Effects of Anxiety Sensitivity and Hearing Loss on Tinnitus Symptom Severity

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to examine the relative role of anxiety sensitivity and hearing loss on the tinnitus symptoms severity in a large clinical sample of patients with tinnitus. METHODS: A total of 1,705 patients with tinnitus who visited the tinnitus clinic underwent the pure-tone audiometric testing and a battery of self-report questionnaires. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify the relationship of anxiety sensitivity and hearing loss to tinnitus symptoms severity. RESULTS: Both anxiety sensitivity and hearing loss were a significant association with of annoyance (anxiety sensitivity β=0.11, p=0.010; hearing loss β=0.09, p=0.005) and THI score (anxiety sensitivity β=0.21, p < 0.001; hearing loss β=0.10, p < 0.001) after adjusting for confounding factors. Meanwhile, the awareness time (β=0.19, p < 0.001) and loudness (β=0.11, p < 0.001) of tinnitus was associated with only the hearing loss but not with anxiety sensitivity CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that both hearing loss and anxiety sensitivity were associated with increased tinnitus symptom severity. Furthermore, these associations could be different according to the characteristics of tinnitus symptoms.

Usefulness of Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Assay in Minimally Invasive Surgery / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) assay has been proposed as an effective tool in minimally invasive parathyroidectomy. We evaluated its usefulness during minimally invasive parathyroidectomy. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Ten patients (female 6, male 4) of primary hyperparathyroidism (8 single diseases, 2 multiple diseases) were analyzed retrospectively. We used computed tomography (CT) and 99mTc-Sestamibi (MIBI) scan for localization of parathyroid lesions preoperatively, and frozen biopsy and PTH assay at 10 (T-10), 20 (T-20) minutes after excision intraoperatively. We also compared the diagnostic sensitivity of CT and MIBI scan and intraoperative PTH. RESULTS: All patients were treated successfully and in single disease group, diagnostic sensitivity of CT, MIBI scan were 75% and 87.5%, and that of T-10 was 75% and T-20 was 100%. In multiple disease group, diagnostic sensitivity of CT, MIBI scan were 75%, 87.5%, and that of PTH was 80%. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative PTH assay improves cure rate in minimally invasive parathyroidectomy. It allowed intraoperative recognition of missed parathyroid lesions by preoperative imaging study.

A Case of Septal Perforation Reconstructed with Alloderm Interposition Graft Resulted from Magnetic Nasal Foreign Bodies / 대한이비인후과학회지

Nasal cavity foreign bodies are common accidents in children, especially between the newly born and four years of age, and sometimes lead to complications such as epistaxis, vestibulitis, sinusitis bronchoaspiration and nasal septal damage etc. Diagnosis is often made with anterior rhinoscopy, but sometimes nasal fibroendoscopy and imaging may be useful. If the diagnosis is confirmed, prompt foreign body removal should be done to avoid complications. We have recently experienced a case of nasal septal perforation secondary to magnetic nasal foreign bodies attracting each other across the nasal septum. After the removal of foreign bodies, the nasal septal perforation was repaired with acellular human dermal allograft.

A Case of Multiple Extramedullary Plasmacytoma Arising from Both Nasal Cavity and Nasopharynx / 대한이비인후과학회지

Extramedullary plasmacytoma is a neoplastic proliferation of plasmacytes in reticuloendothelial tissue and is found predominantly in the head and neck region, especially in the upper respiratory tract and the oral cavity. The most common subsites are the paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity and nasopharynx. The tumor can be staged according to the spread of the disease and has been rarely met in the form of multiple lesions below the 10%. We have recently experienced a case of multiple extramedullary plasmacytoma arising from both nasal cavity and nasopharynx treated with surgical excision and postoperative radiotherapy.