Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of dry eye syndrome (DES) in children under 18 years old before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using nationwide population-based cohort analysis. Methods: This study utilized the database provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We used claims-based data for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between October 8, 2020, and December 31, 2021, and those without a diagnosis of COVID-19. DES cases were defined as having at least one diagnosis of H0411 or H1621 based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the hazard ratio for DES between the COVID-19 season and the non–COVID-19 season. Results: A total of 198,486 individuals from the COVID-19 season cohort and 211,828 individuals from the non–COVID-19 season cohort were included in the study. There were no differences in characteristics between the COVID-19 season cohort and the non–COVID-19 season cohort (all standardized mean difference, <0.1). The cumulative incidence of DES during the COVID-19 season was significantly higher than that during the non–COVID-19 season. The COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 6,419.64 per 100,000 person-years and non–COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 5,804.88 per 100,000 person-years. In addition, children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Conclusions The prevalence of diagnosed DES in children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. Children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Further studies are needed to directly analyze the potential factors associated with the increased prevalence of DES.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of dry eye syndrome (DES) in children under 18 years old before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using nationwide population-based cohort analysis. Methods: This study utilized the database provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We used claims-based data for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between October 8, 2020, and December 31, 2021, and those without a diagnosis of COVID-19. DES cases were defined as having at least one diagnosis of H0411 or H1621 based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the hazard ratio for DES between the COVID-19 season and the non–COVID-19 season. Results: A total of 198,486 individuals from the COVID-19 season cohort and 211,828 individuals from the non–COVID-19 season cohort were included in the study. There were no differences in characteristics between the COVID-19 season cohort and the non–COVID-19 season cohort (all standardized mean difference, <0.1). The cumulative incidence of DES during the COVID-19 season was significantly higher than that during the non–COVID-19 season. The COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 6,419.64 per 100,000 person-years and non–COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 5,804.88 per 100,000 person-years. In addition, children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Conclusions The prevalence of diagnosed DES in children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. Children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Further studies are needed to directly analyze the potential factors associated with the increased prevalence of DES.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of dry eye syndrome (DES) in children under 18 years old before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using nationwide population-based cohort analysis. Methods: This study utilized the database provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We used claims-based data for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between October 8, 2020, and December 31, 2021, and those without a diagnosis of COVID-19. DES cases were defined as having at least one diagnosis of H0411 or H1621 based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the hazard ratio for DES between the COVID-19 season and the non–COVID-19 season. Results: A total of 198,486 individuals from the COVID-19 season cohort and 211,828 individuals from the non–COVID-19 season cohort were included in the study. There were no differences in characteristics between the COVID-19 season cohort and the non–COVID-19 season cohort (all standardized mean difference, <0.1). The cumulative incidence of DES during the COVID-19 season was significantly higher than that during the non–COVID-19 season. The COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 6,419.64 per 100,000 person-years and non–COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 5,804.88 per 100,000 person-years. In addition, children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Conclusions The prevalence of diagnosed DES in children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. Children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Further studies are needed to directly analyze the potential factors associated with the increased prevalence of DES.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of dry eye syndrome (DES) in children under 18 years old before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using nationwide population-based cohort analysis. Methods: This study utilized the database provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We used claims-based data for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between October 8, 2020, and December 31, 2021, and those without a diagnosis of COVID-19. DES cases were defined as having at least one diagnosis of H0411 or H1621 based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the hazard ratio for DES between the COVID-19 season and the non–COVID-19 season. Results: A total of 198,486 individuals from the COVID-19 season cohort and 211,828 individuals from the non–COVID-19 season cohort were included in the study. There were no differences in characteristics between the COVID-19 season cohort and the non–COVID-19 season cohort (all standardized mean difference, <0.1). The cumulative incidence of DES during the COVID-19 season was significantly higher than that during the non–COVID-19 season. The COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 6,419.64 per 100,000 person-years and non–COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 5,804.88 per 100,000 person-years. In addition, children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Conclusions The prevalence of diagnosed DES in children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. Children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Further studies are needed to directly analyze the potential factors associated with the increased prevalence of DES.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of dry eye syndrome (DES) in children under 18 years old before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using nationwide population-based cohort analysis. Methods: This study utilized the database provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We used claims-based data for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between October 8, 2020, and December 31, 2021, and those without a diagnosis of COVID-19. DES cases were defined as having at least one diagnosis of H0411 or H1621 based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the hazard ratio for DES between the COVID-19 season and the non–COVID-19 season. Results: A total of 198,486 individuals from the COVID-19 season cohort and 211,828 individuals from the non–COVID-19 season cohort were included in the study. There were no differences in characteristics between the COVID-19 season cohort and the non–COVID-19 season cohort (all standardized mean difference, <0.1). The cumulative incidence of DES during the COVID-19 season was significantly higher than that during the non–COVID-19 season. The COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 6,419.64 per 100,000 person-years and non–COVID-19 season DES incidence rate was 5,804.88 per 100,000 person-years. In addition, children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Conclusions The prevalence of diagnosed DES in children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. Children aged 13 to 18 years, female sex, those living in metropolitan areas, and those with diabetes mellitus had a higher risk of DES. Further studies are needed to directly analyze the potential factors associated with the increased prevalence of DES.

