Do smoking and human papilloma virus have a synergistic role in the development of head and neck cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), arising from the squamous epithelium, is the most common head and neck cancer (HNC). Smoking and alcohol are well known risk factors for HNSCC, while some high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) subtypes were specifically identified as a high-risk factors for developing oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). In this study, we have conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis in order to investigate the possible synergistic role of smoking and HPV in the development of HNSCC.

Urine concentrations changes of cysteinyl leukotrienes in non-obese children with obstructive sleep apnea undergoing adenotonsillectomy.

Objective: The main objective of the study was to compare preoperative to postoperative levels of urine-Cysteinyl leukotrienes (uCysLT) in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy (AT) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in order to investigate whether exaggerated leukotriene activity is the cause or consequence of OSA.

Methods And Materials: A prospective study was conducted on non-obese children (4-10 years old) referred for overnight PSG. Children with moderate/severe OSA treated with AT were included.

Subcutaneous emphysema to the head and neck: an unlikely traumatic origin.

Subcutaneous emphysema to the neck represents a rare entity mainly derived from iatrogenic and traumatic origin. We report a case of a subcutaneous emphysema resulted from an intraoral injury aiming to emphasise the significance of precise medical history to identify an unlikely mechanism. A 40-year-old female patient was presented with subcutaneous emphysema extending from the region underneath the left eye up to the submandibular area of the neck.

Assessment of xerostomia and its impact on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Xerostomia in head and neck (H&N) cancer patients significantly affects their quality of life (QoL). The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations among QoL, xerostomia and quantity of saliva in a sample of H&N cancer patients who had received conventional radiotherapy (RT). A total of 60 H&N adult patients were enrolled in this prospective study.

Herpes viruses and human papilloma virus in nasal polyposis and controls.

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps is a multifactorial disease entity with an unclear pathogenesis. Contradictory data exist in the literature on the potential implication of viral elements in adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of human herpes viruses (1-6) and Human Papilloma Virus in adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and healthy controls.

Age related changes in ocular motor testing in healthy subjects.

The aim of the present study was the investigation of age influenced changes in ocular motility testing in healthy subjects. Two hundred and fifty subjects between 18 and 70 years old were enrolled in a prospective study. Study population was divided in 5 groups of 50 subjects each (group A: 18-30 years old, group B: 31-40 years old, group C: 41-50 years old, group D: 51-60 years old and group E: 61-70 years old).

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Greek OSA-18 questionnaire in children undergoing polysomnography.

Objective: Translations of validated questionnaires help to compare different countries/cultures populations and establish protocols for global health. OSA-18 is a validated disease-specific questionnaire for pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Our aim was to validate OSA-18 in Greek and correlate it with polysomnography results and OSA severity.

Atopy does not affect the frequency of adenotonsillar hypertrophy and sleep apnoea in children who snore.

Aim: Viral respiratory infections and atopy have been implicated in the pathogenesis of adenotonsillar hypertrophy and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but the role of atopy is controversial. We aimed to test our hypothesis that atopy, expressed as physician-diagnosed eczema, was associated with adenotonsillar hypertrophy and OSA among children who snored.

Methods: Data on children who snored and were referred for polysomnography were reviewed.

Does perioperative dexamethasone affect voice-related quality of life after thyroidectomy?

The objective of this study is to assess the impact of perioperative dexamethasone on post-thyroidectomy voice outcomes. This study is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data in a tertiary referral center. This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on adult patients undergoing total thyroidectomy.

Validation of the Greek OSD-6 quality of life questionnaire in children undergoing polysomnography.

Objective: OSD-6 is a disease specific questionnaire for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aims of this study were to validate OSD-6 in Greek language and correlate OSD-6 with polysomnography results.

Study Design: Prospective study.

The sino-nasal outcome test (SNOT)-22: validation for Greek patients.

The aim of this study was to perform translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the sinonasal outcome test 22 (SNOT-22) in the Greek language. SNOT-22 was translated into Greek. A prospective study was conducted on adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) according to rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps (EPOS) criteria.

An inflammatory pseudotumour of the larynx: a case report and literature review of an unusual tumour.

Background: Inflammatory pseudotumour (IPT) is a rare benign pseudoneoplastic proliferation of unknown etiology, often showing locally aggressive behaviour. Conflicting theories about exaggerated response to injury versus true neoplastic origin have been suggested.

Methods: We report a case of laryngeal pseudotumour in a 73-year-old man presenting with hoarseness and slowly progressive dyspnea and a short review of the English language literature on the subject.

Evaluating the outcome of phonosurgery: comparing the role of VHI and VoiSS questionnaires in the Greek language.

Objectives/hypothesis: The objective was to study the role of the Greek version of Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in comparison with Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) in terms of measuring voice surgery outcome in patients with benign laryngeal lesions.

Study Design: Nonrandomized prospective.

