Does 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging Have Adverse Effect on Cochlear Functions?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 3 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) noise on cochlear functions. METHODS: The distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) test was applied to patients who were scheduled to have 3T MRI in the tertiary care center. Patients who revealed emission amplitudes at all frequencies (1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz) in the DPOAE test before MRI were included in the study. After MRI, the DPOAE test was performed twice on 17 patients (33 ears) (immediately after MRI and 30 minutes after MRI). The changes in the results of the tests taken before MRI (pre-MRI), immediately after MRI (post-MRI 1), and at 30 minutes after MRI (post-MRI 2) in the DPOAE amplitudes at all frequencies were compared statistically. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between pre-MRI, post-MRI 1, and post-MRI 2 measurements at 3, 6, and 8 kHz. In pairwise comparisons; post-MRI 1 was statistically lower than post-MRI 2 at 3 kHz, and post-MRI 1 was statistically lower than pre-MRI and post-MRI 2 at 6 and 8 kHz. In addition, post-MRI 2 was significantly lower than pre-MRI at 8 kHz. CONCLUSION: According to these results, 3T MRI noise does not have any permanent negative impact on hearing functions. It can only cause DPOAE amplitude changes at high frequencies. This is a clinically negligible effect. Therefore, it can be considered that the 3T MRI examination with protective headphones does not cause any adverse side effects in terms of hearing functions.

Disparate impact pandemic framing decreases public concern for health consequences.

It is known that the new coronavirus (COVID-19) is disproportionately affecting the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions, and the poor. What is the effect of informing the public about these inequalities on people's perceptions of threat and their sensitivity to the outbreak's human toll? This study answers this question using a novel survey experiment and finds that emphasis on the unequal aspect of the pandemic, especially as it relates to the elderly and those with medical conditions, could be causing the public to become less concerned about the outbreak and its human toll. Discussion situates this finding in the literature on scientific communication and persuasion and explains why language that emphasizes the impact of the virus on all of us-rather than singling out certain groups-could be more effective in increasing caution among the general public and make them take the situation more seriously.

A rare cause of acute severe upper airway obstruction that required endotracheal intubation: adenoid hypertrophy.

Adenoid hypertrophy is one of the common causes of upper airway obstruction in children. It usually presents with sleep-related breathing disorders and associated findings generally occur around the age of 4 years. However, the development of acute upper airway obstruction due to adenoid hypertrophy is extremely rare. Acute upper airway obstruction due to adenoid hypertrophy in a patient aged under 1 year is an extremely unexpected condition. The aim of this case report was to contribute to the literature by reporting the presence of adenoid hypertrophy causing severe acute airway obstruction leading to endotracheal intubation in a 7-month-old male patient.

Effects of submucosal PRP injection on wound healing in endonasal surgeries: an experimental study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of submucosal platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection on nasal mucosal wound healing after endoscopic sinus surgery. METHODS: 24 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. To mimic surgery, injury was created using 3-mm punch forceps on ventral turbinate mucosa for all groups. Submucosal PRP was injected to the damaged mucosa in the first group (PRP group, n = 8), where 0.9% saline solution to the second group (saline group, n = 8) and no injection to the third one (control group, n = 8). All the animals were sacrificed 14 days after surgery; histopathological examination and hydroxyproline measurements were performed on the mucosa of all groups. RESULTS: Neutrophils, goblet cells, and collagen intensity were found significantly lower (p < 0.05) in PRP group than the control group. Also, the number of ciliary and goblet cells, and collagen intensity were found significantly lower (p < 0.05) in PRP group, than the saline group. In PRP group, hydroxyproline levels were found (p < 0.05) significantly lower than the saline and the control group, and no significant difference was found between the saline group and the control group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There are many studies in literature showing the positive effects of PRP on wound healing. The results of this study also demonstrated positive effects of PRP on the nasal mucosa. According to these results, PRP injection to the injured nasal mucosa showed anti-inflammatory, mucus-softening, and synechia-reducing effects. Therefore, submucosal PRP injection after endonasal surgeries can be considered an effective application for maintaining nasal physiology.

Is there an association between the parameters of arterial stiffness and tinnitus?

Background: Increasing arterial stiffness is associated with atherosclerosis and there is an association between atherosclerosis and tinnitus may occur.Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and tinnitus using the central pulse-wave analysis method.Methods: This prospective, single center study included 98 participants, comprising 49 patients diagnosed with subjective idiopathic tinnitus (Group 1) and a control group of 49 healthy subjects (Group 2). The Mobil-O-Graph 24 h Pulse wave analysis (PWA) Monitor (I.E.M. GmbH, Stolberg, Germany) was used to determine the arterial stiffness and cardiovascular hemodynamic parameters. Central pulse pressure (CPP), Augmentation index and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were obtained with the device.Results: No statistically significant difference was determined between Groups in respect of age, smoking and hypertension (p > .05). Statistically significantly higher Central Pulse Pressure (CPP) values and pulse wave velocity were higher in Group 1 compared to the control group (p < .005). No statistical variation was detected in terms of the augmentation index (18.5 ± 11.3 vs 16.7 ± 10.3, p = .543).Conclusion: Our results marked that arterial stiffness is associated with tinnitus. The relationship was examined via oscillometric method, which is simple to perform and has been recommended in guidelines for the determination of cardiovascular event risk.

