The Effect of Rhinoplasty Dissection Planes (Sub-SMAS, Subperichondrial, and Subperiosteal) on the Viability of Diced Cartilage Grafts in a Rabbit Model.

BACKGROUND: Dorsal preservation surgeries in which the subperichondral and subperiosteal planes are used to elevate the soft tissue envelope of the nose have become increasingly widespread because they can reduce postoperative edema and promote faster healing. However, the effects of surgical dissection planes on the viability of cartilage grafts are not known. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine, in a rabbit model, the viability of diced cartilage grafts in different rhinoplasty dissection planes (sub-superficial musculoaponeurotic system [SMAS], subperichondral, subperiosteal). METHODS: Diced cartilage samples were placed in the sub-SMAS, subperichondrial, and subperiosteal planes, and after 90 days, histopathologic analysis was performed. Cartilage graft viability was evaluated based on the loss of chondrocyte nuclei in the lacuna, the presence of peripheral chondrocyte proliferation, and the loss of matrix metachromasia in the chondroid matrix. RESULTS: The median [interquartile range] percentages of live chondrocyte nucleus viability in the sub-SMAS, subperichondrial, and subperiosteal groups were 67.5% [18.75%] (range, 60%-80%), 35% [17.5%] (range, 20%-45%), and 20% [30.0%] (range, 10%-45%), respectively; and the percentages of peripheral chondrocyte proliferation were 80.0% [22.5%] (range, 60%-90%), 30% [28.75%] (range, 15%-60%), and 20% [28.75%] (range, 5%-60%), respectively. There was strong statistical significance in both parameters (P = .001). Intergroup examination revealed a difference between the sub-SMAS and the other surgical planes (P = .001 for both parameters). A smaller loss of chondrocyte matrix was observed in the sub-SMAS group compared with the other 2 groups, which supports the findings of cartilage viability (P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: Elevating the soft tissue envelope of the nose in the sub-SMAS surgical plane preserves the viability of cartilage grafts better than subperichondrial and subperiosteal elevation.

Computed Tomography Analysis of Nasal Anatomy in Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Subdorsal septal resection and radix osteotomy are distinctive surgical steps in preservation rhinoplasty. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the nasal bone thickness, the level of the septal bony-cartilaginous junction (K area), and the distances of the frontal sinus and skull base from the transverse osteotomy line in the Turkish population by means of conventional computed tomography (CT). METHODS: A retrospective evaluation was made of 203 consecutive preoperative paranasal CT scans of patients (classified in terms of age and gender) who had undergone rhinoplasty surgery between January 2020 and June 2021. The nasal bone thickness at the medial canthus level, and the distances between the transverse osteotomy line and the K area, the frontal sinus, and the cribriform plate were measured. RESULTS: The mean measurements were similar in terms of age groups (P = 0.402, P = 0.542, P = 0.134 and P = 0.276 for ages 18-30, 30-40, 40-50, and >50 years, respectively). The mean nasal bone thickness and the distance between the transverse osteotomy line and the K area showed statistical significance (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). In both genders, the mean distances between the transverse osteotomy line and the frontal sinus and the cribriform plate were similar (P = 0.921 and P = 0.280, respectively). The nasal bone was thinner and the K area position more cephalic in females. CONCLUSIONS: CT plays an important role in preoperative planning. The need for resection of the ethmoid perpendicular bone may be greater in males when lowering the dorsal hump, and hence they may be more prone to skull base complications. It is therefore necessary to be more careful in the surgical stage of subdorsal septal excision in males.

