Do altitude and climate affect paranasal sinus volume?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of climate and altitude differences on the volume of paranasal sinuses and on the frequency of anatomic variations by comparing the paranasal sinus tomograms (PNSCT) of patients who were born and living in a cold, dry climate at high altitude with those of patients who were born and living on the coast at sea level in a temperate climate. We also aimed to determine differences relating to gender. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 55 PNSCTs of 55 patients from the city center of Antalya and 60 PNSCTs of 60 patients from the city center of Agri were evaluated and compared prospectively. The study included a total of 115 patients with a mean age of 44.75 ± 9.64 years (range, 27-63 years). Group 1 (Antalya) comprised 26 females (47.3%) and 29 males (52.7%) with a mean age of 36.7 ± 12.4 years. Group 2 (Agri) comprised 25 females (41.7%) and 35 males (58.3%) with a mean age of 35.1 ± 13.4 years. Maxillary sinus volumes were 18.27 cm(3) (range, 5.04-37.62) and 15.06 cm(3) (4.11-41.40); sphenoid sinus volumes were 7.81 cm(3) (1.80-20.63) and 6.35 cm(3) (0.54-16.50); frontal sinus volumes were 5.51 cm(3) (0.50-29.25) and 3.76 cm(3) (0.68-22.81) respectively. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in term of volumes (p > 0.025). Both maxillary and frontal sinus volumes were greater in males compared to females (p < 0.025). The mean value of the maxillary sinus volume was 15.7 ± 5.3 cm(3) and was significantly larger in males than in females (p = 0.004). There was no statistically significant correlation between the volume of maxillary sinuses with age or side. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of septum deviation and concha bullosa rates (p = 0.469 and p = 0.388). CONCLUSION: There have been many studies of nasal cavity changes due to climatic conditions but this is the first study to measure the difference of paranasal sinus volumes. No difference was determined in the anatomic variations and volumes of the maxillary, frontal, sphenoid sinuses on PNSCT of patients from different climates and altitudes.

Quality of life following surgical treatment of benign parotid disease.

To evaluate the quality of life after surgery for benign neoplastic disease of the parotid gland. Forty-nine patients who underwent surgery for benign parotid disease between January 2004 and December 2008 were included in this retrospective study. EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 questionnaires were used to determine the quality of life. The variables of these questionnaires were compared with age, gender, educational status, histopathologic diagnosis and Frey syndrome. A statistically significant correlation was noted between the female gender and post-surgical pain, sleeplessness and the use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between age and difficulties in moving the mouth (p < 0.001). Frey syndrome related to social functions, economical difficulties, speech defect, reduced sexuality, and nutritional parameters were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). Frey syndrome is the most common complication that affects the quality of life in patients who had parotidectomy due to a benign parotid disease. Therefore, all patients should be informed about Frey syndrome before parotidectomy.

Vasoconstrictive and analgesic efficacy of locally infiltrated levobupivacaine in tonsillectomy patients.

OBJECTIVES: The use of preincisional plain levobupivacaine, lidocaine adrenaline and saline for perioperative blood loss and postoperative analgesia in pediatric tonsillectomy patients are compared. METHODS: Ninety patients were randomly assigned into one of the 3 groups to receive preincisional peritonsillar infiltration of levobupivacaine 0.25% (group LB), lidocaine-adrenaline 1% with 1:200,000 (group LA) and saline (group S) under general anesthesia. Intraoperative blood loss, pre- and postoperative hemoglobin (hb) and haematocrit (htc) values, hemostasis time, operation duration, number of cautery used (20 W, 1s) and heart rates were recorded. Pain scores in PACU, at 6th, 12th and 24th hours postoperatively and the number of the patients requiring analgesic treatment for first 24h was also recorded. RESULTS: There was a 30% reduction in perioperative blood loss in group LB and 63% reduction in group LA compared to group S (39 ± 6, 21 ± 4 and 55 ± 7 ml respectively) (p<0.001). Even though all three groups have significantly lower postoperative hb and htc values with respect to preoperative levels both local anesthetic groups had significantly higher postoperative hb and htc values than saline (p<0.001). Time required for hemostasis, the number of cautery used for haemostasis and operation duration were lower in groups LB and LA with respect to group S. Pain scores of the group LB revealed a significantly lower score throughout 24h. Only 14 patients in group LB demanded additional analgesic where as all patients in the other groups had. Adding adrenaline to the local anesthetic solution showed no side effects. Also we did not happened to see any complications related to local anesthetic injections. There was no postoperative major bleeding in groups. CONCLUSION: Levobupivacaine has a vasoconstrictive effect in 0.25% concentrations that may be beneficial in tonsillectomy patients and has a consistent analgesic effect.

[Diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration cytology in salivary gland masses]. / Tükürük bezi kitlelerinde ince igne aspirasyon sitolojisinin tanisal degeri.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigated the diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in salivary gland masses retrospectively. We compared FNAC and postoperative histopathologic results of patients who had undergone FNAC and had been operated on because of salivary gland masses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy six patients (40 females, 36 males; mean age 50.4 years; range 20 to 80 years) having salivary gland masses who underwent FNAC and surgical treatment between January 2001 and June 2008 were included in the study. Fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathologic results were compared retrospectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy rate of the FNAC in salivary gland masses were evaluated in the light of the results. RESULTS: The most common benign and malign FNAC results were pleomorphic adenoma (22 patients; 29.7%) and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (4 patients; 5.4%), respectively. Fine needle aspiration cytology results of two patients were non-diagnostic and these patients were excluded. According to the FNAC and histopathologic results of 74 patients, sensitivity was found to be 80.9%, specificity 94.3%, positive predictive value 85% and negative predictive value 92.5% and accuracy rate of FNAC 90.5%. CONCLUSION: Fine needle aspiration cytology is a reliable method that has high sensitivity to distinguish between benign and malign salivary gland lesions. In case of suspicious FNAC reports, reliability and diagnostic value of the method is decreased.