Curative Treatment of Oronasal Fistulas With a Silicone Obturator.

Oronasal fistulas can occur as a complication and sometimes they are refractory to the adequate surgical interventions. Two patients of oronasal fistula were presented. The first one developed as a complication of nasal septal surgery. Following 2 failed operative closure, a custom-made silicone obturator resulted unexpectedly as the cure for the problem in this patient. Experience gained from this patient was utilized in the second presented patient by simply insertion of a tailored silicone obturator after elevation of the nasal lining under local anesthesia to the oronasal fistula transorally allowed closure without any formal surgical intervention. Silicone obturator application may be employed for curative treatment of the oronasal fistulas avoiding complex surgical treatments.

The role of human papilloma virus and herpes viruses in the etiology of nasal polyposis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the etiological role of human papilloma virus (HPV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) and -7 (HHV-7) in the occurrence of nasal polyposis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nasal polyp samples from 30 patients with nasal polyposis and normal nasal mucosa from 10 patients without nasal polyps were obtained. DNA was extracted from tissues. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for all runs. RESULTS: No HSV-1, HSV-2, or VZV was detected in the samples. Among the patient samples, EBV and HHV-7 DNA were detected in 18 (60%), HHV-6 was detected in 20 (66.7%), and HPV was detected in 4 (13.3%) samples. Among the controls, CMV DNA was positive in one (10%). EBV was positive in 5 (50%), HHV-6 and HHV-7 were positive in 7 (70%), and HPV was positive in 2 (20%) samples. No significant difference was found among the groups with any test in terms of positivity. CONCLUSION: The association of Herpesviridae and HPV with the pathogenesis of nasal polyps was investigated in this study and no relationship was found. Thus, these viruses do not play a significant role in the formation of nasal polyps.

[Comparison of the effects of magnesium sulphate and dexmedetomidine on surgical vision quality in endoscopic sinus surgery: randomized clinical study]. / Comparação dos efeitos de sulfato de magnésio e da dexmedetomidina sobre a qualidade da visibilidade em cirurgia endoscópica sinusal: estudo clínico randomizado.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Even a small amount of bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery can corrupt the endoscopic field and complicate the procedure. Various techniques, including induced hypotension, can minimize bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical vision quality, haemodynamic parameters, postoperative pain, and other effects of magnesium, a hypotensive agent, with that of dexmedetomidine, which was initially developed for short-term sedation in the intensive care unit but also is an alpha 2 agonist sedative. METHOD: 60 patients between the ages of 18 and 45 years were divided into either the magnesium group (Group M) or the dexmedetomidine group (Group D). In Group M, magnesium sulphate was given at a pre-induction loading dose of 50mgkg(-1) over 10min and maintained at 15mgkg(-1)h(-1); in Group D, dexmedetomidine was given at 1mcgkg(-1) 10min before induction and maintained at 0.6mcgkg(-1)h(-1). Intraoperatively, the haemodynamic and respiratory parameters and 6-point intraoperative surgical field evaluation scale were recorded. During the postoperative period, an 11-point numerical pain scale, the Ramsay sedation scale, the nausea/vomiting scale, the adverse effects profile, and itching parameters were noted. RESULTS: Group D showed a significant decrease in intraoperative surgical field evaluation scale scale score and heart rate. The average operation time was 50min, and Group M had a higher number of prolonged surgeries. No significant difference was found in the other parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Due to its reduction of bleeding and heart rate in endoscopic sinus surgery and its positive impacts on the duration of surgery, we consider dexmedetomidine to be a good alternative to magnesium.