Analysis of the Effect of Weight Loss on Eustachian Tube Function by Transnasal Videoendoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of weight loss after bariatric surgery on eustachian tube (ET) function with video endoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted as a prospective cohort and was completed with 19 patients. Three-step tympanometry (basal, Toynbee, Valsalva), dynamic slow-motion video endoscopy, and the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 (ETDA-7) were applied to the patients preoperatively before bariatric surgery and in the postoperative 6th month. Dynamic slow-motion video endoscopy was graded between 0 and 3, or classified as patulous, as indicated in the literature. RESULTS: The mean body mass index of 6 male and 13 female patients decreased from 47.3 ±â€Š4.6 to 31.2 ±â€Š5.4. Grade decline (median 2 ±â€Š1) was experienced in all patients in DSVE, and 1 patient resulted as patulous ET. The ETDA-7 scores decreased in11 patients, remained stable in 7 patients, and increased in 1 patient with patulous ET. The statistical analysis of the preoperative and postoperative DSVE grading and ETDA-7 scores, excluding the patulous ET patient, was found to be significant (P  = 0.001 and P  = 0.003, respectively). There was no significant change in any of the tympanometry parameters (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rapid weight loss with bariatric surgery results in an improvement in both the DSVE images and in the complaints of ET dysfunction in the majority of patients, but in some patients it may result in patulous ET. Therefore, preoperative evaluation of the ET with DSVE and questioning the patient's complaints are important in predicting patients who may develop patulous ET.

Acoustic parameter changes after bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the acoustic parameter changes after weight loss in bariatric surgery patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective, longitudinal study was conducted with 15 patients with planned bariatric surgery, who were evaluated pre-operatively and at 6 months post-operatively. Fundamental frequency (F0), Formant frequency (F1, F2, F3, and F4), Frequency perturbation (Jitter), Amplitude perturbation (Shimmer) and Noise-to-Harmonics Ratio (NHR) parameters were evaluated for /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/ vowels. Changes in the acoustic analysis parameters for each vowel were compared. The study group was separated into two groups according to whether the Mallampati score had not changed (Group 1) or had decreased (Group 2) and changes in the formant frequencies were compared between these groups. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients with a median age of 40 ± 11 years completed the study. The median weight of the patients was 122 ± 14 kg pre-operatively and 80 ± 15 kg, post-operatively. BMI declined from 46 ± 4 to 31 ± 5 kg/m2. The Mallampati score decreased by one point in six patients and remained stable in nine. Of the acoustic voice analysis parameters of vowels, in general, fundamental frequency tended to decrease, and shimmer and jitter values tended to increase. Some of the formant frequencies were specifically affected by the weight loss and this showed statistical significance between Group 1 and Group 2. CONCLUSION: The present study reveals that some specific voice characteristics might be affected by successful weight loss after bariatric surgery.HighlightsObesity reduces the size of the pharyngeal lumen at different levels.The supralaryngeal vocal tract size and configuration is a determinative factor in the features of the voice.Changes in the length and shape of the vocal tract, or height and position of the tongue can result in changes especially in formant frequencies in acoustic analysis.

Symptomatic Solid Ectopic Cervical Thymus in a 2-Month-Old Infant: Case Report.

Ectopic cervical thymus (ECT) is a rare pediatric pathology usually with an asymptomatic course. In fewer cases, the patient may present with dyspnea, hoarseness, stridor, dysphagia and pain. The mass may present in cystic or solid forms. Solid forms are rare, constituting only 10% of all ECT cases and these are mostly symptomatic. We aimed to present the case of an infant with ECT in the submandibular region that led to shortness of breath. ECTs in the submandibular region are mostly solid and larger in size, and therefore, likely to result in compressive symptoms. In this case report, we tried to cover the important aspects of the diagnosis of ECT, its treatment, and discussed the results with a literature review. We additionally aimed to emphasize the importance of considering pediatric ECT in the differential diagnosis of pediatric neck mass as well as considering surgical excision to prevent serious consequences.

