Background and Objectives: Balance control is maintained in stationary and dynamic conditions, with coordinated muscle responses generated by somatosensory, vestibular, and visual inputs. This study aimed to investigate how the vestibular system is affected in the presence of an optical illusion to better understand the interconnected pathways of the visual and vestibular systems. Subjects and Methods: The study involved 54 young adults (27 males and 27 females) aged 18-25 years. The recruited participants were subjected to the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) test and video head impulse test (vHIT). The cVEMP and vHIT tests were performed once each in the absence and presence of an optical illusion. In addition, after each test, whether the individuals felt balanced was determined using a questionnaire. Results: cVEMP results in the presence of the optical illusion showed shortened latencies and increased amplitudes for the left side in comparison to the results in the absence of the optical illusion (p≤0.05). When vHIT results were compared, it was seen that the right lateral and bilateral anterior canal gains were increased, almost to 1.0 (p<0.05). Conclusions It is thought that when the visual-vestibular inputs are incompatible with each other, the sensory reweighting mechanism is activated, and this mechanism strengthens the more reliable (vestibular) inputs, while suppressing the less reliable (visual) inputs. As long as the incompatible condition persists, the sensory reweighting mechanism will continue to operate, thanks to the feedback loop from the efferent vestibular system.

OBJECTIVES: Bilateral vocal fold abductor paralysis (BVFAP) both deteriorates quality of life and may cause life-threatening respiratory problems. The aim of this study was to reduce respiratory symptoms in BVFAP patients using cricothyroid (CT) botulinum toxin (BTX) injection. METHODS: Before and 2 weeks and 4 months after bilateral BTX injection into the CT muscles under electromyography; alterations in respiratory, acoustic, aerodynamic and quality of life parameters were evaluated in BVFAP patients with respiratory distress. For the respiratory evaluation modified Borg scale and spirometry, for the voice and aerodynamic evaluations Voice Handicap Index-30 (VHI-30), GRBAS, acoustic analysis (sound pressure level, F0, jitter%, shimmer%, noise-to-harmonic ratio) and maximum phonation time and for the quality of life assessment Short Form-36 (SF-36) form were used. RESULTS: All patients were female with a mean age of 47±8.1 years. There was a mean time of 11.8±5.5 (minimum 2, maximum 23) months between BVFAP development and BTX injection. In all cases, other than one case with unknown aetiology, the cause of vocal fold paralysis was prior thyroid surgery. In total 18.6±3.1 units of BTX were applied to the CTs. In the preinjection period, and the 2nd week and 4th month after injection, the Borg dyspnea scale was 7.3/5.3/5.0, FIV1 (forced inspiratory volume in one second) was 1.7/1.7/1.8 L, peak expiratory flow (PEF) was 1.4/1.7/2.1 L/sec, maximum phonation time was 7.0/6.4/6.2 seconds and VHI-30 was 63.2/52.2/61.7 respectively. There was no significant alteration in acoustic analysis parameters. Many of the patients reported transient dysphagia within the first week. There were insignificant increases in SF-36 sub-scale values. CONCLUSION: After BTX injection, improvements in the mean Borg score, PEF and FIV1 values and SF-36 sub-scale scores showed the restricted success of this approach. This modality may be kept in mind as a transient treatment option for patients refused persistent tracheotomy or ablative airway surgeries.
Acoustics ; Botulinum Toxins* ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dyspnea ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Muscles* ; Muscles ; Paralysis* ; Phonation ; Quality of Life ; Spirometry ; Thyroid Gland ; Tracheotomy ; Vocal Cords* ; Voice

Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast is an extremely rare neoplasm that differs from other types of breast carcinoma according to the pathological features. We describe here a case of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma in a 72-year-old woman who complainted of a lump in her left breast. After examination and evaluation, the diagnosis was made by a core needle biopsy and the subsequent immunohistochemical examination of the specimen revealed more detailed information. We performed modified radical mastectomy, which showed no axillary node involvement. The patient was given neither radiation nor chemotherapy, however, but hormonotherapy was started postoperatively. Any recurrence has not been demonstrated at 12 months after the operation.
Aged ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Female ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Recurrence

Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast is an extremely rare neoplasm that differs from other types of breast carcinoma according to the pathological features. We describe here a case of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma in a 72-year-old woman who complainted of a lump in her left breast. After examination and evaluation, the diagnosis was made by a core needle biopsy and the subsequent immunohistochemical examination of the specimen revealed more detailed information. We performed modified radical mastectomy, which showed no axillary node involvement. The patient was given neither radiation nor chemotherapy, however, but hormonotherapy was started postoperatively. Any recurrence has not been demonstrated at 12 months after the operation.
Aged ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Female ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Recurrence

Although gynecomastia is a well-defined paraneoplastic syndrome in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the association with pleomorphic carcinoma has not been reported. A 50-yr-old man presented with bilateral gynecomastia and elevated serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta hCG) level. Chest tomography showed a mass in the right middle lobe. Right middle lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed. beta hCG levels decreased rapidly after surgery. Histological examination revealed pleomorphic carcinoma with positive immunostaining for beta hCG. Serum beta hCG levels began to increase gradually on postoperatively 4th month. Computed tomography detected recurrence and chemotherapy was started. After second cycle of chemotherapy, beta hCG levels decreased dramatically again and tomography showed regression in mass. Patient died 6 months later due to brain metastasis. beta hCG expression may be associated with aggressive clinical course and increased risk of recurrence, also beta hCG levels may be used to evaluate therapy response in patients with pleomorphic carcinoma.
Brain Neoplasms/radiotherapy/secondary ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human/*blood ; Gynecomastia/*etiology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Lymph Nodes/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Cranially-based nasolabial flaps are a good alternative for the reconstruction of nasal defects. METHODS: A cranially-based nasolabial flap was used in 18 patients to reconstruct defects of the nose from 2010 to 2016, and the long-term results are presented in this report. RESULTS: Fifteen of the flaps completely survived. All the patients had a bulky appearance, but they did not want to undergo a second operation for cosmesis. The dissection of the flap took approximately 20 minutes, and the total operation lasted for 1 hour. The patients were hospitalized for 1–7 days, and the postoperative follow-up period was 1–28 months (mean, 17 months). CONCLUSIONS: The cranially-based nasolabial flap possesses all the advantages of the traditional forehead flap, and can safely be used in selected cases.
Follow-Up Studies ; Forehead ; Humans ; Nose ; Nose Neoplasms ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Surgical Flaps