Comparison of the effects of magnesium sulphate and dexmedetomidine on surgical vision quality in endoscopic sinus surgery: randomized clinical study / Comparação dos efeitos de sulfato de magnésio e da dexmedetomidina sobre a qualidade da visibilidade em cirurgia endoscópica sinusal: estudo clínico randomizado / Comparación de los efectos de sulfato de magnesio y dexmedetomidina sobre la calidad de la visibilidad en cirugía endoscópica sinusal: estudio clínico aleatorizado

Background and objectives: Even a small amount of bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery can corrupt the endoscopic field and complicate the procedure. Various techniques, including induced hypotension, can minimize bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical vision quality, haemodynamic parameters, postoperative pain, and other effects of magnesium, a hypotensive agent, with that of dexmedetomidine, which was initially developed for short-term sedation in the intensive care unit but also is an alpha 2 agonist sedative. Method: 60 patients between the ages of 18 and 45 years were divided into either the magnesium group (Group M) or the dexmedetomidine group (Group D). In Group M, magnesium sulphate was given at a pre-induction loading dose of 50 mg kg−1 over 10 min and maintained at 15 mg kg−1 h−1; in Group D, dexmedetomidine was given at 1 mcg kg−1 10 min before induction and maintained at 0.6 mcg kg−1 h−1. Intraoperatively, the haemodynamic and respiratory parameters and 6-point intraoperative surgical field evaluation scale were recorded. During the postoperative period, an 11-point numerical pain scale, the Ramsay sedation scale, the nausea/vomiting scale, the adverse effects profile, and itching parameters were noted. Results: Group D showed a significant decrease in intraoperative surgical field evaluation scale scale score and heart rate. The average operation time was 50 min, and Group M had a higher number of prolonged surgeries. No significant difference was found in the other parameters. Conclusions: Due to its reduction of bleeding and heart rate in endoscopic sinus surgery and its positive impacts on the duration of surgery, we consider dexmedetomidine to be a good alternative to magnesium. .

Justificativa e objetivo: Uma quantidade, mesmo pequena, de sangramento durante a cirurgia endoscópica pode alterar o campo endoscópico e dificultar o procedimento. Várias técnicas, incluindo hipotensão induzida, podem minimizar o sangramento durante a cirurgia endoscópica. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a qualidade da visibilidade cirúrgica, os parâmetros hemodinâmicos, a dor no período pós-operatório e outros efeitos do sulfato de magnésio, um agente hipotensor, com os da dexmedetomidina, inicialmente desenvolvida para sedação em curto prazo em unidade de terapia intensiva, mas que também é um sedativo agonista alfa-2. Métodos: Foram alocados 60 pacientes entre 18 e 45 anos em dois grupos: Grupo M (magnésio) e Grupo D (dexmedetomidina). No Grupo M, sulfato de magnésio foi administrado pré-indução a uma dose de carga de 50 mg kg−1 por 10 minutos e mantida com 15 mg kg−1 h−1; no Grupo D, dexmedetomidina foi administrada a uma dose de 1 mcg kg−1 10 minutos antes da indução e mantida com 0,6 mcg kg−1 h−1. No período intraoperatório, foram registrados os parâmetros hemodinâmicos e respiratórios e a avaliação do campo cirúrgico com uma escala de seis pontos. Durante o período pós-operatório foram registrados os valores da escala numérica de 11 pontos para avaliar a dor, a escala de sedação de Ramsay, a escala de avaliação de náusea/vômito, o perfil dos efeitos adversos e pruridos. Resultados: O Grupo D apresentou redução significativa da frequência cardíaca e do escore na escala de avaliação do campo cirúrgico intraoperatório. A média do tempo cirúrgico foi de 50 minutos e o Grupo M apresentou um número maior de cirurgias prolongadas. ...