Methods: Forty-six patients operated for benign laryngeal lesions were enrolled in the present study.

Prevalence of human papilloma virus and human herpes virus types 1-7 in human nasal polyposis.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV), herpes simplex virus-1/-2 (HSV-1/-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpes virus-6/-7 (HHV-6/-7) in 23 human nasal polyps by applying PCR. Two types of control tissues were used: adjacent inferior/middle turbinates from the patients and inferior/middle turbinates from 13 patients undergoing nasal corrective surgery. EBV was the virus most frequently detected (35%), followed by HPV (13%), HSV-1 (9%), and CMV (4%).

Hidrocystoma of the external auditory canal: a case report.

Background: Apocrine hydrocystomas arising in the external auditory canal are very rare. In this report a clinical case of apocrine hydrocystoma located in the cartilaginous part of the external auditory canal is presented.

Case Presentation: A 64-year-old Caucasian female patient presented with a solitary nodule, located in the outer part of the external ear canal after repeated episodes of external otitis.

Ectopic internal carotid artery presenting as an oropharyngeal mass.

Ectopic internal carotid artery (ICA) is a very rare variation. The major congenital abnormalities of the ICA can be classified as agenesis, aplasia and hypoplasia, and they can be unilateral or bilateral. Anomalies of the neck artery may be vascular neoplasms or ectopic position.

Diagnosis of tetanus by an otorhinolaryngologist and immunity against tetanus among adults on the island of Crete.

Background: Tetanus (lockjaw) is a rare disease in developed countries.

Methods: An otorhinolaryngologist can be the first physician to see a patient with tetanus. In our department, we have seen 10 such cases presenting with head and neck symptoms.

RKIP and BRAF aberrations in human nasal polyps and the adjacent turbinate mucosae.

Background: Little is known about the implication of BRAF and RKIP expression, or about the incidence of BRAF mutations in the formation of nasal polyposis.

Objectives: To determine the expression levels of the genes BRAF and RKIP, and to inspect the frequency of BRAF mutations in exons 11, 14 and 15 in human nasal polyps (NP).

Patients And Methods: We analyzed 24 human NP specimens and their adjacent inferior and middle turbinates (AIT and AMT), as well as 14 control subjects [bearing 14 Control Inferior Turbinates (CIT) and 14 Control Middle Turbinates (CMT), in total].

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I)- and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)-related angioedema: a neglected issue in daily practice in Greece.

Several reports on angioedema (AE) related to the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) have been published recently. This study reports on the experience gained at the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Clinic of the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete. A retrospective chart review of the patients admitted to this clinic, in a 42-month period (1999-2003), and discharged with a diagnosis ENT code for AE was performed (14 eligible patients).

Diagnosis and management of substernal goiter at the University of Crete.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the diagnosis and management of patients with substernal goiter (SSG) on the basis of our experience. We conducted a retrospective study of all SSGs within a series of 591 thyroidectomies performed in a tertiary referral center over a period of 14 years, analyzing epidemiological data, diagnostic criteria, and surgical results. There were 37 (6%) patients with descending goiter: 28 women (mean age 57.

Expression analysis of VEGFA, FGF2, TGFbeta1, EGF and IGF1 in human nasal polyposis.

A better understanding of the expression profile of a group of angiogenic markers in nasal polyps (NPs) would contribute considerably to the investigation of the formation of NPs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) in NPs obtained from 21 patients undergoing nasal polypectomy. Nasal mucosae were obtained from the adjacent inferior turbinates (AIT) and middle turbinates (AMT) of the patients, as well as from 11 control subjects undergoing nasal corrective surgery.

Mutations and differential expression of the ras family genes in human nasal polyposis.

Although it is well established that ras genes contribute to tumourigenesis either through the accumulation of mutations or by aberrant expression in a wide range of human cancers, little is known regarding their involvement in human nasal polyps (NPs). In the present study, the occurrence of mutations in codons 11 and 12 of the ras family genes was examined by PCR/RFLP and direct sequencing in 23 human NPs and their adjacent turbinates, as well as in turbinates from 13 control subjects. Moreover, the expression pattern of ras mRNA levels was assessed in NP specimens and compared to adjacent and control tissues.

Optimal time for nasal packing removal after septoplasty. A comparative study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and subjective discomfort of one-day internal dressing compared to that of two-day in patients undergoing nasal septal surgery.

Study Design/methods: Prospective, randomized, clinical trial conducted on 75 patients undergoing septoplasty in a tertiary ENT clinic. Discomfort caused by nasal dressings was evaluated by means of a visual analog scale.

Pattern of parotid gland tumors on Crete, Greece: a retrospective study of 131 cases.

Background: Salivary gland tumors constitute a highly heterogeneous group. There are few large epidemiological studies of benign and malignant salivary gland tumors in Greece. The aim of the present study was to define the pattern of parotid gland neoplasms on the island of Crete.