Superior semicircular canal dehiscence is an uncommon neurotological disorder in which the petrous temporal bone overlying the superior semicircular canal lacks bone. Its most common symptoms include amplification of internal sounds, autophony, tinnitus, sound- and pressure-induced vertigo, hyperacusis, oscillopsia, and hearing loss. This video presentation aimed to demonstrate endoscopic-assisted repair of superior semicircular canal dehiscence with middle fossa craniotomy.

Eleven patients with superior semicircular canal dehiscence, verified with temporal computed tomography, were enrolled in the study.

An endoscopy-assisted middle fossa approach was applied to all patients. Superior semicircular canal dehiscence was successfully repaired with an endoscope in 11 patients.

Endoscopic-assisted repair of superior semicircular canal dehiscence may be a superior approach compared with binocular operative microscopy.

Schizophrenia is a chronic and potentially devastating disease. Patients with schizophrenia have severe and persistent sleep disturbance. Sleep deprivation may foster poor functioning and high levels of thought disorder, hostility, and excitement. Sleep deprivation in patients with schizophrenia have a negative impact on HRQoL. This study was done, as definitive study, to determine the sleep quality and quality of life in schizophrenia.

72 schizophrenic inpatients treated in a mental health care centre with the diagnosis of schizophrenia between March 1st and May 31st, 2009 were included to the study. The data was gathered through personal data forms, PSQI and WHOQOL-Brief Turkish Version.

It was found that there was a meaningful relationship between the age, sleep quality and quality of life of the patients (p< 0.05), it was also defined that sleep quality decreased as the age increased and quality of life decreased since the quality of sleep was decreased. The life quality points, except physical field, of the patients who live alone, hospitalized more than three times a year, do not use their medicine regularly were defined low.

There is a close relationship between the sleep quality and quality of life of the schizophrenia. As the sleep quality diminished, their quality of life decreases. The quality of life of the schizophrenia may be increased by regulating their sleep pattern and supporting their adoption to the illness.

End stage renal disease (ESRD) is a chronic disease that shortens the life span of individuals. Renal transplantation is accepted as good choice in the treatment of patients with ESRD. Many physical, psychological and social problems have been observed for many years in receivers after renal transplantation. The problems encountered after renal transplantation may adversely affect the life quality of the individuals. This study is carried out to define the life quality of the receivers after a year of renal transplantation.

54 patients that were followed in a transplantation centre of a university hospital between January 2007 and January 2009 were included into the study. The data is obtained through personal data forms and SF-36 life quality scale.

It was defined meaningful negative relation between the age and life quality of the receivers was found (p< 0.00), as the age increases the life quality of the receivers decreased, the life quality of women receivers and the ones living in large families was found to be lower.

The life quality of the receivers after a year of transplantation was good in low level. It is necessary that the receivers be cared with holistic approach and supported them to have quality life considering life quality of the individuals.

This study is realized as a descriptive study in order to investigate the fatigue, anxiety and depression in cancer patients.

The study was conducted on 80 patients who stay in an oncology hospital between 1st of February and 31st of July 2009 with the diagnosis of the cancer. The data of the study was collected with personal information form (PIF), Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

A positive significant relation was determined between fatigue, anxiety and depression levels of the patients (p< 0.05). As the fatigue increased, anxiety and depression also increased. It was determined that there was a negative significant relation between hemoglobin level and fatigue, anxiety, depression. As the hemoglobin level decreased, fatigue, anxiety and depression increased. The level of fatigue, anxiety and depression was higher in female patients. Patients who have another disease and indicated that the disease hinders the activities of daily living had a higher level of physical ad cognitive fatigue. Literate patients had high level of physical, emotional, cognitive fatigue and depression; patients who are high school graduates had higher levels of emotional fatigue.

There is a close relationship between fatigue, anxiety and depression in cancer patients. As the fatigue increases, anxiety and depression also increase. Convenient attempts should be planned in order to evaluate the case of fatigue, anxiety and depression comprehensively in treatment and care process of the cancer patients.

To evaluate the colour values of nasal mucosa for the purpose of presenting an objective parameter of allergic rhinitis.

Seventy-three patients with allergic rhinitis (allergy group) and 73 normal healthy individuals (control group) were included in the study. Endoscopic examinations were conducted, and endoscopic photographs of the septum and both inferior turbinates were taken. The Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0 software program was used to measure the numerical values of red–green–blue (RGB) colour components in the endoscopic photographs of nasal mucosa.

The G and B values were significantly higher in the allergy group compared to the control group (both p < 0.05). Cumulative R, G and B values of all measurement points were significantly higher in the allergy group compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Nasal mucosa discolouration can be measured objectively with RGB analysis to aid the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.

This study investigated the relationship between disease severity and taste and smell functions in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

A total of 65 patients with recurrent upper airway obstruction during sleep were included. Participants were divided into four groups according to apnoea-hypopnoea index, obtained on polysomnography. Smell and taste tests were performed on these patients.

A significant difference was observed between the smell thresholds of the groups for the identification test (p = 0.016). In the taste test, significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of sweet, sour, salty and bitter taste test thresholds (p = 0.029, p = 0.0005, p = 0.001 and p = 0.017, respectively).

As sleep apnoea severity increased (according to the apnoea-hypopnoea index) in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients, the taste and smell thresholds decreased due to the effect of neuropathy and inflammation in the upper respiratory tract.

This study investigated the incidence and routes of submandibular gland involvement in oral cavity carcinoma to determine the feasibility of submandibular gland sparing neck dissection.

