Removal of foreign body from the trachea: An unusual method.

Tracheobronchial foreign bodies can be sometimes very difficult to remove. This may be related to the location and type of foreign body, experience of the bronchoscopist and the availability of appropriate instruments.([1]) We report a case of an uncommon foreign body (artificial denture) in the trachea in an adult female following extubation after Lower Segment Caesarian Section (LSCS) in whom conventional methods to remove it failed. The foreign body was eventually removed via tracheostome using rigid bronchoscope and forceps.

Acute epiglottitis: A review of 50 patients.

We reviewed 50 patients admitted to the department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery of Govt Medical College Srinagar from September 19% to September 2002 diagnosed with acute epiglottitis. Male were more commonly involved than females in the ratio of 2.8:1 with only 6 cases younger than 10 years of age. The highest incidence was in the month of January (22%). The common symptoms of acute epiglottitis were sorethroat(92%) and odynophagia(88%). Any patient with sudden onset of these symptoms should be suspected of having acute epiglottitis and should have an indirect laryngoscopy. Blood culture was obtained in 20 cases Cultures were positive only in 5 cases, out of which 4 were positive for Hemophilus influenzae type B. Throat cultures were not obtamed The primary treatment of acute epiglottitis is intravenous antibiotics, steriods, and humidified air. Treacheostomy was needed only in 4 patients. There were no deaths.

A Study of incidence and etiopathology of vocal cord paralysis.

Vocal cord paralysis is not a disease per se but is considered as a sign of underlying disease process that may be congenital or acquired, unilateral or bilateral, sudden or gradual in onset, and may occur at any age from cradle to the grave.This study vas carried out to know the incidence and etiopathology of vocal cord paralysis.The incidence was 0.42% or 42 per ten thousand new patients seen. Most patients presented in the 5th and 6th decades (77.2%). Males outnumbered females in the ratio of 3:1. The most common symptom of vocaL cord paralysis was hoarseness of voice alone(83.6%.).Onset of symptoms was gradual in 60% of cases.Left vocal cord was almost twice more commonly (61.9%)involved than the right one(38.1%).Idiopalhic group constituted 38.18% of patients followed by neoplaslic diseases 29.09oc.