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Biomedical subjects

B N Kumar

Publications and source records attributed to B N Kumar.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Surgical voice restoration following ablative surgery for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma.

Surgical voice restoration is an important part of functional rehabilitation of patients following ablative surgery for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the functional status with regard to speech of a cohort of 100 patients (age ranged 34-84 years), who underwent laryngectomy and laryngopharyngectomy over a 10-year period (1989-1999). Ninety-two patients consented to surgical voice restoration. Primary tracheoesophageal punctures were performed in 70 and secondary punctures in 22 (mainly after jejunal flap reconstruction). Nine patients were excluded from this analysis (seven patients died prior to assessment, one had the prosthesis removed at her request and one patient had insufficient follow-up). Tracheoesophageal speech was assessed in the remaining 83 patients using a rating scale measuring the number of syllables per breath, use of voice and intelligibility by non-professional listeners. Currently, Provox 2 valves are being used in the majority of patients. Overall tracheoesophageal speech results were good in 45/83 (54.2 per cent), average in 22/83 (26.5 per cent) and poor in 15/83 (18 per cent). One patient could not develop tracheoesophageal speech. The majority of laryngectomy patients had good speech but in patients who had complex reconstructions tracheoesophageal speech was mostly rated as average. Average to good speech in more than two-thirds of the cohort of patients show that surgical voice restoration is a highly successful and valuable technique to restore speech functions after ablative surgery for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma.

Adult↗

Long-term results of tympanic neurectomy for chronic parotid sialectasis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic parotid sialectasis presents as troublesome recurrent swellings of the parotid salivary gland during swallowing and mastication. The main treatment options are parotidectomy with its associated high morbidity and tympanic neurectomy. AIM: The aim of this study is to present the long-term results of our experience about tympanic neurectomy for chronic parotid sialectasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty two patients underwent tympanic neurectomy (14 males; 8 females) between 1983 and 1999 with an mean follow up of over six years. The hallmark of our surgery is to interrupt as many branches of the tympanic nerve as possible by extensively drilling in the hypotympanum and below the basal turn of cochlea, with removal of the anterior and posterior branches. RESULTS: 17 of the 22 patients had a marked to total reduction in symptoms on follow-up. Four patients were troubled enough to go on to undergo a superficial parotidectomy. There was no significant morbidity associated with the procedure. CONCLUSION: Tympanic neurectomy performed by an experienced otologist should be the preferred surgical option for chronic parotid sialectasis, with parotidectomy being reserved for those patients who fail to improve.

Adolescent↗

Free jejunal patch flaps in oral and oro-pharyngeal reconstruction.

Free jejunum has been commonly tubed to provide a reconstructive pharyngeal conduit following pharyngolaryngectomy. It is also common practice to repair small oral and oro-pharyngeal defects with skin-lined flaps i.e. radial free forearm or pectoralis major myocutaneous flap. Free jejunal patch flaps can provide cover for large defects, secrete mucus, tolerate radiotherapy well and do not contract. The operation is associated with a low morbidity and early return of swallowing is feasible. Here we describe the functional results of free jejunal patch flap reconstruction of extensive oral and oro-pharyngeal defects.

Adult↗

Direct listing' for tonsillectomy by general practitioners.

The aim of this prospective study was to determine the suitability of 'direct listing' of patients for tonsillectomy by their General Practitioner. All General Practitioners were issued guidelines outlining the indications and contraindications for direct listing. One hundred consecutive patients, referred over a 6-month period, were screened by an otolaryngologist. Thirty-three of these patients were referred inappropriately. The high rate of inappropriate referrals would suggest that this is an unacceptable practice.

Contraindications↗

Benign necrotizing osteitis of the external auditory meatus.

Benign necrotizing osteitis of the external auditory meatus is a rare condition which occurs in non-diabetic healthy people. The aetiology of the necrotic process with the formation of sequestrum in the bony external meatus is unknown. It is important to differentiate this benign process from malignant otitis externa and radionecrosis of the temporal bone as the management of these conditions differs. We present two cases, one managed surgically and the other medically, and review the literature. Immediate surgical excision of the sequestrum is advocated instead of long-term medical therapy and waiting for it to separate spontaneously.

