Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: a study of 24 cases.

24 cases of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in children were treated by surgical removal with cup forceps and followed up for variable periods between 1990-95. Most of the patients required multiple operations due to recurrence. No anaesthetic death or complication was recorded. Voice changes of different degrees were noted. Four patients has glottic web formation. The findings suggest that recurrence of RRP is very common & needs multiple session of surgery. For children with persistent and progressive voice change/cry, the necessity of precise & comprehensive endoscopic examination of the upper aerodigestive tract under general anesthesia (GA) is emphasized.

Dystrophic calcification in the neck--a case report.

One 55 years aged male person was admitted with progressive painless neck swelling with multiple discharging sinuses. His X-ray of the neck showed a dense radio-opaque shadow & serum calcium level was 2 mmol/l. On neck exploration, an irregular calculus was revealed; hooking around the left carotid sheath. Histopathology confirmed the clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis. Anti-TB chemotherapy for six months cured him.

Cut throat injury: a retrospective study of 26 cases.

Cut throat injuries and associated deaths are common in our society. Majority succumb to their injuries. In this study, the hospital records of twenty six such cases (13 M & 13 F) were reviewed. Eleven victims were in their third decade. Eighteen cases came from poor socio-economic class. Eleven had suicidal, eleven homicidal and four accidental injuries. Familial troubles, psychiatric illness and poverty were the triggering factors in suicidal attempts. The motives of homicide included political conflict, sex related crimes, dacoity, familial, land related disputes, etc. All had their hypopharynx and/or larynx exposed. Tracheostomy was done in fifteen cases. All but two had uneventful recovery. One died in the hospital due to hemorrhage, shock and asphyxia from aspirated blood. It was observed that appropriate measures could save lives in vast majority.

Multiple papilloma of the larynx in an adult--a case report.

Multiple papilloma of the larynx commonly affects the juvenile subjects. Only a few adult cases have been reported. Such a rare case in Bangladesh, is reported here. Twenty five years old one male patient was admitted into Sir Salimullah Medical College & Mitford Hospital with the complaints of hoarseness of voice & dysponea. He was diagnosed as papilloma clinically and histopathologically, and treated with tracheostomy & microlaryngoscopic excision of the masses. The patient was readmitted after 3 months with recurrence of papilloma at the same site and the growth was excised under anaesthesia. The past history of his illness revealed that he underwent to more surgeries for the same condition. The patient was lost to follow up.

A wooden foreign body in the neck.

Foreign bodies in the throat and/or neck are uncommon and transpharyngeal impaction of a wooden foreign body in the neck without vascular injury is very rare. The patient presented in this communication, reported to our center five days after severe physical assault with a pharyngocutaneous fistula in the left side of the neck. Clinical examination and X-rays were unremarkable. Conservative treatment led to healing of the fistula and he was discharged. Two weeks later he was readmitted with an abscess in the right supraclavicular region. Exploration under general anaesthesia revealed a 7 cm long wooden fragment of a spear in the abscess cavity. The fragment was removed. After several days' antibiotic treatment, he recovered fully and was discharged.

Febrile episode among a floating population of C.R.P.F. Jawans stationed at Calcutta.

A virological investigation was carried out to establish the etiologic agent of a febrile outbreak amongst a floating population of C.R.P.F. Jawans, stationed at Calcutta during May-July, 1993. The illness was associated with fever, severe headache, bodyache and arthralgia which lasted for 2-4 days in most of the cases. Fifty cases were examined clinically and blood samples (both acute and convalescent) were subjected to virological study. One mouse-pathogenic agent could be isolated in suckling mice and identified as DEN-3. Sero-investigation of 50 single sera by HI & CF method revealed evidence of presumptive dengue infection in 33, while sero-conversion could be noted in 10 out of 25 available paired sera tested. Results of MAC ELISA revealed evidence of primary dengue infection in 6 out of 12 acute phase sera examined. Thus, the study shows that the episode is strongly suggestive of primary dengue infection.

Fractured tracheostomy tubes: 3 case reports.

Although tracheobronchial foreign bodies are not rare, fractured tracheostomy tubes presenting as such, is rare indeed. Three such cases (one metallic and two Polyvenyl Chloride (P.V.C. tubes) are reported here. These foreign bodies were removed bronchoscopically with uneventful recovery.

Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) outbreak in Calcutta--1990.

An outbreak of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) occurred in Calcutta between September and December, 1990. Children and young adults were the major victims. Haemorrhagic manifestations and shocks were the main features in most of the hospitalised cases. Five mouse pathogenic agents were isolated from 105 acute cases and all were identified as DEN-3. HI and CF test with 55 paired sera revealed evidence of dengue infection in 33 (60 per cent) and flavivirus group reaction including dengue in 17 (30.9 per cent). It was for the first time, that DEN-3 was considered to be the etiologic agent for DHF in Calcutta.