Ataman Güneri

The effects of Hyaluronic acid, epidermal growth factor, and mitomycin in an experimental model of acute traumatic tympanic membrane perforation

Hypothesis The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of hyaluronic acid, epidermal growth factor, and mitomycin C on the healing of acute experimental traumatic perforations of the tympanic membrane. Background Most acute perforations of the tympanic membrane heal spontaneously. However, some form of surgical treatment (i.e., myringoplasty) is needed for nonhealing perforations. Because the closure occurs by squamous epithelial migration, drugs that stimulate this regenerative process may aid in the closure of the perforation, obviating the need for more extensive treatments. Methods Bilateral perforations of the tympanic membrane were created in 30 rats, divided into three groups (A, B, C). The perforations in the right ears were treated with hyaluronic acid, epidermal growth factor, or mitomycin C. Those in the left ears were left untreated for comparison. To examine the healing process in different periods, 5 animals were killed in each group at days 3, 5, 7, 9 and 14. The other 5 animals in each group were observed daily to determine the duration of perforation closures. Thirty surgical specimens (5 right sides from each group and all 15 left sides in all groups) were histopathologically examined for tympanic membrane thickness, fibroblastic reaction, neovascularization, and crust morphology. Results Hyaluronic acid and epidermal growth factor applications significantly shortened the healing in acute experimental traumatic perforations of the tympanic membrane (p = 0.0432); however, the difference between them was not significant (p = 0.3160). On the other side, tympanic membrane perforations treated with topical mitomycin C showed no evidence of closure. There were no significant differences in the histologic parameters between the treated groups and their contralateral control ears. Conclusion Hyaluronic acid and epidermal growth factor accelerated the closure of acute tympanic membrane perforations in rats. This may make them clinically useful in augmenting the efficiency of conservative treatments of acute perforations of the tympanic membrane.

High-Resolution Computed Tomographic Evaluation of the Cochlear Capsule in Otosclerosis: Relationship between Densitometry and Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Otosclerotic cochlear involvement is a rather frequent disease that has not been clearly understood in terms of diagnosis and management. Objective evaluation methods are needed to confirm the clinical diagnosis, investigate the relationship with hearing impairment, and validate the results of treatment In this study two ear groups with bone conduction hearing loss (BCHL) were investigated with audiometry and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). In the first group (n = 22) the diagnosis of fenestral otosclerosis was confirmed at operation; the second group (n = 9) was composed of ears clinically suspicious for purely cochlear involvement. Additionally, a control group (n = 14) of otologically normal ears was also studied. Foci of demineralization were demonstrated in 58% of the ears in the two groups; the sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in those ears was significantly worse than in those with normal radiologic findings. Three methods of HRCT densitometry were used to determine the abnormal regions in the cochlear capsule; the results suggested that hypodense regions were consistent with a greater degree of SNHL, in contrast to the hyperdense ones in ears with better cochlear reserves. Agreement was found between the location of the density change and the frequency topography of the SNHL; densitometric values were correlated with the bone conduction thresholds for certain frequencies. It is concluded that the spongiotic foci are responsible for the SNHL, since there was a correlation between their location and the SNHL frequency. The determination of better hearing in those ears with sclerotic foci supports the hypothesis that the sclerotic phase may not be a healing process following the spongiotic phase, and that it can be the first stage of the disease.

Assessment of cervical lymph node metastasis with different imaging methods in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE To determine the predictive value of different imaging methods,-computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography (US), and single-photon emission tomography (SPECT),-for cervical node metastasis. DESIGN Prospective clinical trial. SETTING An academic otolaryngology department. METHODS Twenty-three consecutive patients with head and neck malignancy were prospectively evaluated for the presence of cervical lymphadenopathy. All patients underwent clinical, CT, MRI, US, and SPECT examinations. Neck dissection was performed for 31 neck sides, and the results of the preoperative evaluation were confirmed by the surgical and histopathologic findings. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were calculated for each method and a comparison of the methods was done. RESULTS The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of CT, MRI, US, and SPECT were 77.7%, 85.7%, 91.3%, 66.6%, and 80.4%; 59.2%, 92.8%, 94.1%, 54.1%, and 70.7%; 81.4%, 64.2%, 81.4%, 64.2%, and 75.6%; 55.5%, 92.8%, 93.7%, 52.0%, and 68.2%, respectively. Both CT and US were found to be superior to clinical examination. There was no statistically significant difference between US and CT. US was found to be superior to MRI and SPECT in detecting cervical node metastasis. CT was also superior to SPECT. CONCLUSION Our data show that, despite high specificity rates, especially with SPECT, none of the currently available imaging methods are reliable in evaluating the occult regional metastasis because the negative predictive values of all of these methods are rather low.

