The socio-demographic determinants of the outcome of type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty in children: Results from a tertiary-care teaching institute in India.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether and how the established socio-demographic parameters pertaining to a lower-middle income nation influence the outcome of cartilage tympanoplasty in children with chronic otitis media (COM), inactive mucosal variety. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, children aged 5-12 years with COM (dry, large/subtotal perforation) were considered for type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty following definite selection criteria. Relevant socio-demographic parameters were noted for each child. These included parents' education (literate/illiterate), living area (slum/village/others), mothers' occupation (laborer/business/housewife or home-maker), family type (nuclear/joint), and monthly family income. Outcome at 6 months follow-up was interpreted as "success" (favorable; anatomically intact and well-epithelialized neograft and dry ear) and "failure" (unfavorable; residual or recurrent perforation and/or discharging ear). The role of individual socio-demographic factor in determining the outcomes was analyzed with relevant statistical methods. RESULTS: The average age of the 74 children included in the study was 9.30 ± 2.13 years. At six months, 86.5% had a successful outcome, with a statistically significant hearing gain (closure of the air-bone gap) of 17.02 ± 8.96 dB (p = .003). Mothers' education had a significant influence on the success rate (Chi: 4.13; significant at p < .05); children of ∼97% of the literate mothers had a successful outcome. Living area was significantly associated with success (Chi: 13.94; significant at p < .01); ∼90% of children living in the slum areas had success, compared to 50% of those residing in villages. The family type also significantly influenced the surgical outcome (Chi: 3.81; significant at p < .05); ∼97% of the children belonging to the joint families encountered success, compared to ∼81% of those brought up in the nuclear families. The success also depended on the mothers' occupation (Chi: 6.47; significant at p < .05); ∼97% of the housewife mothers had children who were successful, against ∼77% of mothers engaged as laborers. Another factor significantly associated with success was the monthly household income. Nearly 97% of the children belonging to families with a monthly household income of >₹3000 (cut-off limit set by the median value) experienced success, in contrast to 79% of those having a monthly family income of <₹3000 (Chi: 4.83; significant at p < .05). CONCLUSION: Socio-demographic parameters are valuable determinants of the outcome of surgical management of COM in children. For type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty, mothers' education and occupation, family type, living area, and monthly family income significantly influenced the surgical outcome.

Cytogenetic and micronuclei study of human papillomavirus-related oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The association of human papilloma viral infection in oral squamous cell carcinoma is well studied in the Western countries, but its correlation with DNA damage in the form of micronuclei (MN) formation, ceased apoptosis or presence of chromosomal abnormalities has not yet been studied. AIM: The aim of this study is to find any possible correlation between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cytogenetic damage in the oral malignant and premalignant population of West Bengal. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A total of 104 malignant and 103 premalignant cases were selected along with 200 controls. METHODS: The buccal smear samples were Pap stained for the detection of MN, apoptosis frequency and koilocytes. The buccal swab samples were processed for DNA extraction followed by polymerase chain reaction for the detection of HPV DNA. The peripheral venous blood samples were processed for the detection of any chromosomal abnormality, by the method of human leukocyte culture followed by Giemsa staining. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Correlation analysis using GraphPad Prism software was used in this study. RESULTS: About 34.6%, 42.3% and 6.73% of malignant and 6.79%, 3.88% and 20.38% of premalignant cases showed the presence of HPV DNA, koilocytes and apoptosis, respectively. The difference between the MN frequencies of premalignant and malignant oral lesions with the control group is significant with respect to various risk factors (P < 0.05). One percentage of malignant cases showed the presence of chromosomal break. CONCLUSION: A considerable percentage of malignant cases showing the presence of koilocytes and viral DNA may indicate the effect of HPV infection leading to the malignancy, which can be correlated with the MN and apoptosis frequency.

Comparison of a microsliced modified chondroperichondrium shield graft and a temporalis fascia graft in primary type I tympanoplasty: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled trial to compare outcomes in type I tympanoplasty patients who received an autologous microsliced modified cartilage perichondrium shield graft (cartilage group) and those who received an autologous temporalis muscle fascia graft (fascia group). Our three outcomes measures were (1) anatomic success rates at 3 months, (2) hearing results at 6 months, and (3) rates of morphologic success (i.e., the absence of reperforation, retraction, and graft displacement) at 2 years among those in each group who had an intact graft at 3 months. Of 56 patients who were initially enrolled and who underwent one of these type I tympanoplasty procedures, 51 completed the study-28 in the cartilage group and 23 in the fascia group. The former was made up of 11 males and 17 females, aged 15 to 48 years (mean: 27.4), and the latter included 9 males and 14 females, aged 15 to 52 years (mean: 31.7). The overall graft take rate at 3 months with respect to perforation closure (anatomic success) was 93.3% in the cartilage group and 91.7% in the fascia group, which was not a statistically significant difference. The mean hearing gain at 6 months was 11.7 ± 7.6 dB in the cartilage group and 12.6 ± 6.0 dB in the fascia group-again, not statistically significant. At 2 years, morphologic success rates were 92.3 and 81.0%, respectively-again, not statistically significant. We conclude that autologous microsliced modified cartilage perichondrium shield graft tympanoplasty is as effective as conventional temporalis fascia tympanoplasty in terms of graft take rates and functional results. Indeed, medium-term outcomes (2-yr follow-up) revealed that sustainable morphologic success was actually better with the cartilage technique than with the fascia technique because it was associated with fewer revision surgeries.

Primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the anterior neck and thyroid: report of a new case with review of the literature.

Primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of anterior neck involving the thyroid is extremely rare. This report is only the second of its kind that describes this form of nonorbital nonparameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma in a 7-year-old boy and adds to a new, seldom-reported variant of rhabdomyosarcoma in the head-neck region. The child presented with a huge anterior neck swelling that clinically resembled a thyroid mass. Computed tomography scan showed a heterogeneous mass in the anterior neck replacing the entire right lobe of thyroid. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was nondiagnostic. Right hemithyroidectomy with selective neck dissection suggested embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma by histopathology; the diagnosis was confirmed by positive reactions to desmin and myogenin. The child was subsequently treated with chemotherapy. Repeat chemotherapy with radiotherapy was required when recurrences were detected in the mediastinum and cervical lymph nodes at 13-month follow-up.