Vestibular disorders in children: A retrospective analysis of vestibular function test findings.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to describe the most common vestibular disorders in children and their associated findings on vestibular function testing. METHOD: Data from 203 children with a mean age of 11.16 ± 3.87 (range, 1-17) years were collected from among 3400 patients who underwent vestibular assessment at a vertigo center in a tertiary hospital over a 3-year period. A retrospective data analysis was performed for 203 children. RESULTS: Vestibular disorders were diagnosed in 78.3% (n = 159) of 203 children among 3400 patients, which revealed a 3-year incidence of 4.67% in our study. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) was the most common diagnosis in our group of children (49%; n = 100), which involved both primary BPPV, and secondary BPPV that was associated with other vestibular pathologies. Vestibular migraine (VM) was the second most common diagnosis (41%; n = 83) followed by benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood (BPVC; 4.5%, n = 9), vestibular neuritis (VN; 4.5%, n = 9), and psychogenic vertigo (4.5%, n = 9). Our study showed that Meniere's Disease (MD; 1.5%, n = 3) and central vertigo (1.5%, n = 3) were less commonly diagnosed in children. Perilymphatic fistula (PLF) was diagnosed and surgically confirmed in only one child. CONCLUSION: BPPV and VM were the most common pediatric vestibular disorders in our study. Clinicians should be aware of the prevalence, signs, and symptoms of the most common vestibular disorders in children to enable diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Vestibular function testing with age-appropriate adaptations results in improved differential diagnosis, which guides medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Endoscopic Repair of Nasal Septal Perforations With Fascia Lata.

PURPOSE: Nasal septal perforation (NSP) consists of defects of mucosa, cartilage, and bone. Nasal septal surgery is by far the most common cause of NSP. Many surgical approaches have been described for NSP repair. In this study, the authors describe a novel technique for repairing all sizes of NSP using an only fascia lata graft. METHODS: The authors implemented a retrospective study design. Seventeen patients who underwent NSP repair between January 2016 and January 2019 were included to the study. Entire nasal surgical steps were performed under endoscopic view, harvested fascia lata graft is placed in tympanoplasty fashion after all edges of perforation is elevated and implantation bed is prepared. RESULTS: The mean size of the septal peforations were 18.52 ±â€Š4.17 mm horizontally, 11.52 ±â€Š3.42 mm vertically. The mean follow up period was 14.47 ±â€Š9.5 months (range: 2-36). In 15 of the 17 patients, total NSP closure was achieved (88,23%). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic close technique using fascia lata for nasal septal perforation closure is a safe and reliable technique with high success rate and it should be considered in patients with nasal septal perforation.

Determination of Anxiety, Health Anxiety and Somatosensory Amplification Levels in Individuals with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

OBJECTIVES: Psychiatric comorbidities may intensify peripheral vertigo and increase the number of repositioning maneuvers required. This study was designed to examine the relationship between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and anxiety and assess its association with somatic amplification and health anxiety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with BPPV (43 women, 17 men; age range: 24-81 years, mean age 40.4±13.3), and 60 healthy participants (29 women, 31 men; age range: 18-71, mean age 38.2±11.43) were prospectively enrolled. The participants completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI), and Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS) questionnaires. RESULTS: The BAI scores of the patients with BPPV were higher than those of the control group participants and were as follows: (16.4 vs. 12.7; p=0.01). The SHAI (p=0.44) and SSAS (p=0.60) scores were not significantly different between the two groups. The BAI scores were positively correlated with the SHAI (rho: 0.273, p=0.035) and SSAS (rho: 0.357, p=0.005) scores. Neither the number of BPPV attacks nor the number of Epley maneuvers required showed any correlation with the BAI [(rho: 0.208, p=0.11); (rho: -0.007, p=0.96)], SHAI [(rho: 0.068, p=0.06); (rho: 0.021, p=0.87)], and SSAS [(rho: -0.081, p=0.53); (rho: -0.012, p=0.92)] scores. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that patients with BPPV had higher anxiety scores than healthy participants. Although our findings indicated normal health anxiety and somatic amplification levels in patients with BPPV, regular evaluation of psychological status would be a good strategy to prevent chronic dizziness.

Hypoparathyroidism in Total Thyroidectomy due to Benign Thyroid Diseases.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to compare the effects of exposing the recurrent laryngeal nerve throughout its entire course with exposing the nerve only at its entry to the larynx in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy due to benign thyroid diseases, and to evaluate the effects of these methods on the risk for hypoparathyroidism. METHODS: The medical records of 437 patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy at the ear, nose, and throat clinic between 2001 and 2015 for benign thyroid diseases were evaluated retrospectively. Mean patient age was 46.7 years (range 18-79 years). Eighty-six patients were male and 351 were female. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to recurrent laryngeal nerve exposure during surgery. In the first group, the nerve was observed as it entered the larynx, and its course was not completely exposed. In the second group, the nerve was identified in the tracheoesophageal groove, and its course was fully exposed. Group 1 consisted of 256 patients (47 male and 209 female) and group 2 consisted of 181 patients (39 male and 142 female). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of age and gender, and the groups were homogeneously distributed. FINDINGS: Transient hypoparathyroidism was observed in 15 (5.8%) patients and permanent hypoparathyroidism was observed in 3 (1.1%) patients in group 1, and transient hypoparathyroidism was observed in 23 (12.7%) patients and permanent hypoparathyroidism was observed in 7 (3.8%) patients in group 2. The rates of both transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism were higher in the patients in group 2, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Transient recurrent nerve palsy was seen in 1 patient in each group. Permanent recurrent nerve palsy occurred in 1 patient in group 2, although the difference between groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.28). IMPLICATIONS: Transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism were less common in thyroidectomies that involved detection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve at the site of entry to the larynx and keeping its dissection minimal; this technique was also more reliable.

