Effects of Ultrasound, Laser and Exercises on Temporomandibular Joint Pain and Trismus Following Head and Neck Cancer

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of low intensity ultrasound (LIUS), traditional exercise therapy (TET), low level laser therapy (LLLT) and TET on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and trismus following recovery from head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS: Sixty participants following, who had experienced HNC, were randomly allocated to three groups of 20 people each. Each group received different therapy. Group A received LIUS and TET; group B received LLLT and TET; while group C received TET. All 60 participants were evaluated under the visual analog scale (VAS), the University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire (UW-QOL) and the Vernier caliper scale (VCS) at the beginning of the therapies and after 4 weeks. RESULTS: ANOVA test revealed significant improvements across all three groups with outcomes of p 0.05). The VCS results showed more improvement for the individuals in group B as compared to those in group C (p 0.05). CONCLUSION: The LIUS and TET are more effective than LLLT and/or TET in reducing TMJ pain and trismus following HNC.

Serum sialic acid concentration as a useful biochemical marker for early detection of nephropathy in insulin dependent diabetic children

Elevated serum sialic acid concentration is a strong predictor of cardiovascular morbidity in non-diabetic subjects. Because patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM] and albuminuria have a highly increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, this study hypothesized that IDDM patients with albuminuria would have an increased concentration of serum sialic acid. One hundred children and adolescents were selected and divided into a diabetic group [n-75] and a healthy control group [n=25]. The diabetic group was further subdivided into three IDDM groups according to the duration of diabetes. Serum sialic acid, fasting blood sugar, HbAIc, creatinine, and urea were assayed in the blood. Microalbumi-nuria was assayed in urine. The mean value of total serum sialic acid concentration, fasting blood glucose HbAIc, were significantly increased in diabetic group when compared with control group [P<0.001]. Also microalbuminuria in urine as AER was significantly increased when compared with the control group [P< 0.001]. An increased serum sialic acid concentration is found to be predictive for the onset of microalbuminuria. There was a significantly positive correlation between total serum sialic acid, microalbuminuria and fasting blood glucose in the diabetic group. There was highly significant positive correlation between the mean value of sialic acid and albumin / creatinine ratio in group II and III diabetic children. Early detection of diabetic children who are prone to develop diabetic nephropathy is of utmost clinical importance and raised serum sialic acid could be used as a useful biochemical marker for early detection of diabetic nephropathy in children

Management of stapes gusher presentation of 5 cases

The etiology of stapes gusher is discussed. Suspecting this potentially fatal condition should be taken in consideration in young adults with signs of congenital anomalies in the external or middle ear. How to detect it by polytomes is mentioned. The management of this serious condition is discussed, and differs according to its severity and its occurrence during the different steps of stapedectomy. Variable methods of management are discussed to choose the suitable one according to circumstances especially when one method fails to stop the CSF gusher

Analysis of preoperative historical aspects of 490 stapedectomies

Review of the historical [preoperative] data of 490 stapedectomies done for 461 otosclerotic patients showed that 60.6% of them males and 39.4% females. The youngest age in our group was 14 and the oldest 65 years. The mean age is 39.5 years. 73.47% have their age between 20 and 40 years. 78.5% of our patients had hearing loss for 1-5 years. Tinnitus was present in 70%, 50% bilateral and 20% unilateral. This percentage was 82.9% among females and 61.6% among males. Vertigo and dizziness were present in 3.4%. Family history of deafness was present in 20% only. Unilateral deafness was present in 2%. Review of literature is discussed. Our results compared with others in the literature