Facial Plexiform Neurofibromatosis Type I

Introduction  Plexiform neurofibroma is a benign tumor of peripheral nerves arising from a proliferation of all neural elements. Clinically, it presents as a subcutaneous mass which feels like a "bag of worms". Case Report  A 23-years-old male with a swelling over left side of the face large enough to involve whole one side of the face. There was tenderness and the swelling had a very peculiar consistency, soft in most of the areas with few firm nodular areas. Operative procedure: surgery was done in two stages. Initially subtotal excision was done and 3 months later re-explored to excise the recurrent disease. Complete excision was not possible. Discussion Plexiform neurofibroma (PNF) occurs due to overgrowth of neural tissue in the subcutaneous region. Surgical management remains the mainstay of treatment but functional disturbances are almost inevitable while resecting tumors involving the head and neck region. Resection and de bulking of invasive PNF is however associated with a high rate of recurrence. One of the limiting factors is vascularity of these lesions and their abnormal propensity to bleed. Conclusion  Although benign, plexiform neurofibromas can cause pain, disfigurement and functional changes and more importantly, may turn malignant. Surgery should be attempted considering psychological benefits

A Comparative Study between ORIF and ORIF with Mandibulomaxillary Fixation in Unfavourable Mandible Fractures

Introduction  This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of open reduction and the combination of open reduction with mandibulomaxillary fixation (MMF) in cases of unfavourable mandible fractures.   Materials and Methods   This is a prospective study carried out from 2010 to 2015 on 60 patients with mandible fracture attending the Dept. of ENT.  The diagnosis and classification of mandible fracture into favourable and unfavourable types were done on the basis of clinical and CT faciomaxillary findings. The outcomes were assessed by comparing the preoperative and postoperative occlusion, mouth opening and symmetry of mandibular ramus. Patients with favourable mandible fractures were excluded from the study.   Results   We found that out of 60 patients, 40 cases were of the unfavourable type. ORIF with MMF gave better outcome compared to ORIF alone. The data were statistically analysed using Z score and P value.   Conclusion  Initial assessment of mandible fractures into favourable and unfavourable category plays a significant role in planning the management.  Management of unfavourable mandible fractures with ORIF and MMF gives functionally and aesthetically better results as compared to ORIF alone

Facial Plexiform Neurofibromatosis Type I

Introduction  Plexiform neurofibroma is a benign tumor of peripheral nerves arising from a proliferation of all neural elements. Clinically, it presents as a subcutaneous mass which feels like a "bag of worms". Case Report  A 23-years-old male with a swelling over left side of the face large enough to involve whole one side of the face. There was tenderness and the swelling had a very peculiar consistency, soft in most of the areas with few firm nodular areas. Operative procedure: surgery was done in two stages. Initially subtotal excision was done and 3 months later re-explored to excise the recurrent disease. Complete excision was not possible. Discussion Plexiform neurofibroma (PNF) occurs due to overgrowth of neural tissue in the subcutaneous region. Surgical management remains the mainstay of treatment but functional disturbances are almost inevitable while resecting tumors involving the head and neck region. Resection and de bulking of invasive PNF is however associated with a high rate of recurrence. One of the limiting factors is vascularity of these lesions and their abnormal propensity to bleed. Conclusion  Although benign, plexiform neurofibromas can cause pain, disfigurement and functional changes and more importantly, may turn malignant. Surgery should be attempted considering psychological benefits

A Comparative Study between ORIF and ORIF with Mandibulomaxillary Fixation in Unfavourable Mandible Fractures

Introduction  This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of open reduction and the combination of open reduction with mandibulomaxillary fixation (MMF) in cases of unfavourable mandible fractures.   Materials and Methods   This is a prospective study carried out from 2010 to 2015 on 60 patients with mandible fracture attending the Dept. of ENT.  The diagnosis and classification of mandible fracture into favourable and unfavourable types were done on the basis of clinical and CT faciomaxillary findings. The outcomes were assessed by comparing the preoperative and postoperative occlusion, mouth opening and symmetry of mandibular ramus. Patients with favourable mandible fractures were excluded from the study.   Results   We found that out of 60 patients, 40 cases were of the unfavourable type. ORIF with MMF gave better outcome compared to ORIF alone. The data were statistically analysed using Z score and P value.   Conclusion  Initial assessment of mandible fractures into favourable and unfavourable category plays a significant role in planning the management.  Management of unfavourable mandible fractures with ORIF and MMF gives functionally and aesthetically better results as compared to ORIF alone

Service life assessment of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) based thermal barrier coating through wear behaviour

Countless research has suggested Yttria-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) to be a top candidate for being implemented as thermal barrier coatings (TBC). However, when exposed to prolonged service, temperature and stress variations succeed in initiating a catastrophic phase transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic structure in Zirconia. Hence, the estimation of endurance for YSZ-based TBC is necessary to minimize failure in such situations. The main purpose of this research was to determine the relationship between tribological investigations and the estimated lifespan of YSZ coatings accurately. The study used various methods such as wear resistance testing, optical profilometry, specific wear rate, and coefficient of friction to estimate the maximum durability of TBCs. The research also provided insights into the composition and microstructure of the TBC system and found the optimized concentration of Yttrium doping to be 3.5 wt %. The study discovered that erosion was the main cause of roughness depreciation from SN to S1000. The estimation of the service life was primarily made based on optical profilometry, specific wear rate (SWR), coefficient of friction (COF) and wear resistance values which were further supported by the results of chemical characterization of the samples through electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. The results were reliable and accurate and suggested future areas of investigation, such as 3D profilometry for surface roughness and thermal conductivity evaluation using laser-assisted infrared thermometers