First Use of a New Robotic Endoscope Guiding System in Endoscopic Orbital Decompression.

Purpose: Over the last years, robot-assisted surgery gained in importance in head and neck surgery. In our study, we used a new robotic endoscope guiding system in patients undergoing endoscopic balanced orbital decompression. The aim of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and benefit of a robotic arm in endoscopic orbital surgery.

Fingolimod Improves the Outcome of Experimental Graves' Disease and Associated Orbitopathy by Modulating the Autoimmune Response to the Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Receptor.

Graves' disease (GD) and Graves' orbitopathy are associated with stimulating thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells. Recent studies suggested that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of orbitopathy. In this study, we explored the immune modulatory potential of S1P receptor antagonist fingolimod in a murine model for GD.

A comparative analysis of piezosurgery and oscillating saw for balanced orbital decompression.

: Different minimally invasive surgical approaches to the orbit allow individualized bone resection to reduce proptosis and decompress the optic nerve in patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO). This study aims to compare piezosurgery to an oscillating saw used to resect bone from the lateral orbital wall. : In a retrospective study, we analyzed balanced orbital decompressions performed on 174 patients (318 cases) with GO.

[Corrective Surgery of Severe Esotropia after Decompression in Patients with Graves' Orbitopathy - Comparison of Tendon Elongation and Recession of the Medial Rectus Muscle].

Background: Patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO) often show severe esotropia after decompression surgery, especially in cases with severe enlargement of muscles before decompression. In severely afflicted patients, simple recessions of the medial rectus muscle are not sufficient. In these patients, tendon elongation with bovine pericardium (Tutopatch) is an alternative for simultaneous resection of the lateral rectus muscle.

The influence of orbital decompression on objective nasal function in patients with graves' orbitopathy.

Purpose: To determine the influence of anatomical changes after orbital decompression to nasal function.

Methods: We examined postoperative nasal function after orbital decompression in patients with GO in a prospective study. 25 patients were enrolled between 2014 and 2016.

Graves' orbitopathy occurs sex-independently in an autoimmune hyperthyroid mouse model.

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is the most common extra thyroidal complication of Graves' disease (GD) and occurs predominantly in women but more severe in men. The reason for this effect of gender on GO is unknown. Herein we studied the manifestation of GO in both sexes of an induced mouse model in absence of additional risk factors present in patients like advanced age, genetic variabilities or smoking.

Noninflammatory Diffuse Follicular Hypertrophy/Hyperplasia of Graves Disease: Morphometric Evaluation in an Experimental Mouse Model.

Objectives: Experimental models of Graves hyperthyroid disease accompanied by Graves orbitopathy (GO) can be efficiently induced in susceptible inbred strains of mice by immunization by electroporation of heterologous human TSH receptor (TSHR) A-subunit plasmid. The interrelated pathological findings in the thyroid glands of Graves disease (GD) that explain the core changes classically include diffuse follicular hyperplasia and multifocal mild lymphocytic infiltrate. However, the relative contributions of different thyroid tissue components (colloid, follicular cells, and stroma) have not been previously evaluated.

Functional diagnostics for thyrotropin hormone receptor autoantibodies: bioassays prevail over binding assays.

Autoantibodies to the thyrotropin hormone receptor (TSH-R) are directly responsible for the hyperthyroidism in Graves' disease and mediate orbital manifestations in Graves' orbitopathy (otherwise known as thyroid eye disease). These autoantibodies are heterogeneous in their function and collectively referred to as TRAbs. Measurement of TRAbs is clinically important for diagnosis of a variety of conditions and different commercial assays with high sensitivity and specificity are available for diagnostic purposes.

Tendon Elongation with Bovine Pericardium in Patients with Severe Esotropia after Decompression in Graves' Orbitopathy-efficacy and Long-term Stability.

Background/aims: We performed a retrospective analysis to examine clinical results, establish a dose-effect coefficient and analyze the long-term efficacy of tendon elongation with bovine pericardium (Tutopatch®) for surgical correction of severe esotropia, occurring after three-wall orbital decompression for dysthyroid optic neuropathy in patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO).

Methods: Tendon elongation of the medial rectus muscle (MR) was performed in our institution using an interponate of bovine pericardium in 60 patients (27 underwent unilateral and 33 bilateral surgery). Success-rate (total horizontal deviation of 10 prism-diopters (PD) or less and evidence of binocular single vision with or without prism glasses) and horizontal motility were examined 3 months, 1 and >4 years after surgery.

CD31 and VEGF are prognostic biomarkers in early-stage, but not in late-stage, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Patients suffering from squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx (LSCC) with lymphatic metastasis have a relatively poor prognosis and often require radical therapeutic management. The mechanisms which drive metastasis to the lymph nodes are largely unknown but may be promoted by a pro-angiogenic tumor microenvironment. In this study, we examined whether the number of microvessels and the expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the primary tumor are correlated with the degree of lymph node metastasis (N-stage), tumor staging (T) and survival time in LSCC patients.

Stromal versus tumoral inflammation differentially contribute to metastasis and poor survival in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

In solid tumors the biology and clinical course are strongly influenced by the interaction of tumor cells and infiltrating stromal host cells. The aim of this study was to assess the relative importance of stromal vs. tumoral inflammation for metastasis and survival in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Multimodal assessment of orbital immune cell infiltration and tissue remodeling during development of graves disease by H F MRI.

Purpose: To evaluate key molecular and cellular features of Graves orbitopathy (GO) by simultaneous monitoring of alterations in morphology, inflammatory patterns, and tissue remodeling.

Methods: To this end, we utilized a murine model of GO induced by immunization with a human thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor A-subunit plasmid. Altogether, 52 mice were used: 27 GOs and 25 controls (Ctrl) immunized with β-galactasidose plasmid.

[Extracranial schwannomas of the Head and Neck: Clinical -approach based on 20 cases].

Schwannomas are rare benign tumors originating from the perineural cells forming the myelin layer in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). While well established therapeutic concepts exist for intracranial schwannomas, there is a lack of consistent clinical standards for extracranial schwannomas. This retrospective study describes the clinical pathway of 20 patients with histologically proven extracranial schwannomas of the head and neck.

[Endoscopic Browlift via Endotine Forehead Device in Patients with Facial Palsy].

 Forehead and brows form a critical aesthetic and functional subunit of the face. Chronical pPeripheral paralysis of the facial nerve or its frontal branch may cause brow ptosis and eyelid deformities with a limited field of vision and loss of facial symmetry. Techniques, especially endoscopic methods have evolved significantly.

Evaluation of the application of rhino-septal splints in endoscopic transsphenoidal skull base surgery.

The endoscopic transnasal route for the surgical removal of tumors in the sellar region is frequently associated with nasal complications such as synechiae or impaired nasal breathing. In this study, we investigated the impact of septal splints on avoiding surgery-related co-morbidities. 49 patients in whom endoscopic transnasal, transsphenoidal surgery for sellar tumors was performed between 2012 and 2014 were studied.