Lateral Overlay Sliding Transposition (LOST): A Novel Surgical Technique in Patients with Cephalic Malposition and Alar Retraction.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to demonstrate a new surgical technique that can be applied in patients with cephalic malposition and patients with alar retraction. METHODS: In this technique, a cartilage incision is made between the upper 2/3 and lower 1/3 close to the caudal edge and parallel to the cephalic edge of the lateral crus. Following this incision, the cephalic lateral crus and middle crus are meticulously dissected away from the underlying vestibular skin. The prepared flap is transposed over the intact caudal part of the lateral crus and secured in position. RESULTS: The average age of the patients included in the study was 24 years. The mean follow-up period was nine months, ranging from 6 to 12 months. No complications were observed following the application of the technique. Satisfactory outcomes were achieved postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Lateral overlay sliding transposition as a novel surgical technique has been demonstrated in patients presenting with cephalic malposition, mild to moderate alar retraction, and alar irregularity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Normal range of peak nasal inspiratory flow and its role in nasal septal surgery.

Nasal obstruction can be evaluated by objective and subjective methods. We sought to determine normative peak nasal inspiratory flow meter (PNIF) measurements of a healthy population in Turkey and to investigate the importance of PNIF in surgery for nasal septal deviation as well as to investigate the correlation of PNIF with subjective methods. In a total of 269 patients, 50 patients underwent septoplasty and 219 control subjects were enrolled in the study. Data on preoperative and postoperative PNIF measurements, nasal septal indices, and subjective measurements (visual analogue scale, VAS) were recorded. Mean PNIF value was 137.8 L/min in control subjects. Postoperative PNIF, VAS, and nasal septal index data were statistically significantly higher in the study group as compared with those of preoperative data. We found PNIF, VAS, and nasal septal indices of the control group to be consistent with postoperative data and to be higher than preoperative data of the study group. We identified a normal PNIF range for the healthy Turkish population and we saw that the data were compatible with VAS scores. PNIF seems to be a very effective method in the evaluation of nasal obstruction and in deciding operation.

Assessment of surface water quality of the Ceyhan River basin, Turkey.

In this study, surface water quality of the Ceyhan River basin were assessed and examined with 13 physico-chemical parameters in 31 stations in 3 months during the period of 2005. Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to identify characteristics of the water quality in the studied stations. Nutrients, Cl- and Na+ affected mostly to the stations of Erkenez 2, Sir 2, and Sir 3 in the ordination diagram of correspondence analysis. Three factors were extracted by principal component analysis, which explains 79.14% of the total variation. The first factor (PC1) captures variables of EC, DO, NO2-, PO4triple bond, Cl-, SO4=, Na+, and Ca++. The second factor (PC2) is significantly related to pH, NH3-, and Mg++, while water temperature (T) and NO3- accounted for the greatest loading for factor 3 (PC3). The stations were divided into three groups for PC1, two groups for PC2, and three groups for PC3 by hierarchical cluster analysis. The stations in the vicinity of cities presented low dissolved oxygen and high concentration of physico-chemical parameter levels. The stations of Erkenez 2, Sir 2, Sir 3, and Aksu 4 located near the city of Kahramanmaras were characterized by an extremely high pollution due to discharge of wastewater from industry and domestic. Pinarbasi and Elbistan stations were also influenced by household wastewater of the city of Elbistan. According to criteria of Turkish Water Pollution Control Regulation, Erkenez 2, Sir 2, and Sir 3 stations have high polluted water. This study suggests that it is urgent to control point pollutions, and all wastewater should be purified before discharge to the Ceyhan River basin.

Diagnostic analysis of the Lake Uluabat in Turkey.

Diagnostic analysis of wetlands is an ordered/structured method of examining wetland systems to identify their values and constraints for the solution of the environmental problems. This study focuses on the diagnostic analysis of Lake Uluabat on the feasibility of "Objective Oriented Project Planning (OOPP)" approach, created by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and further improved by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). Negative changes both in water quality and quantity were determined as the core problems. The main results were summarized as the water pollution and fluctuation in the water level caused by the urban and agricultural waste disposals, sedimentation, and overfishing. These negative effects cause loss of biodiversity and damage to crops. Disposal control, training, adequate regulations, and a centralized control and monitoring authority have been proposed to cope with the determined problems.