Long-Term Balance Outcomes in Vestibular Ablative Surgeries.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term balance outcomes of vestibular nerve section (VNS) and labyrinthectomy (L) operations. The indirect outcomes will be the correlation of objective and subjective test results and an analysis of anterior-posterior versus medial-lateral computerized posturography (CP) scores. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated objective CP and subjective Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) results of patients who underwent VNS and L surgeries for Ménière's disease. RESULTS: A total of 55 (31 VNS and 24 L) patients were included in the study. The two operation groups were similar in terms of age, and mean time between surgery and the tests (p=0.465 and p=0.616) respectively. The vestibular and global scores at anterior-posterior CP showed statistically significant differences between the groups (p=0.000 and p=0.007) respectively in favor of the VNS group. In addition, the comparison of the vestibular CP scores of anterior-posterior and medial-lateral evaluations of the entire study population was lower in the medial-lateral evaluation (p=0.000). The mean DHI scores did not show statistically significant differences (p=0.359) between operation groups, nor did the correlation analysis between CP and DHI scores reveal statistical significance (p values >0.05). CONCLUSION: In the long term, objective balance outcomes are better for VNS patients than for L patients. Additionally, medial-lateral balance outcomes are more affected than anterior-posterior balance outcomes from unilateral ablative surgeries. Subjective balance perception is not different between the two surgery groups, and DHI scores do not show a correlation with CP scores.

Evaluation of retinal vessel density and foveal avascular zone measurements in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

PURPOSE: To compare retinal capillary plexus vessel densities, choroidal thickness, optic disc vessel densities and foveal avascular zone measurements between normal subjects and subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) using spectral-domain OCT angiography (OCTA). METHODS: Forty eyes of patients with overall OSAS, 20 eyes of patients with mild-moderate OSAS, 20 eyes of patients with severe OSAS on polysomnography and 21 controls were evaluated with the RTVue-XR Avanti OCTA (Optovue, Inc., Fremont, CA). Superficial and deep retinal capillary plexus vessel densities, choroidal thickness and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters (area, diameter, acircularity index of the FAZ, foveal density-300) were measured for all subjects. RESULTS: Superficial capillary plexus vessel densities of the groups were similar. Deep capillary plexus (DCP) vessel densities of all three OSAS groups decreased in the parafoveal region (< 0.001). In the perifoveal region, DCP vessel densities were decreased in the Overall OSAS group (p = 0.023) and in the Severe OSAS group (p = 0.021), whereas it was similar in the Mild-moderate OSAS group. Choroidal thickness decreased in all three OSAS groups (p < 0.001). All FAZ measurements and foveal density-300 measurements were similar compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that in severe OSAS patients, deep parafoveal, perifoveal vascular densities decrease and the choroid layer becomes thinner. When evaluating a patient with OSAS, it should be kept in mind that there may be eye involvement due to the disease.

The Relationship of Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex With Self-Reported Dizziness Handicap in Patients With Vestibular Deafferentation.

The relationship between objective vestibular tests and subjective vestibular tests is a controversial topic. In this study, to contribute to this issue, the vestibulo-ocular reflex features and their relationship with balance perception at long-term follow-up in vestibular neurectomy (VN) and total labyrentectomy patients were evaluated. Prospectively, 19 VN and 18 labyrinthectomy patients were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent video head impulse test (VHIT) as objective vestibular test and dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) as subjective vestibular test when they attended to their control visit follow-up between March and September 2017. Lateral canal corrective saccades were classified as organized pattern and deorganized (scattered) pattern. In our results, the saccade pattern analysis (between organized and deorganized saccades) regarding the DHI scores gave P value as .039 for covert saccade pattern and .050 for overt saccade pattern. Therefore, we conclude that the presence of saccades, their patterns, and amplitudes provide extra information at assessing the results of the VHIT test, and the organized pattern of saccades is related to a stable vestibular system and better balance perception.

