Difficult septal deviation cases: open or closed technique? / Difficult septal deviation cases: open or closed technique?

Abstract Introduction: The aim of this study is to compare the functional aspects of open technique (OTS) and endonasal septoplasty (ENS) in "difficult septal deviation cases". Methods: 60 patients with severe nasal obstruction from S-shaped deformities, multiple deformities, high deviations etc. were included in the study. The OTS was used in 30 patients and the ENS was performed in 30 patients. The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale was administered preoperatively and at first month following surgery. Patients were also evaluated for pain postoperatively with Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results: The mean NOSE score was decreased 62.5-11.0 in the OTS group and 61.3-21.33 in the ENS group. Improvement of the symptoms following the two surgical techniques is similar and no statistically significant difference was found between both techniques. Also there was no statistically significant difference in postoperative pain between the OTS and ENS groups evaluated by VAS. Conclusion: ENS is as successful as the OTS in management difficult septal deviation cases. In patients with severe septal deformities type of the surgical technique should be selected according to the surgeon's experience and the patient's preference.

Resumo Introdução: O objetivo deste estudo é comparar os aspectos funcionais da septoplastia entre a técnica aberta (STA) e a endonasal (SEN) em "casos difíceis de desvio de septo nasal". Método: Foram incluídos 60 pacientes com obstrução nasal devido a deformidades em forma de S, múltiplas deformidades, desvios altos, etc. A STA foi usada em 30 pacientes e a SEN em 30. A escala de avaliação do sintoma de obstrução nasal (NOSE) foi administrada no pré-operatório e no primeiro mês após a cirurgia. Os pacientes também foram avaliados com Escala Visual Analógica (EVA) para dor no pós-operatório. Resultados: O escore médio de NOSE foi reduzido de 62,5-11,0 no grupo da STA e de 61,3-21,33 no grupo da SEN. Houve melhora dos sintomas com as duas técnicas cirúrgicas e não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significativa entre elas. Também não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa nos graus de dor no pós-operatório que tenha sido avaliada pela EVA entre o grupo de STA e o de SEN. Conclusão: De acordo com nossos dados, a SEN é tão bem-sucedida quanto a STA no tratamento de casos difíceis de desvio de septo nasal. Em pacientes com deformidades septais graves, o tipo de técnica cirúrgica deve ser escolhido de acordo com a experiência do cirurgião e a preferência do paciente.

Relationship between the degree and direction of nasal septum deviation and nasal bone morphology.

BACKGROUND: Nasal septal deviation may affect nasal bone growth and facial morphology. Knowledge of nasal morphologic parameters may plays an important role in planning successful rhinoplasty and septoplasty operation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between the direction and degree of nasal septal deviation with nasal bone morphology, along with factors such as age and gender. METHODS: Maxillofacial computed tomography (CT) of 250 patients with nasal septal deviation was analyzed retrospectively in this study. We excluded patients with factors that could affect their nasal bone morphology, and a total of 203 patients (111 males, 92 females; mean age, 36.23 years; age range, 18-79 years) were evaluated. The nasal deviation angle was measured on coronal CT images as the angle between the most deviated point of the septum, and the midline nasal morphology was determined by measuring nasal length, internasal angle and lateral and intermediate nasal thickness on both sides. RESULTS: The deviation of nasal septum has been detected as to the right in 107 patients (52.7%) and to the left in 96 patients (47.3%). Lateral and intermediate nasal bone thickness and nasal bone length were significantly greater on the ipsilateral deviation side (Table 3). No significant correlation was found between the variation of the nasal deviation angle and nasal bone morphology (Table 4). There were significant differences between the sexes for all investigated parameters except for the nasal deviation angle (p = 0.660). We found that the only internasal angle increases with aging (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The study shows that the direction of nasal septal deviation may be a factor that affects nasal bone morphology.

The effects of surgery type and different ossiculoplasty materials on the hearing results in cholesteatoma surgery.

