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The use of hearing aid (HA) may improve the hearing performance and ease the perceived negative consequences of hearing difficulties in elderly individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the problems experienced by elderly individuals with HA and to investigate the factors that could increase the use of HA. A total of 122 female and 127 male patients with a mean age of 76.79 ± 6.91 years who were recommended HA were evaluated. The following details were taken from the patients: age, gender, duration of hearing complaint, whether or not they received HA, number of family members, number of hours they used HA in a day, type of device, number of ears with HA, educational status, whether they continued to work, whether they were tested before taking the device, the reasons for not taking HA, and the reasons that reduce their use of HA. A total of 18 patients did not receive HA for the following reasons: 9 considered HA too expensive, 8 thought it would be difficult to use HA, and 1 did not like it because of its appearance. No significant difference was found in the patients' daily HA use duration, age, sex, number of immediate family members, education level, type of device, test before taking the device, and use of HA in single ear or bilateral ears. There was a significant difference in the daily HA use duration and whether the patients continued to work. We need to help reduce the problems associated with the use of HA to help older individuals have a more active role in society and help them in their health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that lymph node metastasis lowers the survival rates in laryngeal carcinoma. This study aimed to investigate the effect of extranodal extension in lymph node metastasis on survival. The demographic characteristics and histopathologic results of 81 patients who underwent total laryngectomy and neck dissection due to advanced larynx squamous cell carcinoma between 2011 and 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into 3 groups by lymph node metastasis status as reactive lymph node (group 1), lymph node metastasis without detected extranodal extension (group 2), and lymph node metastasis with detected extranodal extension (group 3). Survival analysis was performed between these 3 groups. In the patient population with a mean age of 61.56 years consisting of 6 females and 75 males, demographic characteristics between groups were comparable. Overall survival (OS) rates were detected to be 81% in group 1, 69.2% in group 2, and 61.5% in group 3. Two-year OS rates were detected to be 66.7% in group 1, 46.2% in group 2, and 38.5% in group 3. Statistical difference was detected between group 1 and group 3 both for OS and 2-year OS (P =.014, P =.008, respectively). No statistical difference was detected between group 2 and group 1, and between group 2 and group 3. In this study, we found a negative effect of detecting neck lymphadenopathy metastasis and extranodal extension on survival in patients who underwent total laryngectomy and neck dissection due to advanced laryngeal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There is still no consensus on the effect of early oral feeding and nasogastric tube feeding on the development of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) after total laryngectomy. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of early oral feeding and nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding after total laryngectomy on the incidence of PCF. Methods: A total of 59 male and three female patients with a mean age of 61.65 (range 44-77) years who underwent total laryngectomy and bilateral neck dissection between May 2010 and June 2016 were evaluated retrospectively. Thirty-two patients started oral feeding on postoperative day three, and 30 patients started NGT feeding on postoperative day one following oral feeding on 7th day. Besides the investigation of the factors which can affect PCF formation, the incidence of PCF was also determined between the two groups of patients. Results: Only preoperative albumin value was different between the groups in the determination of factors which can affect development of PCF. No statistical difference was found between the two groups in terms of the development of PCF and the length of hospital stay (p>0.05). Conclusion: To start oral feeding on postoperative day three or with a NGT feeding on postoperative day one following oral feeding on day seven did not affect the development of PCF and the length of hospital stay in patients who underwent total laryngectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Sudden hearing loss is one of the otologic emergencies. The treatment of this disease is affected negatively by some prognostic factors. Objective In this study, the effects of early treatment initiation in patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss and of prognostic factors in early treated patients were investigated. Methods Out of the 216 patients admitted between September 2007 and September 2015, 154 were identified as having idiopathic sudden hearing loss; they were followedup for a mean time of 7.4 months, and evaluated retrospectively. The effects of several parameters on the success of the treatment were statistically evaluated, such as the time the treatment was initiated, being of the female gender, the severity of the hearing loss, having descending type audiogram patterns, being older than 60 years old, and the co-presence of vertigo. Results Success rates were found to be significantly higher in idiopathic hearing loss patients that were admitted within the first week (p < 0.05) of the onset of the hearing loss. However, the outcomes were found to be similar when patients admitted within the first 3 days and 4-7 days after the occurrence of the hearing loss were compared (p > 0.05). Parameters such as female gender, severe hearing loss, descending type audiogram, being older than 60 years old, and co-presence of vertigo didn't reveal statistically significant effects on the outcome (p >0.05). Conclusion The aforementioned prognostic factors, which are well-known in the literature, did not have significant effects when the idiopathic sudden hearing loss treatment was initiated within the first 7 days of the onset of the hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the significance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios, which have recently been used in adults for the prognosis of idiopathic sudden hearing loss (ISHL), in the prognosis of idiopathic sudden hearing loss in a pediatric population. MATERIALS and METHODS: A total of 13 males and 8 females younger than19 years with idiopathic sudden