Orhan Ozturan

Effects of the Electromagnetic Field of Mobile Telephones on Hearing

The widespread use of mobile telephones has given rise to concern about the potential influences of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on human health. Anatomically, the ear is in close proximity to the mobile telephone during use. Hearing loss due to mobile telephone use has not been described in the medical literature; however, if there is a subtle cochlear involvement, it might be detected by means of changes in evoked otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). Thirty volunteers with normal hearing were exposed to mobile telephone EMFs for 10 min and evoked OAEs were measured before and after exposure. No measurable change in evoked OAEs was detected and none of the subjects reported a deterioration in hearing level. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the effects of EMFs emitted by mobile telephones on hearing. It was concluded that a 10-min exposure to the EMF emitted from a mobile telephone had no effect on hearing, at least at outer ear, middle ear and cochlear levels.

Anthropometric growth study of normal human auricle

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to reveal the anthropometric growth of auricula from birth to the age of 18 years and to bring out the dynamics of ear growth. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 1552 children in 50 groups were evaluated. Six surface measurements were performed directly on the right auricle of the subjects: the length from the superaurale to subaurale, the width from the tragus to helix, the width from the tragus to antihelix, the conchal depth, the height from the helix to mastoid at superauraler level, and the height from the helix to mastoid at tragal level. The frequency of prominent ear deformity and the degree of attachment of the lobule were also noted. RESULTS Vertical auricular growth was complete in girls at the age of 11 and in boys at the age of 12, whereas the auricular width from the tragus to helix, the height from the helix to mastoid at superauraler level and the height from the helix to mastoid at tragal level were found almost complete at the age of 6. The auricular width from the tragus to antihelix attained its full size at 6 months for girls and 12 months for boys. The conchal depth was found almost complete at the age of 5 in both sexes. The incidence of prominent ear deformity and attached lobule was 9.8 and 26.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Different ear growth pattern and maturation size from previously published reports are obtained in different populations. There is still need for future studies comparing populations with different social and ethnic background to interpret common knowledge about the size of the ear. This study gives dimensional information and the growth pattern of the auricle, and therefore may reveal important implications for the adequate timing of the surgical treatment of auricular deformity.

Internal nasal valve: revisited with objective facts.

OBJECTIVES: Comprehensive examination of the internal nasal valve (INV) using objective methods. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: In this prospective study, 248 nasal cavities were examined by nasal endoscopy, acoustic rhinometry (ARM), and rhinomanometry (RMM). RESULTS: Endoscopic examination allowed to suggest a novel classification of INV: convex, concave, sharp angle, blunt angle, twisted caudal border, and angle occupied by the septal body. The INV angle occupied with septal body type was found to have increased nasal resistances compared with the sharp-angled internal nasal valve type (P < 0.05). Convex, concave, and sharp-angle types of INV angles were found different (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: INV should be examined objectively before any INV surgery. A novel description of the INV configurations and their effects on nasal respiration found in this study may increase our understanding and lead surgical approaches more adequately. A surgical attempt to augment INV angle value may impact positively on nasal resistance. EBM rating: C-4

Effects of chronic exposure of electromagnetic fields from mobile phones on hearing in rats

OBJECTIVE Little attention has been paid to the effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) of mobile phones on hearing. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to EMF emitting from mobile phones on the inner ear of adult and developing rats using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). METHODS EMF of mobile phones exposure was scheduled according to a sham-exposure controlled experimental design. Every day seven of 14 adult and four newborn rats were exposed to 1-h mobile phone EMF for 30 days, while the other seven adult rats were assigned to control group. DPOAEs were measured in both groups before and after the chronic exposure to EMF. The newborn rats were tested following similar exposure beginning on the 2nd day after birth. RESULTS No measurable EMF associated changes in DPOAEs either in adult or developing rat inner ears were determined (P>0.05). CONCLUSION It was concluded that chronic exposure of EMF, as long as 30 days 1 h per day, emitting from a mobile phone did not cause any hearing deterioration in adult and developing rats, at least at outer and middle ear and cochlear levels.

Bacteriology of chronic maxillary sinusitis and normal maxillary sinuses: using culture and multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

Background Although many investigations have been performed on bacteriology of chronic sinusitis and normal sinuses, there still is much discussion. Also a new bacterial agent, Alloiococcus otitidis determined in the nasopharynx and middle ear specimens can be thought as a causative agent of sinusitis. Methods The bacteriology of chronic maxillary sinusitis and maxillary sinuses with normal radiogram and endoscopic findings were studied by culture methods for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate four bacteria in study and control groups. There were 27 specimens in the study group and 28 specimens in the control group. Results In the study group, the bacteria commonly isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (11.1%), α-hemolytic streptococci (11.1%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (11.1%), Haemophilus influenzae (7.4%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (7.4%), and anaerobes (33.3%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci (14.3%), α-hemolytic streptococci (10.7%), and anaerobes (35.7%) were isolated also in the control group. PCR was used to investigate S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and A. otitidis in the study and control groups. None of these bacteria was determined in the control group whereas detection rates of these bacteria in the study group were 11.1, 11.1, 3.7, and 7.4%, respectively. It should be considered that PCR yielded faint amplification band for A. otitidis. Conclusion Using multiplex PCR can help to increase detection rates of bacterial etiology. Healthy sinuses are not sterile. A. otitidis may be one of the pathogens causing sinusitis.

