• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2018

Background: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is defined as middle ear effusion without acute signs of infection. OME usually resolves spontaneously; however, persistent OME may require the insertion of a ventilation tube. This study investigated risk factors for persistent OME in children who undergo ventilation tube insertion. Methods: Children who were admitted to undergo ventilation tube insertion at Jeju National University Hospital between August 2015 and July 2016 were enrolled as the case group. Healthy children without persistent OME from August 2016 to July 2017 were enrolled as the control group. Baseline characteristics and predisposing factor data were collected using an interview questionnaire. Middle ear fluids were collected from the case group. Results: A total of 31 patients underwent ventilation tube insertion. The mean age of the case group was 4.53 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 21:10. Twenty-nine (93.5%) children attended a daycare center, and 21 (67.7%) had experience with bottle feeding. Fifteen (48.4%) children in the case group and 3 (9.7%) in the control group first attended a daycare center at <1 year of age (odds ratio=9.96; 95% confidence interval=2.44-39.70; p=0.001). No bacteria were found in middle ear fluid collected from the 31 operated children. Nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization was found in 13 (41.9%) and 17 (54.8%) children in the case and control groups, respectively. Conclusion: Earlier attendance at a daycare center was the only predisposing factor for ventilation tube insertion in our study. The aseptic nature of middle ear fluids found in children with OME highlights the efficacy of antimicrobial use.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2019

For a minimally invasive approach to access the facial nerve, we designed an extended epitympanotomy via a transmastoid approach that has proven useful in cases of traumatic facial nerve palsy and pre-cholesteatoma. To evaluate the surgical exposure through an extended epitympanotomy, six patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were enrolled in this study. The same surgical technique was used in all patients. Patients were assessed and the degree of facial nerve paralysis was determined prior to surgery, 1-week post-operatively, and 6-months post-operatively using the House-Brackmann grading system. In all cases, surgical exposure was adequate. All patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were male and the age range was 13 to 83 years. In all cases, the location of the facial nerve damage was limited to the area between the first and second genu. Symptoms of all the patients improved by 6 months post-operation (p=0.024). There were no complications in any of the patients. Extended epitympanotomy is useful for safe, rapid surgical exposure of the attic area, sparing the patient post-operative dimpling, skin incision complications, and lengthy exposure to anesthesia. We suggest that surgery for patients with facial nerve palsy secondary to trauma be performed using this described technique.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2019

For a minimally invasive approach to access the facial nerve, we designed an extended epitympanotomy via a transmastoid approach that has proven useful in cases of traumatic facial nerve palsy and pre-cholesteatoma. To evaluate the surgical exposure through an extended epitympanotomy, six patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were enrolled in this study. The same surgical technique was used in all patients. Patients were assessed and the degree of facial nerve paralysis was determined prior to surgery, 1-week post-operatively, and 6-months post-operatively using the House-Brackmann grading system. In all cases, surgical exposure was adequate. All patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were male and the age range was 13 to 83 years. In all cases, the location of the facial nerve damage was limited to the area between the first and second genu. Symptoms of all the patients improved by 6 months post-operation (p=0.024). There were no complications in any of the patients. Extended epitympanotomy is useful for safe, rapid surgical exposure of the attic area, sparing the patient post-operative dimpling, skin incision complications, and lengthy exposure to anesthesia. We suggest that surgery for patients with facial nerve palsy secondary to trauma be performed using this described technique.

• Journal of Clinical Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.235-239
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• 2018

Due to the structure with one end closed, the external ear resonance effect in which the high frequency is amplified can be generated, and the sound can be perceived well. The external ear resonance normally has a first peak and a second peak. On average, the first peak has a gain of 18.6 dB at 2620 Hz and the second peak has a gain of 18.2 dB at 4210 Hz. The resonance of the external auditory canal changes with the state of the tympanic membrane, the presence of the ventilation tube, and the structure (length, diameter, shape) of the external auditory canal. A patient with a postauricular meatomastoid cutaneous fistula was admitted to the hospital with a foreign body which is the molding of the hearing aid. After removal of the foreign body, the resonance of the external auditory canal was lost and the subjective sound cognitive ability decreased. In the case of postauricular meatomastoid cutaneous fistula, we confirmed the improvement of sound cognitive ability, the change of pure tone hearing threshold, and the change of the external ear resonance after reconstruction of the ear canal without middle ear reconstruction.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1982.05a
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• pp.15.1-15
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• 1982

