Publications by authors named "Kai-Chieh Chan"

To determine the risk factor for developing complications in patients undergoing removal procedures for foreign bodies (FBs) in the external auditory canal (EAC) in the otolaryngology (ENT) emergency unit. Cases involving patients with EAC FBs treated at the ENT emergency unit of a tertiary medical center were retrospectively recruited. Patients were classified into the age < 10 years and ≥10 years groups.

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Deep neck infection (DNI) involves the deep neck spaces and may lead to airway compromise. An intensive care unit (ICU) is a specialized unit of the hospital that provides intensive care. ICU care is required for patients with severe DNI, although the risk factors for need of ICU care in patients with DNI have not been investigated.

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  • This study assessed the long-term effects of the Bonebridge BCI 601 on acoustic and subjective outcomes in Taiwanese patients with microtia and aural atresia.
  • A total of 41 patients were followed for an average of 6.3 years, showing significant improvements in hearing ability, speech reception, and word recognition after implantation.
  • The results indicated that while most subjective measures improved, one specific area related to sound aversiveness did not show positive change after the Bonebridge procedure.
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Background: Deep neck infections (DNIs) can compromise the airway and are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia that is associated with several comorbidities. We compared the clinical characteristics of DNI patients with and without DM.

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Osteomas in the external auditory canal (EAC) can lead to stenosis, and impair epithelium migration and self-cleaning capability, thereby trapping keratinized epithelium and triggering the development of cholesteatoma. Our study aims to identify the risk of cholesteatoma development in patients with osteoma and proposes a stepwise approach to managing patients with EAC osteoma. The maximum diameter of the osteoma was measured in axial and coronal views on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT).

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Background: In Taiwan, the number of cases of sequential bilateral pediatric cochlear implantation (CI) is increasing but data regarding its effectiveness and impact of the reimbursement policy are lacking. We examined the speech perception and quality of life (QOL) of bilateral prelingually deaf children who underwent sequential CI, considering the effects of age at the time of second implantation and interimplant interval.

Methods: We enrolled 124 Mandarin-speaking participants who underwent initial cochlear implant (CI1) in 2001-2019 and a second CI (CI2) in 2015-2020.

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  • Deep neck infection (DNI) can lead to serious complications like descending mediastinitis, and this study aimed to develop an AI model to predict such progression in DNI patients.
  • A total of 380 patients were evaluated, with 285 in a training group and 95 in a test group, while analyzing various clinical and CT imaging parameters using a predictive method.
  • The model demonstrated an 82.11% accuracy in predicting progression, highlighting its potential to help identify patients in need of immediate treatment.
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Deep neck infection (DNI) is a potentially lethal infectious disease affecting middle-aged adults and can compromise the airway. There are limited data on the prognosis and outcomes of elderly (aged > 65 years) DNI patients, who tend to be immunocompromised. This study analyzed the clinical characteristics of elderly and adult (aged 18-65 years) DNI patients.

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Background: Deep neck infection (DNI) is a severe infectious disorder of deep neck spaces that can cause serious complications. Long-term hospitalization is when a patient spends more time in the hospital than originally expected for a disease. There are few studies assessing the risk factors associated with long-term hospitalization for a DNI.

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  • Exoscope, a surgical tool, has been increasingly used in ear surgeries, though most operations still utilize microscopes or endoscopy.
  • This study involved 15 patients and collected feedback from various surgical team members through a detailed questionnaire, evaluating the performance and experience of using the exoscope.
  • Results showed exoscopic surgery to be safe and effective, with high marks for image quality and magnification, but noted challenges like limited workspace and user eye strain, suggesting it has potential for broader use in otologic procedures.
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: Cervical space infection could also extend to the mediastinum due to the anatomical vicinity. The mortality rate of descending necrotizing mediastinitis is 85% if untreated. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for the progression of deep neck abscesses to descending necrotizing mediastinitis.

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  • Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is an urgent condition where timely treatment can benefit many, but some patients may experience unexpected recurrences. The study investigates the recurrence rates and prognosis for both first-time and recurrent SSNHL cases.* -
  • A review of seven studies with 3,781 patients found that 96 experienced recurrence, with rates ranging from 1.4% to 17%, typically occurring about 2 years after the initial episode. Recovery rates were between 58%-79% for first-time patients and varied from 21% to 86% for those with recurrent SSNHL.* -
  • Although no specific risk factors for SSNHL recurrence were consistently identified, potential
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Background: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) presents with emergent hearing impairment and is mainly treated with steroids. However, limited data exist regarding the prognostic factors among elderly patients (>65 years old) who receive an intra-tympanic steroid injection (ITSI). Therefore, we investigated the prognostic factors in these patients.

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Schwannomas are benign tumors derived from the sheath of Schwann cells. Though it is common to see schwannomas in the head and neck region, auricular schwannomas are rare and only few cases have been reported. There are no distinguishing clinical findings or images; therefore, the histopathological diagnosis is mandatory.

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Background: The prevalence of adult cochlear implant (CI) surgery is increasing. However, the relevant adult CI data in Taiwan are insufficient due to the relatively small number of adult implant patients. The two main factors hindering adult implantation are the high cost of the surgery itself and inadequate knowledge regarding the effectiveness of CI for hearing and suppression of tinnitus.

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  • Auricular pseudocyst (AP) is a benign swelling of the ear, typically treated with deroofing surgery followed by compression, but this can cause post-operative pain.
  • A new, painless surgical method was tested on 31 patients, utilizing the deroofing technique combined with Merocel® compression dressing, which showed promising results.
  • Most patients reported minimal pain post-surgery (93.5% rated it 0 or 1), and only one experienced a recurrence, highlighting the method's effectiveness and the advantage of using easily accessible materials.
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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the incidence of complications in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) patients treated with intra-tympanic steroid injection (ITSI) and compare hearing recovery rates.

Materials And Methods: 123 patients with unilateral SSNHL receiving ITSIs were included in this study. Post-ITSI complications were documented including otalgia, dysgeusia, vertigo (duration>1 h), and persistent eardrum perforation.

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: Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare aggressive tumor. Most tumors are not confined to the salivary ducts; rather, they invade the major and minor salivary glands. Only a few case reports on such tumors in other primary sites have appeared.

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Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is rare in the external auditory canal (EAC). ALCL in the EAC region is challenging for clinicians and pathologists. We report a 34-year-old male presented with the chief complaint of a painless mass in the left EAC for approximately 2 weeks.

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Gradenigo syndrome is a clinical triad of abducens nerve palsy, retro-orbital pain (trigeminal ganglionitis), and chronic otorrhea (otitis media). The etiology of Gradenigo syndrome results from apical petrositis secondary to suppurative otitis media. Although apical petrositis has gradually become uncommon in modern society due to the widespread use of antibiotics, Gradenigo syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a child's diplopia.

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Background: This study reviewed the clinical manifestations, pathological findings, and treatment outcomes of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) in the external auditory canal (EAC).

Methods: This was a retrospective review of 12 patients with a diagnosis of ACC in the EAC seen in a single institution over a 30-year period. Data on the demographics, clinical presentation, treatment strategy, and outcome, as well as the pathological features of ACC, were reviewed and analyzed.

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Background/purpose: The Bonebridge (BB) is a newly designed transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implant. We describe, for the first time, simultaneous BB implantation and different surgical techniques of auricular reconstruction for microtia patients with aural atresia/stenosis.

Methods: Ten patients with unilateral or bilateral microtia underwent BB implantation combined simultaneously with either total auricular reconstruction using bespoke hand-carved Medpor framework or second stage auricular projection using autologous costal cartilage framework.

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