A clinical comparative study of an outpatient treatment group and an endoscopic sinus surgery group for maxillary sinus fungus ball.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the differences in the pathophysiology of maxillary sinus fungus balls (FB) among different case groups and to identify which patients with maxillary sinus FB would be suitable for outpatient procedures.

Methods: Thirty-four patients diagnosed with maxillary sinus FB between January 2017 and December 2021 were divided into two groups (O and S). We retrospectively compared the clinical and imaging characteristics, and the treatment outcomes between the groups.

Anxiety, depression and quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing laryngectomy: A long-term prospective evaluation.

Background: This study aimed to assess anxiety, depression and quality of life (QoL) in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing laryngectomy using comprehensive self-reported questionnaires for a period of up to 5 years.

Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled 150 consecutive patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer who underwent laryngectomy at Nagoya University Hospital between 2007 and 2020. Anxiety, depression and QoL were assessed at baseline (preoperative) and at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months after surgery using two brief self-reported questionnaires, such as the eight-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-8) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Direct generation of multicolor Bessel beams from a Pr: WPFG fiber laser.

Multicolor visible high-order Bessel (Bessel-vortex) beams which have a helical wavefront and a long confocal length have garnered significant interest for applications in materials processing and biomedical technologies. In this paper, we demonstrate the direct generation of multicolor (523, 605 and 637 nm) Bessel-vortex beams from a Pr-doped water-proof fluoro-aluminate glass (Pr: WPFG) fiber laser with an intracavity lens which induces chromatic and spherical aberration. The handedness of the generated Bessel-vortex beam is selectively controlled through lateral displacement of the intra-cavity lens.

Efficacy of endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy using a curved rigid laryngoscope in patients with sporadic inclusion body myositis: four retrospective case reviews.

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (s-IBM) is an acquired degenerative inflammatory myopathy that leads to slowly progressive muscle weakness and atrophy of the limbs, face, and pharynx. Owing to the slow progression of the disease, the indications for surgical intervention remain unclear. Herein, we retrospectively reviewed the records of four patients with s-IBM who had undergone cricopharyngeal myotomy for severe dysphagia at our institution between 2016 and 2021.

Dynamic Analysis Of Male "Extra-high Voice" Using Multi-row Detector Computed Tomography.

Objectives/hypothesis: Some people who practice singing on a daily basis may be able to produce a voice higher than the upper limit of the normal range (extra high voice), but there is much regarding the movement of the larynx that remains unknown. We have been conducting dynamic analysis of the larynx using multi-row detection computed tomography (MD-CT) at our university and report herein an analysis of the extra high voice.

Study Design: Observational.

Immune Status of Cervical Lymph Nodes in Head and Neck Cancer-A Surgical Oncology Perspective.

Neck dissection for cervical lymph node metastasis is an established procedure for head and neck cancer (HNC). However, with the advent of immunotherapy, head and neck surgical oncologists need to rethink removing all lymph nodes, including those with immune function. We investigated the anti-cancer immune response of the cervical lymph nodes in four patients with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

A Combined Exoscopic and Endoscopic Approach for Radical Temporal Bone Resection and Usefulness of the Endoscopic Approach to the Medial Aspect of the Temporal Bone.

Radical temporal bone resection (TBR) for lateral skull base malignancies is technically challenging because of the vital anatomical structures located at the medial part of the temporal bone and their limited exposure. A possible solution is to adopt an additional endoscopic approach for medial osteotomy to reduce blind spots. The authors aimed to describe a combined exoscopic and endoscopic approach (CEEA) for cranial dissection in radical TBR and to determine the usefulness of the endoscopic approach to the medial aspect of the temporal bone.

The Landscape of MYB/MYBL1- and Peri-MYB/MYBL1-Associated Rearrangements in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

Approximately 60% of adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) cases are positive for MYB::NFIB or MYBL1::NFIB, whereas MYB/MYBL1 oncoprotein, a key driver of AdCC, is overexpressed in most cases. Juxtaposition of superenhancer regions in NFIB and other genes into the MYB/MYBL1 locus is an attractive oncogenic hypothesis for AdCC cases, either negative or positive for MYB/MYBL1::NFIB. However, evidence supporting this hypothesis is insufficient.

Artesunate and cisplatin synergistically inhibit HNSCC cell growth and promote apoptosis with artesunate‑induced decreases in Rb and phosphorylated Rb levels.

In the treatment of head and neck cancer, cisplatin is often used as a therapeutic agent; however, its efficacy is limited and it can cause renal dysfunction as an adverse effect. For this reason, the use of cisplatin is limited in elderly patients with reduced renal function. Recently, artemisinin, which was developed as an antimalarial drug, was found to have antitumor effects and is effective in combination with other anticancer drugs.

＜Editors' Choice＞ Long-term outcomes of lateral skull base reconstruction with a free omental flap and facial nerve reconstruction.

In lateral skull base reconstruction, it is necessary to seal the defect in the lateral skull base, fill the dead space, and, sometimes, reconstruct the facial nerve. However, this procedure is difficult to perform with a standard musculocutaneous flap. Therefore, for such cases, an omental flap is used in our hospital because of its flexibility.

Red, orange, and dual wavelength vortex emission from Pr:WPFGF fiber laser using a microscope slide output coupler.

Visible vortex beams have a large array of applications; however, the sources are often large or complex. Here, we present a compact vortex source with red, orange, and dual wavelength emission. This Pr:Waterproof Fluoro-Aluminate Glass fiber laser uses a standard microscope slide as an interferometric output coupler, yielding high quality first order vortex modes in a compact setup.

