in the LAPT group. Nasal patency (MCA and V5) was more improved and operation time was shorter in the CAPT group. However, there were no significant differences in improvement of nasal obstruction and operation-associated bleeding between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Thorough knowledge of advantages and limitations of LAPT and CAPT is required for clinicians to make appropriate use of surgical tools for the given patient characteristics and medical environment.

The Relationship between Functional Recovery and Reorganization of Nucleus Ambiguus Following Laryngeal Reinnervation in Rats / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ideally, treatment for vocal cord paralysis should restore normal physiologic and dynamic movement of the vocal fold. Recently, numerous studies of laryngeal reinnervation have been designed to restore function of the paralyzed larynx. None of these approaches have been consistently successful, probably due to synkinesis and an inadequate number of regenerated axons. In previous study, we confirmed the efficacy of PEMS on the early functional recovery in rats with surgically transected and reanastomosed recurrent laryngeal nerve. In this study, the relationship between functional recovery and reorganization of nucleus ambiguus following laryngeal reinnervation in rats was evaluated by retrograde double tracing technique and electron microscope. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Transections and primary anastomosis were done on left recurrent laryngeal nerves of 86 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were then randomly assigned to 2 groups (the group A: stimulation with PEMS, the group B: non-stimulation with PEMS). Functionally recovered status was confirmed with laryngo-videostroboscopy and laryngeal EMG. And then, functional reorganization of laryngeal motoneuron in the nucleus ambiguus (NA) was evaluated using retrograde double tracing techniques. Morphological changes of the degeneration and regeneration processes following injury was observed by electron microscopy. RESULTS: 20 rats (63%) in group A and 5 rats (17%) in the group B showed recovery of vocal fold motion. The functional reorganization of laryngeal motor neurons in the NA was observed in the rats with functional recovery (n=8), but not in the rats without functional recovery (n=8). In the electron microscopic finding, the nerve fibers of functional recovered rats were relatively well regenerated. But the configuration of the nerve fibers of non-functionally recovered rats was markedly irregular and the total axon population was smaller than that of the recovered rats, except for some cases. CONCLUSION: This study shows that failure of functional recovery of vocal fold movement following laryngeal reinnervation is probably due to not only the misdirected reinnervation, but also the incomplete axonal regeneration.

Efficiency of Short-term Admission Medical Records in Patients with Common Otolaryngologic Diseases / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A more simple medical record form has been needed for a more qualified and cost-effective health care. A short-term admission medical record (SAMR) is a standard fill-in-the-blank form on the patients' conditions for common otolaryngologic diseases. The aim of this study is to determine the efficiency of the SAMRs. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Nineteen doctors who had residency training in the Department of Otolaryngology of Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital from the year 1995 through 2000 were included in this study. Questionnaires consisted of 11 comparative questions: the subjects were instructed to express their degrees of satisfaction with conventional medical records (CMRs) and SAMRs on a 100mm visual analogue scale for each question. The degrees of satisfaction with SAMRs were compared to those with CMRs. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the degrees of satisfaction between the two types of records for accurate evaluation of patients' condition, efficient communication between medical and paramedical personnels, and the value of verified records in the medicolegal conflicts and insurance claims. However, the degrees of satisfaction with SAMRs were higher than those with CMRs for communication between doctors, the value in medical research, time-saving, simplicity, paper-saving and their convertibility into electronic medical records. CONCLUSION: SAMRs provides patients of common otolaryngologic diseases with not only the necessary conditions of medical records, but also the basis of computer-based patient records. In addition, SAMRs may be also be more cost-effective than CMRs.

The Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Stimulation on Functional Recovery Following Laryngeal Reinnervation in the Rat / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ideal treatment for vocal cord paralysis is to restore normal movement of the vocal cord and to bring back the natural voice. Pulsed electromagnetic stimulation (PEMS)has been known to bring early nerve regeneration as well as better functional recovery. The purpose of this investigation is to learn the effect of PEMS on regeneration of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Using 36 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, we made transections on their left recurrent laryngeal nerves and performed primary anastomosis under the operating microscope. Rats were divided into an experimental group and a control group, each having 18 rats by random sampling. For the experimental group, PEMS was carried out three hours a day and five days a week for twelve weeks. For the control group, PEMS was not given while other conditions were kept the same as in the experimental group. The extent of functional recovery was observed for each group by performing videostroboscopic examination once every week. After twelve weeks, a test for the functional recovery was performed electrophysiologically through laryngeal electromyography during respiration. RESULTS: After the twelve-week experiment, 14 out of 18 rats survived in the group which received PEMS while 8 out of 18 rats stayed alive in the control group. Ten rats (71%)in the PEMS performed group and 3 rats (38%)in the control group showed recovery of vocal cord movement, but it did not reveal any significant difference statistically. However, the time it took for functional recovery was 3.93+/-0.27 weeks and 7.87+/-0.85 weeks for the PEMS performed group and the control group, respectively. And the difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This investigation confirmed the efficacy of PEMS on the early functional recovery in rats with surgically transected and reanastomosed recurrent laryngeal nerve. Further studies to understand the mechanism of action of these effects as well as the local stimulation rather than the total body stimulation seem to be necessary.