To investigate the effects of surgery type [intact canal wall (ICW) or canal wall down (CWD) mastoidectomy] and different ossiculoplasty materials on hearing outcome in single-staged cholesteatoma surgery. A retrospective case-control study. A total of 116 cases (97 adults, 29 children) underwent surgery, including ossiculoplasty, between 2012 and 2015 for cholesteatoma. Patients who had undergone surgery for the first time, and whose grafts were successful, were included in the study. Patients with adhesive otitis media, unsuccessful grafts, revision and recurrent cases, radical mastoidectomy, and craniofacial anomalies were excluded. Audiogram examinations of the enrolled patients were performed 3-6 months after surgery, and the audiometric results were analyzed according to the criteria of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. All ossiculoplasties were performed during the first operation. The preoperative average air-bone gap (ABG) of the patients was decreased from 31.37 ± 10.1 to 27.42 ± 10.4 dB; this decrease was found to be highly significant (p = 0.0001). Concerning the ICW technique, statistical evaluation of the hearing gain at frequencies of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, as well as the mean frequency, showed a high level of significance. Improvement at 4000 Hz was not found to be statistically significant. When the ABGs at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, and the mean frequency in patients with an hydroxyapatite-partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (HA-PORP) or autograft-partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (APORP), were evaluated, it was found that, at 4000 Hz, the APORP significantly reduced the ABG (p = 0.02). No significant difference was determined between patients with the hydroxyapatite-total ossicular replacement prosthesis (HA-TORP) and those with the autograft-total ossicular replacement prosthesis (ATORP) (p = 0.565). Although the use of the malleus as an APORP was found to be less effective than other autografts, the degree of advantage of using the incus, malleus, cortical bone, and cartilage did not significantly differ between materials (p = 0.152). Despite the effects of the incus, malleus, and cortical bone not differing in terms of the postoperative ABG (p = 0.160), incus usage was highly beneficial for hearing gain (p = 0.009). Despite CWD tympanoplasty affecting all frequencies, it has a particularly negative effect on the hearing threshold at 1000 Hz. In patients with partial ossicular replacement, autogenous grafts are more successful in restoring hearing at high frequencies, particularly at 4000 Hz. Although autogenous materials do not differ in terms of partial replacement effectiveness, the incus has been shown to be most effective for total replacement.

Difficult septal deviation cases: open or closed technique?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to compare the functional aspects of open technique (OTS) and endonasal septoplasty (ENS) in "difficult septal deviation cases". METHODS: 60 patients with severe nasal obstruction from S-shaped deformities, multiple deformities, high deviations etc. were included in the study. The OTS was used in 30 patients and the ENS was performed in 30 patients. The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale was administered preoperatively and at first month following surgery. Patients were also evaluated for pain postoperatively with Visual Analog Scale (VAS). RESULTS: The mean NOSE score was decreased 62.5-11.0 in the OTS group and 61.3-21.33 in the ENS group. Improvement of the symptoms following the two surgical techniques is similar and no statistically significant difference was found between both techniques. Also there was no statistically significant difference in postoperative pain between the OTS and ENS groups evaluated by VAS. CONCLUSION: ENS is as successful as the OTS in management difficult septal deviation cases. In patients with severe septal deformities type of the surgical technique should be selected according to the surgeon's experience and the patient's preference.

Pretreatment Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Salivary Gland Tumors Is Associated with Malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess pretreatment levels in the counts and percentages of leukocytes and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors (SGTs) while investigating whether NLR is an inflammatory marker for distinguishing low- from high-grade parotid gland tumors. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was performed on 182 patients with SGTs (age range: 16-87 years; 93 male and 89 female) who were treated between January 2010 and May 2015. Pretreatment counts and percentages of leukocytes and NLR were measured preoperatively in benign and malignant tumors. RESULTS: Mean neutrophil percentage (63.50% ± 12.11% vs 58.76% ± 8.20%, P = .008) and NLR (3.29 ± 3.13 vs 2.13 ± 1.26, P = .008) were significantly higher in patients with malignant SGTs than in patients with benign SGTs. Mean lymphocyte count (2.42 ± 0.72 103/mm3 vs 1.97 ± 0.87 103/mm3, P < .001) and percentage (30.67% ± 7.68% vs 26.86% ± 10.15%, P = .011) were lower in patients with malignant SGTs than in patients with benign SGTs. Mean lymphocyte percentage and NLR were significantly different between low- and high-grade malignant parotid gland tumors (P = .026 and P = .030, respectively). CONCLUSION: Elevated NLR could be an inflammatory marker to distinguish low- from high-grade malignant parotid gland tumors.

