The management for chronic suppurative otitis media is tympanoplasty. The aim of the surgery is to prevent recurrent ear discharge and improve hearing. Several influencing factors are presumed to affect the outcome of tympanoplasty; however, their effect is considered controversial. No study in Oman evaluates the success rate of this surgery. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the anatomical and functional outcome of type 1 tympanoplasty in Al Nahdha Hospital, Oman, from 2010 to 2020. In addition, we sought to assess various factors that might have influenced the outcome and add our experience to the literature. We conducted a retrospective study that included all patients who had undergone type 1 tympanoplasty in Al Nahdha Hospital. The demographic data for patients were collected, in addition to the preoperative findings, pre- and postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) in a pure tone audiometry, the surgical approaches, and the type of grafts used. The success rate was defined as intact tympanic membrane six months after the surgery, and hearing improvement success was assessed by closure of ABG closure of 10 dB or more. The total number of patients was 345, 40.6% were male, and 59.4% were female. The graft success rate was 84.3%. The average preoperative ABG was 26.1 ± 9.5, and the average postoperative ABG was 14.4 ± 9.3 with a gain of 11.7. This was statistically significant with a p-value of < 0.001. Hearing improvement (≥ 10 dB gain in ABG) was seen in 201 (67.0%) patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the hearing improvement and graft success rate when compared with influencing factors, including age, gender, perforation size, and surgical approach. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the types of graft used, where cartilage graft showed better hearing improvement than temporalis fascia graft. The graft success rate of type 1 tympanoplasty in Al Nahdha Hospital was 84.3%, and closure of ABG was 11.7. The percentage of patients who had improvement in ABG closure of ≥ 10 dB was 67.0%. These results are comparable with the results of other published studies. Factors that are presumed to influence the outcome of type 1 tympanoplasty were not statistically significant, which is consistent with other studies. Cartilage graft was found to give a better closure of ABG, which was statistically significant. We recommend that further studies be conducted within a more extended follow-up period and address more factors to achieve a better insight pertaining to the outcome of type 1 tympanoplasty.

Myiasis is the term referring to an infestation of dipterous larvae in the living body tissue, where they feed on the tissue and cause infection. It is typically found in individuals living in unhygienic conditions, with foul-smelling odor emanating from neglected wounds or body discharge, which attract flies to lay their eggs in the affected area. Myiasis can cause life-threatening complications if maggots invade vital organs, resulting in sepsis, hemorrhage, and organ dysfunction. The mainstay of treatment includes mechanical removal of the maggots, wound debridement, daily wound dressing, and administration of antibiotics for concurrent bacterial infections. Recently, we encountered a patient who presented with bleeding and foul-smelling discharge from a tracheostomy wound, which was found to be infested with maggots.

Ischemic priapism is a male urologic emergency. Most cases have been linked to genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease and (much more rarely) glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and the use of certain drugs. Here, we report the case of a 34-year-old male who was a known case of the recurrent ischemic type of priapism, which was relieved by penile aspiration. Genetic investigation revealed that the patient had glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a quintessential autoimmune disease once thought to be rare among Africans. Neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE range from headaches, mood/behavioral disorders, to seizures. There are documented reports of seizures accompanying the diagnosis of SLE, with varying prevalence according to specific regions. However, seizures rarely precede the diagnosis of SLE. We present a case report of a 19-year-old African woman with adult-onset seizures preceding an overt diagnosis of negative anti-dsDNA SLE. A preceding short course of anti-malarial and carbamazepine prompted early consideration of drug-induced lupus erythematosus. However, the clinical features of SLE progressed and persisted despite their discontinuation. Among high-risk groups, it is important to recognize SLE as a potential cause of adult-onset seizures. In the absence of clear offending agents, metabolic or structural disease, baseline antinuclear antibody may be imperative in the diagnostic workup of such patients.

Hydroxyurea is been recommended for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) as it reduces the complications from the disease by increasing the production of fetal hemoglobin. In Oman, hydroxyurea is not consistently prescribed to children with SCD, and limited research has compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among children prescribed hydroxyurea. Thus, this study evaluated HRQOL differences between children with SCD who received hydroxyurea and those who did not. A cross-sectional study was conducted on children from a hematology clinic at a tertiary hospital in Oman. We collected the data using two questionnaires: HRQOL-SCD and HRQOL-Generic. A one-way analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. A total of 74 children (47.3% male and 52.7% female) completed the questionnaire; 33 children were on hydroxyurea and 41 were not. A significant difference in HRQOL scores was found between children receiving hydroxyurea and those not taking the drug [F (1,68) = 419.4; p-value = 0.001]. Regression analysis revealed that hydroxyurea was a significant predictor of improved HRQOL among children with SCD. An R2 of 0.87 indicated that 87.0% of the variability in the child-reported HRQOL-Generic was explained by parental familiarity, self-efficacy, child age, sex, and receiving hydroxyurea [R2 = 0.87, F (8,69) = 52.4; p-value < 0.001]. Hydroxyurea improved the children's HRQOL compared to those who did not receive the drug. These findings support the use of hydroxyurea in children to improve HRQOL and reduce vaso-occlusive episodes. We recommend increasing parents' understanding of hydroxyurea's significance and devising strategies to promote children's medication adherence. It is essential to modify the SCD management protocol to optimize the HRQOL among children with SCD.

Our study sought to investigate the relationship between sleep quality, sleep patterns, and 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Omani adults attending primary healthcare centers in Muscat. We used a cross-sectional design to collect patient data obtained between September 2023 and September 2024. Participants who were Omani and aged 30-75 years were included in the study using convenience sampling; however, those with established cardiovascular disease or showing signs of obstructive sleep apnea were excluded. The 10-year CVD risk was calculated using the Framingham Risk Score, and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The research explored the impact of various sleep patterns (monophasic, biphasic, polyphasic), work timings, sociodemographic factors, and body mass index on sleep quality and CVD risk. A total of 400 participants were included in this study, with the majority (60.0%) being female. We observed a significant association between poor sleep quality and an increased risk of developing CVD over 10 years (odds ratio = 1.734; p = 0.032). Flexible work timings showed a protective effect against CVD (odds ratio = 0.514; p = 0.010). We found no significant difference between sleep patterns and CVD risk. Our findings emphasize the importance of sleep quality and work flexibility in reducing cardiovascular risk, with potential implications for public health interventions.