The Effects of Burr-Assisted Rhinoplasty on Hearing.

AIM: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of the burr used for hump reduction and osteoplasty on cochlear function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The design of this study was prospective, randomized, and controlled. Twenty patients who underwent burr-assisted septorhinoplasty were included in the study group. The control group consisted of 20 patients who underwent septoplasty. Pure tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emission test, and tympanometry were performed to determine the auditory functions. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed between the bone conduction thresholds of the right and left ears in both groups, except for a single frequency (1000 Hz in the left ear) in the control group. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups' air conduction thresholds at frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz preoperatively and postoperatively. In addition, the study and control group did not differ significantly in signal-to-noise ratio measurements at frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz. The comparison of preoperative and postoperative otoacoustic emission measurement results of the study group revealed a statistically significant difference only at the frequencies of 2000 Hz in the right ear and 500 Hz in the left ear. Despite those differences, otoacoustic emissions were still present at those frequencies postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that using burrs during rhinoplasty slightly impacts hearing, but it does not cause significant hearing loss. Burr-assisted rhinoplasty appears to be a safe operation regarding the auditory functions.

Surgical Methods and Auditory Outcomes of Cochlear Implantation in Cochlear Ossification.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical and auditory outcomes of cochlear implantation in patients with cochlear ossification. METHODS: This study comprised 54 patients with cochlear ossification who underwent cochlear implantation in the cochlear implant center of a tertiary care hospital between January 1998 and May 2019. Clinical data were evaluated including surgical findings and audiological performances. The auditory outcomes of the implanted patients were assessed through the Categories of Auditory Performance-II test and Speech Intelligibility Rating test, respectively. The outcomes of patients with cochlear ossification were compared with those of 54 patients selected for the control group who underwent implantation with no cochlear ossification. RESULTS: Auditory outcomes were comparable between the study group and the control group. The control group obtained significantly higher scores than those of the study group when compared using the Categories of Auditory Performance-II test and Speech Intelligibility Rating test batteries. Patients with meningitis produced poorer outcomes within the group comparisons of the study group. None of the patients experienced surgical complications. The extent of ossification was analyzed in terms of its effectiveness on audiological performance. Patients with complete ossification had significantly lower Categories of Auditory Performance-II and Speech Intelligibility Rating test scores. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation is a safe and beneficial procedure, even in patients with cochlear ossification. The ossified cochlea may require varied drill techniques beyond traditional implantation surgery for the insertion of the electrode array. It is, however, still difficult to predict audiological outcomes in patients with cochlear ossification.

Quality of Life in Older Adults with Cochlear Implantation: Can It Be Equal to That of Healthy Older Adults?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the audiologic results after cochlear implantation (CI) in older patients and the degree of improvement in their quality of life (QoL). Subjects and. METHODS: Patients over 65 years old who underwent CI at implant center in Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital were included in this study (n=54; 34 males and 20 females). The control group was patient over 65 years old with normal hearing (n=54; 34 males and 20 females). We administered three questionnaires [World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), World Health Organization Quality of Life-OLD (WHOQOL-OLD)], and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to evaluate the QoL, CIrelated effects on activities of daily life, and social activities in all the subjects. Moreover, correlations between speech recognition and the QoL scores were evaluated. The duration of implant use and comorbidities were also examined as potential factors affecting QoL. RESULTS: The patients had remarkable improvements (the mean score of postoperative speech perception 75.7%) in speech perception after CI. The scores for the WHOQOL-OLD and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire responses were similar in both the study and control groups, except those for a two subdomains (social relations and social participation). The patients with longer-term CI had higher scores than those with short-term CI use. In general, the changes in GDS scores were not significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of hearing loss with CI conferred significant improvement in patient's QoL (p<0.01). The evaluation of QoL can provide multidimensional insights into a geriatric patient's progress and, therefore, should be considered by audiologists.

