Correlation of Hemoglobin with Lung Function Tests

Purpose of this study was to know any existing correlation between haemoglobin and lung function tests for respiratory status evaluation in young healthy individuals. Cross sectional study. Physiology Laboratory of Yusra Medical and Dental College, Islamabad from January 2012 to January 2013. One hundred and sixty students of Yusra Medical and dental college were included in the study. Blood samples of the subjects were collected for haemoglobin [Hb] estimation by Sahli method and measurement of the lung function tests was done by Spirometry using volume Spirometer. Lung function tests included tidal volume [TV], Inspiratory reserve volume [IRV], expiratory reserve volume [ERV] and vital capacity [VC].Data was analysed using SPSS 15and correlation was calculated using Pearson's correlation co-efficient between haemoglobin and the lung functions tests. The p value indicates significant positive relation exist between haemoglobin and Inspiratory reserve volume [r = 0.39, p < 0.0001], expiratory reserve volume [r = 0.43, p < 0.0001] however, no significant relation exists between vital capacity and haemoglobin [p=0.242]. There is positive correlation between haemoglobin and Lung Function Tests

Epidemiology of non-disaster spinal injuries at a spine unit

To describe the demography, types of injuries and their management in all non-disaster spinal injury patients admitted to the Spine Unit of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from 2001-2008. Case series. Spine Unit, Orthopaedic Department, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from April 2001 to December 2008. Data of all new non-disaster spinal injury patient admissions, kept in a custom-built database at Spine Unit, was analyzed. Demography, type of injuries and their management was described in percentages. Five hundred and twenty one non-disaster patients were selected out of a total 671 new admissions with spinal injuries. Mean age was 39.1 years and 77% were males. Mechanisms of injury included; fall in 62% and road traffic accidents in 32%. Fracture dislocations and burst fractures were equally distributed [36% each]. Most of the injuries [43.6%] were at T11-L1 level. Forty three percent patients had complete spinal cord injury [SCI], 33% had incomplete SCI and 24% did not have any SCI. Eight patients had concomitant spinal injury at a different level. Twelve percent patients had associated other major injuries. Seventy percent patients were treated surgically. Average follow-up was for 4 years. Non-disaster spinal injury was frequent in young males usually due to fall or road traffic accident. It involved fracture dislocation or burst fracture at T11-L1, level in most cases requiring surgical treatment

Outcome of instrumented spinal fusion for chronic low back pain: review of 100 patients

Objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of instrumented spinal fusion in selected patients with Chronic Low Back Pain [CLBP] in our setup. Quasi-experimental study. Spine Unit, Orthopaedic Department, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Jan 2002 to Dec 2007. Consecutive first one hundred patients were selected from spine unit database that underwent instrumented spinal fusion for chronic low back pain lasting more than one year, due to degenerative disease of spine. Average age was 42 years. There were 62 males and 38 females. Diagnosis included; spinal stenosis [26%], failed disc surgery [22%], spondylolisthesis [19%], degenerative disc disease [17%], and instability [16%]. Operations performed; Pedicle Screw Fixation [PSF] with Postero-lateral Fusion [PLF] in 3% patients. Trans Laminar Facet Screw [TLFS] with PLF in 24% patients. Anterior Lumbar Inter-body Fusion [ALIF] in 9% patients. Posterior Lumbar Inter-body Fusion [PLIF] in 40% patients and Trans-foraminal Lumbar Inter-body Fusion [TLIF] in 24% patients. Average follow up was for 30 months. 86% patients had full spinal fusion. 71% patients were fully satisfied with treatment, 28% were partially satisfied. Post-operatively, on average, visual analogue scale [VAS] showed 48 points significant improvement and Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] showed 53 points significant improvement. Instrumented Spinal Fusion is effective in our set up for relieving symptoms and improving functional outcome in selected patients with debilitating Chronic Low Back Pain due to degenerative disease of spine. Single fusion technique is not ideal for all types of patients and surgeon has to be versatile and trained in using different fusion techniques as the situation demands

Pain relief after vertebroplasty for osteoporotic and osteolytic compression fractures

To find out the role of percutaneous cement vertebroplasty [PCV] in osteoporotic and osteolytic compression fractures of the vertebral bodies using polymethyl methacrylate [PMMA] bone cement in early pain relief. Quasi-experimental study. This study was conducted in Spinal Unit, Orthopaedic Department, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Nov 2005 to May 2007. Ten patients with sixteen osteoporotic and osteolytic fractures were treated with PCV using PMMA. Seven patients out of these had osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures [OVCF] and three had compression fractures secondary to spinal metastases [SM]. Six patients were males and four were females. Average age among OVCF was 66 years and among SM was 54 years. Patients were followed up on 1[st] post op day, two weeks and six weeks after PCV Patient satisfaction, relief in pain, early mobilization, restoration of vertebral height and complications were noted. Nine out of ten patients were fully satisfied with PCV Eight patients had excellent pain relief [p value < 0.001]. Eight patients were mobilized within two hours of the procedure. There was one major cement leak inside spinal canal causing paraparesis. In this patient immediate exploration, decompression and pedicle screw fixation was done. He had complete neurological recovery post-operatively. Three patients had minor asymptomatic cement leaks. One patient had prolonged ileus, which settled ultimately. In carefully selected cases, PCV is shown to be very efficacious in relieving the pain associated with both osteoporotic and osteolytic compression fractures. It is a minimally invasive procedure that has gained widespread acceptance as the standard of care for compression fractures unresponsive to traditional forms of treatment