Size of the perforation(<50%), healthy opposite ear, absence of myringosclerosis, more than 3 months dry period, and low middle ear risk index were found to be significant independent prognostic factors.

We investigated general and physical predictors of difficult laryngeal exposure in patients undergoing suspension laryngoscopy; 93 patients were included in this prospective study. The patients were classified as difficult laryngeal exposure group or non-difficult laryngeal exposure group based on the laryngeal view in suspension laryngoscopy. Twelve parameters (age, sex, body mass index, neck circumference, full mouth opening, modified mallampati index, hyoid-mental, thyroid-mental, horizontal thyroid-mental, vertical thyroid-mental, sternum-mental distance) that could predict difficult laryngeal exposure were evaluated. Of 93 patients, 22 had difficult laryngeal exposure. Cormack-Lehane score, neck circumference, body mass index, modified mallampati index, hyoid-mental, thyroid-mental, vertical thyroid-mental, and sternum-mental distance showed significant correlation with difficult laryngeal exposure. Based on the multivariate analysis, neck circumference superior to 40 cm, hyoid-mental and sternum-mental distance with respectively a value less than 6.05 and 13.9 cm were independently associated with difficult laryngeal exposure. Muscular neck, hyoid-mental and sterno-mental distance should be considered clinical predictors of difficult laryngeal exposure. Measurements of physical variables at full extension position of the neck are more useful and reliable predictors than neutral position for the risk of difficult laryngeal exposure.

We recommend that combination therapy can be considered as initial treatment especially for patients with severe hearing loss.

Mechanical stapler closure of the pharynx after total laryngectomy was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula compared with manual suture in selected cases.

For most patients QOL significantly improved after surgery. Mucosal eosinophilia did not correlate with the absolute change of the RSDI. However, thickening of basal membrane adversely affects symptoms of the patients and correlates with the disease severity.

Using a molecular genetic approach, we try to confirm the molecular alterations of inverted papilloma and clarify its status as a putative precursor lesion of sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma. To better understand its genetics, we investigated the immunohistochemical protein expression patterns of cell-cycle-regulators p53, p63, p21, p27 and proliferation marker Ki-67 in 22 inverted papilloma and 9 squamous cell carcinoma of the sinonasal tract. Significantly elevated levels of p53 and p63 in squamous cell carcinoma of sinonasal tract compared with inverted papilloma were revealed. Ki-67-stained neoplastic cell nuclei were found in a significantly higher percentage of squamous cell carcinoma of sinonasal tract than in inverted papilloma, whereas no variation of p21 and p27 expression was identified. This work first examined the immunohistochemical overexpression of p63 in sinonasal inverted papilloma and squamous cell carcinoma. In conclusion, this is a first study shedding light on the expression of p63 in tumors of paranasal sinuses.

No abstract

This national survey confirmed the elevated prevalence of AR in Turkey. Our findings may contribute to the formulation of the public health policy and development of preventive and therapeutic strategies for AR in eastern Europe.