Sore throat - a review of presentation and etiology

A commonly encountered complaint in clinical practice is that of a sore throat. However, confusion prevails in the minds of the treating specialists as to what treatment protocol should be followed and how to differentiate it from tonsilliti. It was with a view to clarifying this issue that a prospective study was undertaken on 50 patients with the presenting complaint of a sore throat, of which 20 received medical treatment and 30 underwent a tonsillectomy. The preoperative throat swabs versus fine needle aspiration cultures and core cultures were also analyzed us were some predisposing factors. Available literature was reviewed and compared with findings of the current study. On the bash of this, a protocol for treatment was developed including antibiotic preference and best method of microbiological isolation of offending organisms.

Nasal endoscopy-evaluation in epistaxis

Epistaxis is generally of two types : one where a cause is recognised ( Local or Systemic ) and the other where the cause is not known. All cases of nose bleeds with no evident cause is customarily categorised into an Idiopathic type. Anterior rhinoscopy ordinarily gives a very limited view of the nose and the probable cause of epistaxis, and this, we feel could he one of the reasons why a proper diagnosis is not always likely. Another problem is the poor localisation of the site of bleeding point. Such cases pose a problem in implementing treatment, as the cause or the site is not easily located. This study tries to venture the exquisite and wide vision provided by the Nasal endoscope. This study also tries to investigate the possibility of reaching the inaccessible bleeding points, to treat them directly. The study was conducted on 60 patients who attended the Out Patient Department and the Indoor ward with complaints of Epistaxis.

Nasal encephalocoele -an atypical case

Nasal encephalocoele present at birth as a characteristic swelling over the nose and widening of intracanthal distance. Atypical nasal encephalocoeles are usually missed at birth due to absence of any external swelling and they present with diagnostic difficulties. These are very rare and present with only an intranasal mass. We report a case of an atypical nasal encephalocnele in a 8 year old boy who presented with a unilateral intranasal mass and cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea.

Granulomatous slack skin disease: a review, in comparison with mycosis fungoides

Granulomatous slack skin (GSS) is a rare cutaneous disorder characterized by the evolution of circumscribed erythematous loose skin masses, especially in the body folds, and histologically by a loss of elastic fibers and granulomatous T-cell infiltrates. This disease is often associated with preceding or successive lymphoproliferative malignancies, especially Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Hodgkin's Disease (HD). Whether Granulomatous Slack Skin Disease is a benign disorder, an unusual host reaction or a precursor of malignant lymphoma or an indolent Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL) in itself, is still a controversy. This article reviews its literature on the etiology, clinical findings, and treatment of Granulomatous Slack Skin Disease. It also concentrates on its association with Hodgkin's disease and its comparison with Mycosis Fungoides and Sezary Syndrome.

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty - surgery for snoring

Snoring is a social problem and is considered to be a warning sign, in relation to the upper airway structural and physiological anatomy. The complications and sequelae of snoring can be life threatening also. Therefore it becomes important to treat snoring in the first instance. Surgical treatment of snoring is the standard protocol (UPPP) Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, was started by Fujita a and this technique has now been found to be very effective. 8 cases of snoring with no evidence of sleep apnta were operated in the department with a standard modified technique. The technique und the results are discussed here.

The protocol for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Our understanding of the nature and the sequence of upper airway obstruction has evolved gradually but considerably. This obstruction, occurring repeatedly in sleep alongwith daytime sleepiness is called Sleep Apnea Syndrome. Narrowing or closures may occur at one or more sites in an unstable upper airway. The upper airway size is determined by soft-tissue and skeletal factors, that are also major determinants of upper airway patency during sleep. The presence of certain physical characteristics should strengthen the surgeons suspicion of some dysfunction during sleep. There are various methods of identifying the physical attributes in patient of Sleep Apnea. The measurement of all the characters plus the sleep study, helps the surgeon eventually to select the site needing immediate treatment. This will not only straighten the upper airway but also prevent any re-occurrences, which is very common if the patient is not properly evaluated. Great stress should be laid on presurgical protocol, an alternative for more appropriate diagnosis and treatment.