Palatal implants for persistent snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea after laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty.

Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) was widely performed in 1990s as a surgical therapeutic procedure to improve snoring or mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, LAUP is not currently recommended as a treatment for OSA because the evidence for its efficacy is insufficient. Little is known about alternative minimally invasive surgery in patients who refuse continuous positive airway pressure or oral appliance after failed LAUP.

The extent of inferior displacement of the mastoid tegmen is related to the severity of congenital aural atresia.

Conclusion: The extent of inferior displacement of the mastoid tegmen is related to the severity of congenital aural atresia (CAA).

Objective: To analyze anatomic variations observed on high-resolution temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT) in patients with CAA, the extent of inferior displacement of the mastoid tegmen and the size of the incudo-stapedial (IS) joint angle were compared with surgical parameters for atresiaplasty, such as Jahrsdoerfer score and hearing acuity.

Methods: Sixty-one patients with unilateral CAA underwent high-resolution TBCT and hearing tests.

Increased expression of arginase I and II in allergic nasal mucosa.

Objectives/hypothesis: It is known that arginase may be a regulator of diverse pathways, including production of nitric oxide (NO). Increased expression of arginase has been reported in several inflammatory lung diseases, including allergic asthma, suggesting that this may be a common feature underlying the pathophysiology of airway hyperreactivity. Thus, arginase I and II may play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.