Matrix Science Medica (MSM)

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external sound and often results in a disorder of the somatosensory system or the auditory system. Tinnitus is a common clinical symptom that can be debilitating. The risk factors for tinnitus include hearing loss, ototoxicity, head trauma, and depression. Tinnitus is only a symptom that might be the result of different underlying pathologies. The exact treatment of tinnitus has often several options because of its etiological heterogeneity. Although much progress has been made, tinnitus is still considered a scientific and clinical enigma. The search for effective tinnitus treatment faces considerable challenges. Despite numerous trials, no drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of tinnitus. There are different types of treatment for tinnitus that have been tested in properly controlled trials. These treatment options include pharmacological, acoustic-physical, psychological, and surgical. In clinical practice, no pharmacological agent has been shown to have a lasting effect on the presence or severity of tinnitus. Surgery has a small but definite role in the treatment of tinnitus. Surgical intervention is often helpful in relieving most of the objective tinnitus. This review article discusses the epidemiology, indications, and different surgical approaches for tinnitus.

SARS‑CoV‑2 spans 3 years, and although the virus has been adjusted from “Category B, Tube A” to “Category B, Tube B” it is still present in the environment, causing widespread epidemic infections and great impact on human health and the environment. Currently, there are various nucleic acid detection methods for this virus, and CRISPR methods are widely used to construct biosensors for accurate and rapid specific detection of nucleic acid sequences due to their powerful gene‑editing capabilities. In this article, we introduce the application of different forms of sensors such as fluorescent paper strips built with CRISPR/Cas12a for SARS‑CoV‑2 nucleic acid detection.

COVID‑19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Symptoms of COVID‑19 are variable but often include fever, cough, fatigue, breathing difficulties, and loss of smell and taste. Symptoms begin 1–14 days after exposure to the virus.[1] Of those people who develop noticeable symptoms, most (81%) develop mild-to-moderate symptoms(up to mild pneumonia), while 14% develop severe symptoms (dyspnea, hypoxia, or more than 50% lung involvement on imaging), and 5% suffer critical symptoms (respiratory failure, shock, or multiorgan dysfunction).[1] Rates of cardiovascular symptoms are high, owing to the systemic inflammatory response and immune system disorders during disease progression, but acute myocardial injuries may also be related to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors in the heart.[2] Blood vessel dysfunction and clot formation (as suggested by high D-dimer levels caused by blood clots) are thought to play a significant role in mortality, incidences of clots leading to pulmonary embolisms, and ischemic events within the brain have been noted as complications leading to death in people infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Background: Quality of life (QoL) assessment is considered an important outcome measure in chronic disease management. With an increase in the prevalence of diabetes in India, it becomes imperative to assess QoL in diabetic patients for their better care and control. The present study aimed to assess the QoL among diabetic patients attending the diabetic outpatient clinic and probe its association with glycemic status and management. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted for 4 months among 185 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Information on sociodemographic profile, diabetic history, and current medications was obtained. QoL was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire‑28 (GHQ‑28). The results were statistically analyzed. Results: Using GHQ‑28, the psychosocial components of the patients in the fields related to somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression were assessed. Significantly higher GHQ scores (P < 0.05) were noted in T2DM patients with higher glycated hemoglobin and increased plasma glucose levels, suggesting stronger associations of poorer QoL with compromised glycemic status. Insulin users exhibited higher GHQ scores (higher scores for depression subdomains) compared to noninsulin users. QoL was also found significantly dependent on the duration of diabetes and other comorbidities. Conclusion: The psychosocial well‑being of the patients is significantly impacted in cases of chronic ailments like diabetes which adds to the total disease burden eventually. The present study warrants periodic assessment of QoL in diabetic individuals as a part of routine care along with advise of psychiatric counseling for those in need.

Introduction: Hypertension is one of the serious complications of pregnancy which virtually affects all maternal organs such as the liver, kidney, brain, and placenta. Changes in the hemostatic system are observed in normal and hypertensive patients. The frequency and intensity of maternal thrombocytopenia vary and are dependent on the intensity of the disease process and duration of pregnancy‑induced hypertension (PIH) syndrome. In general, the lower the platelet counts, the higher the maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Aims and Objectives: The aims and objectives of the study were to study the platelet counts in cases of PIH, compare the values with normotensive pregnant participants, and study the association between thrombocytopenia and fetomaternal outcome. Materials and Methods: A total of 226 patients were included in the study and were evaluated for their platelet count and fetomaternal outcome. The patients were divided into two groups, with each group comprising 113 patients, namely, Group I which included controls and Group II which included patients with PIH (subgroups: gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia). Platelet counts in all groups were charted, compared, and correlated with various maternal parameters such as age, gravidity, severity of hypertension, gestational age of termination, maternal complications, and hospital stay. Fetal parameters studied were intrauterine growth restriction, stillbirth, neonatal intensive care unit care, and intrauterine fetal demise. Results: Our study found that the mean platelet count decreases with the severity of gestational hypertension. Thus, the highest platelet count was seen in the control group (D), i.e., 1.67 lakh/mm3 and the lowest platelet count was seen in the eclamptic group, (C) i.e., 0.75 lakh/mm3. Pregnancies complicated by thrombocytopenia were terminated at an earlier gestation (35–37 weeks). Maternal complications such as postpartum hemorrhage (56.5%) and stitch line ooze (27.5%) were found to occur more in the thrombocytopenic group. The association between birth weight and thrombocytopenia was statistically significant in our study. Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia associated with PIH is a reliable prognostic indicator for the severity of hypertension as well as the associated maternal and fetal morbidity.

