Evaluation of the changes in the hearing system over the years among patients with OSAS using a CPAP device.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether patients using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) have improvement or deterioration in their auditory systems. METHODS: Charts of OSAS patients who were followed up at the ENT clinic were retrospectively reviewed starting from 2018. The hearing tests performed at least 2 years before and after CPAP use in patients were compared with themselves and with the test results of patients with no CPAP use. RESULTS: No improvement in the hearing system on the patients using a CPAP device was detected. Deterioration in hearing was detected in 13.63% and 9.09% of the patients with and without CPAP use, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The use of a CPAP device does not affect hearing positively or negatively.

Understanding potential associations between anatomic and other factors in OSA severity.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective study was to investigate associations between nasal/oropharyngeal structures and a range of factors including age, gender, daytime sleepiness, and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Patients with OSA were prospectively selected as research participants in rhinomanometric analysis as well as for otolaryngological evaluation. Participants were grouped as follows according to their apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) scores: no OSA (AHI < 5), mild OSA (5 ≤ AHI ≤ 15), moderate OSA (15 ≤ AHI < 30), and severe OSA (AHI ≥ 30). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal-Wallis H, and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to assess OSA severity in terms of the relationships between nasal resistance (NR) and anthropometric indices (body mass index (BMI), Friedman tongue position (FTP)), age, and gender. RESULTS: The study cohort of 177 men and 81 women ranged in age between 21 and 76 years, with BMI ranging from 23 to 45. In total, 37 patients were simple snorers (AHI < 5), and 221 patients were diagnosed with OSA. There was no significant difference among the AHI groups in terms of nasal volume (Vol05) (p = 0.952), mean flow (p = 0.778), and mean NR total (p = 0.723). A statistically significant difference was found between the AHI groups in terms of mean BMI and median FTP scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that that the oropharyngeal region (oropharynx, tongue, and vallecula) is a more important determinant of OSA severity than the nasal region.

Can Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia Techniques For Tracheostomy Be An Alternative To General Anesthesia?

Introduction The cervical plexus block (CPB) has been used for a long time for both analgesia and anesthesia in carotid endarterectomy and thyroid operations. To be unfamiliar with the technique and its perceived difficulty, potential risks, and possible adverse effects such as intravascular injection has limited broader use before the practical use of ultrasound. We hypothesize that the cervical plexus block can provide adequate anesthesia in tracheostomy cases and provide excellent anesthesia comfort when combined with a translaryngeal block. Methods This double-blinded, randomized 29 patients undergoing primary tracheostomy operation to receive either CPB (Group S) or CPB with translaryngeal block (Group ST). The primary outcome was cumulated analgesic consumption during the first 24 postoperative hours. Secondary outcomes were as follows: pain related to incision, patient tolerance as assessed by tracheostomy cannula comfort score, cough and gag, pain at rest, nausea and vomiting, and time to first analgesic demand. Results The patient tolerance for tracheostomy was higher in Group ST than Group S. The median tracheostomy cannula comfort score was 4.0 in Group S. In contrast, the median score was significantly lower in group ST (P<.001). The cough and gag reflex scores were significantly lower in Group ST than Group S (1.0 vs 4.0, P<.001). Conclusion This trial supported the hypothesis that the CPB combined with the translaryngeal block yields excellent anesthesia for tracheostomies. The technique we briefly described, in a way, is the equivalent of awake fiberoptic intubation to awake tracheostomy with minimal sedation adjusted according to airway patency.

Rhinolith in the concha bullosa as a rare location: a case report.

The presence of a rhinolith is a rare condition, which can cause long-standing symptoms, such as rhinorrhea, foul-smelling discharge, nasal obstruction, and headache. A rhinolith is usually easily diagnosed by a clinical examination and a paranasal computed tomographic scan. Rhinoliths are usually found in nasal cavities, but rare locations are also possible. We report a patient who was evaluated in our clinic for nasal obstruction, headache, and snoring symptoms. A clinical examination showed no major findings, but a paranasal computed tomographic scan of coronal sections showed a hyperdense mass within the right concha bullosa. A rhinolith in the concha bullosa is a rare condition. Our case is the third case of a rhinolith in the concha bullosa to be reported in the literature.