Evaluation of the Relationship Between the Required Pressure Level in Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment and Voice in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on voice, the relationship between the required pressure levels in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and voice, and the effects of CPAP therapy on voice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 73 subjects consisting of 53 patients and 20 control subjects were included in the study. The patient group was further divided into low- (Group A) and high- (Group B) pressure groups according to the required pressure level. All subjects underwent acoustic sound analysis to evaluate fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR). Acoustic voice analysis was repeated after 3 months of regular CPAP treatment in the patient group. The mean F0, jitter, shimmer, and NHR values of the patient group and control group were compared. Intergroup comparisons were also performed between Group A and the control group, and between Group B and the control group. Finally, before and after CPAP treatment values of mean F0, jitter, shimmer, and NHR were compared in Group A and Group B. RESULTS: The mean shimmer and NHR values of the patient group were significantly higher than the control group (P = 0.01 and P = 0.023, respectively). The mean shimmer and NHR values of Group B were statistically higher than the control group (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively). The mean jitter, shimmer, and NHR values after CPAP treatment were significantly lower than those measured before CPAP treatment in Group B (P = 0.003, P = 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Voice is negatively affected in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients who require high pressure in CPAP treatment. CPAP treatment leads to improved voice in these patients.

The effect of chemotherapy on olfactory function and mucociliary clearance.

OBJECTIVES: Olfactory sensory neurons and the olfactory mucosa are both important for optimal olfactory function. The potential nasal mucosal toxicity of chemotherapy regimens has not been assessed yet. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate the effect of chemotherapy on mucociliary clearance and olfactory function and to evaluate whether this effect differs between different chemotherapy regimens and age groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included consecutive patients admitted for the treatment of a variety of primary tumors (except head and neck and brain malignancies). Patients were evaluated for olfaction and mucociliary clearance before and immediately after completing the last session of chemotherapy cycles, according to the therapeutic protocol. For objective evaluation, the saccharine test was used for mucociliary clearance and the Sniffin' Sticks test for olfactory function. Of the 46 initial patients, 30 completed the study. Groups were formed according to the chemotherapy regimen (four groups: CA (doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide), Folfox (oxaliplatin +5-FU + folinic acid), DCF (docetaxel + cisplatin +5-FU), and GC (gemcitabine + cisplatin)) and according to age (two groups: < 55 years and > 55 years). RESULTS: In the overall analyses, significant deterioration was noted in both mucociliary clearance time and smell scores (olfactory threshold (OT), olfactory discrimination (OD), olfactory identification (OI), and the composite threshold-discrimination-identification (TDI) score). The changes in these scores showed no significant differences between chemotherapy groups. The decrease in OT and global TDI scores was more severe in the younger age group. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy impairs both the mucociliary clearance and olfactory function in cancer patients. This might reflect the collective negative effect of chemotherapy on olfactory function, not only through the neurocytotoxic effect but also the cytotoxic effect on the nasal mucosa. In addition, the reduction in olfactory threshold and total olfactory function scores was seen to be more profound in younger patients, which could have been due to higher initial scores.

Conventional and Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging Findings of Parotid Gland Tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of parotid gland lesions in addition to conventional MRI findings and demographic data. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation was made of the demographic data, histopathologic data, preoperative conventional and diffusion-weighted MRI of 74 patients who underwent parotidectomy. The patients were categorized according to the histopathology (pleomorphic adenoma [PA], Warthin's Tumor [WT] and malignant Tumor [MT]). RESULTS: Histologically, 30 patients had PA, 27 patients had WT, and the remaining 17 patients had MT. The mean age of the PA, WT and MT groups were 44±21 (20-72), 55±10 (41-71) and 62±20 (21-76) years, respectively. The WT (81%) and MT (70%) groups were male dominant, while the PA group showed female dominance (55%). The PA group showed statistically significant difference in terms of age (p<0.05) and gender (p=0.009) compared to the other two groups. The median apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for the PA, WT and MT groups were 1.99±0.94 (1.10-2.41) × 10-3 mm2/s, 0.92±0.35 (0.21-1.79) × 10-3 mm2/s and 1.20±0.34 (0.78-1.47) × 10-3 mm2/s, respectively. PA was differentiated from the other two groups (p=0.001). The sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing PAs from WT was 97% and 85%, respectively, when the ADC cutoff value was 1.25; and for distinguishing PAs from MT was 77% and 83%, respectively, when the ADC cutoff value was 1.35. CONCLUSION: ADC measurements are useful for the differentiation of PA from both WT and MT; and can be used as a complementary tool to predict the histopathology in the preoperative planning of parotid tumors.

