Acta clinica Croatica
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Acta clinica Croatica · Oct 2022
IMPACT OF WEARING HEARING AIDS ON COGNITIVE ABILITIES AND SUBJECTIVE TINNITUS IN PATIENTS WITH SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS: A PILOT STUDY.
There is an increased number of people with hearing impairment and decreased cognitive abilities among the elderly population. Due to the fact that the auditory system and central nervous system are connected, pathological changes associated with aging occur on both levels. With the development of hearing aid technology, the quality of life of these patients can be improved. ⋯ Based on the results, we can emphasize the importance of the auditory system as an input source for the central nervous system. The data direct us to improve the rehabilitation strategies for hearing and cognitive abilities in patients. Such an approach results higher quality of life in patients and prevents further cognitive decline.
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The aim of this study was to demonstrate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the number and characteristics of head and neck cancer patients in two consecutive periods, pre-pandemic and pandemic. For this purpose, we performed a retrospective analysis of patients with primary carcinomas of head and neck mucosal sites, salivary gland tumors, as well as neck metastases. Two pre-COVID-19 years (2018-2019) and two pandemic years (2020-2021) were compared. ⋯ Despite these facts, there were no differences in TNM stages comparing two observed periods. Study results indicated that there was a statistically significant delay of surgical treatment for both cancer sites observed (oral cavity and larynx) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survival study is necessary in the future to definitely reveal the true consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on treatment outcomes.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Oct 2022
COMPARISON OF GRADING ACCURACY OF PROSTATE CANCER IN SAMPLES ACQUIRED BY A TARGETED AND SYSTEMIC PROSTATE BIOPSY.
All malignancies, including prostate cancer, require accurate diagnosing and staging before making a treatment decision. The introduction of targeted biopsies based on prostate MRI findings has raised prostate biopsy accuracy. Guided biopsies target the tumor itself during the biopsy instead of the most common tumor sites as is the case with a systemic biopsy. Some studies report that targeted biopsies should lower prostate cancer biopsy undergrading and overgrading. ⋯ In our cohort, the patients who underwent a mpMRI targeted biopsy had a lower undergrading incidence. During a systemic TRUS biopsy, the urologist targets the areas of the prostate where cancer is most commonly located, which is usually the peripheral zone of the prostate. Since different areas of the tumor have different areas of differentiation, only a low-grade part of the tumor is sometimes biopsied, which results in a sampling error. Once the prostate is removed, the whole tumor is analyzed, so the obtained pathological results related to the removed prostate are far more accurate than the analysis of prostate cores obtained by biopsy.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Oct 2022
THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT IN OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY PATIENTS IN CROATIA.
COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decrease in the number of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in most ENT departments. We performed a survey among ENT specialists in Croatia aiming to assess how the pandemic influenced their practice, and consequently the patient diagnosis and treatment. The majority of the 123 participants who completed the survey stated that there was a delay in diagnosis and treatment of ENT diseases, which they expected to have negative effects on patient outcomes. Since the pandemic is still ongoing, there is the need for improvement at different levels of the healthcare system to minimize the consequences of the pandemic in non-COVID patients.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Oct 2022
ENDOSCOPIC EAR SURGERY IN CROATIA - INITIAL RESULTS OF TOTAL ENDOSCOPIC TRANSCANAL MYRINGOPLASTY.
The aim of this study was to show clinical outcome in 56 patients with tympanic membrane perforation operated on by total endoscopic transcanal myringoplasty. Out of the total of 74 patients operated on exclusively endoscopically, we identified 56 patients in whom tympanoplasty type I (myringoplasty) was performed. In 43 patients (45 ears), myringoplasty was performed in a standard transcanal fashion with lifting of the tympanomeatal flap, and in 13 patient butterfly myringoplasty was performed. ⋯ No major complications were recorded. Our results of graft success rate and hearing outcomes are comparable with those of microscopic myringoplasties but without the need for external incisions and with reduced surgical morbidity. Hence, we recommend total endoscopic transcanal myringoplasty as the method of choice for tympanic membrane perforation regardless of its size and location.