Introducción y objetivo: Una cantidad, aunque sea pequeña, de sangrado durante la cirugía endoscópica puede alterar el campo endoscópico y dificultar el procedimiento. Varias técnicas que incluyen hipotensión inducida pueden minimizar el sangrado durante la cirugía endoscópica. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la calidad de la visibilidad quirúrgica, los parámetros hemodinámicos, el dolor en el período postoperatorio y otros efectos del sulfato de magnesio, que es un agente hipotensor, con los de la dexmedetomidina, inicialmente desarrollada para la sedación a corto plazo en la unidad de cuidados intensivos, pero que también es un sedante agonista alfa-2. Método: 60 pacientes con edades entre 18 y 45 años se dividieron en 2 grupos: grupo M (magnesio) y grupo D (dexmedetomidina). En el grupo M, el sulfato de magnesio fue administrado antes de la inducción en dosis de carga de 50 mg kg−1 por 10 min y se mantuvo con 15 mg kg−1 h−1; en el grupo D, la dexmedetomidina fue administrada con una dosis de 1 µg kg−1 durante 10 min antes de la inducción y se mantuvo con 0,6 µg kg−1 h−1. En el período intraoperatorio se registraron los parámetros hemodinámicos y respiratorios y la evaluación del campo quirúrgico con una escala de 6 puntos. Durante el postoperatorio también se registraron la escala numérica de 11 puntos para evaluar el dolor, la escala de sedación de Ramsay, la escala de evaluación de náuseas/vómito, el perfil de los efectos adversos y los pruritos. Resultados: El grupo D tuvo una reducción significativa de la frecuencia cardíaca y de la puntuación en la escala de evaluación del campo quirúrgico intraoperatorio. La media del tiempo quirúrgico fue de 50 min, y el grupo M tuvo un número mayor de ...

Effect of pregabalin and dexamethasone on postoperative analgesia after septoplasty.

Objectives. The aim of this study was to explore effect of a combination of pregabalin and dexamethasone on pain control after septoplasty operations. Methods. In this study, 90 patients who were scheduled for septoplasty under general anesthesia were randomly assigned into groups that received either placebo (Group C), pregabalin (Group P), or pregabalin and dexamethasone (Group PD). Preoperatively, patients received either pregabalin 300 mg one hour before surgery, dexamethasone 8 mg intravenously during induction, or placebo according to their allocation. Postoperative pain treatment included tramadol and diclofenac sodium 30 minutes before the end of the operation. Numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain assessment, side effects, and consumption of tramadol, pethidine, and ondansetron were recorded. Results. The median NRS score at the postoperative 0 and the 2nd h was significantly higher in Group C than in Group P and Group PD (P ≤ 0.004 for both). The 24 h tramadol and pethidine, consumptions were significantly reduced in Groups P and PD compared to Group C (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001). The incidence of blurred vision was significantly higher in Group PD compared to Group C within both 0-2 h and 0-24 h periods (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, resp.). Conclusions. We conclude that administration of 300 mg pregabalin preoperatively may be an adequate choice for pain control after septoplasty. Addition of dexamethasone does not significantly reduce pain in these patients.

Is transnasal endoscopic examination necessary before and after adenoidectomy?

The present study aimed to investigate the amount of residual adenoid tissue following the conventional adenoidectomy as compared with preoperative values. A total of 32 girls and 44 boys (range, 3-15 years) in whom adenoidectomy procedure was planned were included in the study. Adenoid tissue sizes before adenoidectomy and residual tissue sizes after conventional curettage adenoidectomy were measured by transnasal endoscopic examination and were recorded. Adenoid tissue size before and after adenoidectomy was compared. The mean age of the patients was 7.7 years (range, 3-15 years). Before adenoidectomy grade 4 adenoid tissue was noted in 43.4% (n = 33), grade 3 was noted in 28.9% (n = 22), grade 2 was noted in 25% (n = 19), and grade 1 was noted in 2.6% (n = 2) of the patients. Following adenoidectomy, no significant difference was noted with respect to residual adenoid tissue sizes of grade 4 and grade 3 patients (P = 0.75, P = 0.76). Transnasal endoscopic examination is suggested to be the most appropriate method to assess the amount of residual adenoid tissue after conventional curettage adenoidectomy. The residual adenoid tissue with the help of a microdebrider in case of a large residual adenoid tissue located in the choana are necessary for complete adenoidectomy.

Evaluation of olfactory memory after coronary artery bypass grafting.

