Endoscopic "Push-Trough" Technique Cartilage Myringoplasty in Anterior Tympanic Membrane Perforations

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate endoscopic push-through technique cartilage myringoplasty results. METHODS: This prospective study was performed on patients with anterior tympanic membrane perforations and endoscopic push-through technique cartilage myringoplasty was performed between 2011 and 2013. The patients who did not have any cholesteatoma or otorrhea in the previous 3 months, and had an air bone gap < or =25 dB in their preoperative audiograms were included in the study. They were followed up with endoscopic examination and audiograms at 2nd, 6th, 12th, and 24th postoperative months. Pure tone averages were calculated at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz frequencies. RESULTS: Of 32 patients, 19 were females and 13 were males. The mean age was 40.3 years (range, 16 to 62 years), and the mean follow-up period was 12.4 months (range, 6 to 24 months). Graft success rate was 87.5% in this study. Preoperative mean air conduction hearing threshold was 25.9 dB, and the mean air-bone gap was 11.9 dB while these values improved to 19.5 dB and 5.3 dB respectively in the postoperative period. The mean hearing gain was 6.4 dB. The analysis of preoperative and postoperative mean air conduction thresholds and air bone gap values of the patients revealed statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION: Underlay cartilage myringoplasty with endoscopic push-through technique in anterior quadrant tympanic membrane perforations is an effective, minimally invasive and feasible method.

Multiple renal arteries challenge in laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: how far can we go? / 대한외과학회지

PURPOSE: Living donor kidneys with multiple arteries are routinely procured laparoscopically. We aim to present our experience with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) and to compare the graft function and outcome between cases with single versus multiple arteries. METHODS: We compared the demographic data, operation time, warm ischemia time, rejection rate, and graft function between LDN kidneys with single artery and those with multiple arteries. RESULTS: Seventy-three cases with 1 renal artery (group LDN-1), 8 cases with 2 renal arteries (group LDN-2) and 5 cases with 3 or more renal arteries (group LDN-3) were included in the study. The mean operative time was significantly higher in groups LDN-2 (100.3 +/- 9.5 minutes) and LDN-3 (120.6 +/- 10.3 minutes) compared to group LDN-1 (75.7 +/- 10 minutes, P < 0.001). Similar results were detected with respect to the warm ischemia time. There were no statistically significant differences related to graft function and outcome among these groups. CONCLUSION: Multiple renal arteries present a special challenge in both donor nephrectomy and renal transplantation. However, laparoscopic procurement of a kidney with multiple renal arteries, regardless of the number, is reliable and has no significant impact on the graft outcome.