Ossicular chain disruption is a typical consequence of temporal bone trauma. However, it can also occur as a result of direct trauma to the ossicular chain due to penetrating injuries. Hearing loss, dizziness, and facial nerve damage could also occur after penetrating middle ear injuries. Multiple ossicular chain disruption is a rare traumatic ossicular complication caused by direct penetrating lesions in the external auditory canal. We present two cases of multiple ossicular disruptions (dislocation of the incudostapedial and malleoincudal joints) after ear-pick injuries, both of which resulted in conductive hearing loss. The condition improved after delayed surgical intervention (ossiculoplasty).

The etiologies of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) include idiopathic, viral infections, vascular occlusion, abnormal cellular stress responses within the cochlea, and a variety of immune-mediated mechanisms. Although idiopathic cause is most common, many studies have proposed a possible association between SSNHL and viral infections, including herpes simplex virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), rubella, mumps, and so on. Particularly, various mechanisms underlying auditory dysfunction in the HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome have been proposed. Herein, we present the case of a 35-year-old male diagnosed with sudden hearing loss on both sides and left acute otitis media, presenting first in the left ear, in which subsequent serological examination revealed HIV infection. It is a case of HIV infection diagnosed after identifying the involvement of the 8th cranial nerve as the first symptom in the absence of any other HIV infection-associated symptoms.

Fungal balls consist of rounded conglomerates of fungal mycelia, which can form within a preexisting cavity. They are mostly found in the paranasal sinuses in the head and neck regions. Cholesterol granuloma is a fibrotic lesion that develops as a tissue response to a foreign body such as cholesterol crystals or hemosiderin and is often associated with chronic otitis media. We present the unusual case of a 62-year-old male who was treated for chronic otitis media, which was histologically confirmed as a fungal ball and cholesterol granuloma in the middle ear cavity following tympanomastoidectomy. This is the first reported case of synchronous fungal ball and cholesterol granuloma in the middle ear cavity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Generally, the benign mixed tumors of the submandibular gland are successfully removed via transcervical approach. Recently, however, an alternative to the standard transcervical approach, such as an intraoral approach, has been reported. The surgical results of intraoral excisions for submandibular mixed tumors are discussed here.SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective review was carried out for 24 patients with submandibular mixed tumors who were past 3 years of follow-up. Surgical morbidities and benefits were studied using these data. RESULTS: All patients successfully received an excision of the submandibular gland with tumor via an intraoral approach. Early postoperative complications of temporary lingual sensory paresis were developed in 75% of patients, followed by 54% of patients with temporary limitation of tongue movement. In contrast, there were no permanent paresis. Late complications were developed in two cases of mild deviation of tongue due to scar contracture on the floor of mouth, whereas two cases of tumor recurrence and one case of post-gustatory sweating syndrome were observed after surgery. CONCLUSION This approach might be safe, if used with proper expertise, for the treatment of submandibular mixed tumors. The main advantages of this approach are that no external scars nor permanent injury are incurred to the related nerves. However, disadvantages are temporary lingual paresis and temporary limitation of tongue movement. Unfortunately, there were two cases showing recurrence after surgery and thus required more follow-up.