This is the first clinical study that investigates the effect of smoking on nasal polyp histopathology. In spite of the fact that smoking is associated with histopathological changes in respiratory mucosa, we did not find any significant change in histopathological characteristics of nasal polyps in smokers.

Correlation between passive smoking and nasal mucociliary clearance (MCC) in pediatric population has not been reported before. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between environmental tobacco smoke and nasal MCC in children whose parents smoke in or outside the house. Three groups of subjects were evaluated: control group (group 1) with 18 children who were not exposed to environmental smoke, 15 passive smokers living with at least one adult household member smoking outside the house (group 2), 17 passive smokers living with at least one adult household member smoking inside the house (group 3). Parents of children were asked to answer our questions regarding their smoking history, and nasal MCC time was assessed for all individuals of the 3 groups. The mean MCC value in control group, group 2 and group 3 were 7.33 ± 2.91, 10.00 ± 4.78 and 12.41 ± 3.44, respectively. Differences between the mean nasal MCC values of the groups were statistically significant (p < 0.01). The comparison of MCC values between control group and group 2 did not reveal significant difference, but since p value was very close to significance level, in larger series it could be significant. (p = 0.067). Also, when we compared the MCC values between group 2 and group 3, there was no significant difference (p = 0.173). But, the difference between MCC values of control group and group 3 was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Parental smoking both inside or outside the house seemed to increase nasal mucociliary clearance time when they are compared with healthy controls. Further studies with larger study groups also measuring direct quantitative doses of smoking are needed to verify this important issue.

The most common cause of oral ulcers is recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) in adults and children. [1] The prevalence of RAS varies from 5% to 60%. [2] Pathogenesis of RAS is multifactorial that trauma, stress, hormonal status, family history, food hypersensitivity, infectious factors, and immunological factors have a role in the development of RAS. [1] RAS can appear in three forms: minor aphthous ulcers, major aphthous ulcers, and herpetiform ulcers. [2] It has been considered that there are some changes in cellular immunity of RAS patients. It has been found that the rate of Clinical Research

Objective: Skull base reconstruction is one of the most challenging aspects of anterior skull base surgery, especially in the context of previous radiation treatment. The objective of the current study is to describe a novel strategy utilizing pericranial flap (PCF) and nasoseptal flap (NSF) closure following endoscopic-assisted craniofacial resection (EA-CFR) of sinus/ skull base tumors.Method: Review of a prospectively collected database containing patients treated with combined PCF/NSF closure was performed between January 2008 and December 2011 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Demographics, pathology, surgical goals, location, technique, length of hospital stay, adjuvant treatments, and clinical status were assessed.Results: Four patients (average age 42.7 ± 5.2 years) had EA-CFRs utilizing the PCF/NSF reconstructive technique. Tumor histopathology included esthesioneuroblastoma (n = 2), mixed adenocarcinoma/esthesioneuroblastoma (n = 1), and sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (n = 1). Surgical goals were curative intent in all patients. The average length of stay following surgery was 3 days (range of 2-4). There were no postoperative CSF leaks or other complications. Three patients had received neoadjuvant chemo/radiation therapy. The NSF was utilized to cover the PCF at the junction of the planum sphenoidale and PCF in all patients. All patients have complete locoregional control with an average follow up of 26 months (17-41), although 1 patient is alive with metastases. Conclusion:Reconstruction of anterior skull base defects following EA-CFR utilizing the combined PCF/NSF technique resulted in effective closure in all patients in this series. Providing a double layer of vascularized tissue is a reasonable strategy particularly in the setting of neoadjuvant radiation treatment. Objective: 1) Determine the flexural modulus (intrinsic flexibility) of tissue-engineered human septal neocartilage constructs using 3 point bending mechanical testing. 2) Compare the flexibility of native human septal cartilage to human tissueengineered septal cartilage constructs using 3-point bending mechanical testing. Rhinology/AllergyMethod: Strips of tissue-engineered human septal neocartilage and native septal cartilage were subjected to 3-point bending using a testing apparatus with axial load cell and actuator. Uniform stress was applied while displacement and strain were recorded. The flexural rigidity or bending modulus was calculated for each sample. Objective: Cigarette smoking causes squamous metaplasia in upper and lower airways. We hypothesized that in patients with nasal polyposis, nasal polyps of smokers might reveal histopathological changes, and there might be an increased neoplasia risk. Therefore, we aimed to explore the effects of smoking on nasal polyp histopathology and clinical measures. ResultsMethod: This retrospective chart review consists of 30 smoker and 47 nonsmoker patients with nasal polyposis who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery between 2007 and 2011. We aimed to assess the effect...

Objective:Patients who underwent endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) operation were analyzed for their nasal obstructive anatomic and pathologic infrastructures.Methods: Thirty two patients with distal lacrimal system pathology who underwent endonasal endoscopic DCR surgery in the Ear Nose and Throat Clinic were examined with endoscopy and their computed tomographies were evaluated for the nasal and paranasal pathologies. These findings were compared with 50 healthy subjects' physical examination and computed tomography results. During the DCR operation patients were re-evaluated peroperatively for the nasal pathologies to be corrected if necessary. Results:No statistically significant difference was detected for the nasal septal deviation, agger nasi, concha bullosa, osteomeatal complex or ethmoid pathologies. Conclusion:The relation of the etiopathogenesis of the disease and nasal variations were evaluated because of the close proximity of the nasolacrimal system with the intranasal variations, but there was no statistical connection between them. During the endoscopic endonasal DSR operation obstructive nasal pathologies should be corrected in the same session if necessary.