The Efficacy of Intraoperative Single Dose Methylprednisolone on Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Function After Thyroidectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Primary endpoint is to determine whether intraoperative steroid affect post-thyroidectomy recurrent laryngeal palsy or not Background: Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy is an important complication of thyroid surgery. Injuries can either be permanent or temporary. Prevention or shortening the recovery period of temporary palsies is an area of interest. Some surgeons prefer to use corticosteroids for this purpose as is used for facial nerve palsies although there are conflicting data in the literature. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of perioperative single dose methylprednisolone on RLN function. METHOD: 438 nerves under risk in 237 surgeries are investigated in two groups. Group 1, patients are administered a single intraoperative dose of methylprednisolone (1mg/kg) intravenously for 220 nerves under risk. 218 nerves under risk in Group 2 were operated and followed without methylprednisolone. The demographic data of the patients, operation time, the final pathology reports, incidence of RLNP and recovery time are documented and compared. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was determined in terms of age, sex distribution, number of nerves under risk and the operation time between groups. There were 3 unilateral RLNP in each group and the mean recovery time for Group 1 and 2 palsies were 20.4 and 19.8 days respectively, without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The presented data indicates that a single intraoperative dose of steroid does not seem to effect the rate and recovery period of RLNP in thyroid surgery.

A new graft material for myringoplasty: bacterial cellulose.

We aimed to determine the success rate of bacterial cellulose (BC) myringoplasty in tympanic membrane (TM) perforation. We reviewed the clinical records of 12 patients (16 ears) who underwent BC myringoplasty for long-standing TM perforations (>6 months) between March 2012 and January 2015. The mean duration of postoperative follow-up was 12.8 (range 6-24) months. In all patients, the perforation involved less than 50 % of the tympanic membrane, and the air-bone gap was ≤30 dB on the operative side. The age, gender, preoperative air average, bone average, air-bone gap, perforation size and location, and postoperative TM microscopic examinations of the patients were recorded. Following the BC myringoplasty, complete coverage of the perforation occurred in the first 6 months in 13 of 16 ears (81.3 %), although retraction occurred in two of these ears within 6 months. In three ears (18.8 %), the perforation persisted during the first postoperative month. The pre- and postoperative average air threshold was 19.56 (range 7-75) and 15.69 (range 5-75) dB, respectively. The pre- and postoperative average air-bone gap was 9.25 (range 0-25) and 5.63 (0-25) dB, respectively. Both the air threshold and air-bone gap improved postoperatively (both p = 0.008). No complications such as infection and granulation tissue formation were detected in any patient. BC is a safe graft material that is inexpensive, easy-to-use, and provides a high success rate in small tympanic membrane perforations. However, further studies of large tympanic membrane perforations with more samples and long-term follow-up are required.

The Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Circulating Ischaemia-Modified Albumin Concentrations.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and the effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on circulating ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA) concentrations. The study included 97 newly diagnosed OSAS patients and 30 nonapnoeic controls. Blood samples were obtained in the morning after polysomnography. After 3 months of CPAP treatment, 31 patients with moderate-severe OSAS were reassessed for serum IMA concentrations. Significantly higher serum IMA concentrations were measured in the OSAS group than in the control group [0.518 ± 0.091 absorbance units (ABSU), 0.415 ± 0.068 ABSU, P < 0.001]. Serum IMA concentrations correlated significantly with the apnoea-hypopnoea index, mean SaO2, desaturation index, and C-reactive protein concentrations. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that OSAS increased the serum IMA concentration independent of age, sex, body mass index, smoking habit, and cardiovascular disease. After 3 months of treatment with CPAP, OSAS patients had significantly lower serum IMA concentrations (0.555 ± 0.062 ABSU to 0.431 ± 0.063 ABSU, P < 0.001). The results showed that OSAS is associated with elevated concentrations of IMA, which can be reversed by effective CPAP treatment.

Facial Nerve Schwannoma of Parotid Gland: Difficulties in Diagnosis and Management.

