Mycothiol acetyltransferase (Rv0819) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a potential biomarker for direct diagnosis of tuberculosis using patient serum specimens.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection constitutes a global threat that results in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Efficient and early diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is of paramount importance for successful treatment. The aim of the current study is to investigate the mycobacterial mycothiol acetyltransferase Rv0819 as a potential novel biomarker for the diagnosis of active TB infection. The gene encoding Rv0819 was cloned and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant Rv0819 was purified using metal affinity chromatography and was used to raise murine polyclonal antibodies against Rv0819. The raised antibodies were employed for direct detection of Rv0819 in patient serum samples using dot blot assay and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum samples were obtained from 68 confirmed new TB patients and 35 healthy volunteers as negative controls. The dot blot assay showed sensitivity of 64·7% and specificity of 100%, whereas the competitive ELISA assay showed lower sensitivity (54·4%) and specificity (88·57%). The overall sensitivity of the combined results of the two tests was found to be 89·7%. Overall, the mycobacterial Rv0819 is a potential TB serum biomarker that can be exploited, in combination with other TB biomarkers, for efficient and reliable diagnosis of active TB infection. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The early and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis infection is of paramount importance for initiating treatment and avoiding clinical complications. Most current diagnostic tests have poor sensitivity and/or specificity and in many cases they are too expensive for routine diagnostic testing in resource-limited settings. In the current study, we examined a novel mycobacterial serum biomarker, namely mycothiol acetyltransferase Rv0819. The antigen was detectable in serum specimens of a significant number of tuberculosis patients. This article proves the importance of Rv0819 and paves the way towards its future use as a useful diagnostic marker for tuberculosis infection.

A potential hazard for night denture wearers.

A rare complication of denture use is presented. The clinical and radiological findings are documented and the optimum method of treatment discussed.

Incidence of previously undetected disease in routine paediatric otolaryngology admissions.

The process of clerking routine pre-operative admissions involves the house officer taking a full medical history and performing a full physical examination. The diagnostic yield is thought to be low, and the educational value to the house officer is also small. This study addresses the question as to whether routine physical examination is always indicated. One hundred and nine children admitted for routine Otolaryngology procedures were prospectively studied to identify the importance of examination in the pre-operative assessment of patients. The results showed that 51 per cent of the children admitted had risk factors. The medical history was sufficient to identify these risk factors in all patients with the exception of one cardiac condition. This study concludes that a suitable alternative to the current process of clerking such as a standardized nurse history could be safely and efficiently undertaken. Eliminating the tiny percentage of previously unrecognized disease would be a prerequisite for such a change.

Broncho-alveolar lavage in chronic upper respiratory tract infections.

The relationship between upper and lower respiratory tract infections has been demonstrated previously, although the effect of chronic infection of one tract on the other has not been well studied. This work analyses the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid of patients with chronic purulent rhino-sinusitis and reveals an increase in total and neutrophil cell counts as well as an increase in immuno-globulin A levels. The associated increase in the neutrophil nitro-blue tetrazolium dye reduction test positivity provides evidence for increased phagocytosis to compensate for the increased contamination of the lower respiratory tract.

Aspiration pneumonitis following papain enzyme treatment for oesophageal meat impaction.

We report a case of aspiration pneumonitis following the use of papain enzyme in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with meat impacted in his oesophagus.

A randomized prospective trial to compare four different ear packs following permeatal middle ear surgery.

Surgeons choice of an ear pack is dictated by availability, previous training and personal preference. There has been no recent prospective study evaluating the use of different types of ear packs. This randomized prospective study compares the use of BIPP impregnated ribbon gauze (Aurum), Pope wicks (Xomed-Teace), silastic sheeting (Dow Corning) and tri-adcortyl ointment (Squibb) as an ear dressing following 'clear' middle ear procedures via a permeatal approach. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in post-operative pain and discomfort experienced, neither was there any significant difference regarding the otolaryngologist's assessment of the degree of canal granulation, stenosis or discharge with the above named packs. This study concludes that non-traditional dressings such as tri-adcortyl ointment or simply a thin silastic sheet placed on the drum are no worse than time honoured BIPP. They have, as well, the advantage of being well-tolerated by the patients.

