Immunohistochemical Diagnosis of Primary Laryngeal Melanoma as a Rare Malignant Laryngeal Tumour

In this case presentation, the authors discuss the prevalence, diagnosis and surgical treatment of the exceedingly rare primary laryngeal melanoma. The importance of immunohistochemical investigations is emphasised since the condition tends to mimic laryngeal carcinomas. Laryngeal melanomas have a very poor prognosis; their five-year survival is less than 10% in international literature. However, the patient presented in this article is still asymptomatic and has no metastases 7 years after the removal of the lesion with transoral laser microsurgery

Changes in the Quality of Life of Our Neonatal Patients Born with Severe Laryngomalacia and Treated with Endoscopic UDP Laser Supraglottoplasty

Background: Laryngomalacia is one of the most common causes of neonatal dyspnea and inspiratory stridor. In 20% of the cases laryngomalacia in newborns may lead to respiratory failure, feeding difficulties and failure to thrive. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the quality of life of the patients with laryngomalacia in the first year following ultra-dream pulse laser supraglottoplasty.Case presentation:  the assessment relevant parameters of 6 newborn patients with laryngomalacia (4:2 male:female, average age at the time of operation 12,5 days) who underwent ultra-pulse laser supraglottoplasty.Conclusion: Ultra-dream pulse laser supraglottoplasty for laryngomalacia is a safe and effective surgical modality, even if it is performed in the neonatal age

Altered Potassium Ion Homeostasis in Hearing Loss

Connexins, Kv-type ion channels, and pannexins have a dominant role in maintaining the potassium ion homeostasis in the cochlea. The cellular background currents are sustained by Kir2.1 ion channels; however, their involvement in the hearing system is less clear. In this study, the mutations of gap junction proteins beta 2 (GJB2), beta 3 (GJB3) and beta 6 (GJB6) were screened in the white Caucasian population in Hungary using gene mapping and immunofluorescence methods from translated proteins of these genes—connexins on blood cells. Expression of connexins and Kir2.1 ion channels was investigated in the blood cells of deaf patients prior to cochlear implantation, and the results show significantly decreased amounts of connexin26 and connexin43. In addition, the coexpression of Kir2.1 ion channels with synapse-associated 97 proteins was partially impaired. Our investigation revealed a reduced level of Kir2.1 channels in deaf patients indicating a crucial role for the functional Shaker superfamily of K+ channels in the non-diseased hearing system

Syndecan-4 affects myogenesis via Rac1-mediated actin remodeling and exhibits copy-number amplification and increased expression in human rhabdomyosarcoma tumors

Skeletal muscle demonstrates a high degree of regenerative capacity repeating the embryonic myogenic program under strict control. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common sarcoma in childhood and is characterized by impaired muscle differentiation. In this study, we observed that silencing the expression of syndecan-4, the ubiquitously expressed transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, significantly enhanced myoblast differentiation, and fusion. During muscle differentiation, the gradually decreasing expression of syndecan-4 allows the activation of Rac1, thereby mediating myoblast fusion. Single-molecule localized superresolution direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) imaging revealed nanoscale changes in actin cytoskeletal architecture, and atomic force microscopy showed reduced elasticity of syndecan-4-knockdown cells during fusion. Syndecan-4 copy-number amplification was observed in 28% of human fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma tumors and was accompanied by increased syndecan-4 expression based on RNA sequencing data. Our study suggests that syndecan-4 can serve as a tumor driver gene in promoting rabdomyosarcoma tumor development. Our results contribute to the understanding of the role of syndecan-4 in skeletal muscle development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis

Vascular mapping of the retroauricular skin – proposal for a posterior superior surgical incision for transcutaneous bone-conduction hearing implants

BACKGROUND: Passive transcutaneous osseointegrated hearing implant systems have become increasingly popular more recently. The area over the implant is vulnerable due to vibration and pressure from the externally worn sound processor. Good perfusion and neural integrity has the potential to reduce complications. The authors' objective was to determine the ideal surgical exposure to maintain perfusion and neural integrity and decrease surgical time as a result of reduced bleeding. METHODS: The vascular anatomy of the temporal-parietal soft tissue was examined in a total of 50 subjects. Imaging diagnostics included magnetic resonance angiography in 12 and Doppler ultrasound in 25 healthy subjects to reveal the arterial network. Cadaver dissection of 13 subjects formed the control group. The prevalence of the arteries were statistically analyzed with sector analysis in the surgically relevant area. RESULTS: The main arterial branches of this region could be well identified with each method. Statistical analysis showed that the arterial pattern was similar in all subjects. The prevalence of major arteries is low in the upper posterior area though large in proximity to the auricle region. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse methods indicate the advantages of a posterior superior incision because the major arteries and nerves are at less risk of damage and best preserved. Although injury to these structures is rare, when it occurs, the distal flow is compromised and the peri-implant area is left intact. Hand-held Doppler is efficient and cost-effective in finding the best position for incision, if necessary, in subjects with a history of surgical stress to the retroauricular skin. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This was a non-interventional study