Objective: Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound without any external acoustic stimulation. Any pathology of auditory pathways or any system of the human body may result with tinnitus. The pathophysiology of tinnitus accompanying the disorders of auditory system is not fully understood and there is not any particular effective treatment method has been specified. Tinnitus masking therapy has been reported as an effective treatment modality in the treatment of tinnitus. In this study, the results of tinnitus masking treatment on the parameters were evaluated prospectively. Patients and methods: Patients with normal physical examination was enrolled in the study. Blood tests (complete blood count, biochemical analysis of lipid profile, and thyroid hormones), pure tone audiometry, tympanometric measurement of the middle ear pressure and stapedial reflexes were performed, Sixty six patients with normal results of blood tests and normal hearing thresholds with type A tympanogram were included. Tinnitus sufferers questionnaires (socio-demographics, clinical information, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was filled, audiological tests were performed, tinnitus parameters (frequency, intensity, minimal masking levels, residual inhibition) were measured. After four weeks of the treatment the questionnaires were repeated. Results: Masking treatment for tinnitus patients resulted with significant decrease in Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and VAS scores. After four weeks of the masking treatment the questionnaire was repeated. Twenty patients did not respond to treatment. Conclusion: Masking therapy is one of the most effective methods of treatment for tinnitus patients. Masking therapy, that is not invasive and cost-effective has an important place in the treatment of tinnitus. Especially in a short time provides a significant reduction in tinnitus parameters.
Background/Aim: The worldwide population is increasingly aging. Maxillofacial fractures of the geriatric population have been increased. Evaluation of the demographic variables, causes and the patterns of maxillofacial traumas in the elderly population is the main aim of this study. Materials and Methods: Seven hundred thirteen maxillofacial tomography images which were scanned between 2010 and 2019 were evaluated. Data from 50 patients aged 65 years old and/or older, who were treated for maxillofacial fracture at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Gaziantep University, were retrospectively analyzed. Two groups were created according to the facial fracture pattern. Facial fractures were reclassified into 2 groups; mandibula, orbital, zygomaticomaxillary complex group fractures and the other group of frontal, naso-orbito-ethmoid fractures and were used as a comparison. Results: The mean age of the patients was 72.5 (min 65- max 93). The gender distribution was 17 females (34%) and 33 males (66%). The most common fractured bone was the nasal bone and the least one is the frontal bone. Approximately one-quarter of 50 fractures were seen in 70 to 79 years old. Falling is more common in females and men are more prone to work-related accidents than home-related accidents. Conclusion: Facial fractures in the elderly often seen in midface location. Falling is the common etiology of facial fracture in all genders at elderly. However, male dominance is seen in other etiological factors. Additional diseases in the elderly seem to increase the severity of facial fracture.
Objectives: Otosclerosis is a disease involving abnormal bone turnover in the human otic capsule that results in hearing loss. Several hypotheses have been suggested for the etiopathogenesis of otosclerosis; however, its etiology remains unclear. Methods: This study evaluated the correlation between otosclerosis and levels of paraoxonase-1 (PON1), arylesterase, total antioxidant status, total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), total sulfhydryl (-SH) groups, lipid hydroperoxide, and ceruloplasmin in the serum of otosclerosis patients and healthy subjects with respect to oxidative stress. Results: In our study, TOS and OSI levels were higher in the otosclerosis patients than in the controls. The PON1 levels showed that oxidative stress was severe, and as a result, antioxidants were consumed and depleted. Discussion: When an imbalance between oxygen free radical production and antioxidative defense mechanisms occurs, reactive oxygen species levels may increase, which in turn may damage cells and tissues through the peroxidation of phospholipid membrane structures. The body initially responds with increased antioxidant production, but if the oxidative stress is severe, decreased antioxidant levels may result. This study reports expression levels of oxidative stress species in otosclerosis patients.
Objectives: Tonsillectomy is among the most frequently performed pediatric ENT procedures. Post-tonsillectomy pain and hemorrhage remain key determinants of postoperative morbidity and may differ by surgical technique. This work’s objective is to compare postoperative pain, bleeding, and operative duration across three pediatric tonsillectomy techniques: cold dissection with suturing, cold dissection with ligation, and hot dissection with bipolar cautery. Materials and Methods: In this single-center, prospective study, 150 children (n = 50 per group) undergoing tonsillectomy (with adenoidectomy) between October 2022 and October 2024 were assigned preoperatively to the following groups: Group 1—cold dissection + suturing; Group 2—cold dissection + ligation; Group 3—hot dissection (bipolar cautery). Pain was assessed with the Wong–Baker FACES scale at 1, 6, and 24 h, days 3 and 7, and with the Parents’ Postoperative Pain Measure (PPPM) at 1, 6, and 24 h. Primary bleeding was defined within 24 h; secondary bleeding was within 2 weeks. Operative time was recorded from first incision to hemostasis. Non-parametric tests and chi-square analyses were used with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: Of 150 patients, 58% were male. No primary hemorrhage occurred. Secondary hemorrhage occurred in 4/150 (2.7%): 1/50 (2%) in Group 1, 0/50 (0%) in Group 2, and 3/50 (6%) in Group 3 (overall p > 0.05). Readmission for oral-intake difficulty occurred in 4/150 (2.7%): 1/50 (2%) in Group 1 and 3/50 (6%) in Group 3 (p > 0.05). Operative time differed significantly across groups (Kruskal–Wallis p < 0.05), being longest in Group 1 and shortest in Group 3 (17.53 ± 1.26 min); Group 2 averaged 18.60 ± 0.94 min and Group 1 21.89 ± 1.64 min. Pain decreased over time in all groups (Friedman p < 0.001). Across virtually all time points, Group 2 (ligation) had significantly lower Wong–Baker and PPPM scores than Groups 1 and 3 (Dunn post-hoc, adjusted p < 0.05), while Groups 1 and 3 did not differ consistently. Conclusions: Cold dissection with ligation yielded the most favorable pain profile while maintaining low bleeding rates; hot dissection minimized operative time but tended toward higher secondary bleeding and postoperative intake difficulties. Technique selection should prioritize postoperative comfort and morbidity reduction—particularly in pediatric populations—favoring cold dissection, with ligation offering a consistent analgesic advantage.
Background: This study was retrospectively conducted to evaluate the postoperative surgical results of our patients with anterior skull base mass, defect, and/or cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea who underwent reconstruction via endoscopic endonasal approach and to share our experiences. Methods: Sociodemographic features of patients who had undergone endoscopic surgery in our clinic due to anterior skull base mass, defect, or rhinorrhea were evaluated in terms of etiological factors, surgical method, pathology, postoperative complications, need for revision surgery and comorbid disease. Results: A total of 131 patients were included; 76 were male and mean age was 36.2 years. Endoscopic endonasal surgery was performed for nasal mass (70.2%) in 92 cases, rhinorrhea (17.6%) in 23 cases, chronic sinusitis (7.6%) in 10 cases, and gunshot injury (4.6%) in 6 cases. After surgery, benign mass pathology was detected in 75 patients and malignant mass pathology was detected in 23 patients. Osteoma was the most common among benign formations, and squamous cell carcinoma was the most common among malignant formations. The most common cause of surgical revision was nasal masses (25 cases, 77.4%). Conclusion: Endoscopic intracranial interventions and increased anterior skull base surgery are garnering increased interest of physicians as endoscopic approaches are gaining popularity in recent years. Successful results are achieved through appropriate diagnostic methods and endoscopic approaches. Success rates will be further increased due to developing technology and imaging methods, while the risk of complications and revision surgery will be further reduced.