Background: Lower extremity reconstruction is essential to plastic surgery and focuses on treating wounds and defects secondary to trauma, cancer, or chronic disease processes. Anatomical features of the lower third of the leg like subcutaneous bone surrounded by tendons with no muscles and vessels in isolated compartments with little intercommunication between them make the coverage of the wounds in the region a challenging problem. Aim: to study the various modalities of surgical management of lower 1/3rd leg defects. The study also aims to study the defect size and region in planning various flaps possible in the reconstruction ladder. Methods: The study was conducted from September 2014 to June 2017 on patients admitted to the Department of Burns, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and referred patients from the Department of General Surgery & Orthopaedic Surgery, S C B Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack. The Study includes all lower 3rd Leg defect varieties for different surgical treatment modalities. Results: various reconstructive methods were used to cover the lower 1/3rdleg defects; the maximum was the free muscle transfer in 9 cases. The following typical flap used was the reverse sural flap. Conclusion: The goal in lower limb reconstruction involves needing a stable skeleton, allowing weight-bearing status, with adequate soft tissue coverage to nourish and protect the underlying bone. What one would use for reconstruction depends upon the surgeon’s familiarity and comfort levels with the technique as much as the various circumstances.

The normal vestibular system may be adversely affected by environmental challenges. Adisordered vestibular system lends susceptibility even to quotidian environmental experiences as the suffered becomes dependent on potentially misleading nonvestibular stimuli. Equilibrium is the ability of an individual to maintain posture as well as spatial orientation at rest and during movement. Vision, proprioception, and vestibular system are important components for making equilibrium of the body at rest and movement. Driving is a complex task for a motorist where a driver or passenger faces a dynamic environment of modern highways, bends, turns, and bridges. The vestibular system plays a vital role in the spatial navigation and orientation of motorists during driving. Patients of motorist vestibular disorientation syndrome (MVDS) manifest multiple morbid symptoms, which are often a challenge to modern vehicle drivers or passengers. MVDS can also occur secondary to other vestibular disorders such as vestibular migraine, persistent postural perceptual dizziness, and visual vertigo. MVDS is a lesser-known clinical entity among clinicians. Difficulty driving may be a real‑world manifestation of impaired spatial cognition associated with vestibular loss. There is scarce knowledge about this disorder in the medical literature. Here, this review article intends to document the etiopathology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of MVDS. This review article discusses the epidemiology, putative mechanisms, clinical presentations, triggering factors, diagnosis, and treatment of MVDS.

Hearing is considered an important sense of the human being. Hearing impairment cannot be visible and hence its effects are not seen by others so the deaf suffer in silence. Hearing impairment is not only a communication problem but also a community problem. Hearing loss, which is gradual and permanent, can be brought on by congenital or acquired damage to the auditory nerve and cochlear hair cells. It reduces the working ability and performance of an individual, thus diminishing one’s participation. Hearing loss is often associated with loneliness and social isolation which has an impact on cognitive and psychosocial health. Early identification of hearing impairment in a child is vital for effective management. Hearing loss has a detrimental impact on family dynamics and, as a result, the child’s development. The widespread prevalence of deafness necessitated a reliable management system and simple clinical implementation. This public health burden can be managed by raising awareness of hearing impairment. There are plenty of clinical assessment and therapy options in hearing impairment research, but lack of knowledge about it implies that public education or awareness should be prioritized more. This review article discusses the epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinical features, impact of hearing impairment, and its impact on the community along with current treatment options.

The operator has to place a needle in the vicinity of the nerve and inject a local anesthetic to accomplish a block.[1] A needle is a sharp object whereas, a nerve is a vulnerable structure. To simplify, a nerve is like a telephone cable with hundreds of tiny wires inside it. If a needle makes its way into the cable, it is likely to cut some wires; but the cable may still be functional. It is because not all wires are cut, but there may be functions that cannot be replaced because of specific transmission of the cut tiny wires are lost. In the nerve block analogy, it means that some connecting neurons will become dysfunctional
transiently or permanently.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) is an acute respiratory disease caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. COVID‑19 infection presents with mild flu‑like symptoms to severe respiratory illness, even respiratory failure. Oral cavity lesions are currently documented in the COVID‑19 infections, which increases the morbidity of the patients. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the different types of the oral cavity lesions in COVID‑19 patient, including its symptoms and signs. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective observational study. COVID‑19 patients were evaluated for oral cavity manifestations. The age ranges from 18 years to 65 years. All these patients underwent detailed examinations of the oral cavity and oropharynx with the help of headlight, along with wearing personal protective equipment. Results: Fifty‑six COVID‑19 patients showed oral cavity manifestations during their treatment period. The most common clinical entity in this study was gustatory disturbance (26.78%), followed by oral mucositis (14.28%), glossitis (12.50%), and ulcers (8.92%) in the oral cavity of the COVID‑19 patients. Conclusion: COVID‑19 infection significantly affects the oral cavity and salivary glands. Clinicians should keep in mind different lesions in the oral cavity and taste disturbances of COVID‑19 patients, which will help the early diagnosis, treatment and avoid the morbidity of the patient.