Dilantin as anticonvulsant in eclampsia.

Sixty-six cases of eclampsia amongst 9178 deliveries were managed from July, 1997 to December, 1998 in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at UCMS & GTB Hospital, Delhi. The aim was to evaluate the changing trends in patients of eclampsia and to assess the efficacy of dilantin in its treatment. The incidence recorded was 1 in 139 deliveries (0.7%). Majority (90.91%) were unsupervised in antenatal period and 68.18% were primigravidae. Eclampsia developed at < 28 weeks of pregnancy in 3.03% of patients. All the patients had hypertension and proteinuria at the time of admission and 51.52% showed hypertensive changes on fundus examination. While single anticonvulsant therapy in the form of dilantin was used to manage 57.57% of patients, 13.64% required intubation and positive pressure ventilation. Fit recurrence on treatment was noticed in 40.91% of patients. Lower segment caesarean section was conducted in 18.18% of patients. Three maternal deaths (4.56%) attributed to ventricular tachycardia, aspiration and intracerebral haemorrhage were recorded. Morbidity was frequent in the form of status eclampticus (n = 5), postpartum psychosis (n = 5), retinal detachment (n = 1), coagulation abnormality (n = 11). The perinatal mortality rate was 30.43%. The study concludes that eclampsia is still rampant in India and despite better medical facilities, maternal and perinatal mortality remains high. The efficacy of dilantin as anti-eclamptic needs to be reviewed.

Del Castello syndrome--an unusual presentation.

Del Castello syndrome in a 28-year-old female, characterised by bilateral galactorrhoea, amenorrhoea and hyperinvoluted uterus, has been described. She had hyperprolactinaemia without any demonstrable pituitary tumour. She was successfully treated with two short courses of bromocriptine and was spontaneously cured after her second conception. The case is discussed with a brief review of the literature.