Changes in olfactory function and olfactory bulb after treatment for acromegaly.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the olfactory functions of the acromegaly patients and to discuss the possible causes of olfactory dysfunction in acromegaly patients. METHODS: A case-control study was carried out in a tertiary referral center. 52 patients with acromegaly (Acromegaly group) and 52 healthy individuals (Control group) were included in the study. All acromegaly patients included in the study were in the late postoperative period. The Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) test was carried out and olfactory bulb (OB) volumes were measured in both of the groups. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the mean CCCRC total scores of the acromegaly and control groups (p = .000). The mean of right and left OB volumes in the acromegaly group was significantly higher than the control group (p = .004) CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that acromegaly patients are likely to experience olfactory dysfunction. It is important to examine these patients' olfactory functions at the time of diagnosis and clinic follow-up. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04138537.

Stapedectomy in patients with dehiscent and prolapsed facial nerve.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to apply the modified stapedectomy technique in cases with dehiscent and prolapsed facial nerve canal, and to compare the postoperative results with those with normal facial nerve canal anatomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 28 patients who underwent primary stapedectomy were included. Of the patients, 17 were in the normal anatomical facial nerve group, and 11 were in the dehiscent and prolapsed facial nerve group. Facial nerve was retracted with micro elevator in dehiscent and prolapsed group. and Titanium-Teflon prosthesis was angled and used in accordance with facial nerve course at this group. RESULT: No facial paresis or paralysis was observed in any patient postoperatively. In the first year, no significant difference was found in terms of air-bone gap. CONCLUSION: It is safe to retract the facial nerve for a limited time in cases of stapedectomy in cases with dehiscent and prolapsed facial nerve canal. In these cases, modifying the stapedial prosthesis in accordance with the facial nerve course does not cause disadvantage in terms of hearing gain.

The relationship between the tympanostomy tube extrusion time and viscosity.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to assess the correlation between the tympanostomy tube extrusion time and the viscosity of the middle ear fluid. METHODS: Thirty-three patients who were scheduled for a tympanostomy tube (TT) insertion were included in the study. During the paracentesis procedure, fluid from the middle ear was obtained, and the viscosity was measured with a viscometer. Patients with effusion values below and above the median viscosity value of 439 cP (cP) were assigned to Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. After the surgery, the patients were followed up monthly until the tubes were observed to be extruded. RESULTS: The analysis of the correlation between the tube extrusion time and the viscosity was statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). The mean tube extrusion time of Group 1 (12.65 ± 4.152 months) was slightly lower than that of Group 2 (13.81 ± 4.43 months); however, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The tube extrusion time can be longer or shorter and is independent of the effusion viscosity. Further studies are needed to clarify the factors that affect the TT extrusion time. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03848026.

The Effect of Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block on the Postoperative Pain in Patients Undergoing Septorhinoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of preoperative sphenopalatine ganglion block (SPBG) on the postoperative pain (POP) in patients undergoing septorhinoplasty (SRP). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed. A total of 42 patients that had received septorhinoplasty included in the study. The patients that had received SPBG before the surgery included in the Block group (n:20) and the patients that had not received SPBG before the surgery included in the Control group (n:22). POP was questioned with a numeric rating scale (NRS) at the 30th minute (t1), 1st hour (t2), 4th hour (t3), 12th hour (t4), and 24th hour (t5) and noted. The intraoperative details and the dose of the postoperative rescue analgesics were also noted. RESULTS: The average dose of Paracetamol that was used in the postoperative first 24 hours was 500 mg in the Block group and 1363 mg in the Control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P = .001). The average dose of Tramadol was 0 mg in the Block group and 45 mg in the Control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P = .001). There was a statistically significant difference among the groups with respect to NRS in the first 24 hours postoperatively (P < .05). The number of the patients requiring rescue analgesics was lower in the Block group than the Control group. The difference was statistically significant at the t1, t2, and t5 time intervals (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative SPGB is an effective option to reduce POP and the need for rescue analgesics for patients undergoing SRP. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04020393.

Olfactory function and olfactory bulb volume in Wilson's disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the olfactory function and the olfactory bulb (OB) volume changes in Wilson's Disease (WD) patients. METHODS: A prospective, controlled, single-blinded study was planned. 12 patients with WD (Group 1) and 12 healthy subjects (Group 2) were included in the study. Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) test was applied to evaluate olfactory functions. OB volumes were measured with a 1.5 T General Electric Signa Excite MRI scanner. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the CCCRC scores of the two groups (p < 0.05). The difference of the OB volumes of the two groups was insignificant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: WD patients are likely to experience olfactory dysfunction, so its assessment may be a useful tool to the follow-up care of these patients, although further studies are needed to evaluate correlations in WD evolution.