Characteristics and utility of combined duplex color-coded ultrasonography in the cervical rotational position with head MRI and MRA in the differential diagnosis of apogeotropic direction-changing positional nystagmus.

Objective: To determine whether cervical ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are useful in the differential diagnosis of etiology and understanding the pathophysiology in cases of apogeotropic direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN).

Methods: Thirty patients with apogeotropic DCPN were classified into 11 cases of central disease, seven cases of mixed central and peripheral disease, and 12 cases of peripheral disease by differential diagnosis based on various balance function, neuro-otological, and imaging tests.Cervical ultrasonography using the cervical rotation method and MRI and MRA of the head and neck were performed in most patients with apogeotropic DCPN.

A Report of Two Cases of Malignant Tumor of the Maxillary Sinus Diagnosed Using Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology.

Primary and metastatic malignancies arising in the sinuses are rare and histologically diverse. The role of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and the cytomorphologic characteristics of these tumors have not been specifically addressed. We described two cases of suspected malignant maxillary sinus tumors in 85- and 90-year-old patients with comorbid conditions, both of whom underwent tissue biopsies that failed to yield a definitive diagnosis.

New, safe and simple endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy with a curved rigid laryngoscope: A case report.

Endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy (ECPM) is a safe and minimally invasive technique that is used to treat patients whose esophageal inlet fails to open because of specific diseases, such as Wallenberg's syndrome and neuromuscular diseases. The present study described the performance of a new, safe and simple ECPM using a curved rigid laryngoscope, which is used for endoscopic laryngopharyngeal surgery for patients with dysphagia due to pharyngeal residue after swallowing. The patient was an 80-year-old woman with laryngeal palsy caused by lower cranial nerve palsy after cranial base schwannoma surgery.

Surgical Strategy for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the External Auditory Canal: Management of Locally Advanced Cases with Skull Base Involvement.

 Surgical indications for advanced-stage squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the external auditory canal (EAC) are highly dependent on the skull base surgery team. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcomes in patients with SCC of the EAC and to clarify the surgical indication of far advanced cases using the T4 subclassification.  Patients with SCC of the EAC who underwent curative treatment from 2002 to 2021 at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed.

Post-operative progress of arm abduction function and rate of lymph node metastasis around the region of the accessory nerve: a multicentre prospective observational study.

Objective: Although neck dissection is an essential technique in the surgical treatment of head and neck carcinoma, arm abduction disorders occurring after neck dissection reduce the patient's quality of life.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated the rate of lymph node metastasis in Levels IIB and V in head and neck cancer patients who underwent neck dissection at eight centres in Japan. In addition, post-operative arm abduction disability was classified according to functional assessment values at 1 month post-operatively, and the rate of maintained function at 6 and 12 months was evaluated.

Establishment of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Cell Lines from Surgical and Recurrence Biopsy Specimens.

Patients with advanced/recurrent mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) have a poor prognosis. This study aimed to establish and characterize human mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell lines from the initial surgical specimen and biopsy specimen upon recurrence from the same patient to provide a resource for MEC research. MEC specimens from the initial surgical procedure and biopsy upon recurrence were used to establish cell lines.

Prognostic implications of the global leadership initiative on malnutrition criteria as a routine assessment modality for malnutrition in hospitalized patients at a university hospital.

Background & Aims: Few studies have examined the association between mortality and malnutrition diagnosed using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria for routine nutritional assessment; thus, this association is not well known. We aimed to clarify the association between GLIM-defined malnutrition and mortality in a large population of hospitalized patients.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled adult patients admitted to Aichi Medical University Hospital between April 2019 and March 2021, who underwent nutritional assessment using the GLIM criteria.

First-line pembrolizumab ± chemotherapy for recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer: Japanese subgroup of KEYNOTE-048.

Background: Here, we report the results of the Japanese subgroup of the phase 3 KEYNOTE-048 study of pembrolizumab alone, pembrolizumab plus platinum and 5-fluorouracil (pembrolizumab-chemotherapy), or cetuximab plus platinum and 5-fluorouracil (EXTREME) in previously untreated recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods: Primary end points were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Efficacy was evaluated in patients with PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 20 and ≥ 1 and the total Japanese subgroup (n = 67).

Relationship between cognitive domains and hearing ability in memory clinic patients: How did the relationship change after 6 months of introducing a hearing aid?

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between hearing ability and cognitive domains and determine how the relationship changes after 6 months of introducing a hearing aid.

Methods: We conducted a 6-month hearing aid lending study between September 2014 and March 2019, including 59 older participants who visited the Memory Clinic at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology. The hearing level was assessed using pure tone audiometry.

The association of food intake on the development of hearing impairment after middle age among Japanese community dwellers.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether food intake modifies the risk of developing hearing impairment (HI) in Japanese adults in their 40s.

Methods: Data for individuals who were in their 40s with no HI at baseline and had participated in the survey multiple times were extracted from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, Longitudinal Study of Aging. A total of 1846 samples observed for up to 11.

Safety and Clinical Benefits of Laryngeal Closure in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

This study evaluated the safety of laryngeal closure and post-surgical changes in swallowing function of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and proposed an appropriate surgical strategy for patients with ALS. Clinical and surgical data of 26 consecutive patients with ALS who underwent laryngeal closure at Nagoya University Hospital in Japan between 2003 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Changes in swallowing functions were evaluated before and approximately 1 month post-surgery using Neuromuscular Disease Swallowing Status Scale (NdSSS), and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS).