Atila Gungor

Comparison of paper-patch, fat, and perichondrium myringoplasty ın repair of small tympanic membrane perforations

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of paper-patch, fat, and perichondrium myringoplasty in the treatment of chronic tympanic membrane perforations smaller than 3 mm. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This investigation included 45 patients with chronic tympanic membrane perforations smaller than 3 mm. The patients were equally divided into 3 main groups according to surgical procedures. Each group consisted of 3 subgroups, which had 1-mm, 2-mm, and 3-mm perforations. The patients underwent paper-patch, fat, or perichondrium myringoplasty via transcanal approach under local anesthesia. Healing of perforation, hearing improvement, and complications were investigated. RESULTS: Closure rates of the perforations in the paper-patch, fat, and perichondrium myringoplasty groups were 66.7%, 86.7%, and 86.7%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in tympanic membrane closure rates between techniques with regard to size. CONCLUSION: Three techniques were found to be feasible for tympanic membrane perforations smaller than 3 mm.

Real-time PCR detection of Helicobacter pylori and virulence-associated cagA in nasal polyps and laryngeal disorders:

Objective: To identify Helicobacter pylori and major virulance factor, cagA, in patients with laryngeal diseases and nasal polyps. Study Design: Cross-sectional study with planned data collection. Setting: The study was performed on fresh tissue samples from patients with 32 nasal polyps, 29 normal nasal mucosa, and 27 laryngeal diseases presenting to the Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery department of a major military hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Subjects and Methods: Tissue specimens were evaluated by in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR for bacterial DNA and by real-time PCR for cagA. The impact of commercial and in-house DNA extraction methods was also evaluated. Results: H pylori DNA was detected only by real-time PCR in 59.4 percent of nasal polyps, 70.4 percent of nasal mucosa samples, and 58.6 percent of larynx samples. cagA was identified in 78.9, 89.5, and 82.4 percent of positive polyp, nasal mucosa, and larynx samples, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups. DNA purification methods were equally effective. Conclusion: H pylori DNA is present in nasal polyp and larynx tissues as well as normal nasal mucosa, as detected by a sensitive real-time PCR assay. cagA-positive strains dominate in all groups.

Effectiveness of transmeatal low power laser irradiation for chronic tinnitus.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate effectiveness of 5 mW laser irradiation in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, randomised, double-blind study. METHODS This investigation included 66 ears in 45 patients with chronic unilateral or bilateral tinnitus. A 5 mW laser with a wavelength of 650 nm, or placebo laser, was applied transmeatally for 15 minutes, once daily for a week. A questionnaire was administered which asked patients to score their symptoms on a five-point scale, before and two weeks after laser irradiation. A decrease of one scale point, regarding the loudness, duration and degree of annoyance of tinnitus, was accepted to represent an improvement. RESULTS The loudness, duration and degree of annoyance of tinnitus were improved, respectively, in up to 48.8, 57.7 and 55.5 per cent of the patients in the active laser group. No significant improvement was observed in the placebo laser group. CONCLUSION Transmeatal, low power (5 mW) laser irradiation was found to be useful for the treatment of chronic tinnitus.

Mastoid osteomas: report of two cases.

Objective: To discuss the differential diagnosis of two cases with mastoid mass. Study Design: Case report and review of the literature. Setting: The study was carried out in Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Patient, Intervention, and Results: Both cases were 23-year-old males. They admitted to our clinic with masses behind their left ears that had been progressively enlarging for 5 years. In both cases, coronal and axial computerized tomography scans revealed a wide-based lesion involving temporal bone cortex. The cases were operated on for diagnosis and for correction of the cosmetic deformity. Histopathological examinations were consistent with mixed and spongiotic osteoma. Conclusions: Mastoid osteoma is a rare, benign tumor of bone. It may cause cosmetic deformity such as external mass or an auricular protrusion. Other neoplasms of the mastoid region, such as osteosarcoma and osteoblastic metastasis, should be considered for the differential diagnosis.

Effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in management of sudden hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the management of sudden hearing loss. STUDY DESIGN Patients with sudden hearing loss were divided into study and control groups. The 36 patients in the study group were treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy in addition to standard medical therapy, whereas the 21 patients in the control group were treated with only standard medical therapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Both groups were treated with standard therapy, comprising prednisolone starting at a dose of 1 mg/kg and reducing over three weeks. Patients in the study group received hyperbaric oxygen therapy in addition to standard drug therapy. RESULTS Success rates were 78.95 per cent in the study group and 71.30 per cent in the control group. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Considering the cost of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and its inconvenience to patients, this treatment should only be considered in patients suffering sudden hearing loss if there are contraindications to standard medical treatment.