hearing loss were retrospectively examined between January 2008 and August 2016.The control group consisted of 12 healthy males and 12 healthy females. Patients were divided into two groups: those who recovered after treatment and those who did not. RESULTS: A statistical significance for the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was detected between the patient group and control group and between patients who recovered and those who did not (p<0.05). No statistical significance for the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was detected between the patient group and control group and between patients with recovery and those without recovery (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is an important marker for the prognosis of idiopathic sudden hearing loss in pediatric patients, similar to its use in adult patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Chronic otitis media can cause multiple middle ear pathogeneses. The surgeon should be aware of relation between ossicular chain erosion and other destructions because of the possibility of complications. Objective This study aimed to investigate the rates of ossicular erosion in cases of patients with and without facial nerve canal destruction, who had undergone mastoidectomy due to chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma. Methods We retrospectively analyzed three hundred twenty-seven patients who had undergone tympanomastoidectomy between April 2008 and February 2014. We documented the types of mastoidectomy (canal wall up, canal wall down, and radical mastoidectomy), erosion of themalleus, incus and stapes, and the destruction of facial and lateral semi-circular canal. Results Out of the 327 patients, 147 were women (44.95%) and 180 were men (55.04%) with a mean age 50.8 _ 13 years (range 8-72 years). 245 of the 327 patients (75.22%) had been operated with the diagnosis of chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma. FNCD was present in 62 of the 327 patients (18.96%) and 49 of these 62 (79.03%) patients had chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma. The correlation between the presence of FNCD with LSCC destruction and stapes erosion in chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma is statistically significant (p< 0.05). Conclusion Although incus is the most common of destructed ossicles in chronic otitis media, facial canal destruction is more closely related to stapes erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chronic otitis media most commonly causes an ossicular chain defect in incus. Different materials can be used for repair of this defect. In this study, the hydroxyapatite prosthesis, used for repair of the incus defect, was compared with the incus interposition. Methods: Between 2010 and 2016, 27 female and 16 male patients who underwent ossiculoplasty due to an incus defect were studied retrospectively. Patients' hearing results at the sixth month were compared. The hydroxyapatite prosthesis was used in 24 patients (group 1) and incus interposition was used in 19 patients (group 2) for the ossicular chain repair. Hearing gain at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz between the two groups and the success rates in the two groups were compared. Results: Successful hearing reconstruction was performed on 10 patients in each group (group 1, 41.6% and group 2, 52.9%). There was no statistically significant difference between groups both in terms of successful hearing and hearing gain at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz. There was no extrusion of the materials used in both groups. Conclusion: As it does not have any additional cost and is easily shaped and biocompatibility problem is not encountered; we recommend using incus interposition primarily in incus defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been reported worldwide that patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 usually suffer a loss of smell and taste. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the severity of the disease and the loss of smell and taste. In addition, we evaluated patients' smell and taste functions after recovery., Methods: Between March and May 2020, 418 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were divided into 3 groups: home-quarantined, hospitalized, and intensive care patients. The disease, smell, and taste functions of patients were evaluated with visual analog scores before diagnosis of COVID-19, during the disease, and fourth week after recovery. The types of smell loss and types of taste flavor loss occurring during the disease were questioned., Results: In all 3 groups, changes in smell and taste loss during the disease were statistically detected (P = 0.001). The smell loss rates determined in groups 1 to 3 were 45%, 43.7%, and 31.2%, respectively. The taste loss rates determined in groups 1 to 3were 46.6%, 32.1%, and 31.2% respectively. The rate of patients with a total recovery of smell loss in groups 1 to 3 were 95.5%, 93.7%, and 100%, respectively (P = 0.768). The rate of patients with a total recovery of taste loss in groups 1 to 3 were 97.1%, 91.4%, and 100%, respectively (P = 0.423)., Conclusion: COVID-19 causes significant loss of smell and taste in patients. The loss of smell and taste does not correlate with the severity of COVID-19 disease. The loss of smell and taste improves at a high rate after the disease., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the risks and benefits of the transoral approach for removal of the submandibular gland compared to the transcervical approach., Patients and Methods: Twenty consecutive patients who underwent submandibular gland excision surgery via the transoral (6 males, 4 females; mean age 45.4 years) or transcervical (7 males, 3 females; mean age 44.1 years) approach between March 2009 and December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Age, surgical indications, complications, duration of hospitalization, and postoperative histopathological results were recorded and compared between two groups., Results: Of 20 patients, 35% were previously treated with antibiotics. There were no significantly differences in demographic characteristics and postoperative histopathological results between the groups (p<0.05). Duration of hospitalization was statistically shorter in the patients operated via transoral approach (p<0.05). Relapsing sialoadenitis occurred in a patient who was operated by transoral approach due to the incomplete resection of the gland., Conclusion: The transoral approach for submandibular gland excision has several advantages over the transcervical approach in terms of cosmetic outcome, marginal mandibular nerve injury, and length of hospital stay.