Breast lesions in young females--a 20-year study for significance of early recognition.

The aim of this case series is to evaluate the pattern of breast lumps in males and females with special reference to spectrum of lesions in females below 40 years of age. A 20 years retrospective study was undertaken from the records of the department of Pathology, Bhopal. The lesions were classified into benign and malignant. In young females histological pattern was analyzed in various age groups. A total of 1824 cases were studied. 1724 (94.5%) cases were seen in females and 100 (5.5%) in males. There were 1276 (74%) females below 40 years of age and 448 (26%) were above 40 years of age. In young females 1136 (89%) lesions were benign and 140 (11%) were malignant lumps. Fibrocystic disease in 60 (49%) cases constituted the largest group of benign lumps followed by 30 (24.5%) cases of inflammatory lesion in older females. The mean age of malignant tumors was 34.1 in young females and 51.4 in females above 40. Infiltrating duct carcinoma constituted 83.5% of malignant tumors in young females and 86.1% in older females.

Cartilagenous choristoma of palatine tonsil--a case report.

Choristoma is defined as a histologically normal tissue proliferation or nodule of a tissue type not normally found in anatomic site of proliferation. Here a case of chronic tonsillitis is being reported where mature cartilage was found embedded in the tonsil, making the surgical removal of the tonsil difficult. Cartilaginous choristoma of the tonsil appears to be a developmental anomaly in the second pharyngeal arch and could be one of the causes of recurrent tonsillitis.

Sternomastoid myoplasty: surgical correction of congenital torticollis.

OBJECTIVE: Functional sternomastoid myoplasty is a surgical procedure for the correction of congenital torticollis. It allows increment in muscle length without disrupting its bony attachments, hence preserving its function. The technique and rationale of the procedure are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Observations in six patients indicate that the best functional and cosmetic results can be realized when surgery is performed during childhood.

Greater palatine canal injection: an alternative to the posterior nasal packing and arterial ligation in epistaxis.

The greater palatine foramen extends in a posterosuperior direction at an angle of 60-80 degrees from the horizontal plane of the hard palate. A needle can be inserted 22-25 mm without the risk of intracranial or intraorbital injection. Sixty-one patients with posterior epistaxis were treated by greater palatine canal injection of either xylocaine 1% without epinephrine (34 cases) or sterile water (27 cases). There were no serious complications. Effective hemostasis was obtained immediately in 55 cases. Recurrent bleeding occurred in 22 cases, all of which responded to repeat injections.

Necrosis and sequestration in the tympanic part of the temporal bone.

Unilateral ulceration, bone necrosis, and sequestrum formation in the external auditory meatus are at times confused with the general diagnosis of keratosis obturans. However, the clinical presentation and the radiological and pathological characteristics of this condition are quite distinct from the latter. Initial examination in this situation may raise the suspicion of malignancy. When a true cholesteatoma of the external auditory meatus is found in association with this entity, according to a review of the available literature and personal observation of the authors, it is the result rather than the cause of this pathological process. In order to clarify this relationship, three patients are presented in whom there is radiological and histological evidence of bone necrosis and sequestration of a segment of the temporal bone but no evidence of hyperkeratosis in the ear canal.

Hair patterns of the pinna among the Central Indians.

The hair patterns of the pinna have been studied in a selected sample of 767 males and 5 females from Central India, all with hairy pinnae. The age of the males ranged from 21 to 85 years, and that of the females from 2.5 months to 32 years. All subjects were healthy and did not demonstrate any endocrine disturbance. The commonest hair pattern of the elevated areas of the pinna among the males was the helico-lobulo-antitragal, whereas in the females it was the helical. The hair pattern of the depressed areas of the pinna showing highest frequency was the conchal. The majority of the hairy pinnae are associated with bilateral tragal hair and the maximo-pilose distribution of the facial hair. The Central Indian males resemble the White males in their hair distribution of the pinna.