Audit of headache following resection of acoustic neuroma using three different techniques of suboccipital approach.

A retrospective case notes review using pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and assessment of analgesia required by patients in the post-operative period at 1, 3, 6, 12 and over 12 months following acoustic neuroma resection was performed. Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) score was used to assess the change of quality of life and its relationship to pain following surgery. Questionnaires of 71 patients were included in the study, 23 of whom underwent wide craniotomy including dissection of upper cervical musculature (CE), 25 wide craniotomy with replacement of bone flap (CO) and 23 minimally invasive, approximately 2 x 2 cm, minicraniectomy (MCE). The minicraniectomy resulted in significantly diminished pain from third month post surgery as compared with wide craniectomy (p < 0.05) and patients required less analgesia. Similarly, CO patients have experienced significantly less pain than CE patients (p < 0.05), but only after 12 months following surgery. Although consistently less in absolute visual analogue scores, there was no statistically significant difference between the amount of pain recorded by CO and MCE patients. There was no correlation between gender or age and the VAS pain score. The mean Glasgow Benefit Inventory score for all patients was -6.6, and there was no significant difference between operation types, genders or age. Although bone flap replacement appears to diminish the amount of post-operative pain, minimal invasive technique resulted in least pain following acoustic neuroma resection in our patients.

Developing a nurse-led aural care clinic.

This article describes how a nurse-led ear care clinic was developed at the North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust to reduce patients' waiting time. A nurse was trained under the supervision of two consultants and one registrar, and an assessment of the service after the first eight months showed that the clinic was successful and popular with patients.

Peritonsillar abscess after tonsillectomy: a review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a common condition with a complicated aetiology. PTA after tonsillectomy is rare. This literature review of PTA in the absence of tonsil tissue aims to collate experience of these cases and examine the wider implications for understanding the aetiology of PTA formation. METHODS: A structured literature review was performed using Ovid MEDLINE®. Keywords 'quinsy' or 'peritonsillar abscess' were combined with 'tonsillectomy'. RESULTS: The search resulted in 212 citations and the identification of 11 cases of PTA formation in the absence of tonsil tissue. The most common indication for tonsillectomy was recurrent tonsillitis or PTA. Nine patients had no interval peritonsillar infection (ie a peritonsillar infection after a tonsillectomy) prior to presenting with the PTA. The mean interval between tonsillectomy and PTA was 16 years. All patients were managed either by incision and drainage or by needle aspiration with or without antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: PTA in the absence of tonsil tissue is rare. Potential sources of infection include congenital branchial fistulas, Weber's glands and dental disease. These alternatives should also be considered in patients presenting with PTA formation in the absence of concurrent tonsillitis and may influence management decisions.

Validity of a patient-administered questionnaire for routine otolaryngology admissions.

In this study the accuracy of a questionnaire filled in by 109 parents of children admitted for routine ENT surgery was compared with the well recognized verbal clerking. A major problem in communication between doctors and parents was highlighted, as just 44% of the parents were able to state the operation their children were admitted for. The study also showed that it is impossible to rely on parents to give the information required in the form of replies to questionnaires as the sensitivity of the questions designed to recognize risk factors was poor.

Current practice of stapedectomy in Great Britain.

Since the introduction of stapedectomy with reconstruction of the ossicular chain to Great Britain, many modifications in practice have taken place. The changes include patient selection, operative technique and the type of prosthesis used, as well as the number of operations performed yearly. The aim of this study is to attempt to establish the actual practice among British otolaryngology consultants by means of a simple questionnaire. Two hundred (50.3%) forms were analysed anonymously. The study confirms the decrease in the number of operations performed annually, the absence of centralization for this type of surgery in Great Britain and also demonstrated the trends towards stapedotomy and the practice of bilateral surgery amongst younger consultants.

