Heavy metal blood levels and hearing loss in children of West Bengal, India.

INTRODUCTION: Heavy metals are a major environmental threat in India and there are several health risks associated with it. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the blood levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury and a sensoneurial hearing loss in children aged one to ten years. METHOD: Heavy metal blood levels were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, with appropriate quality control. RESULTS: We found significantly higher blood lead concentration (mg/L; Mean ± SE) in children with a hearing loss (53.2 ± 4.4) compared to healthy controls (38.4 ± 4.7)/P = 0 0.03/. CONCLUSION: Children's blood lead levels ≥ 50 mg/L compared to the levels < 10 mg/L were associated with increased probability of hearing loss (OR, 48.8; 95% CI, 41.9-55.6). The differences in the blood levels of cadmium, arsenic, and mercury between the children with a hearing loss and controls were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05).

Intractable anemia: a case of bleeding nasal cavernous hemangioma.

Cavernous haemangioma of the nose is rare, but when it occurs it usually presents with severe epistaxis. This nasal pathology is mostly seen in adult patient patients. Standard approach to dealing with such haemangiomas is surgical resection. A 30-year-old woman presented to General Physician with history of haemoptysis, haematemesis and weakness. She was admitted for investigation of her severe anaemia. On examination there was no obvious source of bleeding in the mouth or oropharynx, and Upper GI endoscopy did not reveal any pathology. She was referred to us after a trivial episode of epistaxis. Anterior and posterior rhinoscopy did not reveal any abnormality. Her extreme anxiety made indirect laryngoscopy and post-nasal space examination difficult but no obvious abnormality was seen. Diagnostic nasal endoscopy was done, and a small haemangiomatous mass was found in the postero superior part of inferior turbinate. Excision of the mass was done under local anaesthesia and sent for histopathological evaluation. The mass on histopathology came out to be Cavernous haemangioma.

Kawasaki disease: a case report every otolaryngologist should know.

Kawasaki disease is the acute febrile vasculitis of childhood, predominantly affecting medium sized arteries with predilection for coronary arteries. The diagnosis is mainly clinical, though investigations are helpful in early detection of complications. We report a case of Kawasaki disease in a 5 year old child who presented to our hospital with conjunctival congestion, lymphadenopathy and fever. When on treatment with antibiotics did not help resolve symptoms, particularly conjunctival congestion Kawasaki disease was suspected. She was treated with a single dose of intravenous immunoglobulin G, over a period of 12 h. She subsequently developed a systolic murmur with grade I mitral regurgitation not a known complication of Kawasaki disease. She responded to the treatment remarkably and promptly thus evading any fatal complication.

Use of mitomycin C in endo-DCR.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of topical Mitomycin C in Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR), for the prevention of stomal stenosis. PATIENTS: Thirty patients undergoing endoscopic DCR for chronic dacryocystitis were studied prospectively. The follow up period was 12 months. TECHNIQUE: PATIENTS were divided into two groups randomly. All of them underwent endoscopic DCR. One group was subjected to topical Mitomycin C application after surgery while the control group was not. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative relief of epiphora and endoscopic documentation of the patency of the stoma were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: 80% cases of the Mitomycin C group and 86.67% cases of the non Mitomycin C group had long-term successful results. This result is not statistically significant (p> 0.2). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative Mitomycin C application does not alter the long-term results in endoscopic DCR. A properly and adequately performed surgery is more vital for successful result.