Adult↗

Sensorineural hearing loss and ulcerative colitis.

The association of sensorineural hearing loss and ulcerative colitis is well documented and it is speculated that this is autoimmune in origin. A case in a 12-year-old boy is described, that initially responded to steroid therapy, but four years later resulted in bilateral, profound sensorineural hearing loss in spite of good control of his bowel disease. Immunological tests may provide a clue as to the aetiology of suspected cases of autoimmune inner ear disease. Immediate treatment with steroids with or without immunosuppressive therapy is essential as delay may lead to irreversible hearing loss.

Aminosalicylic Acids↗

Laryngeal foreign body: an unusual complication of percutaneous tracheostomy.

Impaction of a foreign body in the larynx is a serious event. While inhaled foreign bodies may occasionally impact in the larynx especially in children, a laryngeal foreign body as a complication of percutaneous tracheostomy has not been reported in the literature. We describe the case of a fragment of a Seldinger wire retained in the larynx for two years following a percutaneous tracheostomy and review the literature on the complications of this procedure.

Aged↗

Post-tonsillectomy bacteraemia in children.

It has been postulated that the bacteraemia rate following guillotine tonsillectomy is lower than that following dissection tonsillectomy due to intra-operative compression of tonsillar blood vessels by the guillotine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bacteraemia following dissection and guillotine tonsillectomy. Sixty-four patients undergoing elective tonsillectomy for recurrent acute tonsillitis were randomly selected, 32 underwent dissection tonsillectomy and 32 guillotine tonsillectomy. Positive intra-operative blood cultures were obtained in 16 patients (25 per cent), nine (28.1 per cent) of the dissection group and seven (21.8 per cent) of the guillotine group. There was no significant difference between the two methods (Chi-squared test, p = 0.77).

Acute Disease↗

Treatment of chronic otitis externa by KTP/532 laser.

The traditional meatoplasty operations performed for chronic otitis externa, which has entered the 'fibrotic' phase, are often unsatisfactory because the results in terms of canal patency, hearing gain and patient satisfaction are variable. Although the use of laser in chronic ear surgery is well recognized, it has not been previously reported as a meatoplasty technique. Ten KTP laser meatoplasty operations were performed on eight patients with chronic otitis externa. This pilot study shows the technique to be effective, fast and with a high patient satisfaction rate in the short-term (mean follow-up period 9.3 months). The average increase in hearing thresholds was 24 dB HL. Significant patient benefit was obtained in at least six out of eight patients using the Belfast rule of thumb. The technique has many advantages over the traditional meatoplasty operations but the long-term results require evaluation.

Adult↗

Intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma in a child.

Neoplasms of the facial nerve presenting as a parotid mass are uncommon. In the absence of a facial palsy their origin from the nerve is usually diagnosed intraoperatively. The majority of these neurogenic neoplasms are schwannomas, with neurofibromas occurring rarely. Although the Schwann cell is the key element in both, they have distinct histopathological characteristics, and their clinical course and management often differs. The first reported case of an intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma in a child in the English literature is presented.

Child↗

Extranodal sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy--a case report.

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy involving organs other than the lymph nodes is a rare event. A case of SIIML presenting with multiple skin and subcutaneous nodules and multiple osteolytic lesions is described. A search of the Indian literature revealed many cases of nodal SIIML, but none of the reported cases had prominent extranodal involvement.

Child↗

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi's disease) of the cervical lymph nodes.

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL), or Kikuchi's disease, is a benign cause of lymph node enlargement of unknown origin. It may be mistaken for malignant lymphoma, both clinically and histologically. Though well recognized in the pathological literature few clinicians are aware of the disease. We present a case of cervical HNL and review the literature.

Adult↗

Castleman's disease: an unusual cause of a neck mass.

Castleman's disease is an unusual cause of a neck mass; in only 6% of the cases reported in the literature is the disease primarily located in the neck. We present 2 cases of Castleman's disease restricted to the neck, who underwent successful surgical excision. We discuss the histopathology in the different forms of the disease and review the literature.

Adolescent↗