Calcium phosphate ceramics prepared from natural waste materials

Calcium phosphate bio-ceramics have widely been developed in biomedical applications due to their excellent biocompatibility, bioactivity and osteoconduction characteristics. These materials may be employed in many ceramic t(irms such as porous blocks, dense body, granular forms and hybrid composites to fill bone defects or voids. The main component of calcium phosphate ceramics is calcium. One of the means to produce calcium phosphate is by extracting it from natural sources such as eggshells. animal bones, cockles and coral as biogenic materials that are naturally available. Finer particles of the resulting powder promises better bioactivity and mechanical properties of bio-ceramic materials. This present research aims to synthesize calcium phosphate powders from raw materials, such as egg shell and bovine bone. The chemical and morphological properties of the materials arc studied and the phase stability and mechanical characteristics of the resulting granulated bin-ceramic material arc evaluated. The final products arc porous bioceramics used as ceramic scafi()lds for spongy bone application and dense ceramics used for load bearing applications

Vocal fold myxoma: a case report and review of current literature

Background: Vocal fold myxoma is a rare mesenchymal tumor with unknown exact etiology. The aim of this report is to review current literature on demographic and clinical features of vocal fold myxomas in order to increase awareness among otorhinolaryngologists on management of this rare vocal fold pathology. Case presentation: We report a case of a 46-year-old female teacher presented with 1 year history of progressive dysphonia with no airway obstructive or constitutional symptoms. Flexible laryngoscopy revealed a polypoid mass at the anterior two thirds of the left vocal fold. We proceeded with endolaryngeal microsurgery, where a left vocal fold mass with prominent overlying blood vessels was incompletely excised due to poor plane, in an attempt to prevent injury to vocal ligament. The histopathological findings were consistent with myxoma. No evidence of recurrence was noted at 2 months postoperatively. Conclusions: Vocal fold myxoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis of vocal fold pathology clinically resembling vocal fold polyp, especially in older male adults. Complete excision with removal of a rim of surrounding tissue is the gold-standard treatment to prevent recurrence. If diagnosis is uncertain, intraoperative frozen section can be performed to ensure margins are free from tumor. Life-long follow-up is recommended in incomplete excision of tumor