TEOAE monitoring of Cisplatin induced ototoxicity in guinea pigs: the protective effect of vitamin B treatment

OBJECTIVE To evaluate Cisplatin (CP) induced ototoxicity and the effects of vitamin B treatment on ototoxicity in guinea pigs by using the Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emission (TEOAE) technique. METHODS Eleven guinea pigs were divided into two groups and they were tested by TEOAE before and after the experiment. A TEOAE response was regarded as positive when all of the following criteria were met: 1. The mean amplitude of the cochlear response in dB pe SPL should be greater than that of the noise in the external auditory canal; 2. The reproducibility rate of the response should be greater than 50%; 3. The stimulus stability rate should be greater than 65%; 4. The signal to noise ratio of the response in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 kHz band frequencies should be greater than 3 dB pe SPL in at least two bands. The first group included five animals that had only CP injections. Six animals in the second group received additional 0.2 ml/kg combined vitamin B preparations for 7 consecutive days. Thereafter, the right and left ears of all animals in both groups were tested by TEOAE. RESULTS TEOAE responses recorded from 22 ears of 11 guinea pigs before drug administrations showed that the responses with maximum amplitude were originated from the mid-frequency region. Positive TEOAE responses were significantly reduced after CP administrations in both groups when compared with their respective pretreatment results (P<0.01). However, vitamin B injections, in addition to a single large dose of CP, resulted in significantly better TEOAE responses than those obtained after only CP injections (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The routine use of TEOAE monitoring is recommended in clinical CP treatment protocols for the early detection and follow up of ototoxicity. Also, prospective clinical trials are needed in order to validate the protective effects of vitamin B treatment against ototoxicity.

Cystic schwannoma of the maxillary sinus

OBJECTIVE Although 25-45% of all schwannomas are reported to occur in the head and neck region, nasal cavity and paranasal sinus involvement is rare, with 32 such cases described till 1999. Of these cases, only three were cystic. Herein we present a cystic schwannoma of the maxillary sinus of a 66-year-old, otherwise healthy male patient. METHODS The tumor tissue was routinely processed, embedded in paraffin, and stained with H&E. Immunostaining was performed for S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and cytokeratin. RESULTS A mass with sudden enlargement, inhomogeneous enhancement with cystic areas, S-100 positive membrane-like structures lining the cystic cavity of an otherwise classical schwannoma were the main features encountered in our case. CONCLUSION We recommend that cystic schwannoma should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of cystic masses of the maxilla.

Further hearing loss during osteoporosis treatment with etidronate.

Ototoxicity is a rare and disabling complication in bisphosphonate therapy. Here we describe two patients who encountered further hearing loss during oral etidronate treatment for osteoporosis.

Prostatic carcinoma presenting with painless parotid mass

Metastasis of prostate cancer to the parotid gland is exceedingly rare, with only 4 cases reported in the literature. We present the case of an 83-year-old white man who had a painless parotid mass that was diagnosed as metastatic prostate cancer. Immunohistochemical staining with prostate-specific antigen was positive. This is the first case of prostate cancer presenting with a painless parotid mass. Prostate cancer can be metastatic to the head and neck region, and this should be kept in mind when treating patients with this disease.

Is elective neck dissection necessary for the surgical management of T2N0 glottic carcinoma

OBJECTIVE Evaluation of neck metastasis incidence in surgically treated T2N0M0 glottic carcinoma patients and discussion the necessity of elective neck dissection in this subset of larynx carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS The patients who were staged clinically and radiologically as T2N0M0 glottic carcinoma having surgical intervention for their primary tumor and elective neck dissection between March 1996 and July 2009 with at least 2 years of follow up were included in the study. The recordings of patients were evaluated retrospectively for primary tumor location, vocal cord mobility, type of laryngectomy and neck dissection, results of histopathological examination, number of dissected lymph nodes for each specimen and for local and regional failure during the follow up. RESULTS In the 13-year study period, 24 consecutive patients with a mean age of 56.4 were treated surgically with 20 frontolateral, three vertical laryngectomies and one cricohyoido-epiglottopexy; 19 lateral and 5 functional neck dissections were performed for the necks. Histopathological examinations of the neck dissection specimens revealed an average of 32 lymph nodes (8-65) and there was no metastasis in any of these specimens. After an average 58 months of follow-up, only one patient had local failure and no patients had regional failure. CONCLUSION As occult metastasis was not detected in any of the neck dissection specimens in cT2N0M0 patients and no regional failure was experienced during the follow-up period, it was concluded that the neck could be followed up without performing elective neck dissection in the surgical management of cT2N0M0 glottic carcinoma patients.

Intramasseteric solitary fibrous tumor.

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare spindle cell neoplasm that usually arises from the pleura. SFTs occurring within the head and neck region are uncommon. Recently, it has been described in various head and neck sites such as oral cavity, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands, thyroid, buccal space, and larynx. Here, we report a case of SFT originating in the masseter muscle of a 27-year-old woman. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a SFT of the head and neck region, arising within the masseter muscle. We present the clinical history, radiologic and histopathologic findings as well as immunoreactivity of this tumor.

Cochlear implantation in neurobrucellosis.

Objective: To report the first successful cochlear implantation (CI) in neurobrucellosis. Patient: A patient with bilateral total sensorineural hearing loss and other neurologic sequela due to neurobrucellosis from a country in which the disease is epidemic was successfully rehabilitated with CI. Interventions: Clinical, laboratory, radiodiagnostics, and audiological. Main Outcome Measures: Sensorineural hearing loss due to neurobrucellosis may be the result of an injury anywhere along the auditory pathway, and candidacy for CI should be thoroughly evaluated and promontory stimulation test seems to be most helpful in this regard. Results: Cochlear implantation may be successful in patients with sensorineural hearing loss due to neurobrucellosis. Conclusion: Positive promontory stimulation test is useful for selecting patients for CI deafened by neurobrucellosis.