Right-Sided Complete Third Branchial Cleft Fistula.

Branchial cleft anomalies occur due to insufficient closure of cavities during embryogenesis. These anomalies consist of cysts, sinuses, and fistulas, with the rarest type being fistulas. A 29-year-old male presented at the authors' clinic with a right-sided complete third branchial cleft fistula. Fistula track excision surgery was successfully performed and no recurrence was observed in the 12-month follow-up after the surgery. While second branchial cleft fistula is the most common, third and fourth brancial cleft fistulas are extremely rare. In addition, they are usually incomplete and almost always on the left side.

Endoscopic Management of Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Fistula Caused by Clival Defect.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea is that the fluid in subarachnoid space leaks into the nasal passage in any way as a transparent discharge. Cerebrospinal fluid fistulas generally develop as secondary to trauma. Only 3% of CSF fistulas develop spontaneously. Spontaneous CSF fistulas are mostly originated from ethmoid roof and cribriform plate; however, the development of spontaneous CSF fistula due to defect in clivus is very rare. To our knowledge, till date only 13 patients with spontaneous CSF fistulae due to Clivus defect have been reported in English literature. In this clinical report, the authors aimed to contribute to the literature by reporting a 56-year-old patient who has been treated in our clinic with spontaneous CSF fistula due to clivus defect.

Evaluation of olfactory function in children with allergic rhinitis and nonallergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVES: Allergic rhinitis (AR) occurs when the symptoms of rhinitis arise as a result of allergen-induced nasal mucosal inflammation. In the presence of rhinitis symptoms without infection or an allergic reaction in the nose, non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) is considered. Adults with these diseases have increased frequency of olfactory dysfunction. The aim of the present study is to assess olfactory function in children with AR and NAR. METHODS: A total of 77 children (aged six to 18 years) with AR and NAR were included in the study. The control group consisted of 45 healthy children. Sniffin' Sticks test was applied to both groups. The association between odor scores and demographic, clinical, and laboratory results was investigated. RESULTS: Forty two patients had allergic rhinitis. No significant difference was observed between patients with rhinitis and healthy controls with respect to odor scores. No association was observed between odor scores and the severity of rhinitis and the laboratory results of the patient groups. Odor identification and total odor scores of the patients with rhinitis lasting for longer than three years were significantly lower than those in the patient group with rhinitis lasting for one to three years. In the AR and control groups, the odor scores were found to increase with age. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with healthy children, children with allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis were not found to have reduced olfactory function. The duration of rhinitis may be associated with the olfactory dysfunction in children with rhinitis.

Recurrent pulmonary embolism in an asthmatic patient who had interrupted inferior vena cava with azygous continuation.

A 45-year-old woman with a history of recurrent pulmonary embolism was admitted to the emergency clinic with dyspnea, wheezing and tachypnea. Partial deep vein thrombosis of the popliteal vein was seen on Doppler sonography. On the contrast-enhanced thorax computed tomography (CT) scan, a clot was detected in the right main pulmonary artery and its major descending branch. Moreover, the azygos vein was prominently dilated. Abdominal multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scan revealed absence of the hepatic segment of the inferior vena cava (IVC) with continuation of the IVC as a dilated right-sided azygos vein. The hepatic veins were draining directly into the right atrium. Thus, we discuss herein this rare anatomic variant presented with recurrent pulmonary embolism, together with the findings on MSCT.

Relationship between kidney volume and body indexes in the Turkish population determined using ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the kidney volume of the healthy Turkish population using ultrasound and to evaluate the relationship between kidney volume and body indexes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Kidney ultrasound evaluation was performed on 152 patients (mean age: 42 ± 13.7 years). Kidney length, width and thickness were measured using ultrasound. Mean total and parenchymal volume were also calculated. Patients' age, sex, weight, height and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²) were recorded. RESULTS: According to ultrasound, kidney lengths were 10.3 ± 7.8 cm for the right and 10.4 ± 9 cm for the left. Volumes were 158 ± 39 cm3 for the right and 168 ± 40 cm3 for the left. Volumes in women were 151.8 ± 39 cm3 for the right and 159.8 ± 37 cm3 for the left, and 164.3 ± 38 cm3 for the right and 175.8 ± 41 cm3 for the left in men. Kidney measurements correlated with body height and weight. A strong correlation with total kidney volume and kidney measurements was determined for body weight for both kidneys (p<0.001). A significant correlation with kidney volume and width was determined for both kidneys (p<0.001). A positive correlation was also found between parenchymal and total kidney volume for both kidneys (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The most significant factors associated with kidney volume for both kidneys in the Turkish population are kidney width and body weight. Measuring kidney volume with ultrasound is a feasible modality and is widely available for daily clinical practice.