Satisfaction with Life among Mothers of Pediatric Cochlear Implant Candidates: The Impact of Implant Operation and Sociodemographic Factors.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the satisfaction with life among mothers of pediatric cochlear implant candidates regarding implant surgery and sociodemographic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mothers of 160 pediatric patients with profound sensorineural hearing loss who underwent unilateral cochlear implant surgery were included. A questionnaire form with items on sociodemographic-familial characteristics and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was employed via face-to-face interview method before and 12 months after the implant surgery. RESULTS: The SWLS scores significantly improved after the implant surgery [from 19.1 (7.0) to 28.9 (4.0), p<0.000]. Being unemployed vs. employed [17.9 (6.9) vs. 24.0 (5.3), p=0.000], having another child with hearing disability [13.5 (5.7) vs. 19.7 (6.9), p=0.001], younger (12-24 months) vs. older (>24 months) age of the child at the time of implant surgery [7.1 (0.4) vs. 19.7 (6.6), p=0.001], absence vs. presence of regular follow-up visits [13.0 (0.0) vs. 19.4 (7.1), p=0.002], and presence vs. absence of change in social life after the diagnosis of disease [17.3 (6.5) vs. 20.9 (7.1), p=0.001] were associated with significantly lower SWLS scores among mothers. SWLS scores were positively correlated with patient's age at the time of implant surgery (r=0.206, p=0.009), whereas negatively correlated with the number of household members (r=-0.406, p=0.000) and number of children (r=-0.310, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our findings revealed the association of cochlear implantation with a significant increase in mother's life satisfaction, despite the unemployment, presence of another child with hearing disability, and crowded household. Our findings emphasize on the consideration of family systems with special attention to mother's emotional experiences and occupational competence in the intervention programs.

Effect of Piezoelectric Technique on Auditory Function on Postoperative Day One in Septorhinoplasty Surgery.

AIM: To examine the effect of the piezoelectric application used increasingly for osteotomy and correction of nasal dorsum in septorhinoplasty surgeries on early auditory functions. METHODS: Our study was conducted after the decision of 10840098-604.01.01-E.9057 taken from Istanbul Medipol University Clinical Research Local Ethics Committee. This study was designed to be prospective, randomized and controlled. Twenty patients between 18 and 50 years of age that piezoelectric technique was used in the study group and 10 patients in the same age range who underwent nasal surgery (endoscopic sinus surgery, septoplasty, lower concha radiofrequency and nasal valve surgery) for any reason in the control group were included in the study. Audiologic functions of the patients in both the groups were assessed by pure audio audiometry, tympanometry and distortion product otoacoustic emission test before the surgery and 24 hours after the surgery. The data obtained were statistically compared using the SPSS 22.0 program and P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Twenty patients (5 males, 15 females) that piezoelectric (ultrasonics) technique was used during septorhinoplasty in the study group and 10 patients (5 males, 5 females) in the control group were included in the study. In the study and the control groups, preoperative and postoperative air/bone path thresholds at the right and left ears did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz. The results of distortion product otoacoustic emission results (signal/noise ratio) obtained postoperatively were not statistically significant (P > 0.05) with the results obtained preoperatively. CONCLUSION: The results of the study show that the piezoelectric technique used in septorhinoplasty does not cause a negative effect on auditory functions. This study is the first comparative study to investigate the effect of piezoelectric technique used in septorhinoplasty surgery on auditory functions. After further clinical studies performed with well-selected and large patient population, the piezoelectric techniques can be a preferred technique during septorhinoplasty operations.

An Innovative and Easy Dome Holding Technique for Transdomal Suture in Rhinoplasty.

Suture tip plasty is one the most used methods in nasal tip surgery. Transdomal suture (TDS) used for this purpose is utilized for providing the dome symmetry, thinning the nasal tip, and enhancing the nasal tip projection and rotation. However, there are not sufficient visual data on what the dome position should be during TDS. In this study, it was aimed to be directive in tip plasty and to define the convenient dome holding technique during TDS. Patients, 510 male and 621 female at the age of 18 to 50 years, who underwent the open technique septorhinoplasty between the years of 2003 to 2015 were included in the authors' study. The length of the patient follow-up varies between 1 and 10 years. Patients, on which the lateral crural strut graft was used and which underwent dome division/vertical dome division in tip surgery, and patients who were diagnosed with the alar cartilage asymmetry and underwent dome excision for any pathological reason to demonstrate the effectiveness of the TDS holding technique. During the TDS, the dome area was administered with 5/0 polydioxanone by being held at an angle close to the cranial in the posterior and the caudal in the anterior with a dentated forceps. In this study according the authors' pre and postoperative conclusions, the authors consider that this is a sufficient visual data on what the dome position should be during TDS by presenting video.

