ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To audit the process of stroke care. DESIGN: Retrospective case record evaluation using an audit package designed by the Royal College of Physicians of London. SETTING: Institute of Neurology, National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo. PATIENTS: 263 patients with stroke admitted over a period of 3 years. MEASUREMENTS: Documentation of 60 audit items related to 13 aspects of stroke care. RESULTS: The process of care was considered 'very good' for only 11 (18.3%), and 'good' for only 9 (15%) of the audit items. Care was 'average' for 5 (8.3%), 'poor' for 9 (15%) and 'very poor' for 26 (43.3%) of the items. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke care was suboptimal in many aspects. Care related to rehabilitation oriented neurological assessments, initiation of secondary preventive measures, rehabilitation planning and discharge planning were especially deficient. Competing interests: none declared. Some of the data reported in this paper have been presented at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, 1998.
Subject(s)
Humans , Medical Audit , Retrospective Studies , Sri Lanka , Stroke/therapyABSTRACT
We describe a case of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN) type II in a child with a penetrating foot ulcer, acral sensory impairment, and anhidrosis. This is the first documentation of HSAN in Sri Lanka.
Subject(s)
Action Potentials , Child , Diagnosis, Differential , Foot Ulcer/etiology , Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies/complications , Humans , Hypohidrosis/etiology , Male , Nerve Fibers, Myelinated/pathology , Neurons, Afferent/pathology , Sural Nerve/physiopathology , Ulnar Nerve/physiopathologyABSTRACT
A case of eosinophilic meningitis is reported, a condition not previously reported from Sri Lanka. We propose Angiostrongylus cantonesis to be the most likely causative agent in this patient.
Subject(s)
Adult , Angiostrongylus cantonensis , Animals , Diagnosis, Differential , Eosinophilia/blood , Humans , Male , Spinal PunctureABSTRACT
We describe a case of essential thrombocythemia (ET), presenting as digital gangrene. ET is a rare myeloproliferative disorder characterised by a persistently elevated platelet count which commonly presents with haemorrhagic manifestations. Thrombosis occurs less frequently and digital gangrene is an uncommon presentation.