Nasal itching and bleeding due to excessive exposure to air conditioners

Introduction: Nasal mucosa is very sensitive when it is exposed to extreme dry and cold weather conditions. Persistent or recurrent nasal itching due to such exposure is usually followed by the epistaxis. Objective of the study was to analyze effects of excessive exposure to dry and cold air of air conditioners on nose in terms of nasal itching and epistaxis

Methods: This prospective cohort study carried out on 144 healthy Pakistani individuals working in United Nations Hospital in Nyala, Sudan from February 2014 to May 2014. Individuals spending less than 8 hours daily inside air conditioners were compared to those spending more than 15 hours daily. Chi square tests were applied to compare the proportions of incidence of nasal itching and epistaxis between these two groups as well as between two age groups

Results: Mean age of all 144 subjects was 35.01 years [+/- 6.4]. Chi square test results confirmed that there was statistically significant difference of both the symptoms [nasal itching p-value 0.021 and nasal bleeding p-value 0.044] between two groups. Those spending more time in air conditioners were significantly more affected by dry and cold air. As for as the age group is concerned significantly higher number of subjects of ages more than 40 years had nasal bleeding compared to the younger age group [equal or less than 40 years]

Conclusion: Effects of exposure of dry air of air conditioners on nasal mucosa in terms of nasal itching and nasal bleeding were found to be significantly higher when subjects were exposed 15 hours or more per day. Furthermore nasal bleeding was more commonly seen in elderly subjects [more than 40 years] due to such exposure

Effects of extreme dry climate of Sudan on Pakistani peacekeepers

Objective: To determine the frequencies of nasal itching, epistaxis, dry/chapped lips and xerosis of skin among Pakistani peacekeepers exposed to the dry climate of Nyala, Sudan

Study Design: Prospective cohort study

Place and Duration of Study: Pakistan Field Hospital 6 Nyala, Sudan, from February 2014 to May 2012

Material and Methods: Total 144 United Nations Pakistani Peacekeepers of Pakistan Field Hospital 6[all ranks] were selected by non-probability convenient sampling. The data consists of frequency of four symptoms was collected after three months of exposure to dry climate

Results: The most common symptom was dryness of skin [36.1%] followed by chapping of lips [29.9%] while nasal bleeding [epistaxis] was least common [9%]. Significantly higher number of subjects of ages more than 40 years had nasal bleeding compared to the younger group [p value 0.002]

Conclusion: Exposure to extreme dry climate affects skin and nasal mucosa. Frequency of epistaxis found to be significantly more in subjects older than 40 years as compared to younger ones

Efficacy of single dose perioperative intravenous steroid [dexamethasone] for postoperative pain relief in tonsillectomy patients

To determine the efficacy of single dose perioperative intravenous steroid [dexamethasone] for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing tonsillectomy. Quasi-experimental study. Combined Military Hospital, Lahore, from November 2009 to June 2010. Sixty patients were divided into two equal groups. A single dose of dexamethasone was given to patients of group A during induction of anaesthesia, whereas no steroid was given to the patients in group B. Postoperative pain scores were assessed at 2, 6 and 12 hours in both groups using visual analogue scale [VAS]. Pain was classified as mild [0-3], moderate [4-7] and severe [8-10] on visual analogue scale. There was no significant difference in pain scores after 2 hours postoperatively. Pain scores of Group A at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively were found to be significantly low than Group B. Single dose perioperative intravenous injection of dexamethasone in tonsillectomy patients reduces postoperative tonsillectomy pain

Comparison of complications of septal surgery with and without use of intra-nasal splints

To compare the adhesion formation and post-operative pain with and without intranasal splints in patients undergoing septal surgery with inferior turbinectomy. Comparative study. The study was carried out in CMH Rawalpindi from April2005 to Oct 2005. Total 60 patients undergoing septal surgery were randomly divided into two groups. In Group A intranasal splints [made from plastic infusion bottles] were placed with paraffin gauze packing and in Group B, paraffin gauze packing was done without intranasal splints. Follow-up was carried out at 48 hours and 01 week after surgery for assessment of pain scores, while adhesion formation was monitored for two months after surgery. Mean age of patients in Group A [with splints] was 26.43 years and of Group B [without splints] was 25.77 years. There was marked difference of pain scores at 48 hrs after surgery between two groups and difference was found highly significant [p value 0.001]. The p-value of pain score for data at one week was 0.022, still significantly different but lesser than the one at 48 hrs. Only two patients both without splints were found to have adhesions [p value 0.150]. It is concluded that intranasal splints increased post-operative pain significantly and there was no significant benefit in reducing the post-operative adhesion formation with splints

Partial inferior turbinectomy; a better management option for hypertrophied inferior turbinates

To assess the effectiveness of partial inferior turbinectomy in relieving the symptoms of nasal obstruction in cases of inferior turbinate hypertrophy and to compare the results in terms of relief from nasal obstruction in response to total inferior turbinectomy. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and neck surgery, CMH Rawalpindi, From January 2004 to November 2004. A total of 60 patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy were selected by convenient sampling. 30 patients were treated by partial inferior turbinectomy and 30 by total inferior turbinectomy and result in terms of relief of nasal obstruction based on VAS [Visual Analogue Score] was observed with follow up carried out at interval of one week and then two months. All cases of both the groups showed complete relief of nasal obstruction after 02 months, showing 100% out of 30 cases managed by total inferior turbinectomy 4 cases [13%] developed atrophic rhinitis. Partial inferior turbinectomy is as good as total inferior turbinectomy in relieving nasal obstruction with an edge of avoiding complications like atrophic rhinitis