Evaluation of middle ear and hearing status of ankylosing spondylitis patients with wideband tympanometry and pure tone audiometry tests.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the middle and inner ear function and hearing status of Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. METHODS: One hundred twenty-four ears of 62 patients with AS and 90 ears (control group) of 45 healthy subjects were included in the study. The hearing levels of the participants were assessed with pure tone and high-frequency audiometry at the octave frequency between 250 and 16,000 Hz. The absorbance rates and resonance frequencies of middle ear were measured with the wideband tympanometry (WBT) test. AS group was divided into subgroups based on the disease activity, duration of follow-up, medications used for AS, and the subgroups were compared according to hearing status and absorbance and resonance frequencies of middle ears. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was found between the AS and control groups in terms of air and bone conduction thresholds at frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz and the mean PTA1, PTA2, and PTA3 values (p < 0.05). In contrast, no statistically significant difference was observed between two groups in terms of high-frequency thresholds (8000-16,000 Hz). Although the middle ear resonance frequency obtained from the WBT test was higher in the AS group compared to the control group, no significant difference was observed (p > 0.05). The severity of disease adversely affected the hearing threshold at 250, and 500 Hz for air conduction, at 500 Hz for bone conduction threshold, and at PTA1 (p < 0.05). The duration and severity of disease did not affect absorbance values of WBT (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the effects of AS patients on the middle ear function with WBT and to report middle ear absorbance values and resonance frequency changes in AS patients. The higher resonance frequency values found by WBT in AS patients may be due to the stiffness that develops as a result of middle ear involvement. According to pure tone and high-frequency audiometry findings, it has been seen that AS leads to SNHL especially at low frequencies.

Tumor deposits in salivary gland tumors.

Tumor deposits (TDs), identified in different types of carcinomas are associated with poor prognosis. Salivary gland tumors were evaluated for the first time for TDs in this series. Pathological and clinical features of 25 salivary gland carcinomas primarily treated surgically including neck dissection were determined and all cases were evaluated for TDs in dissection specimens. Seven patients (28%) had TDs. There was no difference for TDs when histological type, tumor grade, tumor localization, pT, pN stage, surgical margin, lymphovascular, perineural invasion, local recurrence, distant metastatic disease and overall survival were considered. Disease-free survival rates at 12 and 24 months were 52.5%, 28.6% and 73.3%, 57.1%, for cases with and without TDs (P = 0.463). Overall survival rates at 12 and 24 months for these groups were 85.7% and 57.1 versus 86.7% and 66.7% respectively (P = 0.916). Mean estimated recurrence-free survival time for all cases, TD negative and TD positive cases were: 171.86, 182.72 and 82.42 months, respectively. Mean estimated overall survival time for these groups were 175.80, 186.489 and 89.70 months, respectively. TDs were described in salivary gland tumors for the first time in this series and seem to be associated with poor prognosis requiring further evaluation in larger series.

Giant Congenital Sialolipoma of Parotid Gland with Parapharyngeal Extension.

INTRODUCTION: Sialolipoma is an extremely rare salivary gland tumor characterized by a well circumscribed mass composed of glandular tissue and mature adipose elements. Herein our aim was to present the fifth case of congenital sialolipoma, which was firstly followed up as a parotid gland hemangioma, and underline the fact that sialolipomas should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of congenital parotid gland masses. CASE REPORT: A 10-month old male presented with a left-sided huge neck mass which progressed after birth. Radiologic examination revealed a tumor originating from the parotid gland filling the parapharyngeal space. Histopathologic examination of an incisional biopsy was consistent with sialolipoma. A total parotidectomy with preservation of the facial nerve was performed at the age of 1 year. The postoperative recovery was uneventful with normal facial nerve function. There was no recurrence at the 24-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Although it is a very rare benign tumor, congenital sialolipoma should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of congenital parotid mass.

Myxoma of the Middle Ear Mimicking Chronic Otitis Media.

Myxoma is a benign connective tissue tumor that arises mostly from the heart. Temporal bone myxomas are extremely rare and these patients should be evaluated for the Carney complex association. Herein, our aim was to present a middle ear myxoma case operated with an initial diagnosis of chronic otitis media (COM) and to underline the fact that myxomas should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of aural polyps.