The records of 155 patients diagnosed with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, with a total of 183 neck specimens, including those involving level I, were reviewed retrospectively.

Submandibular gland involvement, via direct invasion from the anatomical proximity of T4a tumours, was evident in two patients. The floor of mouth location, either primarily or as an extension of the primary tumour, was the only risk factor for submandibular gland involvement in oral cavity carcinoma (p = 0.042). Tumour location, clinical and pathological tumour (T) and nodal (N) stages, and radiological suspicion of mandible invasion, were not found to be statistically relevant (p > 0.05).

The results suggest the feasibility of preserving the submandibular gland in early stage oral cavity carcinoma unless the tumour is located in, or extends to, the floor of mouth.

An examination was conducted of the number, level, clinical association and treatment approaches for vertebral arterial loop formation in patients with this condition with and without concurrent cervicogenic dizziness, and classified them according to the vertebral artery segment in which it was present.

A cross-sectional retrospective study.

Thirty-seven patients who had undergone double-sided magnetic resonance angiography were examined; vertebral arterial loop formation was observed at only 1 level in 26 patients and at several levels in 9 patients. Segment one (V1) was involved in 78.3 per cent of cases and segment two (V2) was involved in 21.6 per cent. Symptoms in patients with vertebral arterial loop formation included: positional vertigo, in 100 per cent; and pulsatile tinnitus, in 83.7 per cent.

Loop formation at the vertebral artery was observed most often on the proximal side in patients with cervicogenic dizziness (78.3 per cent). The incidence on the left side was twice as high as on the right side.

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of maxillary sinus hypoplasia and isolated agenesis of the uncinate process in sinusitis aetiology.

Three patients with isolated agenesis of the uncinate process and 27 patients with 43 maxillary sinus hypoplasia variations were recruited. The frequencies of sinusitis episodes and radiological findings were compared between patient subgroups.

In all, 23 type I maxillary sinus hypoplasia, 13 type II maxillary sinus hypoplasia and 7 type III maxillary sinus hypoplasia variations were detected. Patients with isolated agenesis of the uncinate process underwent antibiotic treatment an average of 7 times per year, whereas those with types I, II and III maxillary sinus hypoplasia were treated 1.57, 3.22, and 5.75 times per year, respectively, over a 5-year period. The antibiotic treatment frequency for patients with isolated agenesis of the uncinate process was significantly higher than for those with types I and II maxillary sinus hypoplasia.

Isolated agenesis of the uncinate process seems to play a stronger role than types I and II maxillary sinus hypoplasia in the pathophysiology of chronic sinusitis.

To determine the patterns of lymph node metastases in oral tongue carcinomas, and examine the implications for elective and therapeutic neck dissection.

The study entailed a retrospective analysis of 67 patients with previously untreated oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma who had undergone simultaneous glossectomy and neck dissection.

Of the 40 clinically node-negative patients, 7 patients had metastatic lymph nodes on pathological examination. No occult metastasis was found at level IV. Of the 27 clinically node-positive patients, the incidence rate of level IV metastasis was 11.1 per cent (3 out of 27 patients). No ‘skip metastases’ were found at level IV. Level IV metastases were significantly related to clinically staged nodes categorised as over 2a (p = 0.03) and metastasis to level III (p = 0.01).

Routine inclusion of level IV in elective neck dissection is not necessary for clinically node-negative patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, extended supraomohyoid neck dissection with adjuvant radiotherapy can be sufficient in the treatment of selected patients with clinically node-positive necks.

To compare mucosal and bony measurements in patients with congenital and traumatic nasal septum deviation and compensatory inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

The study examined 50 patients with nasal septum deviation (25 congenital and 25 traumatic) and compensatory inferior turbinate hypertrophy in the contralateral nasal cavity, confirmed by computed tomography.

The study compared inferior turbinate measurements on the concave and convex sides of the septum, in the congenital and traumatic groups. Measurements comprised: the shortest distance from the median line to the medial border of the conchal bone; the distances from the most medial part of the conchal mucosa and the conchal bone to the lateral line; the projection angle of the inferior turbinate; and the widest parts of the whole inferior turbinate and the inferior turbinate conchal bone. The differences between the concave and convex side measurements were compared in the congenital group versus the traumatic group; for three measurements, the difference between these two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

The present study findings suggest that the conchal bone has a marked influence on nasal patency in patients with congenital septal deviation. These findings supported the decision to excise the inferior turbinate bone at the time of septoplasty, especially when treating congenital septal deviation.

Given its rarity, varied histological presentation and often pseudosarcomatous appearance, nodular fasciitis is frequently misdiagnosed on pre-operative, intra-operative and final analyses.

Four cases of nodular fasciitis are reviewed.

Physical and radiological findings were consistent with a parapharyngeal tumour, probably neurogenic, a level four neck mass suspicious for lymphoma; a sternoclavicular mass in a patient with a history of breast cancer suspicious for metastasis; and a cheek mass consistent with an accessory parotid tumour. Fine needle aspiration results were consistent with a neurogenic tumour in two patients and an undifferentiated malignancy in two patients. Frozen section examination most commonly included masses with spindle-type cells. The final diagnosis of nodular fasciitis was made only after permanent section and immunohistological analysis.

In a patient with nonspecific results following investigation of a head or neck mass, nodular fasciitis should be considered. Use of appropriate immunohistochemical markers will aid in the final diagnosis.