Surat (Gujarat): Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, not only takes away the patient's eyesight but also his jaws and teeth. However, timely treatment can save the day.
Dr Nehal Patel, oral and maxillofacial surgeon at K P Sanghvi Hospital, told ETV Bharat that Mucormycosis, which starts from the sinus, can affect the upper jaw if it is not removed immediately. It then decays the bones. CT Scan of the jaw appears as if a rat has nibbled the bones.
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"It is observed in 50 to 60 per cent of the cases that bones are affected by the black fungus. We then examine the affected bones. Maximum damage is found to be caused on the maxilla teeth because the apex of the sinus is located there. It is only by CT Scan and MRI that one gets to know the extent of the infection. One then removes the teeth in a process called Partial Maxillectomy. This is done to prevent the infection from spreading any further," Dr Patel said.
He said the first priority of the doctor is to prevent the spread of the infection. "In 50 per cent of the cases, surgery is done and thereafter medical treatment. Patients are given anti-fungal medicine. Generally, one needs to wait for eight to 10 months before implanting the teeth. Patients are advised to undergo CT Scan frequently during this phase. The patient's record is kept for a year to see if the fungus recurs. If the fungus does not grow, the bones and teeth are implanted," he said.