Long-term electrophysiological assessment after hypoglossal-facial anastomosis.

PURPOSE: To investigate and provide objective documentation of the possible differences in the axonal reinnervation process of facial muscles after hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis. Then, to search for the presence of the trigemino-hypoglossal reflex and determine whether it indicates better peripheral recovery. METHODS: Electrophysiological examination performed on 20 patients who had undergone VII-XII anastomosis, with follow-up periods of more than 2 years. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time after surgery was 4.1 ± 1.3 years (range 2-8 years). The degrees of axonal reinnervation for the orbicularis oculi (OOc) and orbicularis oris (OOr) were 46.91 ± 19.77 and 32.65 ± 14.85, respectively. And the difference between these muscles was statistically significant (p = 0.018) in favor of the OOc. In addition, R1 blink reflexes that were not followed by R2 components were observed in 30% of the patients. However, these 6 patients with short-latency potential did not differ from the others in terms of latency, the amplitude of compound muscle action potential (CMAP), and degree of axonal reinnervation (p > 0.05) at both muscles (OOc and OOr). CONCLUSION: The recoveries of the lower face and upper face are different after VII-XII anastomosis, and in our patients the OOc healed better. In addition, R1 blink reflexes that were not followed by R2 components were observed in 30% of the patients. However, the patients with these blink reflexes did not have better peripheral healing in their neuromuscular units, which suggests that the blink reflex is not an indicator for peripheral recovery.

Does the Change in the Indications of Endoscopic Sinonasal Surgery Continue? Data between 1994-2018.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic sinonasal surgery (ESS) has changing over the years in parallel with the developments in endoscopy devices, video-imaging techniques, and surgical instruments. In the present study we investigated whether the indications of patients who underwent surgery over a period of 25 years have accommodated to these changes. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 1173 patients who underwent surgery in our clinic from 1994 through 2007, and 954 patients who underwent surgery from 2008 through 2018. The patients were divided into three groups as follows: chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps (CRSwNP), chronic rhinosinusitis without polyps (CRSsNP), and others. The changes in the indications during the first 14 years and the following 11 years were compared, and the results were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: A significant decrease was observed in the number of patients who underwent surgery following the diagnosis of CRSsNP (p<0.001). In addition, a statistically significant increase was found in CRSwNP (p<0.001) and other (p<0.001) indications. CONCLUSION: When ESS indications identified in our clinic were reviewed, it was observed that the increasing trend in CRSwNP rate in the first 14 years continued, there was a significant increase in non-CRS indications in the last 11 years, and there has been an increase in patients with fungal sinusitis, especially in this group.

Thermal Chondroplasty Technique for Costal Cartilage Harvesting and Contouring.

Although costal cartilage autograft has versatile usage, harvesting the graft is an invasive procedure with potential risks for complications. Therefore, it is important to make every effort to minimize these risks. Moreover, sculpting costal cartilage to the desired shape is challenging and time-consuming because of the natural rigidity. This study aimed to evaluate cases of costal cartilage harvest in terms of the most important donor site complications and to present a novel, practical and inexpensive technique to overcome the challenges in costal cartilage harvesting and contouring. A retrospective review of patient records was made of 103 patients who underwent costal cartilage harvest by the senior author. Costal cartilage harvest was applied using either the thermal chondroplasty technique or the conventional technique on patients undergoing revision rhinoplasty surgery. The number of complications and operation times were compared between the 2 techniques.A cohort of 47 patients (30 males, 17 females; mean age 34.5 years [range, 28-48 years]) underwent costal cartilage harvest using the thermal chondroplasty technique and a cohort of 56 patients (31 males, 25 females; mean age 36 years [range, 28-52 years]) underwent costal cartilage harvest with the conventional technique. The mean operation time for the costal cartilage harvest decreased by 7.5 minutes and the total operation time decreased by 17 minutes with the use of the thermal chondroplasty technique compared to the conventional technique (P < 0.05). Complications of 2 pneumothorax and 1 hematoma developed in the conventional technique group, and no complications were seen in the thermal chondroplasty group. The results of this study suggest that the thermal chondroplasty technique is safer and time-saving compared to the conventional technique.

