ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To design the technique of 'Suspension Palatoplasty' for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency (VPI) post Cleft Palate (CP) based on optimal spatial positioning of palate at the time of VPI correction, by using a non-obstructive, high, midline pharyngeal flap for predictable velopharyngeal closure and normal speech. To evaluate the results of CP patients with VPI operated using the technique of 'Suspension palatoplasty'. DESIGN: An ambi-spective longitudinal clinical study. SETTING: Comprehensive cleft care clinic in a private trust hospital. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Patients operated using the 'Suspension Palatoplasty' technique for VPI post CP repair between 2014 and 2018 with a minimum follow-up period of 5 years. INTERVENTIONS: 'Suspension Palatoplasty' - Double Opposing Z (DOZ) plasty with palatal myoplasty is used to revise soft palate and a narrow superiorly based pharyngeal flap is used to suspend it for a dynamic velopharyngeal closure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Speech outcome and surgical complications. RESULTS: 70 out of 119 studied were found to have normal speech (59%), and another 25 patients (21%) had acceptable speech. Thus 95 out of 119 patients (80%) had normal or near-normal speech and did not require any further speech therapy or surgeries. 12 patients had snoring without difficulty in breathing. One patient had symptoms suggestive of obstructive sleep apnea. Younger patients had a higher percentage of normal speech outcomes. Many of our adult patients also attained normal speech. CONCLUSION: 'Suspension Palatoplasty' aims to achieve normal speech with little effort. It has minimal side effects. The author has performed 403 cases to date.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Injuries among welders are an important health issue in metal industries at global level. The study aimed to assess the prevalence and pattern of injuries and its possible associated risk factors among welders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 209 welders in metal industries of Puducherry, coastal south India. Data regarding all types of injuries during the past 1 year were collected by administering a pre-designed questionnaire. The various risk factors associated with injuries that include age, training before induction, experience, job duration, tobacco chewing, alcohol use and use of protective measures were assessed using standard questionnaire. The data was analyzed by univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Majority of subjects were aged between 20 and 40 years (160, 76.6%) and educated below 10(th) standard (181, 86.6%). Mean number of injury was found to be 10.74 (SD = 5.74) in the preceding year. All of them had more than 2 injuries and 44% (92) of them had more than 10 injuries. All of them had abrasions and more than three fourths of them had each of lacerations, foreign body in the eye, flash burns and contusions. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age less than 30 years (OR = 5.19), tobacco use (OR = 2.56), alcohol use (OR = 3.96) and institutional training (OR = 0.10) were the predictors associated with more than 10 injuries among welders. CONCLUSION: Injury among welders is an important health problem in this area. Strategies for strengthening institutional training for younger age groups may help in decreasing the burden of injuries.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Awareness of occupational hazards and its safety precautions among welders is an important health issue, especially in developing countries. OBJECTIVE: To assess the awareness of occupational hazards and utilization of safety measures among welders in coastal South India. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 209 welders in Puducherry, South India. Baseline characteristics, awareness of health hazards, safety measures and their availability to and utilization by the participants were assessed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The majority of studied welders aged between 20 and 40 years (n=160, 76.6%) and had 1-10 years of education (n=181, 86.6%). They were more aware of hazards (n=174, 83.3%) than safety measures (n=134, 64.1%). The majority of studied welders utilized at least one protective measure in the preceding week (n=200, 95.7%). Many of them had more than 5 years of experience (n=175, 83.7%), however, only 20% of them had institutional training (n=40, 19.1%). Age group, education level, and utilization of safety measures were significantly associated with awareness of hazards in univariate analysis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Awareness of occupational hazards and utilization of safety measures is low among welders in coastal South India, which highlights the importance of strengthening safety regulatory services towards this group of workers.
