OBJECTIVES: To determine the factors predisposing to @entity39291 and its frequency, clinical features, treatment and outcome. @entity39291 is a gangrenous condition of the face usually occurring in poorly nourished @entity1 in a Third-World setting. DESIGN: Retrospective review of clinical data on @entity1 with @entity39291 . SETTING: All @entity1 with @entity39291 seen over a 35-year period, from 1960 to 1995, at Red Cross War Memorial @entity1 's Hospital (RXH) in Cape Town. SUBJECTS: Twenty-six @entity1 (16 female and 10 male) with @entity39291 . Their average age at presentation was 4 years and 4 months (range 1-15 years). RESULTS: The peak incidence was between 1971 and 1975 (11 cases); subsequently only 1 new case was seen at RXH in every 5-year period. Most @entity1 were referred from rural areas. @entity558 could only be determined in 11 of the 26 @entity1 . In order of frequency, these were @entity3147 , @entity1681 , measles and @entity417 . Twenty-three of the 26 @entity1 had soft-tissue involvement affecting the lips, cheek, chin, nose or other structures. Eighteen had bony or @entity705 involvement; the maxilla was affected in 15, the palate in 7, the vomer in 5, the mandible in 3 and the nasal septum in 7. Three @entity1 had bony involvement only, the soft tissues being spared. Operative records were available for 18 @entity1 . These 18 @entity1 had a total of 84 operations, with an average of 4.7 per @entity1 (range 0-12). CONCLUSIONS: @entity39291 is a devastating condition affecting malnourished @entity1 . Reconstruction is complex and demanding, involving both soft tissue (23 of 26 cases) and bone (18 of 26 cases). Most @entity1 require multiple procedures. Prevention is best effected by comprehensive primary health care.

XXXX --a 35-year retrospective study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'patients', 'Children', 'child'] @entity558 :: ('MESH:C536528', 'Disease') :: ['Associated conditions'] @entity417 :: ('MESH:D000740', 'Disease') :: ['anaemia'] @entity705 :: ('MESH:D015831', 'Disease') :: ['cartilaginous'] @entity3147 :: ('MESH:D044342', 'Disease') :: ['malnutrition'] @entity39291 :: ('MESH:D009625', 'Disease') :: ['cancrum oris', 'Cancrum oris'] @entity1681 :: ('MESH:D004751', 'Disease') :: ['gastro-enteritis']
@entity39291 :: (MESH:D009625,Disease) :: ['Cancrum oris']
