To determine the outcome of laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty for the management of patients with snoring in Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (HUSM). A retrospective review of patients who underwent LAUP with or without tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy under general anaesthesia between December 2003 to December 2006. Data was obtained from admission and follow-up records in the otorhinolaryngology clinic of USM Hospital (HUSM). A total of nineteen patients underwent procedure for the treatment of snoring. Majority of these patients presented with symptoms of loud snoring and daytime somnolence. The main operations performed were LAUP with or without tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. The justification for LAUP were overhanging and excessive uvula or soft palate, whereas for adenotonsillectomy were the hypertrophied adenoids and tonsils. On follow-up, most of the patients claimed improvement of snoring within the first 2 months post-operation. However, majority of them defaulted follow-up after that. One patient (AHI preoperatively was mild) was reviewed up to 8 months with no snoring. One patient (AHI was severe preoperatively and normal post operatively) remained in our follow-up was satisfied with the operation. Two patients continued to experience snoring post LAUP despite trial of non-surgical methods. The outcome of LAUP in our patients showed variable results. This showed that patient selection is very important to achieve good result in LAUP. Long-term follow-up is also essential to document the success for LAUP.
Study site: otorhinolaryngology clinic of USM Hospital (HUSM)
Depreissia is a little known genus comprising two hymenopteran-mimicking species, one found in Central Africa and one in the north of Borneo. The male of Depreissia decipiens is redescribed, the female is described for the first time. The carapace is elongated, dorsally flattened and rhombus-shaped, the rear of the thorax laterally depressed and transformed, with a pair of deep pits; the pedicel is almost as long as the abdomen. The male palp is unusual, characterized by the transverse deeply split membranous tegulum separating a ventral part which bears a sclerotized tegular apophysis and a large dagger-like retrodirected median apophysis. The female epigyne consists of one pair of large adjacent spermathecae and very long copulatory ducts arising posteriorly and rising laterally alongside the spermathecae continuing in several vertical and horizontal coils over the anterior surface. Relationships within the Salticidae are discussed and an affinity with the Cocalodinae is suggested. Arguments are provided for a hypothesis that Depreissia decipiens is not ant-mimicking as was previously believed, but is a mimic of polistinine wasps. The species was found in the canopy in the Kinabalu area only, in primary and old secondary rainforest at 200-700 m.a.s.l. Overlap of canopy-dwelling spider species with those in the understorey are discussed and examples of species richness and endemism in the canopy are highlighted. Canopy fogging is a very efficient method of collecting for most arthropods. The canopy fauna adds an extra dimension to the known biodiversity of the tropical rainforest. In southeast Asia, canopy research has been neglected, inhibiting evaluation of comparative results of this canopy project with that from other regions. More use of fogging as a collecting method would greatly improve insight into the actual species richness and species distribution in general.
Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by inhalation of Histoplasma capsulatum, which is mainly found in bird and bat droppings. Oral manifestation of histoplasmosis may be the only initial manifestation of the disease or associated with chronic disseminated histoplasmosis. The first review of oral histoplasmosis among Malaysian population from 1967 to 1994 (27 years) revealed the occurrence of 37 cases, reported by Ng and Siar in 1996. This current study is the updated overview of oral histoplasmosis cases in Malaysia. The objective of the study was to review and describe clinical and demographic profile of oral histoplasmosis in Malaysia and to correlate histopathological features of oral histoplasmosis with patient's immunity status. We reviewed oral histoplasmosis cases diagnosed in Stomatology Unit, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Kuala Lumpur from 1995 until 2016. The data was retrieved from the Oral Pathology Information system (OPIS) Stomatology Unit, IMR, which is the largest oral pathology database in Malaysia. Information regarding patients' sociodemographic data, medical illness, clinical presentation, histopathological features, and referring healthcare institutions was extracted from the clinical information which accompanied the biopsy request form. A total of 39 cases of oral histoplasmosis were identified from 1995-2016. Majority of them were male (89.7%). The age ranges from 29 to 85 years with mean age of 57.8 years. Almost half of them were Malays (51.3%), followed by Chinese (33.3%), Indians (7.7%), and other races (7.7%). The most common sites of oral histoplasmosis were tongue, gingiva, palate, and alveolar ridge. The main clinical presentation was ulcer (61.5%) whereas 38.5% presented clinically as swelling. 17.9% of patients were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 12.8% had tuberculosis, 10.3% had diabetes mellitus, and 2.6% with hepatitis C. The incidence of oral histoplasmosis should raise suspicion of hidden immunodepression and may be the first manifestation of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Early recognition and diagnosis is crucial to reduce risk of morbidity and mortality.