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Context (Background): Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is an inflammatory condition of unknown aetiology characterized by painful recurrent, single or multiple ulcerations of the oral mucosa. Aims: To compare the efficacy of rebamipide, a gastroprotective agent and levamisole, an immunomodulating agent in the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Materials and Methods: Hundred patients diagnosed with recurrent aphthous stomatitis were enrolled in the study. Fifty patients were assigned randomly to each of the two treatment groups. After the clinical diagnosis and ulcer measurement, a subjective evaluation of symptoms was done for each subject. Both the drugs were given orally at specified intervals. Ulcer measurements and subjective evaluations were made at day one. Statistical Analysis: Analysis was done using various test like Mann Whitney and t-test. Results and Conclusion: The overall results showed mean number of episodes whose values were not statistically significant (p=0.43), neither were the mean number of ulcers (p=0.75), or values for mean size of ulcers (p=0.91). However, the overall results suggested that efficacy of rebamipide is almost same as that of the efficacy of previously proved drug levamisole. The current study with a three months follow up, including patients with high scores of pain, aphthae count, ulcer size and frequency of occurrence showed better results in both the study groups. However, rebamipide is suggested to be well tolerated and may therefore be useful in the treatment and prevention of frequently recurrent aphthous ulcers not restricted to Behcet's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular anomalies of the head and neck region pose a certain diagnostic and therapeutic paradox. Management of arteriovenous malformations (AVM) is a challenge owing to the presence of abnormal vascular communications and high recurrence. We report a case of a 19-year-old male patient, who presented with diffuse swelling in the right temporal region. Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) suggested it to be an AVM in the temporalis muscle, having afferents in the ascending pharyngeal artery, with cavernous angioma. Surgical excision of the lesion was carried out under carotid control. Histopathology of the excised specimen utilizing special stains confirmed the presence of AVM. An absence of distinct nidus concomitant along with the exuberant proliferation of capillaries between the muscle fibres suggested it be an infiltrative angioarchitectural variant. The present case highlights significance of diagnosing AVM in temporalis muscle which is a rare occurrence in head and neck region. Also, the importance of ruling out other closely resembling vascular diathesis, both non neoplastic and malignant is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]