Women after the menopause appear to be more susceptible to sleep related breathing disorders (SBDs). The increased prevalence of SBDs in postmenopausal women may be related to weight gain and the decline in female sex hormones levels. These conditions may cause upper airway obstruction, which can result in sleep disruption. Other sleep disorders, such as insomnia, depression, and fibromyalgia must be ruled out with SBDs in postmenopausal women with sleep difficulties. Once SBD is strongly suspected through medical history and precise physical examinations, polysomnogram is required for confirmatory diagnosis. In addition, other examinations besides polysomnogram should be performed to detect obstructed regions. Treatment of SBD can be classified into surgical method and non-surgical method. Treatment options must be carefully selected by considering the patient's clinical examinations, patient's preference, age and life style.
Airway Obstruction ; Depression ; Female ; Fibromyalgia ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Humans ; Life Style ; Menopause ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Respiration ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Weight Gain

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the frequency of nasal septal perforation at the suture fixation site of a silastic sheet inserted during nasal surgery. METHODS: Seven hundred and twenty-one patients with silastic sheet insertion during common nasal surgeries were examined. The frequency of perforations and subjective symptoms of the patients were evaluated. RESULTS: Nasal septal perforation at the suture fixation site occurred in seven patients (0.97%). In three patients, perforations occurred immediately after removal of the sheet, while four patients developed perforations 2 to 4 weeks later. In most cases, perforations were small and did not exceed 2 to 3 mm in diameter. No patient complained of nasal symptoms related to the septal perforation postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The frequency of the septal perforation at the suture fixation site of a silastic sheet was very low and subjective symptoms were absent.
Dimethylpolysiloxanes ; Humans ; Nasal Septal Perforation ; Nasal Septum ; Nasal Surgical Procedures ; Sutures

The literature does not report a cure for atrophic rhinitis, but considerable relief of symptoms such as foul odor, crust formation and nasal stuffiness could be given to the patient by surgical treatment, which always involves a method of narrowing the nasal airway. In this report, a review of the surgical technique of silastic implantation, clinical results and follow up is presented. Forty three years old female patient who was diagnosed as primary atrophic rhinitis was treated surgically with silastic implantation. The result was excellent with complete resolution of the major symptoms. There was no complication such as extrusion of implant. We found that the silastic is a readily available and inexpensive material and the surgical procedureis relatively simple to perform and easily revised. We propose silastic implant as a treatment modality of atrophic rhinitis with a review of literatures.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Odors ; Rhinitis, Atrophic*

Olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare tumor of nasal cavity arising from the olfactory neuroepithelium. It is usually presented as a polypoid mass high in the nasal vault including cribriform plate, superior turbinate, and superior portion of nasal septum. Recently, we experienced a case of olfactory neuroblastoma occurred from very atypical location. An 89-year-old man visited our department with symptoms of occasional left nasal bleeding and obstruction. On the endoscopic examination, a polypoid mass with bleeding tendency was observed in the left inferior meatus, but other portions of nasal cavity showed normal appearance. Biopsy was performed and the final pathologic report turned out as olfactory neuroblastoma. We report this unusually presenting case of olfactory neuroblastoma with a review of the literature.
Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy ; Epistaxis ; Esthesioneuroblastoma, Olfactory* ; Ethmoid Bone ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Nasal Cavity* ; Nasal Septum ; Turbinates

Glomangiopericytoma, a new term referring to the sinonasal type hemangiopericytoma, is a rare sinonasal tumor arising from modified perivascular glomus-like myoid cells. It is a borderline, low grade malignancy tumor, which has good prognosis following a complete surgical resection. Recently, we experienced a case of a glomangiopericytoma in a 68-year-old woman who presented with epistaxis and unilateral nasal obstruction. Endoscopic examinations revealed polypoid mass with bleeding tendency in the left middle meatus. The tumor was located mainly in the left ethmoid sinus and we removed it successfully by endoscopic approach. Histological examination and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of glomangiopericytoma. We present the clinical and histological characteristics, therapeutic principles, and prognosis of this rare disease entity with a literature review.
Epistaxis ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Female ; Hemangiopericytoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Nasal Obstruction ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases

