Posterior urethral valves: varied presentations and outcome after preliminary surgical treatment

To find out various modes of presentation and outcome after preliminary surgical treatment of posterior urethral valves in pediatric population. Surgical Unit B National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, during the years 2004-2005. All consecutive patients coming in outpatient / emergency departments, diagnosed as having posterior urethral valves and those who had received initial treatment and came for follow up, were included in the study. All the neonates underwent vesicostomy initially, followed by valve ablation at appropriate age with plan for undiversion at later date. In infants valve ablation was performed if urethral size admitted pediatric cystoscope while older children underwent primary valve ablation. There were total of 22 patients managed during the study period. They included 5 neonates [0-1 month], 11 infants [1-12 months] and 6 older children [1year-12 years]. The main presenting complaint in majority of neonates was inability to pass urine and one had urinary ascites. Infants presented mainly with either difficulty in passing urine [n 5] or dribbling and acute urinary retention in 2 patients each. Majority of older children [n 3] presented with poor urinary stream and dribbling while two had diurnal enuresis and one came with straining at micturition. In all the neonates' vesicostomy was performed. Out of these 3 received valve ablation therapy, followed by undiversion. Two of them improved while 1 had bladder dysfunction. Of the remaining 2 patients with vesicostomy 1 is still waiting for definitive procedure while the other is lost to follow up. Of infant group, 8 were subjected to vesicostomy and valves ablated at later stage whereas 2 received primary valve fulguration therapy. One patient of this group died before any intervention performed. In older age group, 3 received valve ablation as initial treatment while 3 were lost to follow up before any intervention. Outcome assessed clinically, biochemically and radiologically. Out of total 22, four had not received any intervention. Of the remaining 18, treatment completed in 12 patients, 8 of these improved and 4 had residual disease. Two patients expired and 4 were lost to follow up. The overall improvement rate observed at the end of our study was 44%. In 22% patients there were still residual ongoing problems that need to be addressed on long term basis

Management of liver abscess

Liver abscess is a common disease in Pakistan associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis offers the best chance of cure. This was a hospital based study from January 1999 to February 2001. To compare the results of different modalities available to treat the liver abscess. Secondly to find out which type of liver abscess is common in our region. Fifty patients of liver abscess were studied they were divided into three groups according to the size of the liver abscess [in group-I, 22 patients , in diagnosed in 45 cases [90%] and pyogenic in 5 cases [10%]. Maximum patients of group-I were treated by conservative treatment. Group-II patients with minimal invasive surgery and group-III were treated with open surgical treatment. Amoebic liver abscess was found in 45 cases [90%] and Pyogenic in 5 cases [10%]. After amoebis serological test and fluid examination for culture [aerobic, anaerobic, gramstainning] and colour of the fluid anchovy sauce in amoebic. Delay in the diagnosis/ treatment increases the severity of disease and difficulty in management. The patient can be managed easily by medical treatment when present early

Congenital pyloric atresia: Isolated and associated with aplasia cutis congenita

Two cases of congenital pyloric atresia [CPA] are, hereby, reported. One was suspected on antenatal ultrasound and turned out to be an isolated anomaly. Other patient had a rare association of aplasia cutis congenita with congenital pyloric atresia. The lesions of aplasia cutis congenita were multiple while congenital pyloric atresia was of type II. The patient with an isolated lesion survived following surgery while the other baby died of sepsis in postoperative period