BACKGROUND: Communication skills are fundamental for medical and dental professionals. To the best of our knowledge, no study has explored dental hygiene students’ attitudes within a communication skills learning and teaching context. The aim of the present study was to assess how dental hygiene students value the learning of communication skills.METHODS: A comprehensive survey about was developed and electronically distributed to the dental hygiene students of the first, second, and third year from the dental hygiene bachelor’s degree. The dental hygiene students were administered a questionnaire that included a first section (developed to collect students’ demographic data, such as age, gender, year of bachelor’s degree), the Student Attitudes Toward Communication Skills Survey, and the Communication Skills Attitude Scale.RESULTS: Dental hygiene students thought that the “Value to Profession” component of learning communication skills was as valuable as the “Value to Self” component. A statistically significant difference between modes of communication was observed: the f-ratio value was 10.46007 (P<0.0005). The students thought that learning verbal communication skills was more important and valuable than learning written or nonverbal skills. Half of the students with high total value found learning communication skills to have high intrinsic value, attainment value, utility value and was a good use of their time.CONCLUSIONS: Dental hygiene students, as well as other healthcare programs students, may find time management to be a concern and source of stress, thus being a limitation for the improvement of communication skills.

BACKGROUND: Rhinosinusitis is a common medical disorder characterized by inflammation of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Nasal irrigation associated with corticosteroids may be a valuable therapy as it removes mucus overload and dampens surrounding inflammation. This real-world study compared different nasal irrigation strategies (with or without corticosteroids).METHODS: Patients with rhinosinusitis were stratified into three groups treated with nasal irrigation alone (large-volume low-pressure squeezable bottle XNASO) or added with flunisolide (Levonis) at two dosages (2 mg or 4 mg). Patients performed two irrigations daily for 14 days. Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), Verbal Numeric Rating Scale (VNRS), and nasal airflow measured by active anterior rhinomanometry were assessed at baseline (T0) and the end of treatment (T14). Safety and tolerability were also considered.RESULTS: Thirty-six adult outpatients completed the study. Nasal irrigations with flunisolide significantly improved symptoms, quality of life, and nasal airflow more than nasal irrigation alone (P<0.001 for all). The patients considered the treatments good or optimal.CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that nasal irrigation with flunisolide could represent a valuable therapeutic option in managing patients suffering from rhinosinusitis.

Relevance: Acute diffuse external otitis (ADO) is a common ears condition’ affecting up to 10% of the healthy population, particularly during summer months, due to increased sweating and water entering the ears. Objective: to study the spectrum of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microorganisms responsible for acute diffuse external otitis, determine their frequency of occurrence and colonization density, and the possible associations of two or more pathogens (bacterial and/or fungal) in single patient. Additionally, to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the combined drug Candibiotic in the treatment of such cases. Materials and methods: A total of 35 patients (47 affected ears) aged 13 to 78 years (mean age 47.5±12.2 years) with acute diffuse external otitis (ADO) were examined. The cohort included 10 (28.6%) women and 25 (71.4%) men. Clinical symptoms included ear congestion and discharge in all patients (100%), with 91.4% presenting discharge with an unpleasant odor. Other symptoms were hearing loss (91.4%), subjective tinnitus (80.0%), ear pain and discomfort (85.7%), itching (37.1%) and low-grade fever (14.3%). The study has provided a detailed description of the otological examination procedures, specimen collection, and microbiological methods used to identify the full spectrum of bacteria associated with ADO. Results: All patients received monotherapy with Candibiotic. The study has showed that within 1 month of the starting treatment clinical signs of ADO resolved in 94.3% of patients, and the complete recovery was confirmed microbiologically. In only one patient, Aspergillus flavus was still detected after 1 month, but at a significantly lower concentration than the previously. By the fifth week, no fungal growth was observed in the culture. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the studied drug against bacterial and fungal pathogens of ADO. Conclusions 1. Successful treatment of patients with acute diffuse external otitis (ADO) requires a thorough assessment of the entire skin of the external auditory canal (EAC), especially its anterior-internal parts near the tympanic membrane. These areas should be carefully cleaned of pathological secretions, followed a microbiological examination of the sample. Topical medicines should be applied to the entire wall of the EAC, from the entrance to the tympanic membrane, according to the bacteriogram. 2. The most frequent bacterial pathogens of ADO were S. aureus (18.8%), followed by S. epidermidis (17.1%), and P. aeruginosa (14.3%). The most common fungal pathogen was A. flavus (25.7%). Mixed fungal-bacterial infections were detected in 43.5% of patients, highlighting the need for combined local therapy. 3. The use of Candibiotic as monotherapy in the treatment of ADO has proved to be effective both in terms of rapid reduction of clinical symptoms and in terms of clearance of bacterial and fungal pathogens from the external auditory canal. Keywords: diffuse external otitis, clinical picture, microbiological examination, Candibiotic.

The article reflects modern trends in the treatment of cysts and fistulas of the neck. Congenital cysts and fistulas of the neck, in addition to a cosmetic defect, bring suffering to patients associated with discomfort and pain in the throat, discharge from the fistula, suppuration of formations with the development of an inflammatory process in the tissues of the neck. The relevance of surgical treatment is due to the fact that in a significant part of patients with this pathology, the introduction of sclerosing substances into the fistula passage usually does not bring success. The surgical method of treatment allows to achieve the most radical excision and prevention from recurrences of the disease. A case from one's own practice is presented: surgical treatment of a patient with a clinical diagnosis of an incomplete fistula of the neck on the right. The peculiarity of the fistula location was its dense fusion with the common and external carotid arteries, which required improved surgical intervention. There was no recurrence of the disease in the postoperative period. Key words: neck, dermoid cyst, epidermoid cyst, fistula.

