Selçuk Tıp Dergisi Arşiv

Aim: Nearly 30% of the patients with cleft palate need another surgery for velopharyngeal insufficiency. While
preoperative radiologic evaluation is necessary for planning, postoperative evaluation is also so important. In
this study, we plan to share our experience about evaluation of the velopharynx with dynamic MRI at patients
who were operated oving for velopharyngeal insuf ficiency.
Patients and Methods: The study included seventeen patients who were presented with velopharyngeal
insufficieny and we applied dynamic MRI for postoperative evaluation between April 2014 and May 2020.
Pharyngeal flap was applied for 7, posterior augmentation was performed for 7 (2 costal cartilaginous, 5 fat
graft) and myomucosal repair was done for 3 patients with submucosal cleft. Dynamic MRI were obtained
preoperatively and postoperatively at 3rd month. Postoperative results were evaluated with dynamic MRI.
Results: The study included seventeen patients, with an age range of 9-29 (mean 13± 2.5), 11 women (65%),
and 6 men (35%). Posterior wall located grafts were found at the second cervical vertebra and viable. While
there was no nasal air escape in superior pharyngeal flap applied patients at sagittal plane, in axial dynamic
images, gap was detected which is all essential for airway and must be obtained. The levator muscle direction
was observe normal postoperatively at patients with submucous clef. Nasal air escape area was decreased
in both methods significantly comparing with preoperative measu rement (p<0.05)
Conclusion: Because of the three-dimensional and dynamic structure of the velopharynx, it must be evaluated
in both planes and dynamic. Although there are many techniques for this purpose, none of them is ideal or
objective. Dynamic MRI can be used for postoperative follow-up as it is used for preoperative planning.
Evaluation of the pharyngeal flap atrophy , grafts and also gap size are provided with qualitative values .

Aim: In this study, examination of the index of cardiac-electrophysiological balance (iCEB) and of other
risk markers for cardiac arrhythmia in electrocardiography of children with acute rheumatic carditis was
aimed.
Patients and Methods: Forty pediatric patients with acute rheumatic carditis and 40 healthy children
matched in terms of gender and age were retrospectively enrolled in the study between January 2016
and August 2018. Demographic data of all cases were obtained from records. By electrocardiography, P
dispersion (Pd), dispersion durations of QT (QTd) and corrected QT (QTcd), Tpeak-to-end interval (Tpe),
ratios of Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc, and measurements of iCEB and corrected iCEB (iCEBc) were all
compared between the groups. Statistically significant dif ference was accepted as p< 0.05.
Results: In the patient and control groups, mean ages were 11.40±3.48 years and 11.41±3.31 years,
respectively. Both groups had 16 female (40%) and 24 male (60%) children. In the patient group, heart
rate, PR interval, Pd, QTd, QTcd, Tp-e, Tp-e/QT ratio and iCEBc were found to be significantly increased.
Though iCEB level was higher in the patient group, there was no statistically significant difference with
healthy controls.
Conclusion: In children with acute rheumatic carditis, repolarization-depolarization balance may be
impaired. Therefore, in addition to other electrocardiographic risk parameters for arrhythmia, use of
iCEB(c) may also be beneficial. However , further studies on this issue are needed.

Aim: To compare patients applied with tracheotomy because of prolonged intubation before the COVID-19
pandemic and during the pandemic.
Patients and Methods: A retrospective examination was made of the records of 179 patients with a tracheotomy
opened following prolonged intubation in the Intensive Care Unit of Karaman Training and Research Hospital
between September 2018 and August 2021. The patients were separated into two groups as group 1 (n:80)
of patients with tracheotomy in the 18-month period before the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2018 –
February 2020) and group 2 (n:99) of patients with tracheotomy during the COVID-19 pandemic (March
2020-August 2021). The two groups were compared in respect of demographic characteristics, duration of
intubation, early and late complications associated with tracheotomy, and patient outcomes (exitus, discharge
to home, transfer to palliative and other wards).
Results: Group 1 comprised 45% females and 55% males and group 2 comprised 51% females and 49%
males, with no statistically significant difference determined between the groups in respect of gender. A
statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of age and the duration
of intubation (p<0.05). Tracheotomy-related complications were not determined to be significantly different
between the groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The patients in this study with a tracheotomy opened during the COVID-19 pandemic were
observed to be younger than patients with tracheotomy applied before the pandemic. In addition, the duration
of intubation was determined to be longer during the pandemic t han in the pre-pandemic period.