Clinical findings for 95 patients (159 ears) of MEE (middle ear effusion) treated at Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital (Busan) from July 1979 to August 1981 were observed. A group who was treated with myringotomy and ventilation tube isertion was compared with another group of children treated with adenotonsillectomy at the same time. The following are the results: 1) The sex distribution showed 48 male and 47 female, and the age distribution was most common in the ages from six to ten (34 cases, 35%). 2) MEE of children treated with adenotonsillectomy in the same duration was 18 cases (14%), and it was 19% of all MEE patients. 3) Bilateral effusion (67%) was as twice as unilateral cases (33%). In children, bilateral effusion (42 cases, 88%) was predominant, and MEE in adenotonsillectomized children was bilateral in all cases. 4) The nature of middle ear fluid was 49% serous exudate, 33% mucoid exudate, 5% purulent and 3% bloody fluid. Serous exudate was 59% in adult group, but serous (41%) and mucoid exudate (43%) was similar incidence in children. 5) In the preoperative tympanogram, there were 6% with type A, 91% with type B, and 3% with type C. The incidence of abnormal tympanogram (type B or C) was same in MEE patients of adenotonsillectomized children (95%) and the other children group (95%), and it was 93% in adult group. 6) Treatment by myringotomy and ventilation tube insertion resulted in postoperative improvement in air conduction hearing acuity especially in adenotonsillectomized children.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.295-309
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• 2006

The present study was aimed to evaluate the incidence, etiological factors, and management of cleft lip and palate. Two hundred and twenty patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate who were treated at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, during the period between January 1994 and December 2003 were reviewed. The ratios of cleft lip : cleft lip with cleft palate : and cleft palate were 0.4:1.1:1. Males were more common than females in cleft lip (1.3:1) and cleft lip and palate (2.5:1), while females were more common than males in cleft palate (1:1.3). In the cleft side, left clefts were more prevalent than right clefts (cleft lip 1.3:1, cleft lip and palate 1.6:1). Unilateral clefts were more common than bilateral clefts in cleft lip (79:21). Cleft lip and cleft palate were more common in those with blood type A (34.5%) than those with other types. There was no significant relationship between birth season and frequency of clefts. The clefts were common in the first-born (48.8%), and in mothers aged between 25 and 29 (51.7%). Medication (24.7%) and stress (16.7%) during the first trimester were noted. Positive familial history was noted in 13 cases (5.9%). Thirty-two cases (15%) were associated with other congenital anomalies, in which tonguetie (40.6%) and congenital heart disease (21.9%) were most common. Among 100 patients with cleft palate, 77 patients had middle ear disease (77%), which occurred predominently in the incomplete cleft palate. Seventy-six among the 77 patients received myringotomy and ventilation tube insertion, and the remaining one received antibiotic medication only. Cleft lips were treated primarily at 3 to 6 months, and cleft palates were at 1 to 2 years. Treatment regimens included modified Millard method mainly in the cleft lip, and Wardill V-Y, Dorrance method, and Furlow method in the cleft palate. The percentage of palatal lengthening as type of cleft palate was greater in the incomplete cleft palate group (11.2%) than in the complete cleft palate group (9.6%). The percentage of palatal lengthening as operating method was no difference between the Furlow method (10.9%) and the push back method (10.7%). As postoperative complications, hypertrophic scar was most frequent in the cleft lip, and oronasal fistula in the cleft palate. In summary, it was shown that medication and stress during the first trimester of pregnancy were frequently associated with cleft lip and cleft palate, adequate timing and selection of method of operation are important factors to obtain morphologically and functionally good results. Furthermore prevention and treatment of middle ear disease are important in cleft palate patients because of its high co-occurrence.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1982.05a
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• pp.14.2-15
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• 1982

