Comparison of the efficacy of dry needling and trigger point injections with exercise in temporomandibular myofascial pain treatment.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the efficacy of dry needling, trigger point injection, and protection methods through physical exercise on clinical symptoms and the pain threshold in patients with temporomandibular myofascial pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2013 and September 2013, in a random consecutive manner, a total of 63 consecutive patients (10 males, 53 females; median age 39.4±14.9 years; range, 18 to 65 years) were randomly divided into three groups: Group 1 (only exercise and protection training), Group 2 (dry needling + exercise + protection training), and Group 3 (trigger point injection + exercise + protection training). Dry needling or trigger point injection was performed for three times to the patients in Group 2 and Group 3 on a weekly basis. All patients were followed on Day 10 and at one month. RESULTS: A statistically significant improvement in the assessment and response variables was found for all groups, particularly for pain and functional limitation status (p<0.001). All groups were similar in terms of the improvement degree (p<0.001). Although not statistically significant, the highest improvement in the facial pain was seen in Group 3 on Day 10 (p=0.235); however, on Day 30, no significant difference was observed. CONCLUSION: Our study results showed that improvement in the subjective and objective symptoms in all treatment groups. Particularly, only exercise therapy was found to be beneficial as invasive methods. We suggest that all these methods should be applied together to achieve long-term efficacy.

Human olfactory stem cells for injured facial nerve reconstruction in a rat model.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to show the efficacy of olfactory stem cells for injured facial nerve reconstruction in a rat model. METHODS: Olfactory stem cells were isolated from the olfactory mucosa of human participants. A 2-mm excision was performed on the right facial nerve of all rats. Reconstruction was performed with a conduit in group 1 (n = 9); a conduit and phosphate-buffered saline in group 2 (n = 9); and a conduit and labeled olfactory stem cell in group 3 (n = 9). Rats were followed for whisker movements and electroneuronography (ENoG) analyses. RESULTS: The whisker-movement scores for group 3 were significantly different from other groups (p < .001). ENoG showed that the amplitude values for group 3 were significantly different from group 1 and group 2 (p = .030; p < .001). Group 3 showed marked olfactory stem cell under a fluorescence microscope. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that olfactory stem cells may be used as a potent cellular therapy for accelerating the regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2011-E2020, 2016.

[A comparison of the effects of mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty on contralateral ear using otoacoustic emission in chronic otitis media surgery]. / Kronik otitis media cerrahisinde mastoidektomi ve timpanoplastinin karsi kulak üzerindeki etkilerinin otoakustik emisyon ile karsilastirilmasi

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we compared possible changes in the opposite ears of the patients who underwent mastoid surgery using a drill or tympanoplasty surgery without the use of a drill through distortion product otoacoustic emissions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between November 2011 and March 2012, a total of 41 patients (17 mastoidectomy, 24 tympanoplasty) who were scheduled for surgery with the diagnosis of chronic otitis media without any pathology identified in their contralateral ears in our clinic were included. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions measurements were performed on their opposite ears of the patients for which no surgery was planned at the frequencies of 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8 and 4 kHz on pre- and postoperative day one and day seven. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was found in the measurements taken on pre- and postoperative day seven at the frequency of 1.4 kHz in patients who underwent mastoidectomy. For the patients who underwent tympanoplasty, statistically significant differences were identified in the measurements on pre- and postoperative day one and postoperative day one-day seven at the frequency of 1 kHz; pre- and postoperative day one at 1.4 kHz; pre- and postoperative day seven and postoperative day one-day seven at 2 kHz and pre- and postoperative day one-day seven at 2.8 kHz. The comparison between mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty groups revealed a statistically significant difference in the rates of change on postoperative day one-day seven at the frequencies of 1, 1.4, 2.8 kHz and on pre- and postoperative day one at the frequency of 1.4 kHz. CONCLUSION: During the first and seventh days of surgery in both mastoidectomy with drilling and tympanoplasty surgery without drilling, statistically significant changes were observed in contralateral DPOAE amplitutudes.

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the larynx.

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) of the larynx is a rare neoplasm; with a review of the literature having disclosed only 34 documented cases. This neoplasm seems to behave in a fashion reminiscent of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In contrast to nasopharyngeal carcinoma, most cases have not been associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The diagnosis often requires immunohistochemistry or electron microscopy for confirmation. We describe a case of this tumor involving the supraglottis. The patient was treated with supraglottic laryngectomy and bilateral modified neck dissection. The histopathological study of the surgical specimen revealed an undifferentiated carcinoma with aspects of lymphoeptihelioma. The patient underwent radiotherapy and his 2-year follow-up showed no evidence of local or distant metastasis.