Audit of a general surgical unit: reed for self evaluation

To find out the pattern of admissions and the outcome of patients in a general surgical unit of a major teaching hospital. Observational, descriptive study covering the year 2006 with retrospective data collection. Surgical Unit three, Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital Karachi. All patients admitted to the unit during 2006 either through Out-patient Department or Emergency Department or transferred/referred from other units/departments. Detailed data regarding the patients was collected and analyzed. A total of 779 patients, 492 males and 287 females, were admitted during the study period; 489 from the Out-patients Department [OPD] and 276 from the Emergency [Casualty] Dept., while 14 were transferred from other departments as they had general surgical problems. Inguinal hernias accounted for the highest number of admissions i.e. 15.5% followed by Acute Appendicitis [11 9%] and Chronic Cholecystitis [10.7%]. Trauma constituted 11.2% of the total admissions, including 46 [5.5%] cases of gunshot injuries. There is a dire need of local studies on the topic of Surgical Audit because for proper and better health care planning of the country, a knowledge of the current pattern of admissions and diseases spectrum are essential

young man with hoarseness of voice

A 45 year-old driver presented with a two months history of hoarseness, fever, productive cough, anorexia and weight loss. He chewed tobacco. He was previously seen and treated without benefit by a family Physician and two ear, nose and throat consultants. Crackles were heard in the left scapular region. An X-Ray of the chest showed a right apical cavity, perihilar infiltrates and blunting of left costophrenic angle. His sputum smear showed acid fast bacilli. A high index of suspicion for tuberculosis is recommended while dealing with such cases. Complete recovery of patient's voice with anti-tubercular therapy confirmed it was a case of laryngeal tuberculosis