Acute paraplegia after general anesthesia

Acute paraplegia is a rare but catastrophic complication of surgeries performed on aorta and corrective operations of vertebral column. Trauma to spinal cord after spinal anesthesia and ischemia of spinal cord also may lead to acute paraplegia. Acute paraplegia as a complication of general anesthesia in surgeries performed on sites other than aorta and vertebral column is very rare. Here we present a 56 year old woman with acute paraplegia due to spinal cord infarction after laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia probably caused by atherosclerosis of feeding spinal arteries and ischemia of spinal cord after reduction of blood flow possibly due to hypotension during general anesthesia

Prevalence of cutaneous manifestations in end stage renal disease patients under hemodialysis in Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran in 2003

New modalities in the treatment of end-stage renal disease [ESRD] patients have increased their life expectancy and quality of life. A wide range of cutaneous manifestations are seen in ESRD patients. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of cutaneous manifestations in ESRD patients on maintenance hemodialysis in the dialysis department of Imam Khomeini hospital. One hundred and four hemodialysis patients on maintenance hemodialysis in April, May, and June 2003 were interviewed and examined for skin problems. Almost all patients had at least one cutaneous lesion. The most common cutaneous findings were changes in skin color and nail disorders [79.8%]. The other common cutaneous manifestations were xerosis [74%] and pruritus [51%]. Xerosis was more common in those patients with serum calcium level greater than 9.3 gr/dl [P<0.05]. Hyperpigmentation was more frequent in patients with urine volume <500 ml [P<0.05] and in those who were more than 24 months on continuous hemodialysis [P<0.05]. Pruritus was more common in those patients with a history of drinking alcohol [P<0.05]. Nail involvement was seen in all 14 patients who were positive for HCV Ab, but was absent in those 5 patients who were positive for HBs Ag. Cutaneous manifestations are very common in ESRD patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Use of 18 and 36 kDa antigens of Mycobacterium leprae for detection of this micro-organism in Iranian leprosy patients by PCR

Mycobacterium leprae is an intracellular micro-organism that is the causative agent of leprosy. This micro-organism has a long division time and does not grow in vitro. For these reasons it is difficult to evaluate the effects of drugs on it. Amongst techniques used for detection of micro-organisms polymerase chain reaction [PCR] is promising. This study was conducted to diagnose lyprosy using two antigens by PCR. In this study by selecting specific M. leprae 36 kDa and 18 kDa antigens, a set of primers were designed for each gene and biopsies from 15 patients were screened for presence of M. leprae by PCR. Specific segments of M. leprae antigens were replicated in 5 patients with these primers. PCR is a relevant and promising method for M.leprae detection in biopsies of leprosy patients and it can be considered as a method of choice for early leprosy detection, especially in high risk groups