Auditory neuropathy in systemic sclerosis: a speech perception and evoked potential study before and after cochlear implantation.

We report the results of speech perception and electrophysiological evaluation of the auditory periphery performed before and after cochlear implantation in a 18-year-old girl with systemic sclerosis (SS) who presented the clinical picture of auditory neuropathy. Transtympanic electrocochleography (ECochG) in response to 0.1 ms clicks was recorded 1 month before cochlear implantation on both sides while the electrically evoked neural response was obtained intraoperatively in the right ear through cochlear implant stimulation.

An algorithm for deciding alternative grafting materials used in secondary rhinoplasty.

Severe middle vault deformity with disturbed nasal form and function is one of the most challenging procedures to correct in a secondary rhinoplasty. Reconstructing the deformity with autologous septal cartilage would be the primary choice of most surgeons, if it were always available. However in certain cases the lack of a sufficient quantity of autologous cartilage has forced surgeons to explore other viable options.

Effects of clotrimazole on experimental spinal cord injury.

Background: We examined a possible neuroprotective effect of clotrimazole on spinal cord clip compression injury.

Methods: Rivlin and Tator's acute extradural clip compression injury (CCI) model was used for producing SCI on 24 albino Wistar rats weighing 180-250 g. All rats were anesthetized with 30 mg/kg ketamine HCl intraperitoneally and were breathing spontaneously without tracheal intubation.

Predictive value of the hemizona assay for pregnancy outcome in patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with intrauterine insemination.

Objective: The hemizona assay (HZA) is an established functional test that examines in vitro sperm-zona pellucida binding capacity with high predictive power for fertilization outcome in IVF. The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of the HZA as a predictor of pregnancy in patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Design: Prospective clinical study.

Lumbar spinal extradural angiolipomas. Two case reports.

Spinal extradural angiolipomas are benign tumors mostly localized in the thoracic region. A 50-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man presented with rare lumbar spinal angiolipoma manifesting as low back pain but without neurological signs. Magnetic resonance imaging showed lumbar extradural tumors at the L4-5 and L1-2 levels, respectively.

Eyelid ptosis associated with an undetected foreign body and a remote entrance wound.

A 12-year-old girl presented with ptosis 10 days after falling onto glass that penetrated the frontotemporal region. The immediate ptosis and palpable mass was attributed to an undetected foreign body. CT demonstrated a radiopaque foreign body.

Physico-chemical treatment of marble processing wastewater and the recycling of its sludge.

In the first part of this study, the treatability of marble processing wastewater by the coagulation-flocculation process was investigated. Optimum coagulant-flocculant doses for turbidity removal in wastewater from the cutting, faience and equalization processes were determined as 500, 200 and 500 ppm of Al2(SO4)3; 300, 500 and 300 ppm of FeCl3 and 600, 400 and 200 ppm of Agrofloc 100 (AGRON Water Treatment Technologies and Chemical Marketing Industry and Trade Limited Company, Izmir, Turkey), respectively. It was found that the removal of total solids from cutting and equalization process wastewaters was highest for the 100 ppm dosage of all chemicals used.

Sellar-parasellar brown tumor: case report and review of literature.

Brown tumors are the end stage of primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. Such lesions are rare because hyperparathyroidism is now usually diagnosed and treated before they develop. Skeletal bone is most frequently involved, whereas sellar-parasellar involvement is extremely rare.

Microcirculatory hemodynamics after acute blood loss followed by fresh and banked blood transfusion.

Background: Red blood cell (RBC) conformational changes occur when blood is stored. This study was designed to be a preliminary evaluation to assess how these changes affect the microcirculation.

Methods: The rat cremaster muscle flap model was used to evaluate in vivo microcirculatory changes after withdrawal of 1 mL blood with subsequent administration of fresh blood (group I, n=6) and banked blood (group II, n=6).

Unilateral perirenal fibrosis.

A case of multifocal fibrosclerosis with an extremely unusual unilateral perirenal involvement is reported. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of unilateral perirenal fibrosis are discussed.

Analysis of skin-graft loss due to infection: infection-related graft loss.

This prospective study was performed to analyze the causes of infection-related skin-graft loss in a general population of plastic and reconstructive surgery patients. One hundred thirty-two patients who received either full- or split-thickness skin grafts to reconstruct soft-tissue defects were included. The tissue defects were grouped according to the cause as follows: vascular ulcers (9.

