Recent advances in rhinosporidiosis and Rhinosporidium seeberi.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate 2 methods that could be used universally to reduce the incidence of alveolar osteitis. In addition other variables including age and sex of patient preoperative aspirin use and discomfort and the use of oral contraceptives (OCs) were studied. A large controlled prospective study was completed with 952 surgical extraction sites in 476 patients. Postoperative dressings included lincomycin hydrochloride (Lincocin)/absorbable gelatin sponge (Gelfoam) oxytetracycline HCL-hydrocortisone acetate (Terra-Cortril)/absorbable gelatin sponge and absorbable gelatin sponge/saline. Bilaterally impacted mandibular 3rd molars of similar surgical difficulty were selected. Standard accepted surgical technique was used. Patients were seen 1 and 7 days after surgery or as needed. Lincomycin hydrochloride/absorbable gelatin sponge and oxytetracycline HC1-hydrocortisone acetate/absorbable gelatin sponge were effective in reducing the incidence of alveolar osteitis. Lincomycin hydrochloride/absorbable gelatin sponge is preferred because of the increased morbidity associated with dressings containing petrolatum products. Absorbable gelatin sponge alone is not effective in reducing the incidence of alveolar osteitis. Age and OC use were found to be significant factors in the incidence of this problem. (authors modified)

Alveolar osteitis following surgical removal of mandibular third molars.

A sample of 181 diabetics with diabetic retinopathy was statistically investigated with regard to association of smoking with proliferative retinopathy. The numbers of patients with proliferative retinopathy rose with increasing tobacco consumption. In nonsmokers no association existed between diabetes duration and proliferative retinopathy, but in smokers the number with proliferative retinopathy rose with increasing diabetes duration.

Cigarette Smoking and Diabetic Retinopathy

We discuss a disorder that, although at first considered of possible fungal origin, now is known to be due to an alteration of erythrocytes induced by petrolatum-based antibiotic ointment. In this country, the structures of myospherulosis have been seen most often in tissues from the nose and paranasal sinuses following surgery in this region. Our studies show that both components of the vehicle of a commonly used tetracycline antibiotic ointment, lanolin and petrolatum, either separately or together, produce the structures of myospherulosis in vitro. It is recommended that a nonpetrolatum-based substance be used in nasal packing for purposes of hemostasis.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/otol/articlepdf/608363/archotol_106_5_009.pdf

B.J.J. Fernandes

Papers

Myospherulosis (subcutaneous spherulocystic disease)