Pediatric-Isolated Auricular Erythromelalgia: A Case Report

Erythromelalgia is a rare disorder that typically affects the skin of the feet, hands, or both, that is characterized by red skin, warmth, and a burning quality of pain. It usually affects both sides of the body, but may manifest unilaterally. Cooling of the affected areas usually results in symptom relief. We report a case of a young boy with erythromelalgia of the ears

Pairing of holes via vortex/antivortex attraction in doped La 2-x(Sr)xCuO4

The consequences of delocalised magnetic frustration in the pure antiferromagnetic XY(n = 2) spin system are studied numerically. This frustration is found to enhance significantly the formation of vortex excitations, which tend to bind antivortices below the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature. We find a net attraction between frustrated plaquettes mediated by the attraction between the vortices. Applied to the understanding of high temperature superconducting materials, like La2-x(Sr)xCuO4, this can serve as a real space pairing mechanism with a high binding energy between the holes, induced by doping. There are common features between this pairing model and the "spinon-holon" picture, which may provide a link between these different approaches

Evaluating short and long term outcomes following pediatric Myringoplasty with Gelfoam graft for tympanic membrane perforation following ventilation tube insertion

Abstract Background Myringotomy with ventilation tube (VT) insertion to treat recurrent acute otitis media and chronic secretory otitis media has become one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children. Although contemporary literature has detailed the various patient and perioperative factors that affect successful pediatric myringoplasty, there is still limited evidence surrounding the increasing number of graft material options. In particular, gelfoam patching has arisen as a simple and efficient modality for perforation closure, but has a paucity of evidence particularly in pediatric cohorts. Our study aims to evaluate the clinical and audiometric outcomes following gelfoam myringoplasty for TMP following prolonged VT insertion in an urban pediatric population. Methods A retrospective review of pediatric patients who underwent myringoplasty between 2013 and 2018 following ventilation tube insertion. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and graft material were correlated with audiometric and clinical outcomes on follow up examination. Results One hundred twenty patients underwent myringoplasty, with 61 (50.8%) males with a mean age of 8.9 years old. 101 (84.2%) of patients eventually underwent successful tympanic membrane (TM) closure, with 93 (77.5%) demonstrating closure at initial follow up. In the gelfoam cohort, 77 (90.6%) of patients demonstrated successful TM closure at initial follow up. Overall mean time to closure was 5.6 (standard error (SE) 0.9) months. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated none of the covariates including graft material significantly affected TM closure. Mean change in air conduction threshold were comparable between graft materials. Conclusions Pediatric myringoplasty with gelfoam graft material is a safe and viable alternative with favorable short and long term clinical and audiometric outcomes

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in an adolescent masquerading as a complicated primary EBV infection

This report describes an adolescent girl with primary Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection in the setting of intensive immunosuppression for a cardiac transplant. She went on to develop progressive pain, weight loss and night sweats with necrosis of the tonsils over 8 weeks. The clinical impression was initially that of a complicated tonsillitis secondary to immune dysfunction. Biopsy 2 months after first presentation demonstrated diffuse B cell lymphoma consistent with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). We present this case to highlight the need for a high degree of clinical suspicion for PTLD in a population of patients who commonly experience primary exposure to EBV

Choosing Wisely Canada – pediatric otolaryngology recommendations

The Choosing Wisely Canada campaign raises awareness amongst physicians and patients regarding unnecessary or inappropriate tests and treatments. Using an online survey, members of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Subspecialty Group within the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery developed a list of nine evidence based recommendations to help physicians and patients make treatment decisions regarding common pediatric otolaryngology presentations: (1) Don’t routinely order a plain film x-ray in the evaluation of nasal fractures; (2) Don’t order imaging to distinguish acute bacterial sinusitis from an upper respiratory infection; (3) Don’t place tympanostomy tubes in most children for a single episode of otitis media with effusion of less than 3 months duration; (4) Don’t routinely prescribe intranasal/systemic steroids, antihistamines or decongestants for children with uncomplicated otitis media with effusion; (5) Don’t prescribe oral antibiotics for children with uncomplicated tympanostomy tube otorrhea or uncomplicated acute otitis externa; (6) Don’t prescribe codeine for post-tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy pain relief in children; (7) Don’t administer perioperative antibiotics for elective tonsillectomy in children; (8) Don’t perform tonsillectomy for children with uncomplicated recurrent throat infections if there have been fewer than 7 episodes in the past year, 5 episodes in each of the past 2 years, or 3 episodes in each of the last 3 years; and (9) Don’t perform endoscopic sinus surgery for uncomplicated pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis prior to failure of maximal medical therapy and adenoidectomy.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCSurgery, Department ofReviewedFacult