A video-fluoroscopic study of patients treated by diverticulectomy and cricopharyngeal myotomy.

Although the short- and long-term results of surgical procedures for treatment of posterior pharyngeal diverticula are well documented, their effect on normal swallowing has not been extensively investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in swallowing that occur after diverticulectomy with cricopharyngeal myotomy. Fifteen patients who underwent surgery in the previous 10 years were interviewed, examined and underwent a video-fluoroscopic barium swallow. Frame to frame analysis of the barium studies showed a multitude of abnormalities, even amongst those who were asymptomatic. Excision of a pharyngeal pouch does not appear to restore a normal swallowing mechanism.

The Glasgow benefit plot used to assess the effect of bilateral stapedectomy.

The Glasgow benefit plot has encouraged surgeons to look at the results of their surgery from a more functional standpoint rather than in purely technical terms. Our aim was to use the plot to examine the efficacy of second side stapedectomy. A retrospective study of 17 second side stapedectomies showed that the addition of the second operation significantly increased the chances of achieving at least one 'normal' hearing ear and made 'normal' and symmetrical hearing possible.

The use of topical 5% lignocaine ointment for the relief of pain associated with post-operative nasal packing.

Packing of the nasal cavity remains a common routine precautionary measure following septal surgery. The nasal pack and its removal 24 h later are often cited by patients as the most painful aspects of septal surgery. We present the results of a randomized, prospective controlled trial of the use of topical 5% lignocaine ointment as a method of pain relief following post-operative nasal packing. Post-operative pain as measured using a visual analogue scale at 3 h post-operatively was halved in patients receiving a lignocaine impregnated nasal pack compared with those having a standard vaseline gauze pack (P < 0.05). Pain scores at 6 h post-operatively and at pack removal were also reduced, but these failed to reach significance. No patients suffered reactionary haemorrhage. The use of topical lignocaine ointment is safe and may have a place in the relief of pain due to post-operative nasal packing.

Assessment of a direct referral hearing aid clinic.

A direct referral hearing aid clinic (DRHAC) was set up at the Manor Hospital, Walsall, in which patient management was undertaken by an experienced senior medical technical officer in audiology and re-evaluated by an otolaryngologist. After 2 years of offering the service, we audited our experience which is presented in part one of this article. We attempted to assess the referral protocol in part two of the article. During the 2 years, general practitioners referred 458 first-time hearing aid users to the DRHAC. Of these, 91.3% were satisfactorily managed by the audiology department, although only 241 (52.6%) fitted the guidelines developed by the liaison group of the Technicians, Therapists and Scientists in Audiology (TTSA), a lower percentage than expected by the liaison group. All patients who failed to fulfil the TTSA guidelines at the DRHAC were further studied. This revealed that none of the TTSA criteria could be disregarded, but that relying on the experience of the general practitioner and audiologist is an appropriate method for excluding those patients requiring otolaryngological evaluation. It also indicated that the age of 60 years is a suitable limit for patient referrals.

Recurrence of acoustic neuroma after incomplete resection.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of recurrent tumor in patients after incomplete resection of acoustic neuroma. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: A tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Thirty-nine patients were identified who underwent incomplete resection of acoustic neuroma between January 1988 and December 1993, and had a minimum follow-up of 3.5 years, at a mean of 6.2 years (range 3.5-10.2 years). INTERVENTION: Regular follow-up. using either computed axial tomography or magnetic resonance imaging yearly. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Growth of residual tumor as determined by the increase in its greatest dimension on follow-up imaging studies and the necessity for additional treatment. RESULTS: Tumor regrowth occurred in 17 patients (44%). Ten patients (26%) required additional treatment during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that incomplete resection of acoustic neuroma is associated with a significant risk of recurrent tumor requiring subsequent intervention.