Hemangiomas are the most common vascular tumor of the head and neck region, but rarely involve the sinonasal cavity. The majority of these lesions present as a benign tumor of the skin and mucosa. Moreover, most nasal hemangiomas occur in the nasal septum or vestibule. The authors experienced a case of subcutaneous cavernous hemangioma that occurred from right nasolabial fold in a 40-year-old man, which was successfully treated by sublabial approach. We expected the tumor as a radicular or nasolabial cyst because of its location, clinical feature, and radiologic findings. However, the final pathologic diagnosis was cavernous hemangioma. We present the clinical characteristics, radiologic findings, and treatment of a subcutaneous hemangioma with a review of the literature.
Adult ; Caves ; Head ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Septum ; Nasolabial Fold ; Neck ; Skin

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is a rare, aggressive malignancy and commonly asymptomatic until the tumor has extensively progressed. Patients with SNUC usually show the involvement of multiple sinuses and the nasal cavity. In addition, the invasion of the orbit or cranial vault is a frequent finding. Most case series of SNUC report very poor prognosis despite aggressive multimodality therapy. We present a case of SNUC in a 19-year old female occurred from the right ethmoid sinus with invasion to the orbital content.
Carcinoma ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Female ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms ; Nasal Cavity ; Orbit ; Prognosis

Chondrosarcoma of the ethmoid sinus is a rare malignant tumor and has a poor prognosis due to the frequent local recurrence and distant metastasis. It has unique and distinctive histologic characteristics, being composed of chondroid tumor cells with spindled cytoplasmic extensions. Wide surgical resection is the treatment of choice and radiation or chemotherapy can be combined with the surgery. The prognosis of chondrosarcoma depends on the anatomical location, resectability, and cytologic differentiation of the tumor. The authors experienced a case of huge chondrosarcoma of the left nasal cavity in a 47-year-old woman, which was resected successfully via endoscopic approach. We present the clinical characteristics, pathology, treatment, and prognosis of the tumor with a review of the literature.
Chondrosarcoma ; Cytoplasm ; Endoscopes ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Cavity ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

The thymus arises from the ventral wings of the third and fourth branchial pouches in the embryo. Subsequently, the thymus passes down to the mediastinum by the sixth week of gestation. Several unusual conditions such as remnants of the thymus and incomplete descent may occur along the path of descent. Therefore, thymic diseases such as thymoma, thymic hyperplasia, and thymic cyst can be found in the neck. Thymoma is the most common anterior mediastinal mass in adult. Rarely, it is presented as an anterior neck mass, commonly located in the anterolateral aspect of the neck or adjacent to the thyroid. Cervical thymic cyst is uncommon and usually occurs in the first and second decades. Cervical thymic cyst after the third decade is so rare that it is very difficult to diagnose preoperatively. We experienced two cases of cervical thymic neoplasm in the lower anterior neck in an adult. Here, we present the cases with a review of the related literatures.
Adult ; Embryonic Structures ; Humans ; Mediastinal Cyst ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Pregnancy ; Thymoma ; Thymus Gland ; Thymus Hyperplasia ; Thymus Neoplasms* ; Thyroid Gland*

Nasal dermoid cysts are rare neoplasms, which are diagnosed frequently in childhood. These lesions are derived from both ectoderm and mesoderm, and have keratinizing epithelium with skin appendages. A fistula, pit, or mass is the common clinical presentation. The diagnosis is primarily based on the medical history, physical examination, clinical symptoms, and radiologic findings. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice. A 15-year-old boy presented with a fistula on the nasal vestibule, which existed from birth. Fistulography revealed a contrast-filling fistulous tract and cyst in the caudal portion of the nasal septum. The lesion was removed surgically and pathology confirmed the diagnosis of dermoid cyst. We report, with a review of the literature, a rare case of dermoid cyst that occurred from the nasal septum.
Adolescent ; Dermoid Cyst ; Ectoderm ; Epithelium ; Fistula ; Humans ; Keratins ; Mesoderm ; Nasal Septum ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Skin