The Predictive Value of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio for Hodgkin's Lymphoma Diagnosis in Patients with Asymptomatic Cervical Lymphadenopathy.

In patients with asymptomatic cervical lymphadenopathy, the physician often has to choose between evaluation via follow-up or open biopsy. Follow-up evaluation may lead to a delayed diagnosis of lymphoma, while an open biopsy is associated with surgical risks and costs. This dilemma can be avoided using predictive parameters. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a parameter which can be assessed quickly with ease and at low cost, has predictive value for Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in patients with asymptomatic cervical lymphadenopathy. A total of 46 patients with asymptomatic cervical lymphadenopathy who underwent open biopsy were included in the study. Based on the biopsy results, the patients were divided into two groups, Hodgkin lymphoma (26 patients) and reactive lymphadenopathy (20 patients). The mean NLR in the groups was calculated and compared based on the results of complete blood count performed before biopsy. We found that mean NLR (P = 0.022) and mean neutrophil count (P = 0.046) were higher and mean lymphocyte count was lower (P = 0.054) in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma compared to those in patients with reactive lymphadenopathy. Our results indicate that a high NLR may have predictive value for Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in patients with asymptomatic cervical lymphadenopathy.

Canal wall down versus canal wall up surgeries in the treatment of middle ear cholesteatoma

Background/aim: To compare outcomes of canal wall up (CWU) and canal wall down (CWD) techniques in the treatment of middle ear cholesteatoma. Materials and methods: Medical records of 76 patients who had a primary surgery due to middle ear cholesteatoma between July 2015 and November 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. Hearing thresholds, speech discrimination scores (SDS), recurrences, and revision surgeries of CWU and CWD surgeries were compared. Results: Of 76 cholesteatoma cases, 40 (52.6%) had a CWU and 36 (47.4%) had a CWD operation. Postoperatively, the mean air conduction thresholds were significantly better in CWU compared to CWD surgeries (P = 0.016). The presence of the stapes and the type of reconstruction material used did not have a significant effect on auditory success rates (P = 0.342 and P = 0.905, respectively). Auditory success was affected by the status of the middle ear mucosa as well. The recurrence and revision rates did not differ between the surgical techniques (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Status of the middle ear mucosa and external auditory canal are important factors affecting the outcomes in cholesteatoma. Instead of a CWD surgery, a CWU surgery seems applicable in cases of cholesteatoma when the bone in the external auditory canal is not eroded by the disease.

Failure of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Organ Preservation in Laryngeal Cancer: Survival Outcomes and Recurrence Patterns.

Although definitive chemoradiation (CRT) has been used for locally advanced laryngeal cancer for more than 2 decades, studies focusing on CRT failures in advanced laryngeal cancer are scarce. In this study, we aimed to determine the failure patterns and the survival outcomes in the patients who had recurrence after concurrent CRT for laryngeal cancer. Clinical records of the patients who had definitive concurrent CRT for laryngeal cancer between 2001 and 2014 at a tertiary referral center were reviewed. The end points of the study were 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).In our results, there were 48 failures and the mean time period from the first diagnosis of disease to the diagnosis of recurrence was 18.0 months (range 2-72; standard deviation: 15.6). The most common recurrence pattern was local recurrence in 21 (47.9%) patients followed by regional recurrence in 11 (22.9%) patients. The 1 and 3 years OS rates were 41.7%, and 19.2% for the entire cohort, and 64.5%, and 29.7% for the patients who had not systemic recurrence at presentation of recurrence, respectively. The 1 and 3 years DSS rates were 43.5%, and 20.0% for the entire cohort, and 69.0%, and 31.8% for the patients who had not systemic recurrence at presentation of recurrence, respectively. All patients who had systemic recurrence initially (n = 13) died within 9 months (median = 4 months, range: 1-9 months). This study reveals that survival outcomes are unfavorable in the CRT failures and careful patient selection is critical to minimize failures. In the presence of systemic recurrence, disease course is aggressive.

