Is there an association between migraine and allergic rhinitis?

We conducted a prospective study to evaluate nasal signs and symptoms and to perform allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) testing to investigate the relationship between migraine and allergic rhinitis. Our study group consisted of 40 patients diagnosed with migraine-22 men and 18 women, aged 21 to 38 years (mean: 25.7). We compared their findings with a control group of 40 healthy adults-15 men and 25 women, aged 19 to 36 years (mean: 25.1). Allergen-specific IgE measurements were obtained with six groups of allergens: fungi, grass pollens, tree pollens, wild herbs, house dust mite 1, and house dust mite 2. We found no significant difference between the migraine patients and the controls in the incidence of nasal signs and symptoms (i.e., discharge, congestion, itching, and sneezing) or inferior turbinate signs (i.e., color and edema). According to the IgE assays, 14 migraine patients (35.0%) were sensitized to one or more allergens, compared with 11 of the controls (27.5%); the difference was not statistically significant. Sensitization was highest for the grass pollens panel in both groups. Even though we did not find an association between migraine and allergic rhinitis, the recent literature supports a correlation between migraine and atopy. The two conditions share common neural pathways and common mediators, and they can be linked statistically in patients and their families. A pathophysiologic association between the two conditions seems more likely than an etiologic association. In this regard, future efforts could be focused on the determination of atopy in migraine patients and the therapeutic implications of this diagnosis.

Do probiotics have a role in the treatment of allergic rhinitis? A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical evidence for the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). METHODS: A systematic search was conducted to review the results of all randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement. Primary outcome measurements were total nasal and ocular symptom scores (SS) and quality of life (QoL) questionnaires. Secondary outcome measurements were individual nasal SS and immunologic parameters. RESULTS: Twenty-two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies were included. Seventeen trials showed significant benefit of probiotics clinically, whereas eight trials showed significant improvement in immunologic parameters compared with placebo. All five studies with Lactobacillus paracasei (LP) strains demonstrated clinically significant improvements compared with placebo. Probiotics showed significant reduction in nasal and ocular SS (standardized mean difference [SMD], -1.23, p < 0.001; and SMD, -1.84, p < 0.001; respectively), total, nasal, and ocular QoL scores compared with placebo (SMD, -1.84, p < 0.001; SMD, -2.30, p = 0.006; and SMD, -3.11, p = 0.005; respectively). Although heterogeneity was high, in subgroup analysis, SMD for total nasal and ocular symptoms with patients with seasonal AR and for nasal QoL scores for studies with LP-33 strain were significant and homogenous. Scores of nasal blockage, rhinorrhea, and nasal itching were significantly lower in the probiotic group compared with placebo. The meta-analysis studies SS the Japanese guidelines revealed a significant, homogenous SMD score of -0.34 for individual nasal SS, above the minimal important clinical difference value of 0.3. The T-helper 1 to T-helper 2 ratio was significantly lower in the probiotic group compared with placebo (SMD, -0.78; p = 0.045). CONCLUSION: Despite high variability among the studies, synthesis of available data provided significant evidence of beneficial clinical and immunologic effects of probiotics in the treatment of AR, especially with seasonal AR and LP-33 strains. With the rising pool of studies, the most promising strains in specific allergies can be revealed and adjuvant therapy with probiotics can be recommended for the treatment of AR.

Effects of nasal pack use on surgical success in septoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the effects of nasal packs on surgical success and related complications in septoplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight patients (21 males, 17 females; mean age, 36.6 years, range 18 to 61 years) were included in the study. Septoplasty candidates were prospectively divided into two groups. Nasal packing and transseptal suture technique was applied to patients in group 1 (n=16) and group 2 (n=22), respectively. Postoperative pain was assessed with the visual analog scale. The success of surgery was questioned using the Nasal Obstruction Septoplasty Effectiveness (NOSE) scale. Surgical success was defined as a 50% decrease in the NOSE scores. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in surgical success and complication rates between the groups (p>0.05). Pain scores were significantly higher in group 1 (p=0.015). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that nasal pack use does not affect surgical success and complication rates in septoplasty. Pack-free septoplasty with the transseptal suture technique is an effective method in the treatment of septal deviation.

Management of lingual hemangioma in a case with von Willebrand disease.

Hemangiomas are the most common vascular tumors and von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder. In this article, we report a 21-year-old female who had von Willebrand disease presenting with 1x1 cm lesion of the tongue. The lesion was located at the anterior one-third in midline tongue throughout full-thickness. The patient was administered cryoprecipitate preoperatively. Then the lesion was excised under local anesthesia. Histopathological examination revealed a hemangioma. No complication such as bleeding or infection after the operation was observed.

The necessity of dissection of level IIb in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas readily metastasize to adjacent cervical lymph nodes. This is seen frequently in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), and neck dissection may be performed in addition to excision of the primary lesion. The aim of this study was to define the frequency of level IIb metastasis to the lymph nodes in patients who underwent selective neck dissection because of LSCC. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study with planned data collection in a tertiary referral hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty-one patients diagnosed with LSCC were accepted into the study. One hundred forty-eight neck dissection specimens were examined histopathologically, and those with level IIb metastasis were identified. The frequency of level IIb metastasis was evaluated in accordance with the primary tumor site, clinical N stage, central tumor presence, and T stage. RESULTS: Forty-seven of 81 patients were clinically N-, and 34 patients were clinically N+. Level IIb metastasis was seen in 5 (6%) of 81 patients, representing 5 of 148 neck dissection specimens. Two of these 5 patients were clinically N+ (6%), and 3 were clinically N- (6%). The relationship between level IIb metastasis and clinical N stage was not statistically significant (P ≥ .05). Likewise, no statistically significant relationships between the other parameters and level IIb involvement were found. CONCLUSION: Level IIb nodal involvement is very rare in LSCC. Therefore, the area can generally be preserved in elective neck dissection to lessen morbidity and, specifically, to avoid damaging the function of the spinal accessory nerve.

