Demographic Profile And Surgical Outcome Of Various Types Of Lower Limb Amputations

Background- Amputations is one of the oldest surgery known to mankind.Knowledge on the current trends in amputation is necessary to devise effective preventive measures at community level and to reduce this devastating event. : - 1)To know the incidence of various types of lower-limb amputations in our hospital.2)ToAim And Objectives study the demographic pattern in lower limb amputations in our hospital.3)To know the various risk factors leading to lower limb amputations.4)To know the immediate postoperative complications associated with lower-limb amputations. MATERIALS AND METHODS-This study is a prospective observational study.All patients who have undergone lower limb amputation during 1 year period fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study.Main outcome measures were patient's age, gender, limb affected, indication for amputation, complications, reamputation rate,associated procedure performed, duration of hospital stay and outcome. Of the 96 patients who have underwent lowerResults- limb amputations,the mean age was 57.34 with male: female ratio 3:1.Hospital stay ranged from 3 days to 90days.The presence of comorbidities such as Diabetes Mellitus,Peripheral vascular disease and osteomyelitis were associated with an increased rate of complications postoperatively. The most common complication was stump infection , followed by phantom limb.10 patients died during the hospital stay. Sepsis with MODS was the main cause of death.Reamputation rate in this study was 5%. Diabetic foot and its complications is the leading cause of amputations.ThusConclusion- educating diabetics on proper foot care can prevent diabetic patients from ending up with amputations. Prevention is better than cure

Disability in persons with Schizophrenia correlated to family burden and family distress among their caregivers.

Background: Families are the main support system or primary care givers for persons with Schizophrenia in India. Family burden and distress is a concern one should get acquainted about the disability of the client in relation to the accompanying world. Aim: To correlate the disability in persons with schizophrenia and family burden and distress among their caregivers. Objectives: (1) To assess the disability of persons with schizophrenia. (2) To assess the family burden among the caregivers of persons with schizophrenia. (3) To assess the family distress among the caregivers of persons with schizophrenia. (4) To correlate the disability of persons with schizophrenia and the family burden and family distress among their caregivers. Method: One hundred individuals diagnosed to be suffering from schizophrenia as per DSM IV or ICD – 10 criteria and hundred primary care givers were taken up for the study with their consent to participate after the intake screening. The data collected were primarily by interviewing & administering validated Indian research instruments Indian Disability Evaluation Assessment Schedule (IDEAS), Schedule for Assessment of Family Burden (SAFB), Schedule for Assessment of Family Distress (SAFD) to the client and the significant key relative or caregiver. Results: Among the participants 83% of clients found with mild to moderate disability. Majority (96%) of the key relatives had moderate to severe burden with a mean score of 1.27 + 0.863, and 46 percent had minimal distress and 50 percent had moderate to marked distress with mean score of 5.22 + 3.265. Conclusion: Level of disability does not affect the intensity or the severity of the family burden or distress experienced among their care givers. Hence psychosocial interventions are mandatory for reducing burden and distress among the primary care givers while intervening to reduce the level of the disability.

Hemoperitoneum following rupture of ectopic varix along splenorenal ligament in extrahepatic portal vein obstruction.

A 29-year-old man with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction who underwent variceal eradication by sclerotherapy six years ago, was admitted with hypotension and abdominal pain. Abdominal paracentesis yielded frank blood. Laparotomy showed bleeding from a large ectopic vessel along the splenorenal ligament. The vessel was ligated and the patient recovered.