Assessment of Cochlear Implant Revision Surgeries in a Cohort of 802 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the etiology, demographics, rates and outcomes of revision surgeries, and device survival rates after cochlear implantation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Tertiary Otology & Neurotology center. PATIENTS: Cochlear implantees who received revision surgeries after implantation INTERVENTIONS:: Any surgical intervention, performed due to device failure or the major complications of cochlear implantation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Medical records of the patients who received cochlear implants (CIs) between July 2002 and March 2018 were reviewed retrospectively regarding postoperative complications. Demographic data, device survival rates, and causes of revisions were recorded. RESULTS: Totally, 924 implantations were performed in 802 patients. Eighty one (8.7%) of them underwent 102 revision surgeries. The most common causes of revision surgeries were device failures and flap related problems which were seen in 28 and 18 patients, respectively.Overall CI survival rate was 91.9% in a 10 years period, which remained almost stable after 10 years. Although age was not found to be related with device failure (p = 0.693), device loss rates were significantly higher in adult implantees than children (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Device failure seems the most common cause of revision. The revision surgeries are usually safe and help to resolve the problem although flap problems are the most difficult to treat and may necessitate multiple revision surgeries. The device failure rate may reach to a plateau after 6 years. Overall CI survival rate exceeds 90% in 10 years period, and then remains stable.

The effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on the central auditory system

Background/aim: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disease characterized by repeated hypoxia attacks during sleep. The effect of hypoxia on the central nervous system is a well-known entity. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of OSAS on the central auditory system. Materials and methods: Twenty-one OSAS patients diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG) and 10 control subjects were included in the study. After a thorough otorhinolaryngology examination, all subjects underwent pure tone audiometry (250 to 8000 Hz frequency). The subjects with normal otoscopic examination and hearing threshold were included in the study. All participants underwent speech discrimination analyses and auditory time processing and sequencing tests, i.e. frequency pattern test (FPT) and duration pattern test (DPT). Results: Although hearing was normal in the OSAS patients, significant loss was observed in the speech discrimination rates compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Significant disruption was also detected in the FPT and SPT in the OSAS patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Repeated hypoxic episodes in OSAS resulted in statistically significant impairments in the central auditory pathways, even if the hearing threshold was within normal limits.

Isolated sphenoid sinus pathologies: a series of 40 cases

Background/aim: Isolated sphenoid sinus-derived lesions are rare and generally present with unclear symptoms. We are sharing our experience to be mindful of such lesions in differential diagnosis and to help accomplish successful treatment while avoiding revisions and complications.Materials and methods: Data from patients who underwent isolated sphenoid sinus surgeries (ISSs) were retrospectively extracted from the period of January 2005 to August 2015. Demographic data, chief complaints and presenting symptoms, imaging findings, surgical management, and results were evaluated. Results: There were 40 patients who underwent ISS. These patients had different pathologies. The chief complaint was nonspecific headache, except for cerebrospinal fluid leak patients who presented with serous rhinorrhea. Conclusion: It is critical to investigate suspicious symptoms with clinical findings and imaging techniques to avoid late diagnoses of isolated sphenoid pathologies. The transnasal approach is more minimally invasive and tissue-sparing. In our experience, we have noted that excising the inferior one-third of the superior turbinate decreases revisions. On the other hand, results show that the presence of concomitant pathology and invasive fungal disease increases the risk of revision surgery and complications.