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Realizations of fully implantable cochlear implants (FICIs) for providing adequate solution to esthetic concerns and frequent battery replacement have lacked of addressing system level criteria as a complete device. Here, we present a full-custom FICI that considers design of both an implantable sensor for wide range sound sensing and a signal conditioning circuit for electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve. The microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based acoustic sensor utilizes multiple cantilever beam structures to sense and filter the mechanical vibrations on the ossicular chain. The area optimized bilayer design of the piezoelectric sensor met with the volume limitation in the middle ear while achieving high signal-to-noise-ratio. The sensor outputs are processed by a current mode low-power signal conditioning circuit that stimulates the auditory neurons through intracochlear electrodes. The FICI is validated with an in vivo model where the electrical auditory brainstem response (eABR) of the animal was observed while applying sound excitation. The eABR results demonstrate that the system is able to evoke responses in the auditory nerves of a guinea pig for sound range of 45-100 dB SPL within the selected frequency bands., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The study aims to evaluate the usage of gold weight implants and monitor complaints and comfort of patients., Methods: A hundred and ninety-one implantations performed between January 2009 and January 2019 were analyzed. Seventy-eight patients included in this study The average age of the patients was 51.3 ± 14.5 years. Forty-five (57.7%) of them were male and 33 (42.3%) female. Patient satisfaction was measured with a questionnaire containing the most common complaints related to gold weight in the literature through telephone surveys., Results: The average follow-up time was 74.5 months. Ninety-three-point-five percent of subjects had operational causes, among which the most widespread was acoustic neuroma (44.9%). The average time between facial paralysis and implantation was 141.1 days. Implantation was performed 26.6 days on average after acoustic neuroma surgery and 3.2 days on average after temporal zone malignancy surgery. Thirty-eight patients had their implants removed over either complication (n = 14) or recovery (n = 24). Recovery was the fastest after facial nerve decompression (mean= 4.75 ± 3.6 (2-10) months) and the slowest after 7-12 cranial nerve transfer (mean= 18.3 ± 8.2 (3-31) months). Twenty-six-point-nine percent (n = 21) of patients had complications, of which the most common was extrusion (n = 10). The overall satisfaction rate was 88.5% with the highest in visual acuity and the lowest in continuous requirement for artificial tear., Discussion: The gold weight implantation is an effective, reversible, and easy procedure significantly reducing complaints regarding paralytic lagophthalmos. Early implementation may be beneficial for ocular complications. A dynamic facial reanimation could terminate need of implant.

The relationship between objective vestibular tests and subjective vestibular tests is a controversial topic. In this study, to contribute to this issue, the vestibulo-ocular reflex features and their relationship with balance perception at long-term follow-up in vestibular neurectomy (VN) and total labyrentectomy patients were evaluated. Prospectively, 19 VN and 18 labyrinthectomy patients were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent video head impulse test (VHIT) as objective vestibular test and dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) as subjective vestibular test when they attended to their control visit follow-up between March and September 2017. Lateral canal corrective saccades were classified as organized pattern and deorganized (scattered) pattern. In our results, the saccade pattern analysis (between organized and deorganized saccades) regarding the DHI scores gave P value as .039 for covert saccade pattern and .050 for overt saccade pattern. Therefore, we conclude that the presence of saccades, their patterns, and amplitudes provide extra information at assessing the results of the VHIT test, and the organized pattern of saccades is related to a stable vestibular system and better balance perception.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term balance outcomes of vestibular nerve section (VNS) and labyrinthectomy (L) operations. The indirect outcomes will be the correlation of objective and subjective test results and an analysis of anterior-posterior versus medial-lateral computerized posturography (CP) scores., Methods: This retrospective study evaluated objective CP and subjective Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) results of patients who underwent VNS and L surgeries for Ménière's disease., Results: A total of 55 (31 VNS and 24 L) patients were included in the study. The two operation groups were similar in terms of age, and mean time between surgery and the tests (p=0.465 and p=0.616) respectively. The vestibular and global scores at anterior-posterior CP showed statistically significant differences between the groups (p=0.000 and p=0.007) respectively in favor of the VNS group. In addition, the comparison of the vestibular CP scores of anterior-posterior and medial-lateral evaluations of the entire study population was lower in the medial-lateral evaluation (p=0.000). The mean DHI scores did not show statistically significant differences (p=0.359) between operation groups, nor did the correlation analysis between CP and DHI scores reveal statistical significance (p values >0.05)., Conclusion: In the long term, objective balance outcomes are better for VNS patients than for L patients. Additionally, medial-lateral balance outcomes are more affected than anterior-posterior balance outcomes from unilateral ablative surgeries. Subjective balance perception is not different between the two surgery groups, and DHI scores do not show a correlation with CP scores., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (©Copyright 2021 by Official Journal of the Turkish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery.)

