Obstructive sleep apnea: relationship of some clinical parameters to severity of the disease

Although essential before surgery, in-lab lysomnography and in-hospital sleep studies cannot be done indiscriminately for all patients with potential diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea [OSA]. Some clinical parameters may be used to select patients for these studies, thus increasing their cost-effectiveness. Studying the relationship of body mass index [BMI], modified Mallampati index [MMI], tonsil size and thyroid-mental distance [TMD] to the grade of OSA. Tertiary referral hospital. Thirty consecutive patients [20 men and 10 women] in the age range of 30 to 60 years with snoring for at least 3 months and observed cessation of respiration during sleep were included. SAM[TM] monitor [Intercare Technologies, Inc, Milwaukee, WI] was used for an eight-hour in-hospital sleep study. There was a statistically significant relationship between BMI, MMI and tonsil grade and the grade of OSA [p=0.01, p=0.036, p=0.05 respectively]. No statistically significant relationship was found between TMD and grade of OSA [p=0.456]. In patients with potential diagnosis of OSA, BMI, MMI and tonsil size grade are helpful in selecting patients for in-hospital sleep studies

Surgical management of congenital meatal atresia

Children with congenital atresia of the external auditory canal require an early assessment of hearing and a determination of the degree of atresia and associated pathology by ABR, and C.T. scanning. We have done eleven ears with congenital meatal atresia at Ismailia University Hospital during the period from November 1993 until June 1997. Five females and three males; five out of the eight patients presented with unilateral atresia and three with bilateral The mean age was [ +/- 8.7] years. The second ear in the bilateral cases were done 6-9 months after the first ear. We had no facial injuries in our series, but in one of the cases, the chorda tympani was injured accidentally. Three cases developed granulations in the external canal with some degree of meatal stenosis

Vertical transmission of chlamydia to neonates

Direct and indirect Fluorescent tests were used for detection of Chlamydia in 160 pregnant mothers. Positive test was found in 8.8% and 13.1% for direct and indirect tests. Direct test was used for conjunctival and nasal swabs and was found positive in 35% for conjunctival and 21.4% for nasal tests. This work highlight the importance of diagnosis of Chamydial infection during pregnancy