INTRODUCTION: This study determined whether coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery has any effect on olfactory function, employing the Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: All the participants were informed preoperatively about the B-SIT test and the mode of its application. The test was performed by each patient preoperatively (d0) as well as 1 (d1) and 3 (d3) days following the surgery. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were recorded at the same time as the smell test. RESULTS: This prospective study included 45 patients. The mean age was 67 ± 7.55, and the group was 29% male. The mean durations of cross clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass were 54 ± 32 min and 62.5 ± 37.0 min, respectively. Eleven different odors were tested. Significant differences were observed for several odors: leather between d0 and d3, pine between d0 and d3, onion between d0 and d1, onion between d0 and d3, and soap between d0 and d1. The postoperative CRP levels were significantly higher than the preoperative levels. The correlation analysis determined that the postoperative CRP levels were negatively correlated with the B-SIT score (r = -0.48, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that patients after CABG are prone to develop olfactory dysfunction in the early postoperative period and that olfactory dysfunction is associated with postoperative CRP levels.

Locomotor differences in Mongolian gerbils with the effects of midazolam administration in the form of eye drops.

BACKGROUND: Midazolam is a sedative-hypnotic agent with amnestic and anticonvulsant properties that can be administrated to mammals through various routes, such as intravenous, intramuscular, oral, intrathecal, rectal, and buccal. Midazolam administration in the form of eye drops through the conjunctiva is not reported in the literature. AIM: This study aims to demonstrate the possible central nervous system effects of midazolam administration as eyes drops in Mongolian gerbils. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen gerbils were randomly assigned to one of two equal sized groups. The active arm received 2 ml of 10 mg midazolam as eye drops in both eyes. Control group received a total of 2 ml of physiological saline (0.9% NaCl). We subjected the gerbils to an adapted "Open Field" to determine the possible effects on central nervous system of midazolam. Gerbils were allowed to move freely in the open field. Before and after the drug administration, locomotor activities of each gerbil have been recorded. Frequency of loss of righting reflex was quantified. RESULTS: Conjunctival midazolam administration resulted with the transient loss of righting reflex (p=0.017) and suppressed exploration motion (p=0.018) in the open field test compared to control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, administration of conjunctival midazolam as an eye drop may affect gerbil's locomotor activities and open field behaviors. We argue that, using a sedative and anticonvulsive drug such as midazolam via conjunctival route may be useful in some clinical situations. Therefore, it could be beneficial to develop a new conjunctival formulation of midazolam. Also, there is a need for trials in humans with pharmacokinetic studies.

Effect of pregabalin and dexamethasone addition to multimodal analgesia on postoperative analgesia following rhinoplasty surgery.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effect of a combination of pregabalin and dexamethasone, when used as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen, on pain control after rhinoplasty operations. METHODS: Sixty patients were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned into three groups: Group C (placebo + placebo), Group P (pregabalin + placebo), and Group PD (pregabalin + dexamethasone). Patients received either pregabalin 300 mg orally 1 h before surgery, dexamethasone 8 mg intravenously during induction, or placebo according to their allocation. Postoperative pain was treated with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (tramadol, 20-mg bolus dose, 45-min lockout time). The numeric rating scale (NRS), side effects, and consumption of tramadol, pethidine, and ondansetron were assessed. RESULTS: The median NRS scores at 0, 1, and 6 h after surgery were significantly higher in Group C than in Group PD (p < 0.001 for all). The 24-h consumption of tramadol and pethidine was significantly reduced in Groups P and PD compared to Group C (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01). The total tramadol consumption was decreased by 54.5 % in Group P and 81.9 % in Group PD compared to Group C (p < 0.001 for both). The incidence of nausea was higher in Group C than in Groups P and PD between the postoperative 0-2 and 0-24-h periods (p < 0.05 for both). The frequency of blurred vision was significantly higher in Groups P and PD than in Group C within the 0-24-h period (p < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSION: We found that the addition of a single dose of pregabalin and dexamethasone to multimodal analgesia in rhinoplasty surgeries provided efficient analgesia and thus decreased opioid consumption. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Solitary fibrous tumor of the accessory parotid gland: a unique case.

