Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Stenosis after Revisional Palatopharyngoplasty with Balloon Dilatation and Topical Mitomycin-C Application / 대한이비인후과학회지

Nasopharyngeal stenosis (NPS) is a rare condition and classified as primary NPS (due to a disease process as syphilis) or secondary NPS (due to a surgery or radiotherapy) according to the etiology. Patients with NPS suffer significant morbidities, including nasal obstruction, phonatory changes, sleep disordered breathing, dysphagia, and otologic disturbances. Treatment modalities include wide range of strategies, such as local rotation flaps, free flaps, Z-plasty, prolonged stenting, insertion of obturators, and laser excision. However, treatment is difficult, often resulting in only short-term symptom relief and restenosis. The authors experienced a case of NPS following revisional palatopharyngoplasty in a 50-year-old man, which was treated successfully with balloon dilatation and topical mitomycin-C application. We present the etiology, symptoms, and treatment of this rare disease entity with a review of the literature.

The Utility of Sono-Guided Sclerotherapy for Benign Thyroid Cyst: Prospective Study / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ultrasonography (USG)-guided sclerotherapy using a sclerotherapic agent such as ethanol, OK-432, recently has gained popularity as a treatment for nonfunctioning benign thyroid nodules. The study evaluates the efficacy and safety of the USG-guided sclerotherapy for that purpose. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Included in the study were 23 patients who had complaints of applied pressure or cosmetic problems due to cystic thyroid nodules, which had been diagnosed as benign and nonfunctioning by fine-needle aspiration biopsy and thyroid function test. Sclerotherapy was performed with OK-432 or 99.9% ethanol following nearly complete evacuation of the fluid from the cystic portion of thyroid nodule. At each USG follow-up, we measured the volume of cysts, symptom scores, cosmetic scores using a visual analog scale, and related complications were examined at postoperative dates of one and six months. RESULTS: The volume of thyroid cysts were significantly reduced (p<0.01) with mean volume reduction rates of 77.3+/-21.2% at postoperative 6 months. The cosmetic score and symptom score were significantly improved following sclerotherapy (p<0.01). Major complications related to sclerotherapy, such as vocal cord paralysis, thyrotoxicosis and tissue necrosis, did not happen during the follow-up observation. CONCLUSION: USG-guided sclerotherapy could be a simple and effective treatment modality for benign cystic thyroid nodules.

Clinical Characteristics of Tinnitus in Elderly / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tinnitus is commonly known to occur in the elderly, while presbytinnitus is not known as well. This study compared the clinical characteristics of tinnitus between the elderly and adults. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: This prospective case-control study enrolled 148 patients who had subjective tinnitus. Demographic data, otologic history, tinnitus questionnaires, the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), a visual analogue scale, and audiological examinations were evaluated. RESULTS: The effect of tinnitus on the quality of life and the severity of tinnitus in the elderly were not different from those in adults. The elderly were more annoyed with the tinnitus than adults. The elderly had louder and longer tinnitus. Nevertheless, the elderly had a lower THI score. The effect of tinnitus on the quality of life was not correlated with tinnitus loudness, duration, or hearing threshold. In the elderly, the effect of tinnitus on the quality of life was correlated more with the emotional score of the THI than the other subscales of the THI. CONCLUSION: Tinnitus has a great effect on the quality of life of the elderly. This is related more to psychological factors than to otological factors.