Surgical considerations and audiological results of cochlear implantation in patients with otosclerosis

Background/aim: To emphasize the role of cochlear implantation (CI) in the auditory rehabilitation of patients with otosclerosis (OS) and share our surgical experiences on this rare group of patients. Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis of the patients who have a diagnosis of otosclerosis and implanted between January 1998­May 2019 was performed. Preoperative and postoperative clinical, radiological, audiological and surgical findings are presented. Results: Among 2195 patients who have been implanted in our institution, 12 (0.54%) met the diagnostic criteria of OS according to their preoperative (clinical, radiological, audiological) and peroperative (surgical) findings. Electrode insertion was performed via "round window membrane and cochleostomy" in 8 and 4 patients, respectively. No major complications occured. All patients showed satisfactory performances by means of audiometric scores postoperatively. Nonauditory stimulation (NAS) which manifested as "facial twitching" was a challenging problem in one patient during the surgery and subsided after the operation. Conclusion: Our experience on CI in patients with OS revealed that the implantation was a relatively safe procedure and had satisfactory impact on audiological performances.

Parents' View on Quality of Life after Cochlear Implantation in Children with Auditory Neuropathy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of life in pediatric patients with auditory neuropathy according to the perspective of their parents after cochlear implantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pediatric patients, who underwent cochlear implantation with the diagnosis of auditory neuropathy at Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital ENT Clinic between January 1997 and May 2017, were included to the study. "Parents' Perspective Questionnaire" developed by Nottingham Pediatric Cochlear Implant Programme was used in the study. The questionnaire was composed of 11 subscales and 58 questions in total. RESULTS: The study included 26 pediatric patients (14 female, 12 male) who used cochlear implant for at least 1 year. The mean age of patients was 10.91±3.85 ( 4.3-17.3 years old) and implantation age varied between 14 months and 80 months. (median; 35.65±20.03 months). Patients who attended school had more self-confidence, and also those having implant use over 6 years had a better self confidence and social relationship. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation not only improves the ability of hearing but also provides development of speech and language skills and therefore enhancing the patient's quality of life. From the perspective of parents, the use of cochlear implant in the children with auditory neuropathy improves the quality of life in many different ways. The perspective of parents can provide a multidimensional evaluation about the child's progress, therefore, it should be taken into consideration by the staff in implant centers.

Anatomical and frequencies-specific hearing results of retrograde mastoidectomy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term anatomical and frequency-specific hearing results of canal wall down (CWD) and canal wall up (CWU) mastoidectomy by retrograde mastoidectomy (RM) surgical method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients underwent CWU and CWD procedures with method of RM, 53 and 59 patients between January 2010 and June 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. The pre- and post-operative pure tone average air-bone gap (ABG) values of these patients were recorded in detail at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz. Pre and post-operative ABG were evaluated in detail in each group in each frequency. In addition, at least two years follow-up recurrence rates were evaluated. RESULTS: In the CWU method, post-operative ABG decreased significantly at low-frequencies compared to pre-operative ABG (p < 0.05), especially at 2 kHz (p < 0.001). But, auditory improvement was not achieved at 4 kHz. In the CWD procedure, auditory improvement was not achieved both 1 kHz and 4 kHz. CWU and CWD recurrence rates were respectively 9.4% and 10.1%. CONCLUSION: Postoperative hearing results of both surgical methods provide good auditory outcome at low-frequencies. This improvement is evident in CWU especially at 2 kHz. This may be related to the protection of the external ear canal. In both surgical methods of RM, a satisfactory anatomical success was achieved with recurrence rates of around 10%. RM is a good surgical technique alternative to classical canal wall down procedure with both auditory results and low recurrence rates.