RGB measurements as a novel objective diagnostic test for otitis media with effusion.

CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a significant correlation between red-green-blue (RGB) values of tympanic membrane (TM) images and the presence of effusion in the middle ear. These results confirm that endoscopic RGB evaluation is a rapid and non-invasive procedure yielding objective results. OBJECTIVE: To investigate, in cases of otitis media with effusion (OME), the correlation of the TM color changes with the presence and viscosity of the effusion in the middle ear. METHODS: Endoscopic images of the TMs of 52 patients (group 1) and 52 healthy controls (group 2) were taken during their otologic examinations. RGB values of particular points were measured on the TM images of both groups. Additionally, in group 1 the viscosity of each effusion taken by paracentesis during surgery was also measured intraoperatively with a viscometer. Patients with viscosity values lower and higher than 450 cP (centipoise) were subdivided into groups 1a and 1b, respectively. RESULTS: Study and control groups were comparable regarding the number of patients and their mean ages (p > 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found in RGB values of the TM between groups 1 and 2, but not between groups 1a and 1b.

Olfactory bulb volume and olfactory function after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Radiotherapy is the primary method of treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and many side effects were reported in patients receiving radiation to this area. This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of radiotherapy following NPC on olfactory bulb (OB) volume and olfactory function. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with NPC who received radiotherapy at least 12 months ago were recruited. Fourteen healthy subjects with similar demographical characteristics were recruited as the healthy control group. All volunteers were subjected to a nasoendoscopical examination, and abnormalities that could potentially cause olfactory dysfunction were the exclusion criteria from the study. An experienced radiologist segmented the MRI coronal, axial and sagittal slices manually for three-dimensional OB volume measurement in a blinded manner. Olfactory function was assessed using the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) test, and average score (0: worst, 7: best) was calculated as the total CCCRC olfactory score. RESULTS: The mean CCCRC score was 5.5 ± 1.1 for the nasopharyngeal cancer patients, whereas the mean score of healthy control group was 6.4 ± 0.4. There was a significant difference in the olfactory scores (p=0.003). The mean OB volume in the NPC group was 46.7 ± 12.1mm(3). Among the patients with NPC, the cisplatin receiving group had a mean OB volume of 47.2mm(3), whereas the cisplatin+docetaxel receiving group had a mean OB volume of 46.5mm(3), and they were similar. The MRI measurement of the healthy control group was 58.6 ± 13.8mm(3). The OB volumes of the healthy control group were significantly higher (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy following nasopharyngeal cancer results in a diminished OB volume and deteriorated olfactory function. Chemosensory olfactory dysfunction might be a contributing factor to lack of appetite, cancer cachexia and consequent lowered quality of life in NPC patients.

Connecticut (CCCRC) Olfactory Test: Normative Values in 426 Healthy Volunteers.

Application of Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) olfactory test to healthy Turkish volunteers, obtain normative data set and analyse the role of age, sex and smoking on olfactory scores. The present study was conducted at Bezmialem Vakif University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology. Total of 426 healthy volunteers were subjected to CCCRC olfactory test which consists of n-butanol smell threshold test and smell identification test. Olfactory function score was assessed (0: worst score; 7: best score) and mean scores were calculated. Mean age was (36.7 ± 11.1; range, 17-68). 46.2 % of the subjects were male and 53.8 % were female; 37.1 % were smokers and 62.9 % were non-smokers. Mean n-butanol threshold score was 6.36 out of 7, mean identification score was 6.34 and mean total score was 6.35. According to CCCRC score: there were no anosmic individuals, 0.5 % were severely hyposmic, 2.6 % were moderately hyposmic,15.3 % were mildly hyposmic and 81.6 % were normosmic. CCCRC olfactory test is cost-effective, simple and practical. It can be easily applied in clinical settings. The CCCRC olfactory test is appropriate for assessment of olfactory function: Turkish population is familiar in terms of the odors used in CCCRC test. The power of this study is that it provides a normative data set against which many factors can be compared.

Pneumo-concha dilatans: middle concha growing in anterior and lateral directions.

