Histopathological changes of parotid and larynx in hypothyroid rats: experimental study.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to investigate the laryngeal and parotid histopathological alterations in rats with experimentally induced postnatal hypothyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 200-300 g weighed Wistar albino rats were included in this study. The rats were randomly divided into four groups: group 1 is control and the other groups are experimental groups. Food and water were supplied ad libitum in group 1, no medication was administered. Propylthiouracil (PTU) was administered intraperitoneally for 15 days in group 2; for 30 days in group 3, for 45 days in group 4. The larynx and parotid glands of the rats were removed and intracardiac blood samples were collected for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) analysis under anesthesia (ketamine hydrochloride, 100 mg/kg) 24 h after the last PTU injection. The same procedures were done for the control group at day 46. Histopathological evaluation was done for all the specimens. RESULTS: While submucosal vascular dilatation was significantly higher in the experiment groups (p < 0.05), there was not a significant difference in lamina propria edema, inflammation, goblet cell loss, cilia loss between the groups in larynx specimens. In parotid gland specimens, serous asinus atrophy, stromal connective tissue increase were significantly higher in experiment groups (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in nuclear morphology between control and experimental groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that hypothyroidism may have effect on inflammatory procedure by causing vascular dilation in larynx and serous asinus atrophy nucleus changes, connective tissue increase in stroma in parotid gland.

Do Decreased Mastoid Pneumatization, Bilateral Involvement and Eustachian Tube Function Affect the Success of Type 1 Tympanoplasty?

Aim: The surgical success rate of tympanoplasty appears to be influenced by a number of variables. Eustachian tube dysfunction has been shown as one of the factors causing failure in tympanoplasty. It is known that bilateral disease and decreased in mastoid pneumatization are associated with Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction. In this study, the relationship between the success of type 1 tympanoplasty and mastoid pneumatization, bilateral disease and ET function was investigated. Materials and Methods: A total of 44 patients who were operated for chronic otitis media in our clinic were included. The information of the patients was obtained retrospectively, the direction of the disease (bilateral/unilateral), the status of the graft (intact/perforated), mastoid pneumatization status, and hearing levels (preoperative/postoperative 6th month) were noted. Automatic Williams test was used to tympanometrically evaluate ET functions (ETF) in postoperative period. The relationship between tympanoplasty success and mastoid pneumatization, bilateral disease and ETF was investigated by statistical analysis. Results: The disease aspect was found bilateral in 34.1% (n = 15) of the cases, and unilateral in 65.9% (n = 29) of the cases. Mastoid pneumatization was decreased in 52.2% (n = 23) of the cases, and normal in 45.4% (n = 20). The preoperative air-bone mean difference (gap) of the cases with decreased mastoid pneumatization was found to be statistically significantly higher than the cases with normal mastoid pneumatization (p < 0.05). The closure of the postoperative air-bone gap in patients with unilateral disease direction was found to be statistically significantly higher than in patients with bilateral disease direction (p < 0.05). Also we found significantly worse ET functions both in unilateral and bilateral disease. Conclusion: Preoperative air-bone gap average is higher in ears with decreased mastoid pneumatization, and postoperative air-bone gap closure is higher in unilateral patients. Mastoid ventilation does not make a significant difference in the success of type 1 tympanoplasty. On the other hand, our results support that ET dysfunction can be effective in the occurrence of chronic otitis media (COM).

The effects of lipoic acid and methylprednisolone on nerve healing in rats with facial paralysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of lipoic acid and methylprednisolone on nerve healing in rats with traumatic facial paralysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into four groups, with six rats in the control group and eight each in the remaining three groups. The buccal branch of the facial nerve in all groups except the control group was traumatized by a vascular clamp for 40 minutes. Group 1 was given lipoic acid (LA), Group 2 was given methylprednisolone (MP), and Group 3 was given lipoic acid and methylprednisolone (LA + MP) for one week. Nerve stimulus thresholds were measured before trauma, after trauma and at the end of the one week treatment period. RESULTS: When the groups were compared with each other, post-treatment threshold levels of LA + MP were significantly lower than LA. Although post-treatment threshold levels of LA and MP were still higher than the control group, there was no significant difference between LA + MP and control values (p > .05). CONCLUSION: Lipoic acid has a positive effect on nerve healing and can enhance the effect of methylprednisolone treatment. It is a good alternative in cases where methylprednisolone cannot be used.

Links and risks associated with adenotonsillectomy and obesity.

Adenotonsillectomy (A&T) is a very common surgical procedure in children. Over the past 20 years the principal indication for A&T in children has changed from recurrent adenotonsillitis to obstructive sleep apnea. The physiopathology of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is multifactorial and obesity has been shown to be one of the main factors correlated with its occurrence. On the other hand, the prevalence and severity of childhood obesity have become a veritable epidemic problem in the past 30 years. So the increasing prevalence of obesity in children and high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in obese children implies that an increasing number of these children will present for A&T. Due to more prevalent anatomical alterations of the oronasopharyngeal airways, it is often difficult to predict operation success in obese children. However, previous studies supports that although the risk of presence of residual symptoms of OSAS and airway-related perioperative complication in obese may be more than nonobese group, A&T is effective to reduce obstructive symptoms and improve quality of life in obese children with OSAS.