Magnetic ocular prosthesis for shallow contracted socket

Contracted sockets with poor retention of ocular prosthesis are difficult to manage especially when it is a dry socket. A 50-year-old lady with history of irradiation to the socket following enucleation for retinoblastoma reported to us with severe socket contracture, dry socket, and inadequate lid closure with a poorly retained ocular prosthesis. She was using a stone in the socket for support with a cracked stock ocular prosthesis placed over it. A two-piece ocular prosthesis was created with a base and shell with neodymium-boron-ferrous magnets in each part, with good retention and positioning, and this was cosmetically acceptable to the patient. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of such a two-piece magnetic ocular prosthesis.

Development of pioglitazone hydrochloride lipospheres by melt dispersion technique: Optimization and evaluation.

The objective of the present study was to develop and evaluate pioglitazone hydrochloride loaded lipospheres for treatment of diabetes. Pioglitazone hydrochloride lipospheres were formulated by using melt dispersion (homogenization) technique using compritol®888 ATO as lipid matrix and Phospholipon 90G (P 90G), PVA, Poloxamer 188 as surfactants. Formulation was optimized by using 32 full factorial design where entrapment efficiency and particle size were dependent variables and lipid and surfactant concentration were independent variables. Optimized formulation of pioglitazone hydrochloride (PLS 5) shows 79.69± 1.35% entrapment efficiency, 94.63± 2.10% drug content and particle size was found to be 23.74± 0.35μm with spherical shaped free flowing particles. In vitro release was carried out using dissolution apparatus in 0.1N HCl and optimized formulation shows 96.06 ± 0.54 % drug release within 8 hrs. which follows quasi-fickian type of transport and was characterized by the Korsmeyer- Peppas model. Formulation was stable at 5 oC ± 3 oC for two months. Developed liposphere formulation was able to sustain the drug release and entrap the pioglitazone hydrochloride drug at high level.

Adjuvant radiation therapy in gall bladder cancers: 10 years experience at Tata Memorial Hospital.

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE: In gall bladder cancers, even after curative surgery, survivals are dismal and loco-regional failure accounts for 40-86%. Although these are considered radio-resistant, adjuvant radiation, with or without chemotherapy, has been tried to improve loco-regional control and overall survival rates. With an aim to evaluate the natural history of gall bladder cancers, role of radiation therapy (RT) and prognostication, a retrospective analysis was undertaken. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1991-2000, 60 patients with gall bladder cancer, treated with radical intent, were evaluated. Patients details including history, physical examination, liver function tests, ultrasonography of the abdomen and chest X-ray; and CT scan Abdomen if done, were noted. In patients who underwent surgery, surgical details, histopathology and pathological staging, were recorded. The details of post-operative adjuvant treatment, including radiation therapy details, as well as chemotherapeutic agents, number of cycles and type of infusion [bolus/infusion], were noted. RESULTS: Sixty patients underwent surgery. On histopathological staging, 28 patients (46.5%) had stage II, 19 (32%) had stage III, 12 (20%) had stage-I and 1 patient had stage IV disease. Thirteen (21%) patents did not receive any adjuvant treatment, 32 (53%) patients received adjuvant RT alone, 8(14%) received post-operative CT+RT and 7 (12%) patients received CT alone. With a median follow-up of 18 months (12-124 months), 27 (45%) patients were disease free, 11 (19%) had local failures, 7 (11%) had loco-regional, 7 (11%) loco-regional+distant, 4 (7%) distant and 4 (7%) patients had local+distant failures. The Overall Disease Free Survival (DFS) and overall survival was 30% and 25%, at 5 years, respectively. Stage grouping ('P' = 0.007), Pathological T ('P' = 0.01) had significant impact on DFS on univariate analysis, where as histological grade ('P' = 0.06) showed trend towards significance. CONCLUSION: Gall bladder cancers are aggressive and lethal. Early diagnosis and curative surgery, followed by appropriate adjuvant radiation therapy, may improve survivals, with no established consensus till date. Following curative surgery, pathological T stage and stage grouping, are the significant prognostic factors for outcome.