BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Deviation of the nasal septum toward one side is often associated with an outgrowth of the inferior turbinate, which occupies the expansive space of the contralateral nasal cavity. It is assumed that this contrabalanced mechanism characterized by compensatory hypertrophy has originated to protect the more patent nasal side from excessive airflow with its drying and crusting effect. We tried to investigate histologic differences of inferior turbinate mucosa of both sides in patients with nasal septal deviation. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Specimens were taken from the anterior portion of inferior turbinates of 15 patients with deviated nasal septum and compensatory hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate. After staining by hematoxylin-eosin, the histologic differences of bilateral turbinate mucosa were examined under light microscope. RESULTS: Epithelia of both sides showed normal or epithelial exfoliation. The number of submucosal glands was significantly higher in the opposite side than in the hypertrophied side. Inflammatory cell infiltration was more severe in the hypertrophied side than in the opposite side. CONCLUSION: Above results suggest that heavy infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased number of glands in the hypertrophied side might result from aerodynamic change originated from difference of area of airway.
Humans ; Hypertrophy* ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Septum* ; Turbinates*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Multiple techniques of ossicular replacement have been advocated for hearing gain in the setting of chronic otitis media. The purpose of this study is to investigate hearing gain in the middle ear surgery according to the surgical technique and the materials. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Ninety-nine cases with ossicular replacement with mastoidectomy in the Konkuk University Hospital from 1995 to 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. Postoperative hearing gains were compared with the two methods of mastoidectomy and the two materials of ossicular replacement separately. RESULTS: A successful hearing gain was defined as a postoperative air-bone gap less than 30dB. According to this criterion, 47% of intact canal wall mastoidectomy cases and 43% of open cavity mastoidectomy cases were successful. Thirty-one percent of ossicular replacement case using cartilage-perichondrium and 62% using hydroxyapatite-PORP were successful. The extrusion rate was zero % in ossicular replacement using cartilage-perichondrium, and 57% in ossicular replacement using PORP. CONCLUSION: There was a significant differences in hearing gain and extrusion rate by using two different materials for ossicular replacement such as cartilage and hydroxyapatite-PORP (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant differences in hearing gain between the two methods of mastoidectomy (p>0.05).
Cartilage ; Ear, Middle ; Hearing* ; Incus* ; Malleus* ; Ossicular Prosthesis ; Ossicular Replacement ; Otitis Media ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Airway mucosa is protected by several complex of defense mechanisms, namely mucociliary clearance, immunoglobulins, cellular components, and antibacterial secretary enzymes. In particular, lysozymes, also known as muramidase, are important components of innate immunity against pathogens at mucosal surfaces. Trachea mucosa is mainly protected by mucociliary clearance, and recently, lysozymes are also known to be in the trachea tissues. The purpose of this study is to identify the distribution and expression of lysozymes in the trachea of normal rats. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Tra-cheas were collected from male Wistar-kyoto rats. The expression level and distribution of mRNA of lysozyme were analyzed by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Western blot assessed and confirmed the expression of lysozyme. RESULTS: The expression of mRNA of lysozyme in trachea was observed. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that lysozyme was expressed in the epithelium and the submucosal serous gland. Western blot was detected at the molecular weight of 14 kDa. CONCLUSION: We identified the distribution and expression of lysozymes in the trachea of normal rats. The result suggests that innate immunity such as that played by lysozymes is an important component of defense mechanisms along with mucociliary clearance.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Defense Mechanisms ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Molecular Weight ; Mucociliary Clearance ; Mucous Membrane ; Muramidase* ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Trachea*

BACKGROUND: Diffuse panbronchiolitis(DPB) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that presents as coughing, copious sputum, exertional dyspnea, which progresses to bronchiectasis. The pathogenesis of bronchiectasis is controlled by inflammatory mediators, which are closely related to mucus hypersecretion, goblet cell dysplasia. In recent studies, the epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) system was reported to be associated with this process. It was hypothesized that a relationship exists between goblet cell dysplasia, EGFR expression, and inflammatory mediators produced by neutrophil. METHOD: Alcian blue/periodic acid -Schiff(AB/PAS) stain, MUC5AC, EGFR, CD16 immunohistochemical stain were examined to investigate a role for the EGFR system in a mucus hypersecretion in DPB using the lung biopsy specimens from 13 DPB patients and 6 controls. RESULTS: In the DPB group, the AB/PAS- and MUC5AC-stained areas were 8.31+/-3.36%, 11.46+/-4.68%, respectively. In the control group, the AB/PAS- and MUC5AC-stained areas were 50.5+/-5.77%, 53.3%+/-6.67%, which was significantly larger than in the DPB group (each comparison, p<0.05). The percentage of EGFR expression was 9.54+/-4.95% in the DPB group, but zero in of the control group. The extent of neutrophilic infiltration was 71.92+/-3.71/5HPF in the DPB group and 45.0+/-5.73/5HPF in the control group, which was statistically significant(p=0.002). CONCLUSION: The EGFR system is highly related to goblet cell dysplasia, mucus hypersecretion and neutrophilic inflammation in DPB.
Biopsy ; Bronchiectasis ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Goblet Cells* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Mucus ; Neutrophils ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Sputum

Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery appointed a Task Force to develop clinical practice guidelines for the surgical treatment of laryngeal cancer. This Task Force conducted a systematic search of the EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed databases to identify relevant articles, using search terms selected according to the key questions. Evidence-based recommendations were then created on the basis of these articles. An external expert review and Delphi questionnaire were applied to reach consensus regarding the recommendations. The resulting guidelines focus on the surgical treatment of laryngeal cancer with the assumption that surgery is the selected treatment modality after a multidisciplinary discussion in any context. These guidelines do not, therefore, address non-surgical treatment such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The committee developed 62 evidence-based recommendations in 32 categories intended to assist clinicians during management of patients with laryngeal cancer and patients with laryngeal cancer, and counselors and health policy-makers.
Advisory Committees ; Consensus ; Counseling ; Drug Therapy ; Glottis ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms* ; Neck*