Endoscopic resection of pleomorphic adenoma of the nasal septum.

Pleomorphic adenomas originating from the minor salivary glands are rare in the nasal cavity. Total surgical excision is the preferred treatment for pleomorphic adenomas. Lateral rhinotomy, midfacial degloving, transpalatal surgery and endoscopic surgery are among the surgical approaches. Endoscopic tumor removal produces less morbidity, reduces blood loss during surgery, decreases hospital stay, avoids external scars and excessive unnecessary resection, enables the surgeon to better visualize the tumor margins, and has a low recurrence rate. However, only 3 pleomorphic adenomas of the nasal septum have been removed by the endoscopic approach to date. In this paper we report on a case of pleomorphic adenoma of the nasal septum that was removed successfully by the endoscopic approach without any recurrences.

[Microbiology of the external auditory canal in patients with asteatosis and itching]. / Asteatosis ve kasintili hastalarda dis kulak yolu mikrobiyolojisi.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the microbiology of the external auditory canal in patients with asteatosis and itching and evaluated the efficacy of topical 2% alcohol and boric acid solution in patients with normal flora. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Bacteriological and mycological cultures were obtained from 76 ears of 45 patients (36 females, 9 males; mean age 41.8 years; range 17 to 66 years) presenting with normal otoscopic findings and no history of ear diseases. Treatment protocols were planned according to the culture results. Patients with normal flora were administered topical 2% alcohol and boric acid solution to relieve itching. RESULTS: Cultures yielded normal flora in 65 ears (85.5%), bacterial pathogenic flora in 10 ears (13.1%), and mycosis in one ear (1.3%). Complaints of itching decreased significantly following treatment with alcohol and boric acid solution in patients with normal flora (p<0.05). No correlation was detected between age and the severity of itching (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Despite normal otoscopic findings, external auditory canal cultures may show pathogenic colonization in patients with asteatosis. Topical administration of alcohol and boric acid solution seems to relieve itching in patients with normal flora.

Giant cell reparative granuloma originating from the ethmoid sinus.

Giant cell granuloma is a reactive osseous proliferation and is histologically benign despite its aggressive clinical course. It usually involves the maxilla and the mandible in the region of the head and neck. It is rare in the ethmoid region. In this paper, an aggressive and recurrent giant cell reparative granuloma, which is recurred in a very short time period, originating from the ethmoid sinus is presented and the criteria for the differential diagnosis are noted in the light of the histological, clinical and biochemical parameters and the literature is reviewed.

Hearing loss and middle ear involvement in rheumatoid arthritis.

In this controlled study, hearing and middle ear functions were investigated in 37 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 35 controls in order to study the prevalence and the nature of hearing loss in RA. The prevalence of the hearing impairment was significantly higher in the RA group, and the majority was bilateral (P<0.001). Of the patients, 35.1% had sensorineural (SN), 24.3% had conductive loss, and 10.8% had a mixed type of hearing loss. The hearing loss was positively correlated to the Steinbrocker functional index. The prevalence of abnormal tympanograms was 37.8%, while it was 17.1% in the control group. The probable site of involvement responsible for the SN loss was the cochlea, and discontinuity of the ossicles, rather than stiffness, was responsible for the conductive hearing loss. The presence of a mixed type of hearing loss suggested a multifocal involvement of the audiologic system in RA.