The clinical presentation and management of zygomatic complex fractures in a Nigeria Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the zygomatic complex occur worldwide and are a component part of injuries that can be sustained in the maxillofacial region. The objective was to analyze the clinical presentation and management ofzygomatic complex fractures. METHODS: This was a prospective study carried out over a period of five years at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Data documented were patients' age, gender, time of presentation, cause and type of fracture, associated head and maxillofacial injuries, clinical features, types of plain radiographs, treatment methods, duration of follow-up and complications. RESULTS: Majority of the patients (n = 81, 63.3%) were in their third and fourth decades of life while the male to female ratio was 20.3:1. Road traffic accident (n = 111, 86.7%) was the most common cause of fracture. Fractures of the zygomatic complex alone (n = 105, 82.0%) were more common than isolated fractures of the arch (n = 13, 10.2%) and combined fractures of the zygomatic complex and arch (n = 10, 7.8%). CONCLUSION: While multi-disciplinary approach to treatment is important, majority of the fractures were treated by simple elevation and transosseous wire osteosynthesis. Delay in presentation, associated injuries and non-availability of mini-plating technique contributed to the development of complications.

Persistent IgE synthesis in the nasal mucosa of hay fever patients.

The location of IgE synthesis has been a longstanding controversy, with previous evidence favoring either the mucosa or lymphoid tissue in the region of allergen entry. The evidence for IgE synthesis in mucosal tissues has always been circumstantial. We have developed a novel explant culture system, using ELISA and radioactive amino acid incorporation, to measure de novo IgE protein synthesis in the nasal mucosa of hay fever patients. Surprisingly, IgE synthesis continues between seasons in the explants from grass pollen-sensitive patients and a higher proportion of this IgE compared to serum IgE is allergen specific. Persistent IgE synthesis may ensure the expression of immediate hypersensitivity in the mucosa and promote rapid amplification of the allergic response in the local lymphoid tissue on allergen provocation. Our work demonstrates definitively for the first time that the local mucosa is a site of ongoing IgE synthesis.

Assessing the quality of life for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis using the "Rhinosinusitis Disability Index".

Quality of life studies are increasingly being use as the primary outcome measure in chronic rhinosinusitis. The Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) is a recently designed validated measure that has not been used in clinical studies. We have used the RSDI on 53 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and compared the results to their endoscopic score and self-rated symptom score. Our data showed that the mean total quality of life score was 42 with a range of 5 to 69 (SD 17). The means of the functional, emotional and physical domains were 13 (range 0 to 27, SD 6), 13 (range 0 to 25, SD 7) and 16 (range of 2 to 32, SD of 7) respectively. There was no correlation between endoscopic score and either the patient's self-rated symptom score or RSDI score. The correlation between the self-rated symptom score and total quality of life score was significant (p = 0.02). Various areas of the patients' quality of life were shown to be affected by chronic rhinosinusitis.