ObjectiveTo determine the accuracy of transoral flexible laryngoscope (TFL) biopsy and also to identify the safety as office based procedure in terms of complications.MethodsThis is a diagnostic study; the type of intervention is outpatient department based biopsy of laryngeal lesions. All patients seen in ENT outpatient department of Lyari General Hospital with suspicious lesions of Larynx were referred for Transoral Flexible Laryngoscopy Biopsy under local anesthesia. The specimens were sent for histopathology. The patients with benign pathology or carcinoma in situ were referred for direct laryngoscopy and biopsy. The sensitivity and specificity were calculated and the frequencies of complications were monitored to determine the complication rate.ResultsDuring the course of study a total of 47 patients underwent TFL biopsy in office settings. Out of these patients 16 patients were referred for direct laryngoscopy biopsy. The study population included 32 men and 15 women with ages ranging from 28 to 52 years and mean of (39 ± 6) years. Among 43 patients squamous cell carcinoma was the final diagnosis in 31 patients. In the rest of 12 patients’ dysplasia and benign lesion was the diagnosis in 9 and 3 patients respectively. These 12 patients underwent direct laryngoscopy biopsy and 10 of them diagnosed with invasive carcinoma rest had benign lesions. Hence the specificity was 75.6% and sensitivity was 100%. None of the patients developed any serious complication.ConclusionsAll patients with a suspicious lesion diagnosed by TFL biopsy as being benign or carcinoma in situ should have direct laryngoscopy for verification of the findings. But the results positive for carcinoma are reliable. In addition, this is a safe procedure.

Introduction: In squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, there is always a risk of occult metastasis to neck nodes in the clinically and radiologically negative neck (N0). Therefore, elective neck dissection (END) has ever been under discussion since the beginning of their routine use for the management of neck for oral carcinomas. The purpose of the current study is to identify the percentage of occult nodal metastasis to neck levels I-V in the cases of oral carcinoma who were treated for the N0 with END. Methods: Patients who were treated between June 2005 and May 2010 with END from neck levels I to V for the management of N0 with oral SCC had been identified from the database of Aga Khan University Hospital. Those who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. Using descriptive statistics, the mean was computed for the quantitative variable (age). Frequencies and percentages were calculated for gender, site, tumor grade, and lymph node involvement for each neck level. Results: A total of 50 patients were included in the study. There were 38 males and 12 females. The mean age was 47 (range 25-72). The most common site of the tumor was buccal mucosa in 50% of the cases followed by tongue 20%, then floor of mouth 14%, dentoalveolar ridge 8%, retromolar area 4%, lip 2%, and hard palate 2%. Histopathological grading of tumors showed well-differentiated 28%, moderately differentiated 33%, and poorly differentiated 6%. Twenty-seven out of 50 patients were found positive for nodal metastasis on final postoperative histopathology. Neck node metastasis at level I was found in 22 patients, at level II in 16 patients, at level III in seven patients, and at level IV in two patients. The level V was found free of metastasis in all of the cases. Conclusion: The rate of occult metastatic disease to the neck nodes was similar to that found in the literature. Both early and advanced local disease is associated with a risk of occult metastasis. END for neck levels I-V is, therefore, recommended for the management of the N0 in all cases of oral SCCs. Spread to levels IV and V is rare and these levels should not be a part of routine END.

Background:One of the prevailing otologic infections in our country is chronic suppurative otitis media, especially the tubotympanic type for which various treatment protocols are followed. Usually, oral and topical antibiotics (mainly quinolones) are given alone or in combination. There is a lack of consensus as to whether topical drops alone are effective or a combined oral and systemic therapy should be prescribed. In our study, we have attempted to observe the efficacy of empirical therapy with combined ciprofloxacin versus topical drops only in patients with tubotympanic chronic suppurative otitis media for control of infection.Methodology:A total of 100 patients visiting the outpatient ENT department at our tertiary care hospital with clinically diagnosed chronic suppurative otitis media (tubotympanic type) were enrolled in our study. The study was reviewed and accepted by the ethical review committee. A detailed proforma was filled for all patients. All patients after aural toilet were subjected randomly to one of the 2 treatment methods, ie, topical ciprofloxacin ear drops plus an oral placebo or combined oral and topical ciprofloxacin. These patients were reviewed after 1 week of treatment.Results:It was observed that 48 of 50 (96%) patients responded to treatment in the group receiving topical ciprofloxacin, whereas 49 of 50 (98%) patients responded in the group receiving combined therapy. This difference was not significant. Moreover, age, sex, and duration of discharge did not have any effect on treatment. There were minimal side effects in both groups, which were also not significant and disappeared after discontinuation of treatment.Conclusions:The results of this study show that topical ciprofloxacin drops were as effective as combined oral and topical ciprofloxacin and that the addition of oral drug did not have any beneficial effect and added only to the cost of treatment.

IntroductionVestibular schwannomas (VS) are the most common benign neoplasms of a cerebellopontine angle (CPA), which arise from the Schwann cells of the vestibulocochlear nerve. Eighty percent of CPA tumors are VS followed by meningioma as the second common mass lesion in this critical potential space. Treatment options range from watchful waiting with serial imaging studies to radiosurgery or a microsurgical excision or a combination of surgery and radiation therapy. The primary objective of the study was to assess hearing and facial nerve status before and after the surgery via the retrosigmoid approach.MethodsThe database of Aga Khan University Hospital was searched for diagnoses of vestibular schwannomas between 2000 and 2007. A total of 35 patients were identified; among them, 27 were selected for the study who met the inclusion criteria. The variables of the study were age, gender, presenting symptoms, size of the tumor, surgical approach, hearing levels, and facial nerve function. Hearing loss was categorized according to the Gardener-Robertson hearing classification and the House-Brackmann Scale was used for facial nerve assessment.ResultsOut of the 27 patients, 18 were male and nine were female. The mean age was 43 years. The most common presenting complaint was hearing loss and tinnitus, seen in 21 patients. Headache was present in six patients, ataxia in five, and vertigo in three. Facial nerve weakness was noticed in six patients. Two patients had Grade-III paralysis, three had Grade-IV paralysis, and one had Grade-V paralysis. The audiogram confirmed the presence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in all patients. Twelve patients out of 27 had Class II hearing with the threshold between 31 and 50 decibels and a Speech Discrimination Score (SDS) of 50% to 69%. Ten patients had non-serviceable hearing and the remaining five had poor hearing. The audiogram was repeated after surgery for those 12 patients who had Class II hearing and showed that seven out of 12 patients maintained a hearing threshold within the range of Class II at the one-year follow-up (hearing preservation 58%). The facial nerve preservation rate was 56% considering House-Brackmann Grade III or less as acceptable facial nerve function.ConclusionThe optimal treatment for small vestibular schwannomas is a matter of controversy; however, the choice of treatment for large vestibular schwannomas in patients without significant comorbidity is generally microsurgical excision. The surgical excision of a large VS with the retrosigmoid approach is found to be safe consistently. The hearing and facial nerve preservation in our study were found comparable with the literature.

Conventional thyroidectomy has been the standard technique for over 100 years but has the drawback of leaving a scar on the neck. As such, the demand for minimally invasive endoscopic thyroid surgery is rapidly growing as patients are becoming more and more worried about scars; it is more appropriate in patients who want to get surgery done because of odd looking swelling over the neck. TOETVA is safe, feasible, effective, and scar-free alternative to conventional thyroid surgery. We are sharing our first clinical experience in TOETVA in Pakistan with effective outcome in terms of surgical complication and patient satisfaction. Keywords: TOETVA, minimally thyroid surgery, Pakistan.