Characteristics of pseudoaneurysms in Northern India; risk analysis, clinical profile, surgical management and outcome

Objective: To determine the risk factors, clinical characteristics, surgical management and outcome of pseudoaneurysm secondary to iatrogenic or traumatic vascular injury

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study being performed in department of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery skims soura during a 4-year period. We included all the patients referring to our center with primary diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm. The pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed with angiography and color Doppler sonography. The clinical and demographic characteristics were recorded and the risk factors were identified accordingly. Patients with small swelling [less than 5-cm] and without any complication were managed conservatively. They were followed for progression and development of complications in relation to swelling. Others underwent surgical repair and excision. The outcome of the patients was also recorded

Results: Overall we included 20 patients with pseudoaneurysm. The mean age of the patients was 42.1 +/- 0.6 years. Among them there were 11 [55%] men and 9 [45%] women. Nine [45%] patients with end stage renal disease developed pseudoaneurysm after inadvertent femoral artery puncture for hemodialysis; two patients after interventional cardiology procedure; one after femoral embolectomy; one developed after fire arm splinter injury and one formed femoral artery related pseudoaneurysm after drainage of right inguinal abscess. The most common site of pseudoaneurysm was femoral artery followed by brachial artery. Overall surgical intervention was performed in 17 [85%] patients and 3 [15%] were managed conservatively

Conclusion: End stage renal disease is a major risk factor for pseudoaneurysm formation. Coagulopathy, either therapeutic or pathological is also an important risk factor. Patients with these risk factors need cannulation of venous structures for hemodialysis under ultrasound guide to prevent inadvertent arterial injury. Patients with end stage renal disease who sustain inadvertent arterial puncture during cannulation for hemodialysis should receive compression dressings for 5 to 7 days

Outcome of trans-axillary approach for surgical decompression of thoracic outlet: a retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital

The aim of this study was to evaluate the trans-axillary surgical approach in patients with thoracic outlet syndrome. This retrospective study is comprised of data acquired from January 1998 until Oct 2008. Case histories of all the patients were reviewed from the Medical Records Department of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute. Relevant information and follow-up of the patients was carried out by examining the relevant clinical notes available by telephone interviews and personal contact whenever possible. All data was compiled and analyzed statistically. There were a total of 139 patients. The female: male ratio was about 6:1. Pain was the most common presenting symptom followed by weakness and parasthesia. Nerve conduction velocity was abnormal in 111 patients. Twenty-eight patients had abnormal Doppler study of subclavian vessels. Preoperative symptoms persisted in 13 patients. Overall, 126 patients showed improvement in symptoms and no recurrence or persistence of symptoms on follow-up examination. Trans-axillary approach provides a good exposure and cosmesis in patients with thoracic outlet syndrome. It should be considered as the gold standard in the management of thoracic outlet syndrome

efficacy of rigid bronchoscopy for foreign body aspiration

The aim of the current study was to determine the pattern, presentation and management of foreign body aspiration in our population. This prospective study comprised 55 patients with foreign body aspiration admitted to our department from January 2009 to December 2011. All patients underwent rigid bronchoscopy under local or general anesthesia. The patients' demographic information along with clinical characteristics and their outcome were recorded and reported. The mean age of the children was 13.3 +/- 3.6 years. There were 32 [58.2%] females and 23 [41.8%] males. The frequent symptom was an attack of chocking followed by cough. The predominant sign was wheezing. Rigid bronchoscopy was successful in removing foreign body from 52[94.5%] patients. Three [5.5%] patients who had undergone thoracotomy with bronchotomy needed exploration, after failure of bronchoscopy to remove the foreign body. There was no mortality in our series. Average hospital stay was 12 hours. It could be concluded that rigid bronchoscopy is modality of choice in management of foreign body aspiration especially in pediatric population

Lung contusion: a clinico-pathological entity with unpredictable clinical course

Lung contusion is an entity involving injury to the alveolar capillaries, without any tear or cut in the lung tissue. This results in accumulation of blood and other fluids within the lung tissue. The excess fluid interferes with gas exchange leading to hypoxia. The pathophysiology of lung contusion includes ventilation/perfusion mismatching, increased intrapulmonary shunting, increased lung water, segmental lung damage, and a loss of compliance. Clinically, patient's presents with hypoxiemia, hypercarbia and increase in laboured breathing. Patients are treated with supplemental oxygen and mechanical ventilation whenever indicated. Treatment is primarily supportive. Computed tomography [CT] is very sensitive for diagnosing pulmonary contusion. Pulmonary contusion occurs in 25-35% of all blunt chest traumas

pattern, presentation and management of pardah pin inhalation: report from a single center in northern india