Solitary fibrous tumors are benign spindle-cell neoplasms, mostly originating from the visceral pleura. They are common in individuals aged 20-70 with no sex predilection. To our knowledge, this is the unique case of the solitary fibrous tumor originating from the accessory parotid gland in the literature.

Effects of intranasal phototherapy on nasal microbial flora in patients with allergic rhinitis.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of intranasal phototherapy on nasal microbial flora in patients with allergic rhinitis. This prospective, self-comparised, single blind study was performed on patients with a history of at least two years of moderate-to-severe perennial allergic rhinitis that was not controlled by anti-allergic drugs. Thirty-one perennial allergic rhinitis patients were enrolled in this study. Before starting the test population on their intranasal phototherapy, the same trained person took a nasal culture from each subject by applying a sterile cotton swab along each side of the nostril and middle meatus. Each intranasal cavity was irradiated three times a week for two weeks with increasing doses of irradiated. At the end of the intranasal phototherapy, nasal cultures were again obtained from the each nostril. The study found that after intranasal phototherapy, the scores for total nasal symptoms decreased significantly but bacterial proliferation was not significantly different before and after phototherapy. We have shown that intranasal phototherapy does not change the aerobic nasal microbial flora in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

Otosclerosis and vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism.

OBJECTIVE: The possible genetic relationship between otosclerosis and Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism is uncertain. The aim of this study is to assess association between otosclerosis and VDR gene polymorphisms. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control Studies. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Clinical diagnosis of stapes fixation was based on otoscopic, audiometric, tympanometric and surgical findings. We identified 25 eligible patient and 60 controls to investigate the association of the VDR gene polymorphisms FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and Taq I with otosclerosis. The patient and control DNA was genotyped for; VDR Bsm I (rs1544410), VDR Apa I (rs7975232), VDR Taq I (rs731236) and VDR Fok I (rs2228570) gene. Primer, simple probe sequences was genotyped by RT-PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between VDR gene and otosclerosis in polymorphism Taq I, Apa I and Bsm I. There was no significant association between VDR gene and otosclerosis in polymorphism Foq I. CONCLUSION: Three polymorphisms (Taq I, Apa I and Bsm I) in the VDR gene appear to be associated to susceptibility to otosclerosis disorder with otosclerosis patients.

Comparison of topical tramadol and ketamine in pain treatment after tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES/AIM: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of topically applied ketamine or tramadol on early postoperative pain scores in children undergoing tonsillectomy. The secondary aim of the study is to assess nausea, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing, and sore throat characteristics of the patients. BACKGROUND: Tonsillectomy surgery is frequently associated with postoperative pain, which usually requires substantial consumption of analgesics including opioids. Safe and effective post-tonsillectomy pain control is still a clinical dilemma, in spite of the use of various surgical and anesthetic techniques. METHODS: A total of 60 children, aged between 4 and 10 years, scheduled for tonsillectomy, were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Study drugs were administered to both tonsillar fossae for 5 min. In 5 ml artificial saliva, Group K (n = 20) received 0.4 ml (20 mg) ketamine and Group T (n = 20) received 0.8 ml tramadol HCl solution. Group C (n = 20) received only 5 ml saline as a control. Ramsay Sedation Scale and FACES PRS Score, nausea, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing, and sore throat were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no difference among the groups in terms of baseline characteristics, including age, sex, and ASA profile (P > 0.05 for all). Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2 ) values were not significantly different among the groups in all time points (P > 0.05 for all). There was a statistically significant difference among the groups according to Ramsay Sedation Scales in 40th minute (P < 0.001). There were statistically significant differences among the groups in terms of Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale Score in all time points (P < 0.004 for all). There was a statistically significant difference among the groups in terms of rescue analgesia necessity in 5th and 10th minute (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003). There was a statistically significant difference among the groups in terms of sore throat in 5th and 10th minute (P < 0.001 for both). Neither rescue analgesia necessity nor sore throat characteristics was different between the Group T and Group K in all time points. CONCLUSION: Topical tramadol and ketamine seem to be safe, effective, and easy analgesic approach for decreasing tonsillectomy pain.

