ABSTRACT… Objectives:The objective of the study was to determine the etiology of SNHL in young adults between 18-45 years of age. Study design: Prospective study. Place and duration: The study was conducted at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi from Jan 2012-13. Patients and methods: Patients presenting with hearing loss/ear blockage and additional symptoms were selected. Psychiatric problems were excluded from study. Patient's problem was analyzed through a protocol consisting of history, clinical examination, lab investigations, radiology and audiology. Results: The results of 25 patients were as follows: The age ranged from 18-45 years with marked preponderance of patients in 31-45 years age group amounting to 60% of the total cases.18-20 years groups were least affected. The incidence of SNHL gradually increased in older age groups. There were more female patients 56% of the total as compared to males, which were 44%. Bilateral SNHL was more 72% with compared to unilateral loss which was 28%. The mode of onset was insidious in 72% cases while sudden loss was 28%. The duration of symptoms ranged between 3 days to 15 years. While fluctuation of hearing loss was observed in one case (4%). The nature of problem ranged from mild to severe. Associated symptoms were present in different percentages. The hearing loss ranged from 10-80 decibel. Trauma was the major cause 28% followed by infections in 16% with various causes in various percentages. Conclusion: The trauma in the form of surgery, blast injury and occupational noise is the major cause of SNHL in adults ranging between 18-45 years of age. Males are more affected because of trauma than the females and younger groups more than older groups.

Objective: To analyze the results of pure tone audiometry in the terms of age, sex, and type of hearing loss attending the hospital with the complaint of hearing loss. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, patients attending Benazir Bhutto hospital with complaints of hearing loss were included. The data analysis was done under the terms of age, sex and unilateral/bilateral, and type of loss after pure tone audiometry of every case. The type of hearing loss was determined as conductive, SNHL, and mixed hearing loss.Results: There were 47 patients. Males were 34 (72.34%) outnumbering13females 13(27.66). Adults were44 (93.61%) and children were 3(6.34%). Mixed hearing loss was28 (59.57%)% compared to conductive hearing loss 15 (31.91) and SNHL4 (8.51%). Conclusion: Hearing loss is more common in adults and more prevalent in males. It is mostly bilateral. Mixed hearing loss is more common as compared to conductive and SNHL respectively. Sociacusis is to be taken seriously.

Objective: To evaluate vertigo control and auditory rescue in patients with Meniere's disease treated with intratympanic Gentamicin and Dexamethasone. Study Design: Randomized Control Trial (Clinical Trials. gov Identifier: NCT05355610).Place and Duration of Study: ENT Departments CMH Quetta and Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi Pakistan from Apr 2020 to Mar 2022. Methodology: Ninety-three cases of unilateral Meniere's disease meeting the inclusion criteria were treated with intratym-panic Gentamicin and Dexamethasone. Pre and post-treatment vertigo was assessed on Vestibular Deficit Index. Speech discrimination scores for auditory impact were also recorded pre and post-treatment. Results: In the Ninety-three treated cases, there was a statistically significant improvement in the Vestibular Deficit Index (with a p-value of 0.001). Although all patients had a reduced speech discrimination score, it was not statistically significant (p value=0.08). Conclusion: Control of vestibular symptoms can be achieved with intratympanic Gentamicin, and at the same time, the auditory system can be rescued with Dexamethasone.

Background: Nasal obstruction is a common presenting problem which can lead to symptoms like sleep disturbances, mouth breathing, oral cavity dryness. Hypertrophied inferior turbinate is a common cause of nasal obstruction. Microdebrider assisted turbinoplasty and submucosal diathermy are widely used methods for patients who fail to respond to medical therapy to relieve obstruction. The aim of the study was to compare two methods in terms of relief of nasal obstruction, reduction in sneezing and post-operative complications. Material & Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted at ENT Department, Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi, Pakistan for one year from 01-03-2018 to 28-02-2019. One hundred and twenty patients were randomized to into either MAT and SMD groups each with 60 patients. Nasal obstruction symptom evaluation score system (NOSE) was used to access relieve from obstruction and sneezing. SPSS 22, online chai square and fisher exact test calculators were used to analyze the data. Results: Two groups were comparable for age and gender. After 3 months of treatment, all patients in MAT group and 51 patients in SMD group were completely relieved from obstruction. At two weeks follow up 37(61.57%) patients in MAT group had grade 0 obstruction compared with 14 (23.33%) in SMD group and this difference was significant (p value .000). at one month follow up 55 (91.67%) patients in MAT while 46 (76.67%) had completely relieved obstruction and this difference was significant ( p value .024). Not all patients showed reduction in sneezing in both groups. 37 patients in MAT and 25 patients in SMD group had completely relieved from sneezing at third month follow up with MAT group showing significantly more patients with sneezing reduced at one month follow up. Crust formation was most seen complication in both groups, more with SMD group at two weeks follow up which responded to treatment alkaline nasal douches and crust removal.   Conclusion: MAT gives better in terms of nasal obstruction relieved, reduction in sneezing and less complications than SMD  procedure. KEYWORDS: Microdebrider; Diathermy; Turbinates; Nasal obstruction

Objectives: To evaluate the various aspects of rigid esophagoscopy done inthe ENT unit of Benazir Bhutto Hospital. Study Design: It was an observational study. Placeand duration: ENT and Head and neck surgery unit Benazir Bhutto Hospital (EX-RawalpindiGeneral Hospital) Rawalpindi from Oct 2011 to Oct 2012. Patients and Methodology: Thisprospective study included all the rigid endoscopies done in a year time. Results: A total of70 patients were included. Male to female ratio was 56:57. The age range was from 2 yearsto 85 years.40 patients(54.29%) of the total underwent esophagoscopy due to foreign bodyingestion. 21 patients were children and 17 adults(70%). All the 21 children (100%) underwentrigid esophagoscopy because of foreign body ingestion. Conclusion: Foreign body esophagusis the most common indication of rigid esophagoscopy.