Purpose of the study: to determine the main diagnostic criteria in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with metabolic syndrome, the features of the course of chronic rhinosinusitis after COVID-19 before and after treatment in this category of patients, to determine the volume of surgical treatment in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with metabolic syndrome according to diagnostic criteria, to evaluate the treatment in the long-term period. Materials and methods: 80 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, most of whom had a history of Covid-19, were divided into groups: of these, 50 patients were included in group I, in whom metabolic syndrome was observed. Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without metabolic syndrome made up group II of 30 people. Diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was carried out according to the recommendations of the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute criteria. All patients in both groups underwent multispiral computed tomography (MSCT) of the paranasal sinuses with subsequent evaluation of CT studies according to the Lund-Mackay scale. All patients also underwent videoendoscopic examination of the nasal cavity and assessment of the condition of the nasal cavity according to the Lund-Kennedy scale. In order to study the assessment of the quality of life of patients, all patients with CRS underwent a survey according to SNOT-22. The survey according to SNOT-22 was performed before surgical treatment and after surgical treatment after 3, 6, 12 months. Results: According to the Lund-Mackay scale, during CT examination of the condition of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, the average value of the index in patients of group I was higher than in patients of group II. The average value of the Lund-Kennedy scale scores before surgical treatment in patients of group I was also higher than in patients of group II. The average number of points according to SNOT-22 at the initial examination in patients of group I was significantly higher than in patients of group II. The number of surgical interventions for CRS in group I was also greater than in patients without metabolic syndrome. Surgical treatment in the group of patients with metabolic syndrome consisted of the use of more extensive endoscopic interventions. In the surgical treatment of patients without metabolic syndrome, endoscopic surgery was performed more sparingly. In the postoperative period, endoscopic observation of the condition of the nasal cavity was carried out. According to the patient survey for SNOT-22, the average score in patients 3, 6 and 12 months after surgical treatment was significantly higher. In group I, most patients had Covid-19 (80%), of which 27 patients had a prolonged period of CRS (54%). In group II of patients without metabolic syndrome, 18 patients with CRS had COVID-19 (60%), 4 patients had a prolonged period of CRS (13.3%). Conclusions: Patients with CRS with metabolic syndrome are older. When assessing the condition of the nasal cavity after surgical treatment for 3, 6 and 12 months, the manifestations of CRS were more pronounced in the group of patients with metabolic syndrome. The quality of life in patients of group I was restored significantly slower. The duration of the disease was longer in patients with CRS with metabolic syndrome. When assessing the rehabilitation period, it was found that a greater number of patients of group I with CRS who had COVID-19 had a significant prolongation of the postoperative period, compared to group II patients with CRS without metabolic syndrome. Keywords: chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), metabolic syndrome, COVID-19 infection.

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a common pathology affecting over 1.5 billion people worldwide. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis, particularly the role of BID, BAD, BAK, and BCL-x genes, is critical for developing effective treatment methods. Objective: To analyze current data on the effects of oxidative stress on the expression of BID, BAD, BAK, and BCL-x genes in the context of sensorineural hearing loss development. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for the period 2020-2025. The analysis included clinical, experimental, and review articles investigating the role of apoptosis genes in SNHL. A meta-analysis of the studied genes' expression data was performed. Results: Increased expression of proapoptotic genes BID, BAD, and BAK (FC &gt;1.5) and decreased expression of the antiapoptotic gene BCL-x (FC ≈ 0.73) were found in patients with SNHL. Oxidative stress was identified as a key factor in activating apoptosis in hair cells. Combined therapy with antioxidants and apoptosis inhibitors showed potential in preserving up to 30% of functional auditory cells in early stages of SNHL. Conclusions: The study confirms the key role of BID, BAD, BAK, and BCL-x genes in SNHL pathogenesis and substantiates the promise of developing therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating these genes' expression and reducing oxidative stress. Keywords: sensorineural hearing loss, apoptosis, oxidative stress, BID, BAD, BAK, BCL-x, apoptosis gene expression.

Today, it is generally accepted that audiologists and otolaryngologists use mostly polysyllabic speech tests for speech audiometry. A group of authors created the first tables of words in the native language in Ukraine for conducting audiometry in children (starting from preschool age). Despite thorough research in this field, the topic of speech audiometry still remains relevant. In world practice, it is generally accepted to use monosyllabic words in the diagnosis of hearing disorders by language tests. They allow more accurate determination of the degree and nature of hearing impairment, as they minimize the possibility of guessing words and reduce the influence of contextual clues. Research suggests that monosyllabic language tests may be more reliable in determining the type and severity of hearing impairment. The purpose of the study was to test the developed language test of monosyllabic words for different types of hearing impairment and to compare the results with language tests generally accepted in Ukraine. Results and discussions: According to the results of the study, it was established that in patients with normal hearing, a reliable difference was observed between the classical and monosyllabic tests at the levels of intelligibility of 50% and 100%. The difference between the tests was about 5 dB, with the classical test being easier than the monosyllabic test. Correlation analysis between test results showed a weak positive correlation (p=0.092 at 50% intelligibility and p=0.103 at 100% intelligibility), which was not statistically significant. This indicates the need to increase the sample to more accurately determine the relationship between the tests. So, our study-approbation of the monosyllabic language test showed its higher complexity compared to classical speech audiometry using numerals and Rymar lists of polysyllabic words. Key words: speech audiometry, speech tests, monosyllabic words, hearing impairment, threshold tone audiometry, sensorineural hearing loss.