Augmentation rhinoplasty with a combination of triple cartilage grafts for secondary rhinoplasty in a middle-aged population.

Because of physiologic changes with advancing age as well as previously traumatized and then healed tissues, secondary rhinoplasty for a middle-aged patient is a challenging procedure. Depending on both factors, changes in the midvault can cause a functional airway disorder, and the nose also may need a complete correction for cosmetic purposes. To achieve aesthetic and functional outcomes, augmentation rhinoplasty using a combination of triple cartilage grafts, namely, spreader, columellar, and dorsal onlays, was performed for 12 patients.

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage complicating skull base fractures: analysis of 81 cases.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of conservative and surgical management options for traumatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage complicating skull base fractures. The subjects were 81 patients who were treated between 1996 and 2003 for CSF leaks that had persisted for 24 h or longer after head injury. For each case the medical records were reviewed, and the data collected were as follows: demographic features, clinical and radiological findings, management options, complications and outcome scores.

The additive effects of carnitine and ascorbic acid on distally burned dorsal skin flap in rats.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of combined use of L-carnitine and vitamin C on partially burned skin flap in an experimental rat model.

Material/methods: In the rat dorsal skin, a 10 x 3 cm flap was marked. The most distal 3 x 3 cm part was burned to full thickness.

Acute renal failure associated with dysfunctioning detrusor muscle in multiple sclerosis.

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) typically have neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. Most patients present with bladder hyperreflexia and failure to empty the bladder secondary to detrusor-distal sphincter dyssynergia. This case study is unique in the literature in reporting on a patient presenting with acute renal failure (ARF) due to vesico-sphincter dysfunction associated with MS.

The relationship between patient stress and the blood levels of acute phase proteins in rhinoplasty: the report of a prospective study.

Objective: This study aims to interrogate the relationship between patient stress and the levels of acute phase proteins (APP) in rhinoplasty.

Methods: Twenty-six primary rhinoplasty patients were asked about the most stressful step of the rhinoplasty process, which were (1) deciding on the operation, (2) waiting in the preoperative room, (3) the first few postoperative hours, and (4) withdrawing the nasal pack, in order beginning from the most stressful one, preoperatively, and then postoperatively. C-reactive protein (CRP), alfa-1-acide glycoprotein (AAG), ceruloplasmin (CER), haptoglobulin (HPT), and alfa-1-antitrypsin (AT) have been studied in blood to detect a relation between the patient stress and the levels of APP.

Bilateral complete avulsion of ocular globes in a Le Fort III maxillofacial fracture: a case report and review of the literature.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a case of bilateral complete avulsion of the globes following maxillofacial trauma.

Methods: A 23-year-old man with bilateral complete globe avulsion following a maxillofacial trauma. Both globes were luxated out of the orbit and suspended on the skin of the upper lid below the brows.

Enhanced frontalis sling with double-fixed, solvent-dehydrated cadaveric fascia lata allograft in the management of eye ptosis.

The article describes an enhanced frontalis sling procedure in the management of blepharoptosis with poor or no levator function. This modified method were used in the care of three patients and based on the principal of two-point fixation of the graft material that was prepared from solvent-dehydrated cadaveric fascia lata onto the frontalis muscle. After more than 1 year of follow-up, no recurrence was noted.

Meningitis and Pneumocephalus. A rare complication of external dacryocystorhinostomy.

Meningitis due to fracture of the fovea ethmoidalis during external dacryocystorhinostomy is a rare complication. We report a case of pneumocephalus and meningitis in a 51-year-old female who underwent an external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). Although extracranial complications during or after external DCR have been well-described, only one case of meningitis has been reported in the literature.

Serum TNF-alpha, IL-6, lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody in women with and without a past history of recurrent miscarriage.

Objective: The aim of the this study was to investigate Lupus Anticoagulan (LA), Anticardiolipin Antibody (ACA), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) serum levels in 40 pregnant and 20 nonpregnant.

Materials And Methods: The women were divided into three groups. The first group consisted of 20 pregnant women of less than 20 gestational weeks and a past history of habitual abortion .

Ischemia/reperfusion injury: a review in relation to free tissue transfers.

Events during ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury include: neutrophil-mediated endothelial cytotoxicity and activation, generation of free radicals, triggering of cytokines and chemokines, and activation of adhesion molecules and complement system. This article briefly reviews events occurring during tissue ischemia and reperfusion in relation to free tissue transfers. The consequences of tissue damage at the microcirculatory level are presented.