---

Background and Objective: Otalgia is a complaint triggered from either ear disorders or adjacent structures due to common innervations between ear and adjust organs. This study was done to explore the causes of primary otalgia. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was done on 770 patients with otalgia in Gorgan, Iran during 2009-10. After clinical examination age, gender, patient complaint and signs were recorded for each patient. Results: 668 patients (86.8%) had primary otalgia including 39.9% left, 41.3% right and 18.8% bilaterally. 63.9% were female and 36.1% were males. External otitis was the most common causes of primary otalgia with 64.8%. Other causes consist of acute otitis media (14.5%), serumen (14.1%), chronic otitis media (5.8%), foreign body (4%) and trauma (3%), respectively. Conclusion: The most common cause of primary otalgia was external otitis.

---

Background and Objective: Fungal ear infection is common diseases in tropical areas with manifestation of acute and chronic clinical symptoms in external ear canal. This study was done to compare the fungal flora in external ear canal in chronic otitis media and subjects without otitis media. Method: This case-control study was done on 63 patients with chronic otitis media and 63 subjects without otitis media. Samples were taken from external ear canal with a sterile swab and were placed in the sterile tubes containing normal saline. The direct smear was prepared and samples were cultured in S, SCC and CMA (corn meal agar) media. Identification of genus and species were established using slide culture method and Germ-tube assay. Results: Positive fungi culture in external ear canal was seen in 77.78% and 17.46% of case and control groups, respectively (P<0.05). The most common type of fungi was Saprophyts (57.33%) followed by yeast (20.59%) and dermatophytes (17.32%). The most prevalent fungi in the subgroup of Saprophyts and dermatophytes was Aspergillusnigra (41.66%) and Trichophytonmentagrophytes (36.37%), respectively. The most common subgroup in yeast was Candida SPP with 53.85%. Conclusion: This study showed that the positive fungi culture in external ear canal is more prevalent in patients with chronic otitis media.

---

Background and Objective: Nasal obstruction is a common complaint leading to septoplasty as one of the most common surgical procedures in otorhinolaryngology. This study was done to determine the relationship between patients' satisfaction following septoplasty with rhinomanometry perior and after surgery. Methods: This descriptive – analytic study was done on forty-one patients, candidated for septoplasty, from Oct 2012 to Sep 2013. Rhinomanometry were tested perior and 6 months after surgery. At the time of rhinomanometry after surgery, common clinical symtomps and patient's quality of life and their satisfaction from operation were recorded by using GBI questionnaire. Results: Nasal obstruction and congestion, trouble sleeping, insufficient breath during physical activity and difficulty breathing through the nose were significantly reduced after surgery (P<0.05). In overall, patients' satisfaction after septoplasty was 90.24%. Rhinomanometry was not predictive factor for satisfaction after surgery. Conclusion: Six month follow-up after surgery showed high patients satisfaction (90.24%) following nasal septoplasty, but this was not related to rhinomanometry test results.