Relationship of ear phone usage and recreational noise induced hearing loss based on audiogram assessment

Introduction: Over the last two decades the use of personal music player [PMP] with headphones/earphones has increased tremendously. Those people using headphones/ earphones on regular basis belongs from all age groups. They become accustomed to use headphones/earphones at high volumes and over long periods of time which may be implicated in ongoing permanent hearing loss in these individuals. Both the intensity and duration of noise exposure determines the potential for damage of the hair cells of the inner ear. The study population was the university students using such devices, however audiogram performed only in participants using these devices for more than 1 hour a day, at moderate to high volumes

Objective: To identify association of sensorineural hearing loss and noise exposure from a personal music player with head phones/earphones among the young university students

Material and methods: This prospective study conducted at Dow International Medical College, DUHS from January 2015 to April 2015. All Final year students were invited for the survey. Informed consent was taken from each participant. Data was collected regarding the duration and hours of use of personal music players. To detect degree of the change in hearing threshold, Audiograms assessment done on 56 participants from high risk group. The data was analyzed using SPSS16

Result: The majority of earphone users are young adults. The audiogram showed mild hearing loss in frequencies over 0.5- 8 kHz

Conclusion: There is mild hearing loss in the high risk group, therefore adequate counseling, for these individuals, regarding change of their listening habits is necessary if further hearing loss is to be prevented

Complementary/alternative medicine practices for sore throat - comparing practices in healthcare providers and the general population

OBJECTIVES: To determine the practice and varieties of Complementary and Alternative Medicine [CAM] for sore throat and common cold treatment in healthcare providers[HP] and the general population

METHOD: This is a questionnaire-based cross sectional study conducted at Ojha Campus, Dow International Medical Collge Karachi

RESULTS: This study shows that 62% of our total study population use CAM [62.8% healthcare providers, 61% general population]. Combination therapy was the most popular method of CAM usage [55.8% healthcare providers, 47% general population]. Family and friends were the most common source of CAM information in both groups. Steam, Saltwater gargles, Medicated vapors, honey and ginger were most frequently used, in both populations. Very few persons had a regular practice of informing their healthcare provider about their CAM use [23.8% healthcare providers, 2.7% general population]. Around 63% healthcare providers recommend CAM to their patients for treating sore throat. The most frequent reason for doing so being their personal effective experience

CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the high usage of CAM to treat sore throat. Some basic training in CAM should be considered for our healthcare providers, in order to integrate this cost effective form of therapy in our healthcare system. Healthcare providers should inquire about their patients' CAM usage to avoid interactions between the two forms of therapy

presentation of carcinoma of larynx at civil hospital Karachi

To determine the frequency of different presenting clinical features and the most common stage of presentation in patients of laryngeal carcinoma. Descriptive study. This study was conducted at ENT department, Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital Karachi, from April 2006 to March 2007. All the patients of biopsy proven laryngeal carcinoma of any age and sex were included in the study. Demographic data, presenting complain like change in voice, difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing, pain, smoked and unsmoked tobacco use, clinical examination findings, DL findings, neck examination with respect to levels of lymph nodes involvement, presence or absence of metastasis recorded in performed proforma. Histopathological reports and findings of imaging studies like X-ray chest, CT scan, and ultrasound abdomen [if needed], stage of carcinoma larynx were also recorded on proforma. In this study out of 34 cases, 32 [94.1%] were males and only 2 [5.88%] were females. Mean age was 55.23 years [SD +/- 12.09]. Most common symptom was hoarseness in 32 [94.1%] cases, 27 [79.4%] presented at advanced stage [stage III and IV] while commonest site was glottic region 50%. This study concluded that the most common stage of laryngeal carcinoma patients in our setup was late stage and commonest presenting symptom was hoarseness while commonest site was glottic region

Frequency of un-safe chronic suppurative otitis media in patients with discharging ear

Objective: To determine the frequency of un-safe chronic suppurative otitis media and its complications in patients with chronic discharging ear

Methods: This study was carried out in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Civil Hospital Karachi, Sindh - Pakistan between January 2004 and June 2006. This study included 390 cases of chronic discharging ears attending out patient department. All were examined according to protocol, and relevant investigations were carried out. 107 cases underwent mastoid exploration and were observed for cholesteatoma, granulations, aural polyps and their complications. A structured questionnaire was designed to record all information which was later analyzed

Results: Majority of patients was belonging to poor families. Female-male ratio was 1.2:1. Age range was between 6 months and 70 years. Most of the patients presented with discharging ears. Central perforation was seen in 89% cases. One hundred seven cases [27.5%] underwent mastoid exploration, in which cholesteatoma was found in 11.5% cases. Ossicular damage was the commonest complication in all cases having cholesteatoma, while 1% cases presented with mastoid abscess, 1.5% with exposed facial nerve, 1.2% with exposed sigmoid sinus and 0.25% with Bezold abscess. Intracranial complications were seen in nine patients

Conclusion: Cholesteatoma was found to be associated with most of the complications in cases of un-safe type of C.S.O.M. The complication rate in this study is lesser than that observed in our neighboring countries like Bangladesh, but still higher as compared to the developed countries. Cholesteatoma was also found in two cases having central perforation which is unusual presentation

Xeroderma pigmentosa - squamous cell carcinoma lip

A 10 Years old female patient of xeroderma pigmentosa [XP] presented with an oval shaped swelling on left upper lip for 2 months. Excisional biopsy was done and histopathology revealed moderately differentiated Squamous cell carcinoma. We report this case as Xeroderma pigmentosa with squamous cell carcinoma is rarely seen in ENT practice

Fine needle aspiration cytology: application to children with neck masses

Fine needle aspiration cytology is widely used to screen neck masses in adult population. Our present series of 40 fine needle aspiration cytology performed during January 2001 to December 2002, on 40 children with clinically significant neck masses. These fine needle aspiration cytology were confirmed by subsequent surgical biopsies, or follow up of patient for 18 months. Out of the 40 aspirations performed 32 required no subsequent surgical biopsy whereas those of 8 tumors identified, 6 were malignant. In 4 of these cases, metastatic tumors were diagnosed and appropriate therapy provided. Two false negative and one false positive result were obtained. No delay in treatment occurred because of false negative result and no radical treatment resulted from the false positive diagnosis. The sensitivity was 93.8% and the specificity was 94.4. The usefulness and cost effectiveness of fine needle aspiration is stressed

flaps used in reconstruction of the cranio-maxillo-facial region

This is a retrospective study of reconstructive flaps used in 30 patients, who underwent ablative maxillo-facial surgery. They were treated between Feb. 1988-Dec. 1990. These were 16 females and 14 males, within the range of 15-65 years, [av. age: 35 yrs.] The reconstruction was carried out with local flaps eg: Abbe-Estlander flap in 4 patients, and axial distant flap in 23. The later group comprised of Mcgregor's forehead flap in 4 patients, Bakamjian's Deltopectoral flap in 5patients, the Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in 6 patients, and the Pectoralis major myocutaneous with an osseous graft [myoosseo-cutaneous] in 8 patients. Other flaps used included full thickness skull graft in 1 patient, pericranial dermal flap in 1 patient and myocutaneous sternomastoid flap in 1 patient. After a followup of 6-18 months, overall result of repair have been satisfactory, though partial rejection or exposure of a mandibular replacement due to deficient oral mucosa posed a few problems Unfortunately, recurrent disease or a subsequent second primary in the Head and Neck region continue to spoil the results