Cochlear Implantation in Postmeningitic Deafness.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate long-term outcomes of cochlear implantation (CI) in patients with postmeningitic deafness. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with severe to profound hearing loss due to bacterial meningitis and received CI were the subjects of this study. Surgical findings and long-term audiological performances were evaluated. Speech perception and speech intelligibility of the implanted patients were evaluated with the categories of auditory performance-II (CAP-II) test and speech intelligibility rating (SIR) test, respectively. RESULTS: Eighteen of the 27 patients had received full electrode insertion through the patent cochlear lumen. Remaining 9 patients had varying degrees of ossification throughout the cochlea and needed to be drilled to achieve partial electrode insertion. None of the patients exhibited surgical complication. Scores in both test batteries (CAP-II and SIR) were comparable between patients who received full or partial electrode insertion (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation after postmeningitic deafness has favorable outcomes especially in long term. Although this type of inner ear pathology may require special considerations during surgery, it is a relatively safe procedure.

Is Pool Water Disinfectant (Hydrogen Peroxide-Silver Composition) Ototoxic in Rats?

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether hydrogen peroxide and silver composition (H202-Ag) used in pool water disinfectant is ototoxic to individuals with tympanic membrane perforation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The tympanic membranes of both ears of 14 Wistar-type albino female rats were perforated. Since topical application was performed, the right and left ears were categorized as two subgroups (a: right ear, b: left ear). Baseline auditory brainstem response (ABR) was measured. The groups were classified according to topical applications performed as Ia (30 mg/L H202-Ag), Ib (saline), IIa (70 mg/L H202-Ag), and IIb (saline). The topical applications were performed for 30 min/day for 10 days. The ABR was measured 24 hours after the last application, and the animals were sacrificed. Bilateral temporal bones were examined using light microscopy. RESULTS: An apparent rise in the hearing thresholds of the groups Ia and Ib was not observed. However, there was an apparent rise in the hearing thresholds of the group IIa, which supports ototoxicity. According to histopathology results, there weren't any pathological findings in groups Ia and Ib and did not display special features, but a neurotoxic effect was observed in group II. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the H202-Ag used in pool water disinfection can have ototoxic and neurotoxic effects, particularly at high concentrations.

Waardenburg Syndrome: An Unusual Indication of Cochlear Implantation Experienced in 11 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to present the surgical findings of children with Waardenburg syndrome (WS) and investigate speech development after cochlear implantation in this unique group of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of the patients diagnosed with WS and implanted between 1998 and 2015 was performed. Categories of auditory performance (CAP) test were used to assess the auditory skills of these patients. CAP is a nonlinear hierarchical scale used to rate a child's developing auditory abilities. Preoperative test results and intraoperative surgical findings of these patients have been presented. RESULTS: In total, 1835 cases were implanted a tour institution, and 1210 of these were children. Among these implantees, 11 were diagnosed with WS (0.59% of all implantees). Four of the 11 patients showed incomplete partition type 2bony labyrinth abnormality (Mondini deformity) and all patients showed intraoperative gusher during cochleostomy, which was subsided through routine interventions. No other complications occurred during surgery, and all patients showed satisfactory CAP results in the late postoperative period. CONCLUSION: Our experiences with cochlear implantation in patients with WS showed that the procedure is safe and effective in this group of patients. Surgeons should be aware of possible labyrinth malformations and intraoperative problems such as gusher in these patients. In long term, auditory performances may exhibit satisfactory results with optimal postoperative educational and supportive measures.

The new classification system for inner ear malformations: the INCAV system.

CONCLUSIONS: The proposed INCAV system standardizes reporting of inner ear malformations; gives adequate information about the structures of inner ear; defines the ears which could not be classified before; and helps in the selection of the ear as the cochlear implant candidate. Also it is easy-to-use for radiologists, and useful to the referring otolaryngologists. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to explore a more specific, definitive classification system which was based on radiological criteria for inner ear malformations. METHOD: This study found 43 patients who had inner ear malformations, magnetic resonance (MR), and computed tomography (CT) imaging, together with the retrospective evaluation of the medical records between August 2010 and February 2015. It analyzed inner ear structures by dividing five sub-groups and each sub-group was given a letter: internal acoustic canal (I), cochlear nerve (N), cochlea (C), vestibular aqueduct (A) and vestibule (V). Based on their malformations, these anatomical structures have been assigned grades and have been classified by using increasing numbers which were dependent to increasing order of severity of the malformation. RESULTS: Among these 43 patients, there were six normal (I0N0C0A0V0) and 80 inner ear malformations. All of the ears were defined successfully by the INCAV system.

Effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy on partners' sexual lives.

To assess sexual functioning in male and female partners before and after nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in men with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Twenty-one male patients with moderate to severe OSA and erectile dysfunction, and their female partner, were recruited into this prospective study. Males diagnosed with OSA were treated with nasal CPAP therapy for 12 weeks. Women were assessed for sexual functioning using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and for mood status using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), before and after their male partner underwent nasal CPAP therapy. Sexual functioning was assessed in men using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), before and after nasal CPAP therapy. After nasal CPAP therapy for OSA in men, IIEF scores were significantly higher than pre-treatment scores. Total pre- and post-treatment IIEF scores (mean ± standard deviation) were 50.28 ± 15.88 and 65.42 ± 7.47, respectively, P < 0.01. Pre- and post-treatment FSFI scores in women were 21.54 ± 6.62 and 29.94 ± 3.76, respectively, P < 0.01. Pre- and post-treatment BDI scores in women were 14.61 ± 9.69 and 12.42 ± 8.92, respectively, P < 0.01. Following treatment of men with OSA, our data indicate benefits for nasal CPAP therapy on sexual functioning in both the male and female partners. Moreover, our findings indicate that improved sexual function in women after their male partner underwent nasal CPAP also had psychological benefits.

Nasobronchial interaction.

Upper and lower airways can be considered as a unified morphofunctional unit. In this paper, nasobronchial interactions are evaluated based on literature.To discuss nasobronchial interactions, literature review from PubMed since 1982 is evaluated. Data base was including the terms "nasobronchial interaction, nasal and bronchial". Asthma and rhinosinusitis may be associated with environmental factors and immunological predisposition. Treatment of rhinosinusitis may decrease asthma exacerbations. It was concluded that "one airway, one disease"-concept may be accepted when considering naso-bronchial interaction. Asthma treatment should also mean treating the nose as good as treating patients with nasal symptoms. To reach the succesful results it should be associated with evaluation of lung functions.

Halitosis in otorhinolaryngology practice.

Halitosis is a common and devastating condition, which may affect up to 1/3 of the population. It can be classified either as genuine halitosis, pseudohalitosis, or halitophobia. Genuine halitosis is more common and usually related to an organic pathology such as periodontitis. Malodour molecules such as sulfur compounds that arise from bacterial interactions generate the basis of oral malodour. Pathologies of the tongue, poor oral hygiene, deep caries, cryptic tonsillary hypertrophia, and postnasal drainage are also associated with halitosis. Gastro-esophageal pathologies and systemic problems are accepted as extra-oral sources of halitosis. There are various methods for the diagnosis of halitosis including objective and subjective methods. General oral hygiene recommendations and specific interventions for the related etiological factors have to be addressed in order to achieve satisfactory results after the treatment. Clinicians have to be aware of these aspects regarding this unfavorable condition to achieve the best results.

Investigation of myringosclerosis development in different grafting materials after myringo-/tympanoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of myringosclerosis in tragal perichondrium (TP) and temporalis fascia (TF) grafts after myringo-/tympanoplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients, who were diagnosed with non-suppurative chronic otitis media and administered myringo-/tympanoplasty under general anesthesia using TP or TF as grafting material in our clinic between January 2012 and May 2013, were recruited in this retrospective case-control study. Patients were divided into two groups according to used graft material as group 1 (TP) (9 males, 6 females; median age 35.4 years; range 20 to 62 years) and group 2 (TF) (7 males, 8 females; median age 39.8 years; range 19 to 63 years). Occurrence of myringosclerosis on the intact tympanic membrane grafts was evaluated postoperatively by the same surgeon under surgical microscope. RESULTS: Postoperative myringosclerosis was detected in six patients (40%) in TP group and 13 patients (86.7%) in TF group. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of myringosclerosis on graft materials used in myringo-/tympanoplasty was lower in TP group compared to TF group. We believe that this may be due to different vascular structures of different graft tissues and that the low predisposition of perichondrium towards development of myringosclerosis can be considered as an advantage for this graft. We hope that this study adds a new dimension to etiopathogenesis of myringosclerosis and assists otologists in the prevention and treatment of this lesion.