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics, presentation and management of Pardah pin inhalation in female teenagers of single center in northern India

Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study being performed in department of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery of Sher-i-Kashmir institute of medical sciences located in northern India from January 2009 to December 2012. We included 36 female patients with Pardah pin inhalation who were admitted to our center during the study period. All patients underwent rigid bronchoscopy under local or general anesthesia. We recorded the baseline characteristics including the demographic information, the site of the pin and clinical findings as well as the management strategies and the outcome of these patients

Results: All patients were female using scarf to wrap their head and neck as religious obligation. Mean age of the patients was 14.3 +/-3.6 years. The most common symptom was chocking followed by cough being reported in all [100%] and 31 [86.1%] patients respectively. Bronchoscopy was successful in removing the pin in 31 [86.1%] patients. Pins were located in right main bronchus in 20 [55.5%] patients, and in left main bronchus in 10 [27.7%] patients. There was no mortality in our series. Pin was removed in 31 [86.1%] patients with the help of bronchoscope, but 5 [13.9%] patients needed bronchotomy for removal of the pin. Average hospital stay was 12.43 +/-1.6 hours. 1

Conclusion: Rigid bronchoscopy is an ideal approach in management of Pardah pin inhalation. However somff patients may need bronchotomy to remove the Pardah pin

Vascular injuries caused by tear gas shells: surgical challenge and outcome

Tear gas shells are used to disperse the mob during any type of street protests. Vascular injuries due to tear gas shells have not been reported. The present study was undertaken to analyse the pattern, presentation, management and outcome of vascular injury due to tear gas shells. Eighteen patients with vascular injury caused by tear gas shells from 1[st] Jan. 2008 to 31[st] Dec 2009 were studied. Patients with vascular injuries caused by causes other than tear gas shells were excluded from the study. All patients were treated with reverse saphenous vein graft as segmental loss was less than 2.5 cm. wound infection was the most common complication, followed by graft occlusion. Amputation rate was 16.66%. Associated nerve injury occurred in 44.44% of the patients. Tear gas shell injuries should not be taken lightly. They can cause injuries as serious as vascular injuries. Vascular injuries cased by tear gas shells require prompt revascularization to improve limb salvage. Despite proper revascularization, patients have significant morbidity and need proper rehabilitation in the follow ups

Missile diaphragmatic injuries: Kashmir experience

Importance of repairing a diaphragmatic tear due to a missile injury cannot be overemphasized.Even a small diaphragmatic rent should be repaired because of morbidity and mortality caused by subsequent herniation and strangulation. Fifty-three cases with diaphragmatic injuries caused by penetrating missiles were studied from January 1997 to January 2007. All the patients were primarily explored either for thoracic or abdominal penetrating trauma; the diaphragmatic injury was an associated incidental intraoperative finding. Thoracotomy was performed in 18 patients, Laprotomy in 33 patients and in two patients combined thorocoabdominal approach was utilised for managing associated visceral injuries. Overall mortality was 37.7%. Mortality was dependent on associated injuries of thoracic and abdominal viscera. Most patients died due to associated injuries and septicaemia. None of the patients had any sequelae of diaphragmatic repair. Immediate repair of diaphragmatic injury is of paramount importance to prevent subsequent complications of herniation and strangulation

Atrial myxoma: trends in management

Myxomas are the most common type of cardiac tumours in all age groups accounting for one-third to one-half of cases at postmortem and for about three quarter of tumours treated surgically. Most atrial myxomas, whether left or right, arise from the atrial sptum. About 10% have other sites of origin, particularly posterior wall, anterior wall and the appendages [in order of frequency]. Myxomas are frequently located in left atrium and produce symptoms when they fragment and cause systemic emboli or when they interfere with cardiac valvular function and cause pulmonary congestion. Careful surgical management of these lesions should be curative with minimal early and late morbidity and mortality. Recurrence of atrial myxomas can occur most likely in about 3% of patients. However, extensive resection of the myxoma attached to atrial septum or atrial wall can reduce the likehood of recurrence to a greater extent. Long term clinical and echocardiographic follow-up is mandatory