Needle stick injuries in a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND: Accidental needle stick injuries (NSIs) are an occupational hazard for healthcare workers (HCWs). A recent increase in NSIs in a tertiary care hospital lead to a 1-year review of the pattern of injuries, with a view to determine risk factors for injury and potential interventions for prevention. METHODS: We reviewed 1-year (July 2006-June 2007) of ongoing surveillance of NSIs. RESULTS: The 296 HCWs reporting NSIs were 84 (28.4%) nurses, 27 (9.1%) nursing interns, 45 (21.6%) cleaning staff, 64 (21.6%) doctors, 47 (15.9%) medical interns and 24 (8.1%) technicians. Among the staff who had NSIs, 147 (49.7%) had a work experience of less than 1 year (n = 230, 77.7%). In 73 (24.6%) of the NSIs, the patient source was unknown. Recapping of needles caused 25 (8.5%) and other improper disposal of the sharps resulted in 55 (18.6%) of the NSIs. Immediate post-exposure prophylaxis for HCWs who reported injuries was provided. Subsequent 6-month follow-up for human immunodeficiency virus showed zero seroconversion. CONCLUSION: Improved education, prevention and reporting strategies and emphasis on appropriate disposal are needed to increase occupational safety for HCWs.

Vesical varix in cirrhosis of liver.

Vesical varices in portal hypertension are rare. We report a patient with portal hypertension who developed recurrent painless hematuria. Cystoscopy was normal. Doppler ultrasound and MR angiography showed a dilated paraumbilical vein within the falciform ligament coursing down to the urinary bladder wall and draining into the right internal iliac vein. He underwent liver transplantation for decompensated chronic liver disease. He is in good health and has not had further episodes of hematuria.

Xenographic transplantation of monkey pancreatic islets into rats.

Islets of Langerhans were isolated from the monkey pancreatic by collagenase digestion method. Freshly isolated monkey pancreatic islets were transplanted under the renal capsule of normal rats. Treated group of rats received Cyclosporine A injections and the control group of rats did not receive any drug. In Cyclosporine A treated rats the monkey islets were not destroyed. They maintained their normal structural integrity with occasional neutrophils surrounding the islets. In the untreated rats dense infiltration of neutrophils destroyed the islets in three days. On the seventh day dense infiltration of lymphocytes was seen. Granulomas composed of epitheloid cells and occasional multinucleated Langerhans type giant cells were seen on the fourteenth day.