Facial nerve schwannomas (FNS) are encapsulated benign tumors arising from Schwann cells of seventh cranial nerve. Most of the facial nerve schwannomas are localized in intratemporal region; only 9% of cases involve a portion of the extratemporal segment. Preoperative diagnosis is often unclear; diagnosis is often made intraoperatively. Management of intraparotid FNS is troublesome because of the facial nerve paralysis. In this report we presented a case of intraparotid schwannoma in a 55-year-old male patient complaining of a painless mass without peripheral facial nerve palsy in left parotid gland. Clinical features, preoperative and intraoperative diagnosis, and difficulties during management are discussed with the review of the literature.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and its relationship with cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) severity and whether the NLR predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with OSAS. BACKGROUND: OSAS is known as a risk factor for CVD. An increased NLR was strongly correlated with cardiovascular outcomes in several studies. METHODS: We retrospectively examined the laboratory data for 289 patients with suspected OSAS evaluated using polysomnography. RESULTS: The study included 171 OSAS patients and 118 controls. The NLR was higher in OSAS group than control group. The NLR was significantly higher in patients with CVD than in those without (3.31 ± 1.1 vs. 1.93 ± 0.8, p = 0.002). There were also significant correlations between the NLR and apnoea-hypopnoea index, mean SaO2, and oxygen desaturation index. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant correlation between the NLR and OSAS severity and the NLR was independently associated with CVD in patients with OSAS.

Association between continuous positive airway pressure and circulating omentin levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.

PURPOSE: Inflammation and oxidative stress play important roles in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). Omentin is expressed in visceral adipose tissue and is associated with the inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between OSAS and omentin based on a comparison of its serum levels at baseline and after 3 months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. METHODS: Ninety-six newly diagnosed OSAS patients and 31 non-apnoeic controls were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were obtained in the morning after polysomnography. Within the OSAS group, 30 patients were started on CPAP therapy and then reassessed clinically, including a blood test for serum omentin and other biochemical analysis, at 3 months. RESULTS: Serum omentin levels were significantly lower in the OSAS group than in the control group (27.7 ± 7.6 and 42.5 ± 5.2 ng/mL, P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, omentin concentrations were significantly lower in patients with severe OSAS than in those with mild/moderate OSAS (P < 0.001). Circulating omentin levels were significantly correlated with the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), mean SaO2, oxygen desaturation index, and serum C-reactive protein levels. Treatment with CPAP resulted in a significant increase in circulating omentin levels after 3 months, from 22.7 ± 1.4 to 41.2 ± 3.3 ng/mL (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: OSAS is associated with low serum omentin levels, and these levels can be reversed by effective CPAP treatment.

Recovery time for inflamed middle ear mucosa in chronic otitis media.

CONCLUSION: The present study shows that 2-3 weeks after medical treatment the status of middle ear mucosa in draining ears is similar to that of dry ears for at least 3 months. OBJECTIVE: To measure the time required for an inflamed middle ear mucosa to return into optimal state after appropriate medical treatment in chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). To assess optimal timing for elective surgical treatment of draining ears in uncomplicated CSOM. METHODS: In this prospective study, the Eustachian tube (ET) mucociliary clearance time (MCT) was used as the method to demonstrate the status of middle ear mucosa. In group 1 (28 patients) ET-MCT was measured in ears that were free of drainage for at least 3 months. In Group 2 (21 patients), ET-MCT was measured in draining ears, who responded to 10-14 days medical treatment, at presentation, after 10 days and 1 month. RESULTS: The ET-MCT was 8.63 ± 1.32 min in group 1 and 28.96 ± 8.19 min in group 2 at presentation; and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The ET-MCT was 14.76 ± 5.11 min after 10 days and 9.31 ± 2.33 min after 1 month in group 2. The ET-MCT was indifferent between groups 1 and 2 after 1 month (p = 0.235).

Does the Degree of Septal Deviation Affect Cribriform Plate Dimensions and Middle Turbinate Length?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of septal deviation severity on the dimensions of the lateral lamina of the cribriform plate (LLCP), middle turbinate length (MTL), and the angle of the lateral lamella of the cribriform plate (ALLCP). METHODS: Paranasal computed tomography (CT) scans of 148 patients with septum deviation (102 males, 46 females; age range 18-63 years) were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the measured angle of nasal septal deviation as mild (<9°), moderate (9-15°), or severe (>15°). Height and width of LLCP, MTL, and ALLCP on both sides were measured and these parameters were compared between the groups according to the septal deviation side. RESULTS: The nasal septum was deviated to the right in 73 patients (49.3%) and to the left in 75 patients (50.7%). The LLCP dimensions, MTL, and ALLCP between the groups at the contralateral side were not statistically different (P > 0.05). The LLCP height, ALLCP between the groups at the ipsilateral side were not statistically different (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference in the LLCP width at the ipsilateral side between the groups (P = 0.039). The MTL at the ipsilateral side was significantly different between the groups (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The severity of nasal septum deviation in patients with nasal septum deviation affects the ipsilateral LLCP width and the ipsilateral MTL. These findings suggest that the increase in the severity of septum deviation in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery does not increase the risk of possible damages that may occur in LLCP.

