Aim: To describe the management of patients with elongated styloid process syndrome (Eagle's syndrome). Materials and Methods: Sixty-one patients with elongated styloid process were treated between 2000 and 2005. Computed tomography examination defines those whose symptoms suggest the diagnosis. Patients with styloid processes longer than 25 mm were treated by surgical resection. Results: Fiftyseven (93.4%) of 61 patients treated for Eagle's syndrome became asymptomatic after resection. There were no serious complications. Conclusion: Patients with clinically and radiologically established elongated styloid process can be managed successfully by surgical resection using an external approach.

The outcome of sudden hearing loss was unaffected by systemic disease, tinnitus or type of audiogram (except for midfrequency type). The following were poor prognostic factors in the outcome of sudden hearing loss: female gender, presence of vertigo, initiation of treatment more than seven days after onset of hearing loss, and >40 dB hearing loss on admission.

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Chronic otitis media usually presents with a benign tumor-like lesion of the temporal bone known as a cholesteatoma. The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma has not yet been fully explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzymes in patients with cholesteatomatous and noncholesteatomatous chronic otitis media and in healthy subjects. A prospective controlled trial was performed on cholesteatomatous and noncholesteatomatous chronic otitis media patients in a tertiary referral center in a university hospital. A total of 75 subjects, including 25 cholesteatomatous and 25 noncholesteatomatous chronic otitis media patients and 25 healthy subjects participated in this study. Serum total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels were significantly increased in the patient groups with or without cholesteatoma compared with the control group. Serum total antioxidant status (TAS) levels and Paraoxonase and arylesterase activity were significantly lower in the patient groups with or without cholesteatoma compared with the control group. Serum TOS and OSI levels were lower in the noncholesteatomatous group, whereas serum TAS levels were higher compared with the cholesteatomatous group. Serum arylesterase activity was significantly lower in the noncholesteatomatous group compared with the control group. The results of this study reveal that in cholesteatoma cases, the oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme imbalance were more significant than in cases of chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma.

Incus interposition and bone cement ossiculoplasty are safe and reliable methods with which to manage incus long process defects. Bone cement ossiculoplasty gives a greater hearing gain in appropriate cases.