ABSTRACT
Background: Surgery in patients with schistosomal liver disease is usually associated with high risks of morbidity and mortality. Bilateral paravertebral block [BPVB] has been advocated as a useful technique for ventral abdominal hernias' repairs
Aim of the study: To compare the efficacy of BPVB with general anesthesia [GA] for anterior abdominal wall hernias in advanced schistosomal liver disease patients
Patients and Methods: Sixty patients were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either GA or BPVB. Variables were hospital stay, hemodynamic stability, postoperative nausea and vomiting [PONY], postoperative pain measured on a visual analogue scale [VAS] with assessment of the hepatic cell integrity using glutathione S transferase alpha [GSTA] and other liver enzymes
Results: The main significant finding was an apparently significant shorter length of hospital stay following BPVB as compared with GA in patients [P < 0.005]
Conclusions: BPVB was superior to GA following abdominal ventral hernia repair in schistosomal liver fibrosis patients
ABSTRACT
This is a controlled study of Psychiatric Manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] among Saudi patients. The patients and control groups [40 each] were matched for age, sex and marital status. The self reporting questionnaire and a semi-structured psychiatric interviews were the tools used for the psychiatric assessment of the patients. Psychiatric morbidity among patients with IBS was high 80%. The commonest psychiatric presentations were psychoneurotic disorders[anxiety, depression and conversion]. Abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation and diarrhea were the dominant physical symptoms. Stressful life events were frequently associated with IBS [50%], especially marital and family disorder [75%]. Self reporting questionnaire proved to be a valid screening instrument with a high sensitivity and specificity