Malleus to Stapes Bone Cement Rebridging Ossiculoplasty: Why Don't We Perform Frequently?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of malleus to stapes bone cement rebridging (MS-BCR) for Austin Kartush group A ossicular defects and compare the audiological results with incus interposition (IP) and incus to stapes bone cement rebridging (IS-BCR). METHODS: Patients for whom type 2 tympanoplasty had been performed in a tertiary referral center were examined. Revision cases and those with graft failure were excluded. Three treatment groups were IS-BCR, IP, and MS-BCR. Preoperative and postoperative audiological results were compared. RESULTS: A total of 92 patients were enrolled. The IS-BCR was performed in 42 (45.65%), IP in 18 (19.56%), and MS-BCR in 32 (34.78%) patients. Postoperative mean air bone gap was 20.1 ± 9.8 dB HL and did not differ significantly between the groups (P = .271). Postoperative mean air bone gap less than 20 dB HL was achieved in 23 (54.7%) patients in IS-BCR, 10 (55.5%) patients in IP group, and 24 (75%) patients in MS-BCR group (P = .06). Mean closure in air bone gap was 14.0 ± 11.6 dB HL. The changes in mean and frequency-specific air bone gap were not significantly different between treatment groups (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Malleus to stapes bone cement rebridging may provide hearing results comparable to IS-BCR and IP.

The effect of mupirocin- and fusidic acid-nasal packings, placed after septoplasty, on the nasal bacterial profile.

AIM: To examine the effects, after septoplasty, of local antibiotic pomades as an alternative to prophylactic antibiotic use, which is a controversial matter among the otolaryngologists, on nasal flora and bacterial growth. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Nasal packings placed after septoplasty surgery to provide septal stabilization and bleeding control pose a risk in terms of infection. In this study, 106 patients, who were examined by comparing mupirocin- and fusidic acid-soaked packings and antibiotic-free packings, were divided into three groups. Nasal cultures were obtained from each patient twice, before the surgery and on the second day immediately after the packings were removed, and the culture results were statistically compared. RESULTS: In the mupirocin group (group 2), postoperative normal flora growth rate was significantly higher than in the fusidic acid group (group 3) and the antibiotic-free group (group 1) (p < 0.024). In the mupirocin group (group 2), the gram-positive growth rate in the postoperative period showed a significant decrease when compared when the preoperative period (p < 0.05) (5.7%). In the fusidic acid group (group 3), the postoperative gram-positive rate showed a significant decrease compared with the preoperative period (p < 0.05). In group 2, the postoperative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus rate showed a significant decrease than in the preoperative period (2.9%) (p < 0.05). Similarly, in group 3, the postoperative methicillin-resistant S. aureus rate showed a significant decrease compared with that of the preoperative period (11.1%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Use of mupirocin- and fusidic acid-soaked nasal packings after septoplasty significantly decreased, especially, postoperative gram-positive bacterial growth in nasal cultures. Although systemic antibiotherapy was not administered, the lack of local and systemic infection findings was an important result that we obtained in terms of clinical use. Usage advantages of mupirocin and fusidic acid soaked packings are an easily applicable, cost-effective, and safe method.

Temporal Bone Localized Chondroblastoma.

Chondroblastoma is a highly destructive tumor originating from immature cartilage cells. Although chondroblastoma is defined as a benign tumor, it may exhibit malign tumor behaviors such as invasion or metastasis on neighboring structures. Magnetic resonance (MR) image is a solid mass lesion, which included heterogeneous hypointense in T2A and heterogeneous minimal hyperintense in T1A with destructive expansile characteristics and millimetric calcifications. Temporal bone chondroblastomas may complicate the diagnosis because of their different histologic characteristics. Microscopically, chondroblastic cell nests and calcification of locally "chicken wire" type around the cells are observed. These tumors secrete s-100 and vimentin and are used for differential diagnosis. In this study, a temporal bone localized chondroblastoma case is presented.

Phenylthiocarbamide taste perception as a possible genetic association marker for nutritional habits and obesity tendency of people.

Ability to taste Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) a bitter molecule, is usually used to know the heritable characteristic in both genetic and physiological studies. So far, no research has yet attested whether PTC blindness relation with obesity and some nutrition behaviors of human. This study is the first attempt on a large scale to examine PTC sensitivity in healthy and overweight people in Turkish population to define in the perception of bitter senses which is associated with nutrition habits, body mass index, age, gender, and to be in stable weight. PTC taste perception was measured by tasting PTC solution filtered in a paper. The results showed that tasters were significantly more frequent (81,8%) than nontasters (18,2%) in all population. A higher proportion of nontasters were observed in the quite fat individual group (BMI >40kg/m(2)). Alterations explained these differences in basic taste sensitivity, age, gender, BMI, individuals' family obesity situations, vegetarian nourishment. Increased frequency of nontasters allele is evident with obesity condition. This could be due to lack of preference for nutrition among nontasters. So the phenotypic variation in PTC sensitivity is genetic in origin; it may represent an association with obesity, dietary habits, regular weight, gender, and age.