Fifteen finger tip amputations through the proximal half of the nail bed were reconstructed with palmar V-Y advancement flaps and full thickness nail bed grafts. The undersurface of the V-Y flap was sutured to the nail bed remnant and the raw area was covered with full thickness nail bed grafts from the amputated part. They were followed for a minimum period of one year and the nail bed grafts took fully in all patients. The results were best in the thumb and least favourable in the little finger but all the patients were happy with the cosmetic result and the functional outcome. This technique results in an average gain of 5 mm of extra length to the nail. This is a useful technique when replantation of a distal fingertip amputation is not possible.

No abstract

Urinary fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products as biological tumor markers in urothelial carcinoma have been studied and compared to urinary cytology. In 93 per cent of the patients with urothelial carcinoma urinary fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product levels were elevated significantly. There was excellent correlation when the urinary cytology and urinary fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product results were compared together to cystoscopic findings.

No abstract

Sialolithiasis is a common disease of the salivary glands and a major cause of salivary gland dysfunction. It commonly affects middle-aged and has male predominance. Submandibular gland or its duct is most commonly affected. The size of salivary calculi may vary from less than 1 mm to a few cm in the largest diameter. Salivary stones that exceed 15 mm in any dimension are classified as giant. Association of sialocutaneous or sialo-oral fistula with salivary stones is considered rare. Long-standing stones with chronic inflammatory process may lead to fistula formation.