Use of acellular human dermal allograft in tympanoplasty

Purpose: The purpose of this study to evaluate the use of AlloDerm in surgical repair of tympanic membrane perforations

Study design: This prospective, blindly, randomized study includes a sample of 40 adult patients recruited from the attendants of ENT department, EI-Minia University Hospital. Tympanoplasty for tympanic membrane perforations was done in the 40 patients which was further divided into 2 subgroups. 20 patients were repaired by AlloDerm grail and the remainder 20 patients were repaired by tragal pericondrial graft

Results: 18 out of 20 [90%] AlloDerm grafts were successfully uptaken, 2 perforations failed to close. In the tragal graft group, 19 out of 20 [95%] perforations had been successfully closed, only one perforation failed to close. No significant difference was found between both groups as regards the success rate

Conclusion: Allo Derm dermal grail seems to be a useful addition to the armamentarium of otolaryngologists in repair of tympanic membrane perforations

Comparative analysis of serum homocysteine, folic acid and vitamin B[12] levels in patients with noise-induced hearing loss

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine the levels of homocysteine, folic acid, and Vitamin B[12] in subjects with noise-induced hearing loss. Furthermore, possible links between these parameters and noise-induced hearing loss were aimed to be evaluated

Study design: In the present study, blood samples were obtained from all subjects after overnight fasting for biochemical analysis. We examined the levels of homocysteine, Vitamin B[12] and folic acid levels in subjects with noise-induced hearing loss. Twenty-eight male patients with noise-induced hearing loss [mean age 37+/-5 year] were included in the study group whereas the control group was composed of 32 healthy male volunteers [mean age 36+/-4 year]

Results: It was found that homocysteine levels of subjects with noise-induced hearing loss was significantly high compared to healthy controls [P<0.05]. On the other hand, Vitamin B[12] and folic acid levels of patients with noise-induced hearing loss were determined to be significantly low compared to the con1rols [P<0.05 and <0.01, respectively]

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that there might be a link between increased homocysteine levels and noise-induced hearing loss. Since increased homocysteinc levels cause elevated levels of free radicals in addition to its atherogenic and thrombogenic effects. Further experimental studies are needed to decipher how this relationship is linked