Effects of agmatine sulphate on facial nerve injuries.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of agmatine sulphate on facial nerve regeneration after facial nerve injury using electron and light microscopy. METHODS: The study was performed on 30 male Wistar albino rats split into: a control group, a sham-treated group, a study control group, an anastomosis group, and an anastomosis plus agmatine sulphate treatment group. The mandibular branch of the facial nerve was dissected, and a piece was removed for histological and electron microscopic examination. RESULTS: Regeneration was better in the anastomosis group than in the study control group. However, the best regeneration findings were seen in the agmatine sulphate treatment group. There was a significant difference between the agmatine group and the others in terms of median axon numbers (p < 0.004) and diameters (p < 0.004). CONCLUSION: Agmatine sulphate treatment with anastomosis in traumatic facial paralysis may enhance nerve regeneration.

Choice of cochlear implant side in a paediatric population.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of right- or left-sided cochlear implantation on listening skills in a paediatric population. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the listening skills performance data of children who were operated on and followed up at the Çukurova University Department of Otorhinolaryngology between 2007 and 2011. Sixty-three patients were included in the study. Patients were evaluated using the Listening Progress Profile, the Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale and the littlEARS test. RESULTS: The mean age of the children was two years (range of one to five years). Twenty-nine patients were male and 34 were female. Twenty-eight patients were implanted in the right ear and 35 in the left ear. There were no statistically significant differences between right and left ear implantees in terms of listening skills performance. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the choice of cochlear implant side is not crucial for the development of listening skills.

Connexin 26 and 30 mutations in paediatric patients with congenital, non-syndromic hearing loss treated with cochlear implantation in Mediterranean Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Mutations in the genes for connexin 26 (GJB2) and connexin 30 (GJB6) play an important role in autosomal recessive, non-syndromic hearing loss. This study aimed to detect the 35delG and 167delT mutations of the GJB2 gene and the del(GJB6-D13S1830) mutation of the GJB6 gene in paediatric patients diagnosed with congenital, non-syndromic hearing loss and treated with cochlear implantation in Mediterranean Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We included 94 children diagnosed with congenital, non-syndromic hearing loss and treated with cochlear implantation. Blood samples were collected, DNA extracted and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay performed to enable molecular diagnosis of mutations. RESULTS: Of the 94 children analysed, the 35delG mutation was detected in 12 (12.7 per cent): 10 (83.3 per cent) were homozygous and 2 (16.7 per cent) heterozygous mutant. The 167delT and del(GJB6-D13S1830) mutations were not detected. CONCLUSION: The GJB2-35delG mutation is a major cause of congenital, non-syndromic hearing loss in this study population.