Background/aim: To compare outcomes of canal wall up (CWU) and canal wall down (CWD) techniques in the treatment of middle ear cholesteatoma., Materials and Methods: Medical records of 76 patients who had a primary surgery due to middle ear cholesteatoma between July 2015 and November 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. Hearing thresholds, speech discrimination scores (SDS), recurrences, and revision surgeries of CWU and CWD surgeries were compared., Results: Of 76 cholesteatoma cases, 40 (52.6%) had a CWU and 36 (47.4%) had a CWD operation. Postoperatively, the mean air conduction thresholds were significantly better in CWU compared to CWD surgeries (P = 0.016). The presence of the stapes and the type of reconstruction material used did not have a significant effect on auditory success rates (P = 0.342 and P = 0.905, respectively). Auditory success was affected by the status of the middle ear mucosa as well. The recurrence and revision rates did not differ between the surgical techniques (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Status of the middle ear mucosa and external auditory canal are important factors affecting the outcomes in cholesteatoma. Instead of a CWD surgery, a CWU surgery seems applicable in cases of cholesteatoma when the bone in the external auditory canal is not eroded by the disease., Competing Interests: none declared, (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

Objective: This study investigated effects of S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), diallyl disulfide (DADS), and vitamin B 12 on inner ear functions and morphology after long-period high-level broadband noise exposure., Materials and Methods: Twenty-four healthy rats were randomly divided into four groups. First group was chosen as the control group. Vitamin B 12 , SAMC, and DADS were applied to other groups for 4 weeks. On the 14th day, each group was exposed to broadband noise. Auditory brainstem response test was performed before and immediately after noise exposure and repeated on the 2nd and 14th day., Results: Permanent threshold shifts were significantly lower in groups treated with vitamin B 12 , SAMC, and DADS. Histologically, cochleae of SAMC and DADS groups were found to be better preserved than the cochleae of vitamin B 12 and control groups., Conclusion: Physiologically and histologically, SAMC and DADS reduced the long-term effects of noise. However, physiological recovery was not consistent with the morphological findings in vitamin B 12 group., Competing Interests: None

Introduction: Temporal bone paragangliomas (TBPs) are benign tumors arising from neural crest cells located along the jugular bulbus and the tympanic plexus. In general surgical excision, radiotherapy and wait-and-scan protocols are the main management modalities for TBPs., Objective: In this paper we aim to present our clinical experience with TBPs and to review literature data., Methods: The patients who were operated for tympanomastoid paraganglioma (TMP) or tympanojugular paraganglioma (TJP) in our clinic in the last 15 years were enrolled in the study. A detailed patient's charts review was performed retrospectively., Results: There were 18 (52.9%) cases with TMPs and 16 (47.1%) cases with TJPs, a total of 34 patients operated for TBPs in this time period. The mean age was 50.3± 11.7 (range 25-71 years). The most common presenting symptoms were tinnitus and hearing loss for both TMPs and TJPs. Gross total tumor resection was achieved in 17 (94.4%) and 10 (62.5%) cases for TMPs and TJPs, respectively. Five patients (31.2%) with TJP experienced facial palsy following the operation. For all the patients the mean follow-up period was 25.8 months (range 4-108 months)., Conclusion: In conclusion, based on our findings and literature review, total surgical excision alone or with preoperative embolization is the main treatment modality for TBPs. However radiotherapy, observation protocol and subtotal resection must be considered in cases of preoperative functioning cranial nerves, large tumors and advanced age., (Copyright © 2016 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The aim of this study is to assess the effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) severity on leptin levels in children., Patients and Methods: Children with habitual snoring underwent overnight polysomnography. Fasting venous blood samples were obtained between 8 AM and 9 AM, following the night of the sleep study. Children with an apnea-hypopnea index of ≥ 5/h were included in the moderate-to-severe OSAS group while those with an apnea-hypopnea index of < 5/h formed the mild OSAS/primary snoring group., Result: 47 children (51% male and 49% female; mean age 7.8 ± 2.6 years) were recruited. Twenty seven participants were diagnosed with moderate-to-severe OSAS, and twenty children who had AHI < 5 were included in the mild OSAS/primary snoring. The two groups did not differ regarding age, gender and body mass index z score (p> 0.05). Furthermore there were no differences in log serum leptin levels (p= 0.749). Log serum leptin levels correlated with the BMI z score in the whole study group (p= 0.001; r= 0.499) but they were not associated with apnea-hypopnea index, mean and lowest oxygen saturation during sleep., Conclusions: Serum leptin levels are affected by adiposity but not by OSAS severity among children with habitual snoring.