Aim: In this study, it was aimed whether biochemical parameters, vital signs and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio
(NLR) values could be used in determining the indication for intensive care hospitalization in COVID-19
patients.
Patients and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in the emergency department
of a university hospital. Patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test who applied to our hospital on 1-31 July
2020 were included in the study. Laboratory results, demographic findings and clinical results of the patients
were collected electronically. The patients were divided into 3 groups as discharged, admitted to the service
or intensive care unit. The incidence and severity of symptoms, comorbidities, laboratory values, and NLR
values were compared between the groups.
Results: A total of 489 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the included patients was 48.69
+ 17.25 years, of which 260 (53.16%) were female. While 248 (50.9%) of these patients were discharged,
207 (42.3%) were taken to the service and 33 (6.7%) to the intensive care units. Age, heart rate, urea,
creatinine, CRP, D-dimer and NLR values of the patients admitted to the intensive care unit were higher
than the other groups, while oxygen saturation was statistically significantly lower in this group. Concomitant
systemic diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus, Essential Hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease were more common in those hospitalized in the intensive care unit. In multivariable analysis, oxygen
saturation (OR:0.803) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (OR:1.09) were found to be independent predictors of
the indication for hospitalization in the intensive care unit.
Conclusion: As a result of our study, we think that especially low oxygen saturation and high neutrophillymphocyte
ratio can be used in determining the indication for intensive care hospitalization in patients who
apply to the emergency department due to COVID-19.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of quantitative
corneal subbasal nerve plexus (CSNP) analyses using semi-automa ted software.
Patients and Methods: Forty volunteers who applied to the Ophthalmology Department of the Necmettin
Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty between 20 December 2021 and 20 January 2022 were
enrolled in the study. Images showing CSNP were obtained from the right eyes of the participants by using
Heidelberg Retina Tomograph III with Rostock Cornea Module. Three best quality images were selected
from each case. NeuronJ plugin for ImageJ software was used to trace nerve fibers and calculate nerve
fiber length (NFL), nerve fiber density (NFD), and nerve branch density (NBD). All these measurements
were performed by two different observers, and repeated for the second time by one of the observers
with an interval of one week, and interobserver and intraobserver reliability were determined using the
intraclass correlation coef ficient (ICC).
Results: The mean age of 40 participants (12 female and 28 male) was 34.70±5.86 years. The ICCs
for interobserver reproducibility were 0.967 (95% CI 0.939-0.982) for NFL, 0.826 (95% CI 0.696-0.904)
for NFD, and 0.949 (95% CI 0.906-0.973) for NBD indicating good to excellent reliability. The ICCs for
intraobserver repeatibility were 0.964 (95% CI 0.932-0.981) for NFL, 0.803 (95% CI 0.657-0.891) for NFD,
and 0.890 (95% CI 0.802-0.941) for NBD indicating good to excel lent reliability.
Conclusion: Quantitative CSNP analyzes using semi-automated software have high interobserver and
intraobserver reliability and can therefore be used in both clinical practice and clinical studies for detection
and follow-up of corneal nerves’ well-being, damage, and evaluation of response to treatment.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to present our 10-year experience regarding clinicopathology characteristics and
overall survival of 69 patients with adenocarcinomas of esophag ogastric junction (AEJs).
Patients and Methods: A total of 69 consecutive patients diagnosed with AEJ and operated in our clinics
were included in the study. Patients’ demographic characteristics; laboratory parameters, surgical resection
approach; TNM stages; resection extent; total number of removed lymph nodes; tumor localization; presence
of lymphatic, vascular and perineural invasion and overall survival (OS) status were recorded. The patients
were divided into two groups as Siewert Type II and Siewert Type III.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age (p=0.696)
and gender (p=0.140). Distribution of T stage was statistically significantly different between the groups
(p=0.026). OS was found to be significantly higher in patients at R0 level compared to those at R1 level. OS
was statistically significantly higher in patients without lymphatic, vascular and perineural invasion. 1-year OS
was determined as 83.50%, 3-year OS as 49.10% and 5-year OS as 43.60%. The risk of mortality increased
by 8.63 folds in the presence of perigastric fat infiltration, 12.60 folds in the case of vascular invasion and
13.45 folds in the case of perineural invasion. The survival rate was found as 51% and 41% in the Siewert
Type II and Type 3 patients at median 10-year follow-up.
Conclusion: This study had successfully evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics and overall
survival, and demonstrated that Siewert II tumors and Siewert III tumors had similar survival outcomes.
Further comprehensive multicenter studies with larger series and long-term studies are needed to provide
contribution to the existing evidence on outcomes of patients w ith AEJs.

Aim: In this pre-and post- study, we aimed to compare changes in urological consultations and emergencies
between before and after the pandemic at the same time period o f 2019 and 2020 as two groups.
Patients and Methods: Patient files were retrospectively screened and numbers of consultations, surgeries
and admissions were evaluated. The two groups compared in terms of triage color codes, and final decisions.
Patients’ demographic data such as age and gender, triage color code, consultation order clinic, type of visit
(regular vs control), and operational data (type of surgery, prophylaxis status, place of OR etc) were recorded.
Results: A total of 89,674 patients presented to the emergency department in the 50-day period in 2019 and
53,745 patients in the same period of time in 2020. The number of patients presenting to the emergency
department decreased by 40.07% within the same period compared to the previous year. The percentage of
patients with the green triage code was decreased in 2020 by 30% compared to 2019, while the percentage
of yellow triage code was increased in 2020 by 28.9% compared to 2019. There was a dramatic fall in urology
visits in 2020 by 85.91%.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and it seems likely to continue for some time, despite
all efforts including vaccination programs and novel drugs that will also become available in a short time. The
number of patients cosulted with urology outpatient clinic has decreased during the pandemic.

The most common site of ulnar nerve entrapment is at the elbow. Diagnostic approach to ulnar neuropathy mainly depends on needle electromyographic findings. This case report aims to highlight the susceptibility of nerves arising from brachial plexus to injuries varies beyond the literature knowledge.