Role of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacteria pylori in the development of tympanosclerosis.

The etiology of tympanosclerosis (TS) is not known, but TS commonly develops secondary to acute and chronic otitis media (COM). Since calcification process in TS resembles that of atherosclerosis (AS), pathogens that are related to pathogenesis of AS may be involved in development of TS. This prospective and controlled study, performed at a tertiary referral center, investigated a possible relationship between the presence of Chlamydia (C.) pneumoniae and Helicobacter (H.) pylori and the development of a tympanosclerotic plaque. The presence of C. pneumoniae was examined in the surgical specimens of 62 patients (29 females and 33 males; age range 10-70 years, mean age 30.8 ± 13.3 years), including 30 patients with TS, 14 patients with cholesteatoma, and 18 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). The presence of H. pylori was examined in the surgical specimens of 88 patients (41 females and 47 males; age range 6-70 years, mean age 32.5 ± 14.8 years), including 35 patients with TS, 22 patients with cholesteatoma, 20 patients with CSOM, and 11 patients with otosclerosis. Tympanosclerotic plaques and control specimens from the cholesteatoma, polypoid mucosa, or mucosal portion of the perforations and stapes supra structure were examined for the presence of H. pylori and/or C. pneumoniae using real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The analysis demonstrated that specimens from the tympanosclerotic plaques and the other types of COM were all negative for C. pneumoniae and H. pylori. An association between C. pneumoniae or H. pylori infection and the development of TS or other types of COM could not be established.

Histopathological Effects of Fibrin Glue and Cyanoacrylate on the Maxillary Sinus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the histopathological effects of fibrin glue (FbGl) and cyanoacrylate (CyAc) on the maxillary sinus mucosa. METHODS: Twenty rabbits were divided into two groups of 10, and surgical defects were created in the maxillary sinuses. The right maxillary sinus was treated with FbGl in one group and with CyAc in the other group. As a control, the left maxillary sinuses of all rabbits were treated with sterile saline solution. One rabbit treated with CyAc died during the study and was excluded. On postoperative day 21, all animals were sacrificed. Maxillary sinus mucosa samples were studied to determine the extent of inflammation and fibrosis, foreign body reaction, cilia loss, increased osteogenesis in bony structures under the mucosa, and loss of serous glands. RESULTS: The FbGl group differed significantly from the CyAc and control groups in terms of a high degree of inflammation (p<0.001), fibrosis (p<0.001), foreign body reaction (p<0.001), cilia loss (p<0.001), and serous gland loss (p<0.001). In terms of osteogenesis, there were no significant differences between the FbGl and CyAc groups (p=0.650), while there was a significant (p=0.002) difference between these two groups and the control group. CONCLUSION: Histopathologically, CyAc had fewer side effects than FbGl. Further clinical studies are needed to demonstrate the validity of these results in humans.

Bilateral Facial Paralysis Caused by Bilateral Temporal Bone Fracture: A Case Report and a Literature Review.

Bilateral facial paralysis caused by bilateral temporal bone fracture is a rare clinical entity, with seven cases reported in the literature to date. In this paper, we describe a 40-year-old male patient with bilateral facial paralysis and hearing loss that developed after an occupational accident. On physical examination, House-Brackmann (HB) facial paralysis of grade 6 was observed on the right side and HB grade 5 paralysis on the left. Upon temporal bone computed tomography (CT) examination, a fracture line exhibiting transverse progression was observed in both petrous temporal bones. Our patient underwent transmastoid facial decompression surgery of the right ear. The patient refused a left-side operation. Such patients require extensive monitoring in intensive care units because the presence of multiple injuries means that facial functions are often very difficult to evaluate. Therefore, delays may ensue in both diagnosis and treatment of bilateral facial paralysis.

