In this study, we aimed to examine the topical anatomic landmarks of the facial nerve (facial nerve areas) and their application in cases of extratemporal facial nerve injury in maxillofacial trauma. We analyzed 25 maxillofacial trauma patients with facial paralysis who underwent facial nerve reanimation surgery at the Ho Chi Minh City National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology. The characteristics of each trauma case, including the mechanism of injury, the length of the facial injury, and the location/position of injury, were recorded. The association of the injured nerves with the trauma characteristics and the external landmarks of the facial danger zones was analyzed. The buccal branches had the highest rate of paralysis (22/25 cases), followed by zygomatic branches (15/25), frontal branches (11/25), marginal branches (6/25), and the main trunk (1/25). There were four areas related to the external facial nerve landmarks (facial nerve areas) that helped us find the affected nerves: wounds in Area 1 resulted in frontal branch paralysis in five out of eight cases (62.5%); wounds in Area 2 resulted in zygomatic branch paralysis in 8/13 cases (61.5%) and buccal branch paralysis in 12/12 cases (100%); wounds in Area 3 resulted in marginal branch paralysis in 5/10 cases (50%); and wounds in Area 4 alone resulted in main trunk paralysis in one out of four cases or at least two main branches in three out of four cases. Extratemporal facial paralysis after facial trauma can be complex and highly variable, leading to difficulty in finding and repairing facial nerves. Thorough clinical examination and evaluation of trauma characteristics can aid in the identification of facial paralysis and repair. Mapping facial wounds using the four anatomic surface landmarks (Areas 1-4 as outlined in this research) helped us anticipate which branches might be traumatized and estimate the position of the distal and proximal endings to repair the nerves in all cases.

Introduction: Non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) in children, which has numerous causes, can impede or even postpone the acquisition of spoken language. In Viet Nam, screening programs and genetic testing for NSHL are rarely applied. In this study, 31 pediatric patients had their medical histories collected alongside sequencing results for the GJB2 and TECTA genes to determine the prevalence of these mutations in the community and their associations with potential risk factors. Methods: Information and blood samples were collected from 31 severe-to-profound pediatric NSHL patients. DNA was extracted, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and directly sequenced for the detection of GJB2 (connexin 26) and TECTA mutations. Results: No TECTA gene mutations were detected. GJB2 mutations were identified in eight patients (25.8%), with three (9.7%) cases of heterozygous c.109G>A (V37I), four (12.9%) cases of homozygous c.109G>A (V37I), and one (3.2%) case of heterozygous c.299-300delAT. There were no significant associations between having mutated GJB2 genes and living in urban areas, having a family history of prelingual deafness, or having an abnormal obstetric history (p > 0.05, Fisher's exact tests). Conclusion: Our study addresses the high prevalence of GJB2 mutations as causative factors in hearing loss in diagnosed patients at the Otorhino-laryngology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Further studies are required to obtain a better understanding of the genetic spectrum of NSHL and to articulate its relationship with various risk factors.

Investigation of the anterior and posterior ethmoidal arteries on computed tomography (CT) scans of the sinuses before and during surgery is important, especially for inexperienced surgeons. The aim of this study was to examine the anatomical characteristics of the posterior ethmoid artery in Vietnamese and the distance from the posterior ethmoid artery to the anterior ethmoid artery and the skull base on CT scan. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving patients aged ≥18 years who underwent CT scan imaging at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City from February 2023 to July 2023. There were 100 patients in this study, of whom 51% (51/100) were female and 49% (49/100) were male. Patient ages ranged from 20 to 84 years. Their average age was 40.92±14.65 years. The distance on CT scan between the posterior and anterior ethmoidal arteries was 13.98±1.95 mm (9.3 to 18.6 mm). This distance in males was significantly higher than female (p=0.001). However, there is no difference in this distance between the left and right side (p=0.67). The distance between the posterior ethmoid artery and skull base ranged from 0 to 5.4 mm. The average distance between the posterior ethmoidal artery and skull base on CT scan was 0.95±0.94 mm. The diameter of the posterior ethmoid artery was 0.57-0.91 mm. The average diameter of the posterior ethmoidal artery on CT scan was 0.76±0.09 mm. The characteristics of the posterior ethmoid artery should be considered when examining the CT scan. Distance from the posterior ethmoid This study provides useful information on the characteristics of the posterior ethmoid artery on CT scans, which can be applied in endoscopic sinus surgery and skull base surgery.