Serous otitis media (SOM) is one of the most common otologic diseases which was first discribed by Politzer in 1869. Currentely, among many methods introduced to treat SOM, ventilation tube insertion is considered to be the most popular and standard method being used. However due to complication of it, there remains many disputable various problems. In order to review the clinical aspect of SOM and search for the effects and safety of ventilation tube, we studied 97 SOM patients, who had performed V-tube from Jan. 1981 to Feb. 1982 at ENT dept. of Severance Hospital. Analizing the clinical symptoms, age distribution, associated disease, otoscopic findings of ear drum, degree of hearing loss, hearing gain after insertion of V-tube and complications, following results were obtained. 1) As a subjective symptom, among 29 cases all patients had hearing loss, 19 cases (65.6%) had tinnitus, 12 cases (44.4%) had autophony and 10 cases (34.5%) of the patients had sensation of ear fullness. 2) In age distribution, 6 to 10 year old group was most numerous up to 42 cases (43.3%) and 20 years and over was 23 cases (23.5%) 3) In adult group SOM tend to be involved unilaterally whereas young child group had tendency involving bilaterally. 4) 49 cases (50.05%) were associated with tonsillitis and adenoid vegetation, 15 cases (15.5%) were associated with sinusitis, 4 cases (4.1%) had nasal allergy. 5) In preoperative otoscopic findings, 62 ears (47.7%) had retraction, 37 ears (23.6%) had bulging, 34 ears (21.7%) had color change, and 29 ears (19.7%) had no significant findings. 6) In characteristics of middle ear fluid, child group was tend to have mucinous content (84.2%) while adult group had serous content (62.5%). 7) Average preoperative air-bone gap of pure tone was 25.3 dB. 8) 24 ears (72.7%) had over 10 dB of postoperative hearing gain and average hearing gain was 17.2 dB. 9) There were 44 ears (28.1%) of complications. Among them 37 ears (23.6%) had infection, 3 ears had atelectasis, 2 ears had granulation tissue, 2 ears had permanent perforations. 10) Among 37 ears suffered from post-op. infection, 19 ears (51.4%) had initial infection just after insertion of ventilation tube, 18 ears (48.6%) were infected during the course of post-ventilation tube. Of 37 infected ears, 26 ears (70.3%) responded to conservative care, while 11 ears (29.7%) was cured after removal of ventilation tube.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: Hearing loss (HL) and its repercussions are major problems in today's society. There are limited data on the relationship between degree of HL and otologic disorders. The aim of this study is to estimate mortality rates, rates of sudden idiopathic HL and related otologic surgical procedures in hearing disability patients in South Korea. Subjects and Methods: Retrospective medical data for 160,205 patients with hearing disability was extracted. Mortality rates, rates of sudden idiopathic HL and related otologic surgical procedures were compared with a normal control group consisting of 865,475 people; approximately 5 times the number of hearing disability patients. Results: According to the Korean National Disability Registry (NDR), 0.458% of the population in South Korea suffered from hearing disability in 2015. Higher rates of mortality and sudden idiopathic HL were reported in hearing disability patients, increasing up to a maximum of 1.594 times and 1,039.695 times, respectively, compared to the normal control group. Mastoidectomy surgery was 2.5 times more frequently performed and pressure equalizing (PE) tube insertion was about 15 times more frequently performed in hearing disability patients. Conclusions: Hearing disability is related to higher risks of mortality, sudden idiopathic HL and otologic surgical procedures, including mastoidectomy and PE tubing.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: Hearing loss (HL) and its repercussions are major problems in today's society. There are limited data on the relationship between degree of HL and otologic disorders. The aim of this study is to estimate mortality rates, rates of sudden idiopathic HL and related otologic surgical procedures in hearing disability patients in South Korea. Subjects and Methods: Retrospective medical data for 160,205 patients with hearing disability was extracted. Mortality rates, rates of sudden idiopathic HL and related otologic surgical procedures were compared with a normal control group consisting of 865,475 people; approximately 5 times the number of hearing disability patients. Results: According to the Korean National Disability Registry (NDR), 0.458% of the population in South Korea suffered from hearing disability in 2015. Higher rates of mortality and sudden idiopathic HL were reported in hearing disability patients, increasing up to a maximum of 1.594 times and 1,039.695 times, respectively, compared to the normal control group. Mastoidectomy surgery was 2.5 times more frequently performed and pressure equalizing (PE) tube insertion was about 15 times more frequently performed in hearing disability patients. Conclusions: Hearing disability is related to higher risks of mortality, sudden idiopathic HL and otologic surgical procedures, including mastoidectomy and PE tubing.