Severe saddle nose: choices for augmentation and application of accordion technique against warping.

BACKGROUND: Saddle nose deformity presents a significant challenge to surgeons. The reconstruction of a saddle nose requires structural addition to the nasal dorsum and tip. Costal cartilage grafts have been utilized for fixing severe saddle nose deformity, but costal cartilage is notorious for early and/or late warping. In addition to well-known measures, the efficacy of a preventive surgical technique against warping was investigated in this study. METHODS: Costal cartilage grafts were used in 18 patients with severe saddle noses. Due to recurrent and late warping of the grafts, an additional measure was taken in 23 patients with a comparable deformity. In these 23 patients, just before insertion the costal cartilage was transected on 75 % of its horizontal width every 2 mm, alternating between both sides along the entire length of the implant, a so-called "accordion technique." RESULTS: With traditional measures early and/or late warping of the graft was observed in 7 (39 %) of 18 patients postoperatively. Two grafts warped so severely that they required revision surgery. On the other hand, additional use of the accordion technique prevented the costal cartilage from warping in all 23 cases. The warping complication rate was significantly higher in patients whose graft did not undergo the described accordion technique. CONCLUSIONS: The accordion technique is thought to break the recoil mechanism responsible for warping. Since incorporating this surgical technique, warping has not been seen in any saddle nose deformity patients treated by us in the last 5 years. This simple technique is strongly recommended in these cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Concha bullosa surgery and the distribution of human olfactory neuroepithelium.

In bullous middle turbinate surgery, controversy exists over which side of the bullous middle turbinate should be removed, as the distribution of human olfactory neuroepithelium is unclear. This study evaluated whether the middle turbinate tissue of patients undergoing endoscopic concha bullosa surgery contains functional olfactory epithelium. This prospective clinical study was conducted in tertiary referable center. It detected 70 conchae bullosa in 48 patients with sinonasal symptoms, who underwent paranasal computed tomography (CT) that showed pneumatization of the middle concha. All samples were obtained under general anesthesia. Three samples were obtained from each bullous middle turbinate: one each from the anterior, medial, and lateral portions. The mucosa from each sample was stained with olfactory marker protein (OMP). In total, 210 middle turbinate samples were taken from 48 patients during endoscopic surgery for conchae bullosa. The patients were 22 females and 26 males. Of the 70 conchae bullosa, OMP-stained nerve tissue was found in the lateral, anterior and medial aspects of 57 (81.4 %), 42 (60.0 %) and 23 (32.8 %) of the bullous middle turbinates, respectively. OMP-stained nerve tissue was found in 122 (58.1 %) of the 210 bullous middle turbinate tissue samples. OMP-stained nerve tissue was found on the lateral surface of the bullous middle turbinate more often than the medial surface. Therefore, during the concha bullosa surgery, OMP-stained nerve tissue found at least in the medial part of concha, suggested that the opening of the medial part of middle concha.

Microbial colonization of the external auditory canal and nose in hemodialysis patients.

AIM: The aim of our study is to determine the microbiology of the external auditory canal and nose in uremic patients on chronic dialysis. METHODS: All patients undergoing regular hemodialysis for at least 3 months were included in this study. The nasal and external auditory canal swabs were collected from 83 haemodialysed patients. RESULTS: From 83 patients (37 females, 46 males) nasal and external auditory canal cultures were obtained. Mean duration on dialysis was 41.75 ± 45 months and mean age of patients was 61 ± 13 years. Microflora in the nasal cavities (70/80, 87.5%) and external auditory canal (48/59, 81.3%) were similar in all culture positive patients (coagulase-negative staphylococci). Coexistence of coagulase- negative staphylococci and diphteroids was detected in 20 patients' (25.0%) nasal vestibule and in eight patients' (13.5%) external auditory canal. CONCLUSION: Microflora in the nasal cavities and external auditory canal were similar in chronic renal patients. External auditory canal microflora was not associated with history of diabetes mellitus, hepatitis status and starting date of hemodialysis in our study.