Objective: To compare the histopathological effects of fibrin glue (FbGl) and cyanoacrylate (CyAc) on the maxillary sinus mucosa., Methods: Twenty rabbits were divided into two groups of 10, and surgical defects were created in the maxillary sinuses. The right maxillary sinus was treated with FbGl in one group and with CyAc in the other group. As a control, the left maxillary sinuses of all rabbits were treated with sterile saline solution. One rabbit treated with CyAc died during the study and was excluded. On postoperative day 21, all animals were sacrificed. Maxillary sinus mucosa samples were studied to determine the extent of inflammation and fibrosis, foreign body reaction, cilia loss, increased osteogenesis in bony structures under the mucosa, and loss of serous glands., Results: The FbGl group differed significantly from the CyAc and control groups in terms of a high degree of inflammation (p<0.001), fibrosis (p<0.001), foreign body reaction (p<0.001), cilia loss (p<0.001), and serous gland loss (p<0.001). In terms of osteogenesis, there were no significant differences between the FbGl and CyAc groups (p=0.650), while there was a significant (p=0.002) difference between these two groups and the control group., Conclusion: Histopathologically, CyAc had fewer side effects than FbGl. Further clinical studies are needed to demonstrate the validity of these results in humans., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the histopathological changes secondary to the administration of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® (ABS) into the auricular cartilage., Materials and Methods: Both of the auricular cartilages of thirty New Zealand rabbits were marked with tattoo ink. A 0.2-cc ABS (study group, n: 30) and 0.2 cc physiological saline (control group, n: 30) were subcutaneously infused into the right auricle and left auricle, respectively. All layers were removed at 14 days., Results: The ABS group had significantly higher level of fibrosis, necrosis, foreign body reaction, inflammation, and cartilage degeneration, compared to the controls., Conclusion: Our study results showed that ABS administration into a closed cavity led to a significantly increased fibrosis and necrosis in the auricular cartilage.

An outbreak of tularemia occurred in three provinces in Turkey in February 2004 and reemerged in the same provinces in February 2005. A total of 61 cases, 54 of which were confirmed with the micro-agglutination test, were diagnosed with oropharyngeal tularemia. No culture for Francisella tularensis was attempted, but PCR for F. tularensis was positive in aspiration material of suppurated lymphadenitis of 7 patients. F. tularensis detection with PCR was negative in water samples, but epidemiologic and environmental findings suggested that contaminated water or food was the cause of the outbreaks. Late initiation antibiotic therapy could not prevent suppuration and draining of the involved lymph nodes.

This case report presents three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) findings in the diagnosis of Eagle's syndrome that is characterized with an elongated styloid process or a calcified stylohyoid ligament causing craniofacial or cervical pain. We have performed 3D-CT in three patients suspected to have this condition. Coronal images were taken in two patients and axial images in one patient with a spiral CT scanner. 3D-CT images were then produced. The length of the styloid process in the case suspected of right elongated styloid process was 45.6 mm (left styloid process, 37 mm). In the second case suspected of left elongated styloid process, the length of the left styloid process was 41.1 mm (right styloid process, 40.2 mm). In the last case suspected of right elongated styloid process, the length of the right styloid process was 40.6 mm (left styloid process, 38.9 mm). 3D-CT is a valuable diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of Eagle's syndrome because of its ability to facilitate accurate measurement of the length of the styloid process.