Efficacy comparison of oral steroid, intratympanic steroid, hyperbaric oxygen and oral steroid + hyperbaric oxygen treatments in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss cases.

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a rare disorder of unknown pathogenesis in which hearing is lost partially or totally. About 60 treatment modalities have been described. We aimed to compare the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen, oral steroid, intratympanic steroid therapy and their combinations in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients. Files of patients who were followed up between 2004 and 2010 in our clinic were examined retrospectively. Patients were divided into four groups according to the therapy received: Oral steroid, oral steroid + hyperbaric oxygen, intratympanic steroid and hyperbaric oxygen. Treatment success was assessed by Siegel criteria and mean gains using pre-treatment and post-treatment audiograms. 217 patients and 219 ears were examined. The proportion of patients responding to therapy was the highest in the oral steroid + hyperbaric oxygen group with 86.88% (53/61) followed by the oral steroid group with 63.79% (37/58), the intratympanic steroid group with 46,51% (20/43) and the hyperbaric oxygen group with 43.85% (25/57). The proportion of patients who had complete recovery was the highest in the oral steroid + hyperbaric oxygen group with 42.6% (26/61) followed by the oral steroid group with 19.0% (11/58), the hyperbaric oxygen group with 17.5% (10/57) and the intratympanic steroid group with 11.6% (5/43). The oral steroid + hyperbaric oxygen group has the highest mean hearing gain among all groups (p < 0.05). Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients receiving oral steroid + hyperbaric oxygen combination therapy have a higher likelihood of recovery than patients receiving oral steroids, hyperbaric oxygen or intratympanic steroids alone.

Serum paraoxonase activity and oxidative DNA damage in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the possible role of oxidants and antioxidants in the pathogenesis of in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. DESIGN AND SETTING: Our study involved patients with newly diagnosed laryngeal cancer (n = 29) and same age- and sex-matched healthy individuals (n = 21). Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and paraoxonase (PON1) levels were measured by colorimetric methods and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in fasting blood samples of participants. RESULTS: The levels of 8-OH-dG (control, 4.61 ± 1.27 ng/mL; patient, 11.70 ± 2.44 ng/mL; P < 0.001) and MDA (control, 4.16 ± 1.02 nmol/mL; patient, 8.74 ± 1.65 nmol/mL; P < 0.001) were significantly higher, and those of PON1 (control, 170.86 ± 72.46 U/mL; patient, 80.44 ± 29.81 U/mL; P < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients. There were no statistically significant differences in the 8-OH-dG, MDA levels, and PON1 activity in relation to T (tumor) staging of differentiation and different smoking/drinking status. There was a statistically significant difference in MDA levels (10.24 ± 0.64 nmol/mL) only in stage II laryngeal cancer. There were a statistically significant positive correlation between serum MDA and 8-OH-dG (r = 0.887, P < 0.001), a statistically significant negative correlation between serum MDA and serum PON1 (r = -0.477, P < 0.01), and a statistically significant negative correlation between serum 8-OH-dG and serum PON1 in patients (r = -0.420, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that, in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, the oxidant/antioxidant balance was impaired in favor of lipid peroxidation and DNA damage.

Huge arteriovenous malformation in masseter muscle.

Arteriovenous malformation is a tumor characterized by direct connection between an artery and vein without capillaries in-between, and it is commonly located intracranially. Intramuscular arteriovenous malformations are rare in the head and neck region. Less than 1% of the vascular tumors are localized in a muscle, 15% of them are in the head and neck muscles. Among the head and neck muscles, masseter muscle is the most common location, with the rate of 4.9%. The condition of a 36-year-old patient who applied to our clinic with the complaints of progressively increasing pain and progressively growing mass in the right cheek that appeared 1.5 years ago was diagnosed as arteriovenous malformation located in the masseter muscle. After preoperative embolization, the mass was successfully treated with total excision. In this case report, diagnostic and therapeutic tools addressing arteriovenous malformation located in the masseter muscle are discussed in the light of current literature.

Kimura disease.

Kimura disease (KD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with unknown etiology, most commonly manifesting as painless unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy or subcutaneous masses in the head or neck region. Kimura disease is an unusual vascular tumor that typically occurs at 20 to 30 years of age, more commonly in women. There has been no documented case of malignant transformation; however, recurrence rates after excision may be as high as 25%. Surgery and medical therapy are useful for treatment. We present a 28-year-old man developed a unilateral cervical mass associated with KD. We made a complete excisional resection of the mass. We could not see any evidence of relapsing and decided that proper surgical resection of the lesion can be a treatment for KD. Because the disease can be seen with nephritic syndrome and has different treatment options, the otolaryngology specialist should consider KD in patients with neck mass and eosinophilia.