Aeration of the concha is called concha bullosa regardless of the amount and location of the aeration. Middle concha pneumatization is very frequent, and its incidence rate according to the literature is between 14% and 53.6%. Various types of middle concha such as pneumatized, paradoxical, bifurcate, trifurcate, secondary, and accessory have been defined; however, the most frequently observed variation is the pneumatization of the middle concha. In our case, a male patient presented to our clinic with complaints about difficulty breathing through the nose and decrease in the olfaction. The endoscopic examination showed that his right middle concha had grown enough to extend toward the front of the lower concha, and the left middle and lower meatuses were infested by polyps. The paranasal computed tomographic scan of the patient showed that the left middle concha had maxillary sinus invasion at an amount that was enough to fill 25% of the maxillary sinus. In this case presentation, the middle concha pneumatization presenting with maxillary sinus invasion, which we believe is the first case in the literature, is presented as accompanied by the literature.

Chondroma of the nasal tip.

Chondromas are benign lesions composed of mature hyaline cartilage. A nasal chondroma is an infrequent entity and it arises rarely from the nasal septum. Most of the nasal chondroma cases in the medical literature have originated from the posterior part of the septum. This article presents a rare case of nasal chondroma. A 47-year-old female patient consulted to our clinic complaining of a lump of medium hardness at the tip of her nose. Surgery revealed a nasal chondroma, localized at the domal alar cartilage. The case was presented in detail, and the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of nasal chondromas were discussed in light of relevant literature.

Co-existence of the Onodi cell with the variation of perisphenoidal structures.

The presence of the Onodi cell (OC) may be accompanied by morphological variations of the neighboring anatomic structures. Such variations carry significant surgical implications and challenges. Pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus induces anterior clinoid pneumatization (ACP), affects the type of the Vidian nerve (VN) canal or alters the courses of the internal carotid artery (ICA), and the optic nerves (ONs) are strongly depending on it. Onodi cell pneumatization may reach and surround the optic nerve in various extension. Our aim in the study was to investigate the effect of Onodi cell's potential co-existence on these structures. This study was planned as a retrospective and cross-sectional study. This study performed in a tertiary referral center. Coronal computerized tomography images of 999 patients were examined. Using an 64 slices tomography machine, images taken at 3-mm sections were reconstructed using a bone algorithm and evaluated. OCs were present at 212 of the total 320 sides in 160 patients. Type-2 was found to be the most prevalent type of VN canal configuration (Type-2: VN canal partially protrudes into the sphenoid sinus or into the floor of the sphenoid) among all patients (66.5 %) and among those with OCs (71.2 %). The presence or absence of the OC did not cause a statistically significant alteration of the intrasphenoidal course of the VN. The presence of OCs was found to be significant (p < 0.01) in accompanying pneumatization of the anterior clinoid process (34.4 %, 73/212), protrusion (80.1 %, 170/212) and dehiscence (36.3 %, 77/212) of the optic nerve, and protrusion (59 %, 125/212) and dehiscence (20.8 %, 44/212) of the ICA. In 108/320 sides where OCs were absent, no significant correlations existed. This study shows that in the co-existence of an OC, ACP, protrusion and dehiscence of the optic nerve and ICA are encountered at significantly higher rates, while the course of the VN is not necessarily altered.

University of Pennsylvania smell identification test: application to Turkish population.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether UPSIT (The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test) clinical olfactory function test is suitable to assess olfactory function in Turkish population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty healthy Turkish volunteers (21 males, 29 females; mean age 31.5±8.7 years; range 20 to 49 years) who underwent a detailed otorhinolaryngological examination were included in the study. Subjects with abnormal findings suggesting olfactory dysfunction were excluded from the study. UPSIT and Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) tests were carried out for each individual separately. RESULTS: Mean CCCRC test score was 6.3±0.6 out of 7. Ten volunteers scored between 5-5.75 were considered mild hyposmia, while 40 volunteers scored between 6-7 were evaluated as normosmic. Volunteers correctly identified 21.4±4.7 odors out of 40 odors in UPSIT test. CONCLUSION: We concluded that UPSIT test is insufficient for the evaluation of olfactory function in Turkish population. Our results suggest that UPSIT test contains odors which are unfamiliar to Turkish population. Therefore, it is essential to either modify odors of UPSIT test or establish normative data suitable to Turkish population for evaluating the scores to avoid false olfactory function assessment.