Treatment results for congenital cholesteatoma using transcanal endoscopic ear surgery.

PURPOSE: Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery for congenital cholesteatoma provides a smaller incision and better visibility than conventional surgical microscope ear surgery. We aimed to evaluate the treatment results of transcanal endoscopic ear surgery in ameliorating the recurrence and post-operative complications of pediatric congenital cholesteatoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with congenital cholesteatoma who underwent transcanal endoscopic ear surgery at a tertiary referral medical center from January 2012 to December 2020. We categorized the patients into two groups according to the presence of remnant cholesteatoma and compared their characteristics. RESULTS: This study included 46 patients (32 males and 14 females; 46 ears). The mean age was 3.0 ± 2.6 (1-17) years. Congenital cholesteatoma was predominantly located in the anterior-superior quadrant (63.0 %), and ossicular involvement was confirmed in six cases. The mean cholesteatoma size identified by temporal bone computed tomography was 3.9 ± 2.0 (1.2-13) mm. Seven cases had remnant cholesteatoma lesions (15.2 %); four improved after revision surgery, and three were followed up without immediate further intervention. Postoperative complications (e.g., tympanic membrane perforation, retraction) were observed in 10 cases. Comparative evaluations of various characteristics after categorizing the participants into residual and non-residual lesion groups revealed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Consequently, transcanal endoscopic ear surgery can be considered an effective and safe operation for treating congenital cholesteatoma in the pediatric population with no serious side effects. Further large-scale research with hearing test results should be conducted meticulously as a follow-up to this study.

Simple technique to preserve the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve during thyroidectomy: Clinical practicability of an attachable nerve stimulator.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to demonstrate the usefulness of an attachable magnetic nerve stimulator for preservation of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) during thyroidectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 120 female patients, of which 60 underwent thyroidectomy with an attachable magnetic nerve stimulator (magnetic group) and the remaining 60 underwent thyroidectomy with a conventional method without EBSLN identification (control group). For both groups, objective and subjective voice parameters were investigated on the day before surgery and at 2 weeks and 2 months after surgery. RESULTS: In the magnetic group, a magnetic nerve stimulator was used to ligate only the site without cricothyroid muscle (CTM) twitching, and thyroid surgery was successfully performed without damage to the EBSLN. In the control group, objective voice parameters, including fundamental frequency, voice range profile (VRP), highest VRP (VRP-H), and maximal phonation time, and the subjective thyroidectomy-related voice questionnaire score were significantly decreased at 2 months after surgery compared to preoperative values. Compared to the control group, the magnetic group did not show a significant decrease in the objective VRP and VRP-H at 2 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: The use of metallic surgical instruments with an attachable magnetic nerve stimulator may provide surgeons with real-time feedback on CTM twitching feedback and EBSLN status. Compared to direct EBSLN identification during thyroidectomy, this is a simple, easy, and noninvasive method for EBSLN preservation that is useful, especially for less-experienced surgeons.

Melatonin Exerts Anticancer Effects in Human Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells by Promoting Autophagy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The global prevalence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains high, and its prognosis poor. We investigated the anticancer effects of melatonin in human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells (SCC-25) and its mechanisms of action. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT assay was used to determine cell viability. To assess the effects of melatonin on SCC-25 cell metastasis, we conducted cell formation, wound healing, transwell migration and invasion assay. Western blot analysis was performed to measure the levels of autophage marker proteins. RESULTS: We found that melatonin treatment significantly reduced the viability and colony formation ability of SCC-25 cells, impairing cell migration and invasion. Western blotting assay revealed that melatonin increased the levels of autophagy markers, such as LC-3B and Beclin-1. Consequently, melatonin induces autophage in SCC-25 cells. CONCLUSION: Melatonin may be a promising anticancer agent for the treatment of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Risk factors affecting the treatment outcome of pediatric foreign body aspiration: significance of time factors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting the prognosis of children with foreign body aspiration (FBA) after undergoing rigid bronchoscopy. METHODS: This was a case series with a chart review of 49 children under 3 years of age who underwent rigid bronchoscopy for suspected FBA at a single tertiary institution. RESULTS: The time from symptom onset to hospitalization positively correlated with the total hospitalization time (p < 0.001), postoperative hospitalization time (p = 0.006), and operation time (p = 0.013). The time from symptom onset to operation positively correlated with the total hospitalization time (p < 0.001) and operation time (p = 0.046). The time from hospitalization to operation and the operation time positively correlated with the total hospitalization time (p = 0.026, 0.044) and postoperative hospitalization time (p = 0.049, 0.003). The time from symptom onset to hospitalization positively correlated with the incidence of pneumonia (p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Rapid hospitalization after symptom onset, rapid surgery after symptom onset, and rapid surgery after hospitalization improve the prognosis of patients with FBA. Further, a short operation time also plays a role in improving patient prognosis.