Comparison of lidocaine and levobupivacaine in transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy.

BACKGROUND: The anatomy of the nasal passages, pharynx, and larynx and evaluation of mucous membranes and laryngeal function is well observed by transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy (TFL). In this procedure, to provide good local infiltrative analgesia, medication such as anesthetics is important for the otolaryngologist. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of lidocaine (L) spray, compared with levobupivacaine solution, used for local anesthetic in patients undergoing TFL for complete examination. METHODS: Sixty-two subjects (39 men and 23 women; mean age, 36 ± 7 years) were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly classified into two groups as levobupivacaine hydroclorur (LB) and L groups. A standard flexible transnasal fiberoptic 4.2-mm-diameter laryngoscope was passed through the nasal cavity and into the aerodigestive tract. Patients were asked to evaluate the intensity of the pain they experienced during the TFL, using a visual analog scale (VAS) and Ramsay sedation scale. RESULTS: Demographic data were similar in both groups. There was no difference in VAS and Ramsay scores between both groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that topical levobupivacaine seems to be an effective medication for anesthesia of the nasal mucosa and may be used to allow complete examinations involving TFL.

Celiac disease and sensorineural hearing loss in children.

CONCLUSION: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a neurological situation and celiac disease (CD) may be seen coincidentally. Children with clinical signs of hearing deficiency of unknown etiology should be assessed for CD. OBJECTIVE: CD is a chronic inflammatory gluten-dependent intestinal disease and has extraintestinal findings. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of CD and SNHL in our pediatric patients. METHODS: A total of 25 pediatric patients (50 ears) with biopsy-proven CD were diagnosed in the pediatric gastroenterology department; 25 healthy control subjects (50 ears) were also included in the study. All subjects underwent pure tone audiometry at frequencies of 250-8000 Hz and tympanometry. RESULTS: In the patients and controls, normal peak compliance, gradient, peak pressure, ear canal volume, and acoustic reflexes were obtained by tympanometry. There was no air-bone gap in any of the participants. There was a statistically significant difference between the audiometric results in the CD and control groups (right ear and left ear) (p < 0.05).

Cytotoxic effects of nasal buserelin on nasal mucosal tissue in rabbits.

To investigate the cytotoxic effects of nasal buserelin on rabbit nasal mucosal tissue, twenty-four female rabbits were studied prospectively. The rabbits were divided into 4 groups including 6 rabbits. The rabbits' left noses were included in the all study groups: 150 µg/puff/day of buserelin acetate was administered topically twice daily during 21, 42 and 63 days. Saline was administered topically twice daily to the left nasal cavity in the control group. The nasal septal mucosal stripe tissue was carefully removed from underlaying cartilage after sedation. HE staining, Masson's trichrome, toluidine blue and TUNEL staining were used to evaluate mucosal changes. Each preparation was investigated via apoptotic cells, and they were accounted. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to evaluate nonparametric comparison of apoptotic cells. Mononuclear cells have been raised in the sub-epithelial connective tissue, nucleuses of epithelial cells in the apical region were pyknotic, and apoptotic cells were determined on 21-day group. In the 42-day group, nasal epithelial tissue was similar to 21-day group and epithelial cells including pyknotic nucleus were present in this group, too. In the 63-day group, epithelial cells were light colored. Venous sinuses in the sub-epithelial connective tissue were wide but not congested and not raised collagen filaments. In the intra-epithelial tissue, some of cells were TUNEL (+). Apoptotic cells were fewer in the control group according to 21-day group. In 42- and 63-day groups, these cells were fewer than in 21-day group. Numerical difference was present between the groups, but statistical significance was not found between the groups. We concluded that nasal buserelin cytotoxicity was not potent in the nasal cavity in rabbits. We use nasal buserelin in all indications with confidence.