Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a common premalignant condition caused by chewing arecanut, betel quid and gutkha with tobacco. Its medical treatment is not yet fully standardized, although the optimal doses of its medical treatment is in the form of triamcinolone acetonide combined with hyaluronidase or intralesional placental extract.

We compared the efficacy of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide combined with hyaluronidase in group A vs placental extract in group B.

Comparative case series analysis series study with random allocation of 60 patients equally into two groups.

Patients of OSMF (60) were randomly allocated into two groups A and B. Group A (n = 30) patients received combination of triamcinolone acetonide (10 mg/ml) + hyaluronidase (1,500 IU) at weekly intervals for 8 weeks. Group B (n = 30) patients received 2 ml of placentrex injection intralesionally at weekly interval for 8 weeks. Treatment outcome was evaluated on the basis of improvement in trismus, oral mucosal pattern and reduction in burning sensation.

Trismus improvements in group A with combination of triamcinolone acetonide + hyaluronidase were significantly better to that in group B where placentrex was used. No significant difference in results in the two groups were observed as far as improvement in oral mucosal pattern and burning sensation were compared in the two groups.

Combination of triamcinolone acetonide and hyaluronidase intralesionally is more effective than placental extract intralesionally in treatment of OSMF. But placental extract injections are cost-effective. No side effects were seen in both study groups.

Naik SM, Appaji MK, Ravishankara S, Goutham MK, Devi NP, Mushannavar AS, Naik SS. Comparative Study of Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide and Hyaluronidase vs Placental Extract in 60 Cases of Oral Submucous Fibrosis. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):59-65.

Karpenko A, Roman L, Chumanikhina N, Kostyuk I, Sibgatullin R, Belova E, Evdokimova N, Dzhalilov First Results of the Free Flap Transfer for the Head and Neck Reconstruction: The Public Hospital Experience. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):66-72.

Singh G, Shetty NS. Multiple Pin Wheel Flaps and Its Modification in Special Areas of the Scalp. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):73-75.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, small, noncoding RNAs of 17 to 25 nucleotides that regulate approximately 30% of human genes. They are differentially expressed in various types of cancers compared with noncancerous tissues, suggesting that they may have crucial roles in tumorigenesis. The objective of this study was to identify laryngeal squamous cell cancer (LSCC)-specific miRNAs.

A retrospective cohort of 10 LSCC and five normal laryngeal squamous epithelium samples were examined using a global miRNA profiling approach (HTG, Tucson, AZ, USA, 800 human miRNAs plus 10 endogenous control miRNAs). The expression status of selected dysregulated miRNAs that were significantly different from normal were verified by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Twenty-three of the 800 human miRNAs had significantly different expression levels (p < 0.05) between LSCC and normal tissues. Fifteen of the 23 have not been previously reported in HNSCC and include: miR-663b, miR-663, miR-193b, miR-1291, miR-720, miR-191, miR-1224-3p, miR-214, miR- 1285, miR-1207-5p, miR-483-5p, miR-1225-3p, miR-1228, miR-1280 and miR-638. Consistently upregulated miR-31 and miR- 193b and differentially expressed miR-663b in LSCC were verified by qPCR.

The 15 novel miRNAs identified in this exploratory study, pending further confirmation and validation, may have clinical utility as LSCC-specific markers.

Chen KM, Stephen JK, Havard S Shah V, Gardner G, Schweitzer VG, Worsham MJ. Novel Dysregulated MicroRNAs in Primary Laryngeal Squamous Cell Cancer. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):76-81.

Baijal G, Kar R, Agarwal JP. Radiation-Induced Xerostomia. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2): 82-86.

Danesh-Sani SA. Clinical Photography for the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Practice. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):87-91.

Kumar K, Shetty DC, Dua M. Biopsy and Tissue Processing Artifacts in Oral Mucosal Tissues. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):92-98.

Poddar AK, Kedia P. An Unusually Large Symptomatic Paratracheal Air Cyst. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):99-100.

Ingestion of formic acid, accidentally or with suicidal intention is a common problem among the workers in rubber plantations in Sullia. The diluted form of formic acid is used in coagulation of rubber latex. Sullia, a small town in South India, is well known for its rubber plantations. Easy accessibility to formic acid makes it susceptible to be used for committing suicide in this region. Also accidental ingestion are very common in these workers.

To study a case report of accidental formic acid poisoning and its management.

The patient was managed successfully by medical line of treatment. No gastric lavage or antidote was used in treatment and no vomiting induced. Nasogastric tube feeding was done and electrolyte imbalance was corrected.

Easy availability of formic acid should be curtailed by enforcing statutory limitations in its distribution and the complication of formic acid poisoning should be educated to these rubber workers. Patients with hematemesis or melena, after successful treatment, should be followed up with serial esophagogastroduodenoscopy for diagnosis and early treatment of strictures.

Naik SM, Ravishankara S, Appaji MK, Goutham MK, Devi NP, Mushannavar AS, Naik SS. Acute Accidental Formic Acid Poisoning: A Common Problem Reported in Rubber Plantations in Sullia. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):101-105.

Biradar VG. Ameloblastoma arising in Calcifying Odontogenic Cyst: A Rare Histologic Variant. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):106-107.

Bauer V, Aleric Z, Jancic E, Bujas T. Rare Tumors of the Neuroectodermal Origin: Report of Five Cases. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):108-111.

Choudhary SV, Khadakkar SP, Harkare VV, Dhoke PR, Dhote KS, Kamal NP. Type III Second Branchial Cleft Cyst. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):112-114.

Makarem A, Lotfi N, Danesh-Sani SA, Nazifi S. Osteopetrosis: Oral and Maxillofacial Manifestations. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2):115-117.

Naseeruddin K. Schwannoma of Parapharyngeal Space. Int J Head Neck Surg 2012;3(2): 118-120.