New technique for the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis: Vocal and ventricular fold lateralization using crossing sutures with thyroplasty technique.

CONCLUSION: All patients treated with this new lateralization technique had a good quality of life and no dyspnea at rest or upon exertion. We believe that this technique is an important addition to the many surgical techniques for the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP). OBJECTIVES: Most techniques used in the treatment of BVCP result in a prolapse of the laryngeal soft tissues into the endolarynx owing to Bernoulli's principle. We have developed a new lateralization technique to more effectively prevent this prolapse. METHODS: The lateralization was initially tested on six cadaver larynges before being performed in five clinical cases with BVCP, who suffered from dyspnea at rest. Average follow-up was 17.6 months. As in type 1 thyroplasty, a rectangular piece of cartilage was excised horizontally from the thyroid lamina and placed on the defect in the vertical plane. Then, the vocal and ventricular folds were lateralized with crossing sutures, particularly in the posterior region. RESULTS: Dyspnea was eliminated postoperatively. All patients were successfully decannulated. Postoperative voice quality was socially acceptable. Airways were improved postoperatively, as evaluated via fiberoptic laryngoscopy and CT. The mean preoperative and postoperative rima openings were 1.3 mm (range 0.5-2.6) and 6.4 mm (range 3.4-8.1), respectively.

The maxillary sinus after total laryngectomy: an electron microscopic study.

Nasal breathing is completely ceased after total laryngectomy. This results in some structural changes in the nasal mucosa, which has been described in numerous studies. This study investigates the changes that appear in the paranasal sinus mucosa. Eight patients who had undergone total laryngectomy at least 1-year ago were enrolled. Under general anesthesia, maxillary sinuses were examined with an endoscope inserted through canine fossa. 1-2 mm mucosal tissues for biopsy were taken from posterior wall of the maxillary sinus. Specimens were evaluated under an electron microscope. Control tissues for biopsy were obtained from two patients who had been operated for other reasons and analyzed under transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that in the control specimens, the epithelial cells appeared normal under transmission electron microscopy. Samples taken from two larygectomees in their first postoperative year were also completely normal. Samples from other larygectomees demonstrated ciliary loss, abundant degenerative vacuoles in ciliated epithelial cells and detachments in the interepithelial junctional complexes. The intracellular respiratory mechanisms such as the mitochondria, golgi complex and endoplasmic reticulum cisternae, and the integrity of the cellular or the nuclear membrane were spared. We conclude that the cessation of nasal breathing resulted in degenerative changes that could be reversible in the transmission electron microscopic examination of maxillary sinus mucosa. These changes emerged after 2 years following total laryngectomy. Nevertheless, these changes did not have any negative influence on the clinical outcome in this group of patients.

Occult contralateral nodal metastases in supraglottic laryngeal cancer crossing the midline.

We evaluated the risk of occult contralateral neck involvement according to T stage and ipsilateral neck stage in centrally located supraglottic laryngeal cancer. The side largely involved by the tumor was defined as ipsilateral and the other side was defined as contralateral in terms of the neck dissection side. We retrospectively analyzed clinical and pathologic data from a group of 189 centrally located supraglottic cancer patients in which bilateral neck dissection was part of the primary treatment. Among 378 neck dissection specimens, the rate of bilateral metastasis was 33/189 (17.5%). The rate of occult metastases in the contralateral side were 33/75 (44%) and 6/114 (5.3%), when ipsilateral neck was pN+ and pN-, respectively. Clinically or pathologically positive ipsilateral nodes and the extracapsular spread in the ipsilateral positive nodes displayed significantly higher risk of contralateral metastases. The incidence of occult contralateral metastases did not seem to be affected significantly by T stage of the tumor. Our retrospective study confirmed that the probabilistic criteria of the incidence of contralateral occult metastases in supraglottic laryngeal cancer with tumor largely involving one side and crossing the midline. On the basis of our data, there is a high prevalence of contralateral metastases in tumors with clinically or pathologically positive ipsilateral lymph nodes. The extracapsular spread of the nodes is also an important determinant of the contralateral involvement.

Is dissection of levels 4 and 5 justified for cN0 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer?

CONCLUSION: Dissecting levels 2 and 3 and sparing the dissection of level 4 and the contralateral neck when frozen section results are negative are reasonable options for the selective dissection of cN0 necks. Our findings show that dissection of level 5 is considered unnecessary, unless there is overt metastasis. OBJECTIVE: The level of node involvement and recurrence rates were assessed in cN0 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients in order to develop appropriate guidelines for the treatment of the neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 328 cN0 necks operated with selective dissection were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were monitored for at least 24 months and regional recurrences were evaluated. RESULTS: The prevalence of level 4 occult metastases was 3.4%; 1.5% of them were isolated to level 4. We observed regional recurrence in 5.6% of the necks. No case of metastasis or regional relapse was observed in level 5.