Introduction Olfactory and gustative alterations are frequent in the initial stages of the COVID-19 infection. Vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to olfactory dysfunction. Objective The present study aimed to assess the relationship between vitamin B12 levels and smell affection in COVID-19 patients. Methods The present study included 201 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients. Smell affection was assessed using self-rated olfactory function. Serum vitamin B12 levels were assessed using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Results According to the smell function assessment, the patients were classified into three categories: normal osmesis (n = 77), hyposmia (n = 49), and anosmia (n = 75) (Fig. 1). Four weeks later, 195 patients (97.0%) had their normal smell function restored. The remainder 6 patients included 4 anosmic and 2 hyposmic patients. Patients with hyposmia or anosmia had significantly lower vitamin B12 levels when compared with patients with normal osmesis (median [IQR]: 363.0 [198.0–539.0] versus 337.0 [175.0–467.0] and 491.0 [364.5–584.5] pg/ml, respectively, p < 0.001). Conclusion Vitamin B12 appears to have some contribution to smell affection in patients with COVID-19 infection.

Background Scuba diving has become a popular hobby. However, diving puts the auditory system at the risk of a wide variety of complaints including tinnitus. Low-level laser therapy is a new modality in treatment of tinnitus. This study evaluates effect of laser therapy on tinnitus of scuba divers in Red Sea. This randomized study included 200 scuba diving patients with tinnitus without any other audiological symptoms. They were randomly divided into two groups: GI (n=100) patients were subjected to 60 sessions of laser therapy, and in the other group GII (n=100), the machine was off while doing the procedure. The Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ) was done every 20 days to evaluate the severity of the tinnitus for both groups. Results Both groups were matched regarding age and sex distribution. GI group experienced significantly decreased tinnitus severity compared to GII after laser therapy. There was no relation between duration of diving and laser therapy effect in GI. Conclusion Laser therapy is effective in treatment of tinnitus of scuba divers and its effect is increased by number of laser sessions.

Background Tonsillectomy is usually indicated in patients with tonsillar stones. It is thought coblation cryptolysis avoids the hazards related to monopolar bipolar diathermy and the regular cold surgical technique. This study compared the peri-operative outcomes in patients with tonsillar stones submitted to coblation cryptolysis, monopolar bipolar dissection, and cold dissection techniques. This randomized study included 105 patients with tonsillar stones. The included patients comprised three groups: GI (n = 35) was subjected to cold dissection, GII (n = 35) was subjected to monopolar bipolar diathermy tonsillectomy, and GIII (n = 35) was subjected to coblation cryptolysis. Outcome parameters included operative time, intraoperative bleeding, consumption of postoperative analgesia, and time to normal food intake. Results GIII patients experienced significantly shorter operative time, less intraoperative bleeding, less consumption of postoperative analgesics, and less time to normal diet when compared with the other two groups. Conclusion Coblation cryptolysis is a safe and effective technique in the management of tonsillar stones. It appears to be superior to other surgical interventions.

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