Effects of External Nasal Dilators on Nasal Respiration and Patency in Patients with Deformity of the Nasal Septum: An Acoustic Rhinometric Study / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Some types of deformities of the nasal septum (DNSs) interfere with the nasal valve function. External nasal dilators (ENDs) were developed to improve the nasal airway by mechanically dilating the nasal valve. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ENDs on nasal respiration and patency in patients with DNS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with DNS (37 males and 17 females, aged 18 to 46 years) without other sinonasal diseases were included in this study. All subjects were required to assess their own sensation of nasal respiration on a 100 mm visual analog scale. Minimal cross-sectional areas (MCAs) and volumes of 0 to 5 cm from the nostril (V 5s) of both nasal cavities were measured by acoustic rhinometry, respectively. All measurements before application of an END were compared with those 5 minutes after application. RESULTS: The subjective sensation of nasal respiration improved significantly after application of an END in both male and female. The END increased MCA and V5 significantly in both sexes. However, there were no significant correlations between changes in the subjective and objective parameters. CONCLUSION: ENDs offer an effective, nonsurgical therapeutic approach in the management of DNS by improving nasal respiration and by increasing MCA and nasal cavity volume. However, it should be kept in mind that this improvement in nasal patency does not always coincide with the improvement in subjective sensation of nasal respiration.

Characterization of a Vibrio parahaemolyticus Phage Isolated from Marine

A novel bacteriophage, designated as VPP97, that infects the strains of Vibiro parahaemolyticus (hallophilic, Gram-negative bacterium) isolated most commonly from marine environments, has been discovered, and several of its properties have been determined. The plaques were clear and sized 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter. The virion forms a single band on 70% sucrose gradient and p1.50 CsC1 gradient by sucrose gradient centrifugation and CsCI gradient centrifugation respectively. It has a hexagonal head and a relatively long tail, as shown by electron microscopy. Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio fluvialis and Vibrio furnissii were also sensitive to this phage It was almost totally inactivated at 70 degree C and at pH below 5 or over 10. The nucleic acid of VPP97 is composed of DNA. The VPP97 had 9 specific structural proteins sized between 21.5 kDa and 97.4 kDa on SDS-PAGE. When V. parahaemolyticus cultures were treated with either phage VPP97 or one of the several antibiotics for 2 hours, the viable number of V. parahaemolyticus treated with the phage VPP97 is lower than that treated with chloramphenicol, erythromycin or penicillin, but not lower than that treated with tetracycline. Mice that have responded to the phage treatment revealed the lower numbers of V. parahaemolyticus in small intestine and less damage on small intestine compared to the untreated mice. Therefore, we suggest that the phage treatment appears effective to the infection by V. parahaemolyticus.

Identification of Vibrio vulnificus in Pusan and Southern Sea of Korea in 1996 using API 20E Kit

The halophilic bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus, causes acute fulminating wound infections and septicemia in human. Especially the septicemia shows high mortality above 50%. In Korea, septicemia by V. vulnificus was reported at westem and southern coast in every year. Here, we try to isolate this V. vulnipcus at Kyoung-nam area and coast of Pusan during 1996. Purposed sites were Dadaepo, Songjung, Chungsapo and Mipo of Pusan and Kijang, Ilkuang, Juksoung, Dongam, Waljun and Chilam of southern sea. Total 40 strains of V. vulnipcus were isolated from sea samples. Biochemical characteristics of isolated V. vulnificus were almost same with reference strain V. vulnificus ATCC 27562 on Farmer's tests and on API 20E kit test. V. vulnificus isolates in 1996, fermented cellobiose and salicin but arabinose. and had resistance to 7% sodium chloride.