Diffusion-weighted imaging in the head and neck region: usefulness of apparent diffusion coefficient values for characterization of lesions.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the role of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values calculated from diffusion-weighted imaging for head and neck lesion characterization in daily routine, in comparison with histopathological results. METHODS: Ninety consecutive patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a university hospital for diagnosis of neck lesions were included in this prospective study. Diffusion-weighted echo-planar MRI was performed on a 1.5 T unit with b factor of 0 and 1000 s/mm2 and ADC maps were generated. ADC values were measured for benign and malignant whole lesions seen in daily practice. RESULTS: The median ADC value of the malignant tumors and benign lesions were 0.72×10-3 mm2/s, (range, 0.39-1.51×10-3 mm2/s) and 1.17×10-3 mm2/s, (range, 0.52-2.38×10-3 mm2/s), respectively, with a significant difference between them (P < 0.001). A cutoff ADC value of 0.98×10-3 mm2/s was used to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, yielding 85.3% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity. The median ADC value of lymphomas (0.44×10-3 mm2/s; range, 0.39-0.58×10-3 mm2/s) was significantly smaller (P < 0.001) than that of squamous cell carcinomas (median ADC value 0.72×10-3 mm2/s; range, 0.65-1.06×10-3 mm2/s). There was no significant difference between median ADC values of inflammatory (1.13×10-3 mm2/s; range, 0.85-2.38×10-3 mm2/s) and noninflammatory benign lesions (1.26×10-3 mm2/s; range, 0.52-2.33×10-3 mm2/s). CONCLUSION: Diffusion-weighted imaging and the ADC values can be used to differentiate and characterize benign and malignant head and neck lesions.

Do the angle and length of the eustachian tube influence the development of chronic otitis media?

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To compare the eustachian tube (ET) angle (ETa) and length (ETl) of ears with and without chronic otitis media (COM), and to determine the relationship between ET anatomy and the development of COM. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case-control study. METHODS: The study group comprised 125 patients (age range, 8-79 years; 64 males and 61 females) with 124 normal ears and 126 diseased ears, including ears with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) with central perforation, intratympanic tympanosclerosis (ITTS), cholesteatoma, and a tympanic membrane with retraction pockets (TMRP). ET angle and length were measured using computed tomography employing the multiplanar reconstruction technique. RESULTS: The ETa was significantly more horizontal in diseased versus normal ears of all study groups (P = .030), and there was no group difference in ETl (P = .160). ETl was shorter in CSOM versus ITTS ears and normal ears (P = .007 and P = .003, respectively) and in cholesteatoma versus TMRP ears (P = .014). In the unilateral COM group, there were no significant differences in the ETa or ETl of diseased versus contralateral normal ears (P = .155 and P = .710, respectively). The ETa was significantly more horizontal in childhood-onset diseased versus normal ears (P = .027), and there was no group difference in ETl (P = .732). The ETa (P = .002) and ETl (P < .001) were significantly greater in males than females. CONCLUSIONS: A more horizontal ETa and shorter ETl could be contributory (though not significantly) etiological factors in the development of COM. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3b.

Reliability of SleepStrip as a screening test in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder and related to multiple conditions that cause mortality in adults. In the present study, reliability of SleepStrip, a disposable screening device for detection of OSAS, is tested. In this prospective, nonrandomized double-blinded single cohort study at an academic health center, the performance of the SleepStrip in detecting respiratory events and establishing an SleepStrip score (Sscore) in domestic use were compared to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) obtained by the standard polysomnography (PSG) recordings in the sleep laboratory. Forty-one patients who have the PSG results participated the study and wore the SleepStrips at home. Test efficiency rate was 75% and there was a positive correlation between PSG-AHI scores and Sscores (r = 0.71, p < 0.001). However, diagnostic accuracy analysis showed that the correlation between Sscores and PSG-AHI scores were significant only at AHI > 30 levels. The SleepStrip has 100% specificity and positive predictive values, but it also has low negative predictive and sensitivity values. The SleepStrip is not a reliable screening test in differential diagnosis among simple snorers, mild, moderate and severe OSAS patients. However, high Sscores highly indicate the presence of moderate-severe OSAS. We can safely send these patients to split-night PSG and continuous, automatic, bi-level positive airway pressure (CPAP/BPAP/APAP) titration at the same night. The SleepStrip may increase the effective use of the sleep laboratories.