The effects of CPAP treatment on nasal mucosa in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

The aim of the study was to demonstrate the effects of nasal CPAP treatment on the morphology and function of nasal mucosa in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Patients with complaints relevant to OSA underwent respiratory function tests, arterial blood gas analyses and polysomnography. Saccharine test and nasal biopsies were performed to assess the mucociliary transport time and to observe the histopathological changes in patients with apnea-hypopnea index ≥15 in whole night polysomnography. Tissue samples were obtained from middle and inferior turbinates and septal mucosa to observe the degree of inflammation and fibrosis by semiquantitative means. Biopsies and mucociliary transport test were performed before and 3 months after the initiation of CPAP treatment. A total of 25 patients with a mean age of 52 were enrolled in the study. While the pretreatment mucociliary transport time before and 3 months after the treatment were 10.50 and 11.50 min respectively. The difference between these values was statistically insignificant. Mean apnea-hypopnea index was 63.19, while mean partial oxygen pressure was 75.46 mmHg. Nasal CPAP treatment was introduced with a mean pressure of 9.54 cmH2O. The degree of inflammation and fibrosis was found to be significantly increased after CPAP treatment. Nasal CPAP leads to alterations in mucosa. Efforts should be directed to make CPAP treatment a safer method via protecting the morphologic and functional properties of the nasal mucosa.

[The effectiveness of endoscopic sinus surgery in nasal polyposis]. / Nazal polipoziste endoskopik sinüs cerrahisinin etkinligi.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the effectiveness and outcomes of functional endoscopic sinus surgery in the treatment of nasal polyposis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 407 patients (262 males, 145 females; mean age 42+/-12 years; range 20 to 76 years) with nasal polyposis. Of these, 102 patients (25%) had asthma, 25 patients (6.1%) had asthma and aspirin sensitivity, and 142 patients (34.8%) had anatomic variations. The patients were operated on using the Messerklinger and Wigand techniques. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery was performed bilaterally. Evaluations were made preoperatively and at six months by endoscopic examination and paranasal sinus computed tomography (Lund-Mackay score). Postoperatively, the patients were treated with nasal irrigation and topical steroid spray. RESULTS: Following surgery, the mean computed tomography score decreased from preoperative 17.0+/-4.3 to 8.5+/-4.7. Major complication occurred in one patient. Nasal mucosal adhesion was the most frequent minor complication (5.4%). Nasal polyposis recurred in 78 patients (19.1%), of whom 57 patients underwent revision surgery. CONCLUSION: Our data show that functional endoscopic sinus surgery combined with corticosteroid administration is effective in the treatment of nasal polyposis.

Wrong egg in the usual nest: thyroid papillary carcinoma within a branchial cleft cyst.

Branchial cleft cysts are the most common lesions to arise laterally in the neck. Ectopic thyroid tissue within a branchial cleft cyst is rare, and a papillary carcinoma arising from this tissue is extremely rare. We present a case of a lateral neck cyst representing a primary papillary carcinoma that arose in ectopic thyroid tissue within a branchial cleft cyst in a 41-year-old woman. After the mass was surgically excised, thyroid ultrasonography, thyroid scintigraphy, and whole-body F18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography detected no abnormality. The negative findings notwithstanding, surgery on the thyroid gland was planned, but the patient refused it. Therefore, she was followed up with ultrasonography and scintigraphy for 5 years, during which time she exhibited no evidence of recurrence. Total thyroidectomy is still the primary option in such cases, but when it cannot be performed for any reason, vigilant follow-up is essential.