The effect of hemodialysis on hearing using pure-tone audiometry and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions

Patients under treatment of hemodialysis (HD) frequently exhibit some degree of sensorineural hearing loss. Fifteen subjects and 10 controls were tested by using pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) before and after a HD treatment. Other parameters (blood pressure, body weight, blood chemistries) were also evaluated before and after HD: The purpose of this study was to determine the acute effect of HD on hearing level by measuring PTA and DPOAE before and after one HD session. The results from PTA and DPOAE testings showed that hearing was unaffected by HD. However, all 15 subjects revealed significantly poorer hearing, especially in the higher frequencies, compared to that of the controls (p < 0.0001). It was concluded then that HD is a safe treatment, and that the sensorineural hearing loss in these patients may be attributed to the preexisting renal disease.

Cervical subcutaneous emphysema : an unusual complication of adenotonsillectomy

Removal of the tonsils and adenoid tissue because of recurrent infection and/or respiratory obstruction is one of the most commonly performed operations. A rare complication during this intervention is subcutaneous surgical emphysema. The awareness of anaesthesiologists and otolaryngological surgeons will protect the patient from serious consequences. We report our experience with this complication and provide a review of the literature.

Monitoring of Cisplatin Ototoxicity by Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emissions

Cisplatin is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. However, ototoxicity, in particular, damage to the outer hair cells of the cochlea, is one of its major side effects. Otoacoustic emissions are acoustical signals that originate from the contractile activity of the outer hair cells. They are transmitted from the cochlea to the external ear canal via the middle ear apparatus. Testing is quick, painless, objective, and non-invasive. Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are one of the evoked types of otoacoustic emissions. They are quite sensitive to any insult to the outer hair cells, even before damage is manifested in pure tone audiometry (PTA). A patient, who was on cisplatin chemotherapy due to prostate cancer, was monitored periodically for ototoxicity using DPOAEs and PTA. DPOAEs were found to detect ototoxicity one course of chemotherapy earlier than PTA during cisplatin chemotherapy. The clinical application and sensitivity of DPOAEs in monitoring ototoxicity were discussed.

Histopathologic Examination for Helicobacter pylori as a Possible Etiopathogenic Factor in Laryngeal Carcinoma

Objective: We investigated the presence of Helicobacter pylori in laryngeal cancer specimens to reveal whether or not this is a risk factor in the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Methods: Sixty-nine total laryngectomy specimens with the pathologic diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma and 30 laryngeal tissue samples that had been taken for the investigation of nonneoplastic (polyp, nodule) diseases were studied. Specimens of both tumor and control groups were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and modified Giemsa stains, and then they were examined under a light microscope. Results: In both groups, H. pylori could not be found in any of the cases. Conclusion: The histologic examination of our series did not reveal any clue related to the possible etiologic association between H. pylori and squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

Follow-up of 366 ears after tympanostomy tube insertion: why is it draining?

OBJECTIVE Tympanostomy tube insertion is one of the most frequently performed procedures in otolaryngology. Complications, such as otorrhea, tympanosclerosis, and cholesteatoma, have been reported in the literature after its application. STUDY DESIGN This study reports the complications encountered with 239 children (439 ears) with a follow-up of 7 to 73 months (median, 29 months) after tympanostomy tube insertion. Hearing results and middle ear pressures were compared and complications were noted in 366 ears that were available for the study. RESULTS Otorrhea developed in 3 (0.8%) cases. Tympanosclerosis was seen in 74 (20.2%) cases. Tympanic membrane perforation, retraction pocket, granulation tissue, and atelectasis were seen in 4.6%, 5.2%, 1.1%, and 6%, respectively. No patients developed cholesteatoma after tube insertion. Hearing results were improved postoperatively in 93.4% of patients (median, 14.2 dB) and worse in 6.6% of patients (median, 8.3 dB). The average extrusion time was 7.3 months for grommet and 16.3 months for T-tubes. CONCLUSION Multifactor etiologies show some unsolved or misunderstood underlying pathology, or unmentioned environmental factor such as atopy due to rich flora and humidity might exist to consider in the pathophysiology of the otorrhea.