Rapunzel Syndrome in a Paediatric Patient

Rapunzel syndrome, or generically known as trichobezoar, is a rare condition. It usually happens among teenage population. We are presenting a case report of Rapunzel syndrome that happened in a 4-year-old child. She was initially investigated for nephrotic syndrome, as she had high blood pressure and hypoalbuminaemia. However, it was later found out to be a trichobezoar, indirectly causing both hypertension and malnutrition. This condition demanded a combination of surgical and psychiatric discipline for diagnosis and its treatment.

Comparison of acute toxicities and response of standard chemo radiation versus hyper fractionated radiotherapy in head and neck cancers

Background: Head and neck cancers are the most common malignancy among males in India. Carcinoma of buccal mucosa is the most common cancer among head and neck cancers due to high rate of tobacco chewing habit. Aim and objectives: To study the comparison of acute toxicities and response of standard chemo radiation versus hyper fractionated radiotherapy in head and neck cancers. Materials and methods: It was a prospective study of acute toxicity and response in patients diagnosed with head and neck malignancy. Patients with oral cavity site, previously untreated locally advanced III, IV-A and IV -B, age of 20-60 years. Results: Primary tumor site of the patients included in the both CRT arm and HFRT was not significant (P=0.755). Majority of patients included were T3 (44% in CRT arm and 46.7% in HFRT arm) and T2 (24% in CRT arm and 26.7% in HFRT arm) lesions. The tumors with respect to T stage, the difference between two arms was not statistically significant (P = 0.988). Most of the patients presented with N1 (44% of CRT arm and 40% of HFRT arm) and N2 (28% of CRT arm and 26.7% of HFRT arm) stage. With respect to nodal (N) stage at presentation, CRT arm and HFRT arm were comparable (P=0.987). In HFRT arm, 7 (46.7%) patients were presented in stage III Kuppa Prakash, A. Ravi Chandran, M. Vijay Kumar. Comparison of acute toxicities and response of standard chemo radiation versus hyper fractionated radiotherapy in head and neck cancers. IAIM, 2016; 3(9): 228-237. Page 229 and 8 (53.3%) patients were in stage IV. With respect to TNM stage, CRT arm and HFRT arm were comparable (P=0.87). Radiotherapy treatment compared in both CRT Arm and HFRT arms was not statistically significant (P=0.493). In CRT arm Grade 2 toxicity: 13/22 (59%) patients developed skin toxicity, 12/22 (55%) patients developed mucous membrane toxicity, 15/22 (68%) patients developed nausea, 8/22 (36%) patients developed vomiting, 10/22 (45%) salivary gland toxicity. Grade 3 toxicity: 2/22 (9%) patients developed skin toxicity, 10/22 (45%) patients developed mucous membrane toxicity, 5/22 (23%) patients developed nausea, 6/22 (27%) patients developed vomiting. Conclusion: Standard chemo radiation is better than HFRT in Head and Neck (oral cavity) cancers because of less toxicity, less mean overall treatment time, less number of treatment breaks and better response.

Difficulties of assessing precise age in old persons a case report.

We report a case of an elderly person who alleged his age to be eighty five years, was referred from Health secretary as directed by the Honorable High court of Karnataka. The individual presented himself alone to the District Hospital for the examination and certification by the District surgeon. A panel of doctors was constituted, who examined the person individually and reported to the concerned authority. Surprisingly the age was found to be less by 25-30 years. This paper focuses on the difficulties faced by the experts in opining the age of elderly individuals.