Rhinorrhoea in the elderly.

The ageing population has various medical problems, ranging from relatively minor to truly severe. The ageing process includes physiological changes that can also aggravate sinonasal problems such as rhinorrhoea. As one of the most troublesome condition of this population, the causes of rhinorrhea can be classified as "age related, medication induced, secondary to rhinitis and other causes (tumour, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, etc.)". The underlying aetiology should be meticulously investigated. Although common conditions such as "allergic or infectious rhinitis" are relatively easy to diagnose and threat, more serious causes such as "primary spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea" are hard to manage. The treatment options should be individualised to the patient according to his or her metabolic, cardiac and central nervous system status. Rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment of the pathology would not only increase the quality of life but also decrease morbidity and mortality of this population. As a conclusion, rhinorrhoea in the elderly is an important condition that should not be overlooked.

Importance of yawning in the evaluation of excessive daytime sleepiness: a prospective clinical study.

As a dark and not fully understood side of human nature, yawning is believed to be a signs of various physiological or pathological behaviors of human. In this study, we aimed to investigate the importance of yawning in the evaluation of sleepiness. One hundred and twenty-nine snorers who were suspected to have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome underwent polysomnography and were asked to fill the Epworth sleepiness scale. The number of yawnings of patients was counted during the day following polysomnography. Patients were stratified into two groups: those have apnea hypopnea index <5 (n = 43, group 1) and those have apnea hypopnea index >30 (n = 86, group 2). Mean duration of sleep phases, oxygen saturations, sleep efficacies, yawning frequencies and Epworth scores of the groups were compared. Correlations of yawning frequency with Epworth scores, duration of sleep phases and mean oxygen saturations were investigated. Sleep efficacies were similar between the groups (p > 0.05). Yawning frequencies in group 1 and group 2 were 43.48 and 75.76 (mean rank), respectively (p < 0.01). Mean N1, N2, N3 phase durations and oxygen saturations were significantly lower in group 2 (p < 0.01). While there was a negative correlation between yawning frequency and duration of the non-REM phases and mean oxygen saturation (r = -0.53 and r = -0.31, respectively, p < 0.05), yawning frequency was positively correlated with Epworth scores (r = 0.46, p < 0.05). In addition to the shortened phases of sleep, increased Epworth score and decreased oxygen saturation, increased yawning frequency may indicate sleep deprivation.

Analysis of acute impact of oleoresin capsicum on rat nasal mucosa using scanning electron microscopy.

Analysis of acute cellular changes seen in nasal mucosa of Wistar-Albino rats exposed to different doses of oleoresin capsicum for various time periods by means of scanning electron microscopy. Thirty-five Wistar-Albino rats were divided into five groups of seven rats each. 6-gram oleoresin capsicum per second was sprayed into cages of the groups except group 1. Spray times and duration of exposure to pepper gasses were different for each group. Thirty minutes after the exposure, the animals were killed and specimens from their nasal mucosas were harvested and examined under scanning electron microscope. Mucosal damage was scored from 0-4 points. Mean values of nasal mucosa damage scores of the groups were calculated and compared statistically. Average damage scores of the groups exposed to identical doses of oleoresin capsicum for various exposure times were compared and a statistically significant difference was seen between Groups 2 and 3 (p < 0.05), however the difference between Groups 4 and 5 was insignificant (p > 0.05). Average damage scores of the groups exposed to various doses for identical exposure times were compared, and statistically significant differences were observed between Groups 2 and 4 and also Groups 3 and 5 (p < 0.05). Outcomes of our study have demonstrated that pepper gas exerts destructive changes on rat nasal mucosa. The extent of these destructive changes increases with the prolonged exposure to higher doses. Besides, exposure time also stands out as an influential factor on the extent of the destructive changes.

