Submucous Cleft Palate (SMCP): Indications and Outcomes of Radical Muscle Dissection Palatoplasty in Children Under 4 Years of Age.

To delineate the indications, referral sources and outcomes of radical muscle dissection palate repair in the first 4 years of life for patients with submucous cleft palate (SMCP).This study presents a retrospective analysis of a single surgeon's management.All children were treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital, United Kingdom.Twenty-three children with nonsyndromic SMCP were included in this study.All participants underwent radical muscle dissection repair before their fourth birthday.Parameters analyzed included: referral sources, indications for referral, extent of anatomical abnormality, and postoperative outcomes.Paediatricians provided the largest proportion of referrals to the cleft lip and palate clinic (39%) due to the presence of cleft lip/palate on prenatal scans or during neonatal examination. Over half (n = 12, 52%) of patients had severe anatomical anomalies being in grade IV (score 8-9), with the classical triad present to some extent in all but 2 of the patients. The main indication for surgery was nasal regurgitation of food and liquid (n = 9, 35%) followed by hypernasality (n = 6, 21%), difficulty feeding (n = 3, 8%), and severe anatomical defect (n = 2; 4%). Postoperatively, the presenting complaint improved in the majority of cases.Nonsyndromic SMCP is often missed, though may present with nasal regurgitation, feeding problems, and/or hypernasality, though may be missed in nonsyndromic children. Early radical muscle dissection repair in the first 4 years of life is safe and effective, facilitating normal speech development.

Diagnosis and treatment of coats' disease: a review of the literature.

Coats' disease is an idiopathic, ophthalmic condition characterized by retinal telangiectasis, intraretinal and subretinal exudation, which can lead to retinal detachment. It is mostly unilateral, progressive and affects mainly males during childhood, although adult cases have also been described. In this review, we make an update of the literature about Coats' disease, emphasizing on diagnosis and treatment, including the most recent treatment modalities, i.e. anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents.

Undressing the choice of dressings.

There is a vast number of wound dressings to choose from, which can make selecting the most suitable dressing for a wound a daunting prospect. This article highlights how the wound can guide the doctor's decision. Although all wound dressings are intended to achieve optimal wound healing and protection from contamination, they do so to varying degrees depending on the qualities of the dressing and the wound itself. This article looks at a range of dressings, from traditional to newer dressings, and evaluates their benefits and contraindications to help determine where they are best suited for use in wound management.