The impact of the first and the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on vascular surgery practice in the leading regional center: a comparative, retrospective study.

Background: We conducted an analysis of the vascular surgery regional center reorganization in response to the first and the second wave of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to see what lessons we learned from the first wave.

Methods: The study included a total of 632 patients admitted to the vascular surgery department in three periods: March-May 2020, October-December 2020, and October-December 2019 as a control period.

Results: In the pandemic periods the number of admitted patients decreased in relation to the control period.

Polish national guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic otitis media with effusion in children.

Otitis media with effusion (OME), is a common childhood disease and is characterized by long-term fluid retention in the middle ear spaces without signs of acute infection. Surgical treatment of OME in the form of a tympanostomy is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures by pediatric ENT surgeons worldwide. In February 2022, the Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery published updated guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery for tympanostomy tuba in children between 6 months and 12 years of age.

The role of preoperative imaging for auditory implants in children.

<b>Introduction:</b> Preoperative imaging, besides audiological evaluation, plays a major role in evaluation of candidacy for auditory implants, and in particular cochlear implants. It is essential to assess whether the basic criteria necessary for implantation are met. Diagnostic imaging is crucial not only in determining candidacy, but also determining the feasibility of cochlear implantation as it allow to anticipate surgical difficulties which could preclude or complicate the implantation of the device.

Tumour of the orbit and pterygopalatine fossa: delayed recognition of possible IgG4-related disease.

Introduction: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibrotic-inflammatory disease characterised by elevated serum concentration of IgG4 and tissue infiltration by plasma cells. IgG4-RD is a newly recognised fibro-inflammatory condition, characterised by organ mass lesions, special histopathological appearance, and - often but not always - elevated serum IgG4 concentrations. IgG4-RD is a separate, clinically distinct disease entity, but, due to its heterogeneous manifestation, it is a subject of interest of physicians of various specialties.