Transient postsurgical gastroparesis is accompanied by reversible changes of the cervical vagus nerve's morphology after neck dissection - an ultrasound study.

AIMS: During neck dissection (ND), the vagus nerve (VN) may be exposed to manipulation together with common carotid artery and internal jugular vein. The postsurgical gastroparesis was previous related to the VN injury. The aim of our study was to evaluate by ultrasound the VN changes in patients with unilateral and bilateral ND and to establish if there is a relationship between postoperative findings of VN and postsurgical gastroparesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventeen patients in which 30 ND (4 unilateral and 13 bilateral) were performed, were enrolled in the study. The VN's area and diameter were measured preoperative (baseline), one week (T1) and one month (T2) postoperative. Gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated at T1 and T2 phases using the patient assessment of the upper gastrointestinal symptom severity index (PAGI-SYM). RESULTS: There was a statistical difference between area and diameters of VN between T1 and baseline (p<0.001), and T1 and T2 phases (p<0.001), respectively. No statistical differences were detected at baseline and T2 phases in areas (p=0.934) and diameters (p>0.999). Gastrointestinal symptoms, found at the T1 phase regressed at T2 phase, were correlated with VN area and diameter changes (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: VN ultrasound clearly showed the transient dimensional changes of VN caused by manipulation in ND, which may lead to temporary gastrointestinal symptoms due to reversible dysfunction of VN.

A Comparison of the Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Gel Fat Graft Myringoplasty and the Fat Graft Myringoplasty for the Closure of Different Sizes of Tympanic Membrane Perforations.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma gel (PRPG) on fat graft myringoplasty (FGM) in tympanic membrane perforations caused by chronic otitis media. METHODS: This retrospective study involved 63 patients who underwent operations between 2015 and 2018. Fat graft myringoplasty was performed with the transcanal approach with and without the use of PRPG in the surgical field. The patients were classified into 2 groups: group A, which included 32 patients who underwent FGM with the use of autologous PRPG, and group B, which included 31 patients who underwent FGM alone. Tympanic membrane perforations were divided into 2 groups: small perforations (1-2 mm) in a single quadrant and large perforations (2-4 mm) in at least 2 quadrants. RESULTS: Both groups were statistically matched regarding age and sex. The mean postoperative follow-up was 11.6 and 12.1 months for groups A and B, respectively. Four months postoperatively, the success rate of the graft in group A (100%) was significantly higher than that in group B (83.8%; P = .03). The preoperative and postoperative median air-bone gaps of the groups were similar (P = .653 and P = .198, respectively). No worsening of the air-bone gap was noted postoperatively in either group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that autologous PRPG application during FGM allows for a higher success rate than FGM alone. Furthermore, the use of PRPG with FGM for large perforations increases the success rate. Further studies are needed to investigate the PRPG healing effect on other tympanic membrane perforation closure techniques.

A New Instrument For Rhinoplasty: The Osteotom With Lighting Guide Transilluminating Osteotomy.

Rhinoplasty remains one of the most commonly performed aesthetic surgical procedure that demands a meticulous intraoperative precision as well as maximum precaution and control. Nasal osteotomy is a key component to shape the bony vault in aesthetic rhinoplasty, but it is also the so versatile, dangerous, and difficult to learn. The present study aims to evaluate the usefulness of our locator instrument for beginners which is called transilluminating osteotome. The use of transilluminating osteotome instead of guided lateral nasal osteotome is a reliable instrument since it facilitates the localization of osteotome and osteotomy line beneath the soft tissue with a limited damage to the surrounding soft tissues. Level of Evidence: III.

Evaluation of Serum Endocan Levels in Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to reveal the possible role of endothelial dysfunction in sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) by determining the serum endocan levels of patients with varying degrees of SNHL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with documented SNHL and healthy controls were included in the study, whereas those with a known history of chronic inflammatory condition were excluded. In addition, a recent history of use of glucocorticoids, nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, or any ototoxic medications was also considered as an exclusion criterion due to its potential impact on endocan synthesis and metabolism. Following overnight fasting, blood samples were collected, and serum endocan levels were measured. For statistical analysis of the data, PASW Statistics for Windows version 18 was used. RESULTS: The comparison of the subgroups yielded no statistically significant difference between the control and mild-to-moderate SNHL groups. Despite the increase in hearing loss, the difference between the endocan levels in these patients did not increase proportionately and was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The patients in the severe SNHL group had a higher level of serum endocan than those in other groups, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The serum endocan levels failed to show a proportionate increase with increasing degree of SNHL, indicating that there is no precise association between SNHL and serum endocan levels. The serum endocan levels of patients with SNHL did not significantly differ from those of the healthy controls.

The evaluation of auditory system in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients.

OBJECTIVE: The authors of the present study aimed to investigate the impact of hypoxemia on the auditory functions of OSAS patients and discussed their findings under the scope of the existing literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 160 patients who underwent a polysomnographic analysis for the diagnosis of possible sleep disordered breathing between January 2015 and December 2015 were enrolled in this study. Polysomnography tests were conducted at the sleep laboratory of the department of neurology at the same institute. Comprehensive otorhinolaryngological examinations of all participants were conducted by the same senior otorhinolaryngologist. Three study groups and a control group were designated in the study. Each study group was designated according to the severity of the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and blood oxygen saturation values of the participants. All participants underwent pure tone auditometry and otoacoustic emission testing (OAE). Statistical data analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows, version 17 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Audiological assessment of the patients revealed that all patients in the control group and in mild OSAS group had normal hearing thresholds (lower than 26dB). However, the patients who had moderate and severe OSAS had varying degrees of sensorineural hearing losses. As far as body mass indexes are concerned, statistically significant differences were observed among the groups (p=0.038). CONCLUSION: There is convincing evidence that the risk of progressive dysfunction in vascular and neural structures of the body is inevitable for the patients who suffer from a chronic hypoxemic condition secondary to OSAS. The findings of the present study indicated auditory transduction and transmission mechanisms may also be affected in moderate and severe OSAS patients. Therefore, via taking necessary steps in preventing hypoxemia at the outset, OSAS patients may be protected from the long term detrimental effects of chronic hypoxemia on the auditory system.

Endoscopy-Assisted Single-Incision Technique to Harvest the Conchal Cartilage and Temporal Fascia Simultaneously by Using Phaco Slit Knife.

Conchal cartilage and temporal fascia grafts are useful materials for secondary rhinoplasty cases. Generally, surgeons require to access autologous grafts fast and effortlessly. Harvesting 2 different types of graft, such as cartilage and fascia, however, are associated with limitations, such as additional surgery time, extra incisions, and postoperative additional distortions at the graft-host interface. The authors evolved a modified single incision that would harvest conchal cartilage and temporal fascia simultaneously by using 4 mm endoscope and 3 mm angled phaco slit knife.

Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Due to Massive Cervical Lipohypertrophy.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a difficult problem to deal with. Many studies on the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea were performed in the past, and we present cervical lipohypertrophy causing severe obstructive sleep apnea in this article.

Comparison of pediatric and adult tonsillectomies performed by thermal welding system.

Objective. To compare pediatric and adult age groups in terms of postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by thermal welding system (TWS). Method. The study consisted of 213 patients, of whom 178 were children and 35 were adults. The mean age of the pediatric patients (81 girls and 97 females) was 6.7 ± 2.4 years (range 3-13 years) and the mean age of the adults (20 males and 15 females) was 21.8 ± 7.07 years (range 15-41 years). All of the patients were evaluated in terms of postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS. Results. Bleeding was detected in the late postoperative period in 11 pediatric and 7 adult patients and of them 2 pediatric and 3 adult patients controlled under general. Postoperative bleeding was significantly less prevalent in the pediatric age group compared to the adult age group (P = 0.04). Likewise, postoperative pain was significantly less prevalent in the pediatric age group as compared to the adult age group (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Both postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS were more prevalent in the adult age group compared to the pediatric age group.