Effects of surfactant on biofilm formation on silicone nasal splints.

Biofilms are sessile communities of bacteria embedded in self-produced extracellular polysaccharide matrix and are considered to be responsible for bacterial infections in humans. Topical surfactant use on silicone nasal splints may have a preventive effect on biofilm formation. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of surfactant-containing nasal solutions on biofilm formation over the surface of silicone nasal splints. Forty patients were randomized after septoplasty to receive surfactant-containing saline solution (group 1) or saline without surfactant (group 2). At the postoperative 48th, 72th and 96th hours, pieces of splint samples were taken and prepared for scanning electron microscopic evaluation. Biofilm formation was observed in 3, 6 and 14 of 20 samples in group 1 (surfactant used) and 3, 14 and 20 of 20 samples in group 2 (control) at 48th, 72th and 96th hours, respectively. Biofilm formation incidences of groups at 48th hour were similar (p > 0.05), whereas it was significantly lower at group 1 regarding 72th and 96th hours (p < 0.05). Surfactant-containing nasal solutions have an inhibitory effect on biofilm formation over the surface of silicone nasal splints especially after 48 h. Surfactant-containing nasal solutions may have an important role in nasal septal dressing in the future.

Swelling around the implant body: A late complication of cochlear implantation. How to deal?

OBJECTIVE: In this retrospective review, we aimed to determine the most appropriate management of the complication of late swelling around the implant body following cochlear implantation. METHODS: The medical records of 516 patients who underwent cochlear implantation between January 2008 and June 2013 were reviewed for a history of swelling around the implant body. RESULTS; Of the 516 patients, 16 (8 males and 8 females) had a history of swelling around the implant body following implantation. The onset of swelling was from 1 to 60 months (median 21.2 months) after implantation. Three of the 16 patients had a history of manifest trauma to the head, and the remaining 13 had experienced an upper respiratory tract infection just before the swelling arose. Discussion In the light of our clinical experiences, we may suggest that late swelling around the implant body seems associated with a manifest or hidden head trauma or upper respiratory tract infections. CONCLUSION: After the initial assessment of swelling, surgeons should be aware of the possibility of abscess formation. As a general rule, any kind of pus collection should be drained surgically. However, in the case of pus collection without abscess formation, conservative measurements can often achieve satisfactory results.

Speech and language development after cochlear implantation in children with bony labyrinth malformations: long-term results.

The aim of this study was to investigate speech and language development after long-term cochlear implantation in children with bony labyrinth malformations (BLMs) and to present the surgical findings in this group of patients. The auditory and linguistic skills of 21 children who had BLM were assessed in this study. They were implanted between 1998 and 2009. Twenty-two sex-matched and age-matched implantees without BLM were evaluated as the control group. To compare speech perception and speech intelligibility between the groups, the categories of auditory performance (CAP) test and speech intelligibility rating (SIR) test, respectively, were administered. The Turkish version of the Test of Early Language Development (TELD-3-T) was administered to evaluate and compare the linguistic skills of the groups. Surgical findings and complications were also analyzed. Implanted anomalies were common cavity in five patients, incomplete partition type 1 in 5 patients, and incomplete partition type 2 in 11 patients. The CAP and SIR scores were significantly higher in the control group (p < 0.05), but the TELD-3-T test scores were comparable among the groups (p > 0.05). Based on the specific type of malformation, the CAP and SIR scores were comparable between the subgroups (p > 0.05). No perioperative complications occurred in the control group. However, various perioperative complications (gusher, etc.) and surgical difficulty occurred in the anomaly group. The malformation group had unsatisfactory results with regard to speech perception skills; however, this group and the non-anomalous group exhibited comparable long-term results on linguistic development.