To report treatment results and complications of stereotactic radiosurgery in uveal malignant melanoma and to identify risk factors for development of radiation retinopathy. This was a retrospective study of 36 patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma between 2014 and 2019. Best corrected visual acuity, funduscopic findings, basal tumor diameter and tumor thickness were recorded at baseline and at follow-up visits at 3-month intervals. The response of tumors to stereotactic radiosurgery and complications were determined. The mean basal diameter of tumor was 10.2 (range: 4.0-19.4, standard deviation [SD]: ±3.3) mm x 9.7 (range: 4.5-18.0, SD: ±3.3), tumor thickness was 5.1 (range: 2.0-11.0, ±2.4) mm at baseline. The mean follow-up period was 17.2 (range: 6-48, SD: ±10.43) months. The mean visual acuity was 0.5 (SD: ±0.3) logMAR before treatment and 0.6 (SD: ±0.3) logMAR after the mean follow-up period. The most common complications after stereotactic radiosurgery were cataract (38.9%) and radiation retinopathy (27.7%). There was a statistically significant relation between radiation retinopathy development and tumor distance from the optic disc (p=0.04). The rate of eye salvage was 83.3% in this study. Our short-term results show stereotactic radiosurgery was an effective and sustained treatment modality among the other eye conservation therapies.

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı Türkiye’de çalışan nörologların nöroimmünolojik hastalıklara yaklaşım motivasyonlarını değerlendirmektir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çoktan seçmeli bir anket olarak tasarlanan bu çalışmaya 72 nörolog dahil edildi. Anket yoluyla toplanan veriler analiz edildi. Çalışmaya dahil edilme kriteri; nörolog olmak, mesleğini aktif olarak sürdürme olarak belirlenmiştir. Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan nörologların %65,3’ü (n=47) kadın, %34,7’si (n=25) erkekti. Nörologların %27,8’i (n=20) Eğitim-Araştırma/Şehir hastanesi, %26,4’ü (n=19) Özel hastane/poliklnik, %25’i (n=18) ikinci basamak, %20,8’i (n=15) üniversite hastanesinde çalışmaktaydı. Myastenia Gravis tedavisinde kullanılan ilaçlar ve tedaviler hakkında yeterli bilgi ve deneyimi olduğunu düşünen nörologların oranı %70,8 (n=51), bu oran Multipl skleroz için %66,7(n=48), İnflamatuvar/immun nöropatiler için %61,1(n=44)’dir. Tüm hasta grupları için tanı, tedavi ve takip süreçlerinin nörologlarca sürdürülmek istenmemesinin en önemli nedenleri teknik yetersizlikler ve Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu’nun (SGK) raporlama ve geri ödeme ile ilgili kısıtlılıklarıdır. Sonuç: Nörologların çoğunluğu nöroimmünolojik hastalıklar konusunda yeterli eğitim almaktadır. Özellikle SGK uygulamaları ve hastanelerdeki aşırı iş yükü ve teknik yetersizlikler takip motivasyonunu azaltan en önemli nedenlerdir.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate methyl alcohol poisoning cases in Izmir. Patients and methods: The retrospective study included 15 patients (14 males, 1 female; mean age: 56.1±9.3 years; range, 40 to 71 years) diagnosed with methyl alcohol poisoning due to counterfeit alcoholic beverage consumption between October 1, 2020, and October 30, 2020. Patients were grouped according to survival. The demographic and clinical data, including the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scoring and Glasgow Coma Scale scores, were compared. Results: Of the patients, eight (53.3%) died, and seven survived. There was no significant difference between deceased and surviving patients regarding optical nerve involvement, mechanical ventilation need, and dyspnea (p=0.057, p=0.467, and p=0.467, respectively). On the other hand, a significant difference was observed between deceased and surviving patients regarding radiological imaging, visual impairment, gastrointestinal symptoms, and vasopressor agent need (p=0.044, p<0.001, p=0.011, and p=0.026, respectively). Mortality was significantly correlated with vasopressor agent needs, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and Glasgow Coma Scale score (p=0.009; r=0.645, p=0.009; r=–0.652, p=0.008; and r=0.562, p=0.029; respectively). Conclusion: Methyl alcohol poisoning is a common and even accelerating problem in Türkiye and results in high mortality and morbidity. Clinical, social, and economic strategies should be developed by national authorities to combat the issue.

Background: We aimed to investigate the extent of the response of the orbicularis oris muscle to stimulation of the contralateral facial nerve both in patients with peripheral facial palsy (PFP) and in healthy subjects. Methods: EMG was performed at 2–6 weeks after the onset of PFP in the patient group and at any time in the healthy control group. We performed nerve conduction testing, electroneurography, and surface and needle EMG. Results: A total of 276 participants (patients/healthy controls: 218/58) were analyzed. The extent of the response of the contralateral orbicularis oris muscles to facial nerve stimulation was higher in healthy controls compared to that in the affected group. The response of the contralateral orbicularis oris muscles to stimulation of the paralyzed facial nerve was more extensive in those patients to whom glucocorticoid or physical therapy had been given. Cross-facial innervation in the orbicularis oris muscle extended up to 1.5 cm in one-third of healthy controls and was higher than that in those with PFP. Glucocorticoid or physical therapy seemed to improve cross-innervation in facial palsy. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the stimulus leading to the contralateral muscular response is mediated through crossing axons rather than muscular fibers.