Histologic analysis of the effects of three different support materials within rat middle ear

Objective: To investigate histologic changes in the mucosa of rat middle ear after implantation of three different support materials. Study Design: A prospective, controlled animal study. Subjects and Methods: Three types of absorbable materials were implanted into the middle ear cavity of rats: (1) Gelfoam (purified gelatin) (Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, New York, NY), (2) Sepragel (viscoelastic gel composed of cross-linked polymers of hyaluronan) (GENZYME Corp, Ridgefield, NJ), and (3) Nasopore (a biodegradable/fragmentable, synthetic polyurethane foam) (Polyganics, Groningen, The Netherlands). Rats were sacrificed after 3 and 20 days to ascertain early and late histologic changes. The bulla of each rat was excised and prepared for microscopic examination. The histologic changes were evaluated by observation of the middle ear cavity and mucosa in terms of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL), macrophages, giant cells, fibroblasts and other cells, fibrosis, and remnant materials. Results: The histologic appearance of gelfoam-treated middle ears was characterized by more severe acute inflammation in the short-term and prominent fibrosis in the long-term in comparison with sepragel- and nasopore-treated groups. Nasopore appeared to be prone to remnant formation and reorganization by means of fibroblastic activity. Conclusion: Compared with gelfoam, both sepragel and nasopore caused less histologic alterations.

The Association of Oxidative Stress and Nasal Polyposis

Many diseases are linked to damage from reactive oxygen species that occurs from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, a condition called oxidative stress. Nasal polyposis is considered to be an inflammatory condition in nasal and paranasal sinus cavities and its aetiology is still unclear. There are very few data on epithelial changes in nasal polyposis and their relationship with free radical damage. Malondialdehyde as a major end-product of lipid peroxidation, and superoxide dismutase and nitric oxide as antioxidants play important roles in oxidative stress. In this study, the concentrations of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and nitric oxide were compared in normal and nasal polyposis-affected tissue samples. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher, and superoxide dismutase and nitric oxide levels were significantly lower in patients with nasal polyposis compared with the control group. This study demonstrates that there is a strong relationship between oxidative stress and the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis.

Human papilloma virus prevalence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence and type of human papilloma virus deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS We analysed the prevalence of human papilloma virus infection in archived paraffin block specimens taken from 99 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma between 1990 and 2005, using polymerase chain reaction techniques. Biopsy specimens from five proven verrucous skin lesions were used as positive controls, and peripheral blood samples from five healthy volunteers were used as negative controls. RESULTS Four test samples were found to have inadequate deoxyribonucleic acid purity and were therefore excluded from the study. Human papilloma virus deoxyribonucleic acid was detected in seven of 95 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (7.36 per cent). Human papilloma virus genotyping revealed double human papilloma virus infection in three cases and single human papilloma virus infection in the remaining four cases. The human papilloma virus genotypes detected were 6, 11 and 16 (the latter detected in only one case). CONCLUSION In our series, a very low human papilloma virus prevalence was found among laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cases. The human papilloma virus genotypes detected were mostly 6 and/or 11, and 16 in only one case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of human papilloma virus prevalence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, based on polymerase chain reaction genotyping in a Turkish population.

Effects of topical application of mitomycin-C and 5-fluorouracil on myringotomy in rats.

OBJECTIVE The effects of topical application of Mitomycin-C (MMC) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for maintaining myringotomy patency were investigated in this experimental study. STUDY DESIGN We performed simple myringotomy with a knife on 140 tympanic membranes of 70 rats. Rats were divided in two study groups and a control group. Each study group had 60 tympanic membranes, and the control group had 20. We applied Mitomycin-C (0.4 mg/ml) in Group A, 5-fluorouracil (50 mg/ml) in Group B topically, and sterile saline in the control group for 10 minutes. Examination was made with otoendoscope on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70, and patency rates were recorded. RESULTS MMC and 5-FU Groups remained open for a mean of 46.17 days and 14.62 days, respectively. The control ears healed within 10.4 days. Fibrosis of the MMC-treated group was the same as that of 5-FU-treated groups. Fibrosis of both study groups was significantly lower than that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS MMC is more effective than 5-FU, which is more effective than the simple myringotomy procedure in extending the patency of myringotomies in rat tympanic membranes (p < 0.05). Both medications are useful as an adjunct in preventing myringotomy closure.

Effects of halofuginone on fibrosis formation secondary to experimentally induced subglottic trauma.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the antifibrotic effect of systemically applied halofuginone after subglottic injury.