Oral hygiene among pregnant women; practices and knowledge

To define the self-reported oral health knowledge, attitudes and oral hygiene habits, among pregnant women getting antenatal care at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital Karachi. Method and A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted at the KVSS Site Hospital antenatal clinic during the period January June 2013. The data was analyzed using the SPSS for Windows [version 16.0; SPSS Inc. Chicago. IL] statistical software package and was validated visually. Most of the respondents revealed a reasonable level of oral health knowledge and positive attitudes towards oral health. However, there were gaps in the oral health knowledge of the women surveyed. The relationship between the level of oral health knowledge and ethnicity [p=0.856], level of education [p=0.079], age category [p= 0.166], and trimester of pregnancy [p=0.219] were not statistically significant. In addition, the women's knowledge and attitude towards oral health was not reflected in their oral hygiene practices. There is a need to provide oral health education for pregnant women during antenatal care in order to highlight the significance of good oral health in achieving good health for both the mother and her baby

Postoperative pain; comparison after preservation and elective division of ilioinguinal nerve in inguinal hernioplasty

Introduction: Postoperative inguinal pain is one of the most significant complications following inguinal hernia repair. Routine ilioinguinal nerve excision has been proposed as a means to avoid this complication

Objectives: To compare the postoperative pain after preservation and elective division of ilioinguinal nerve during inguinal hernioplasty

Methods: This was a Randomized Controlled Trial conducted at the department of general surgery at KVSS Site Hospital for a period of 6 months from Jun 2011 to Nov 2011. 84 patients who underwent mesh hernioplasty for unilateral inguinal hernia, were randomly assigned into two groups [A and B], 42 in each group. Ilioinguinal nerve was preserved in group A patients, whereas elective division was carried out in patients of group B. Mean postoperative pain scores were recorded using numerical analogue scale on first and third postoperative day, and one month after surgery. The SPSS version 16 was applied to the data

Results: Mean+/-SD age was 38.46+/-14.36 years. Seventy four [88.1%] patients were male whereas ten [11.9%] were female, with male to female ratio being 7:1. Using the numerical analogue scale to detect pain severity on postsurgical day 1 and 3, mean scores+/-SD in the nerve-preservation and nerve-excision groups were 2.88+/-0.43 versus 2.04+/-0.39, and 1.95+/-0.39 versus 1.43+/-0.44, respectively [p <0.05]. At 1 month after surgery, these scores were 1.73+/-0.62 versus 0.98+/-0.25, respectively [p <0.05]

Conclusions: Postoperative pain after inguinal hernioplasty significantly decreases in elective division of ilioinguinal nerve as compared to nerve preservation

High heel shoes; outcome of wearing in young generation: a cross sectional study

Outcome of wearing high heel shoes in young generation: A Cross Sectional Study. Introduction/ High heels increase the heel height, thus increasing the pressure under the metatarsal head in forefoot, they push the center of mass of the body forward taking the hips and spine out of alignment moreover the altered posture of walking 1-5 in high heels places excessive forces on the inside of the knee joint. All these factors contribute in causing deleterious pathologic deformities. The studies carried out previously were more focused on the adult population furthermore there isn't much work done to investigate the effect of heels in Pakistan therefore, this was a non-invasive study the purpose of which was to evaluate these complications particularly targeting the medical students of medical colleges, Karachi. A total of 220 respondents aged between 15 to 25 years were selected as potential respondents meeting the criteria for selection. A convenience based randomized sampling method was adopted, where the participants were required to fill questionnaires and give their demographic details. They were inquired about the presence of any co morbidities which was an essential part of the exclusion criteria. They were also inquired about their usage of high heel shoes, their size, duration and frequency of usage, and if they had been causing any complications such as bunions, heel spur, callosities or pain in soles, calf or back. The data obtained was analyzed through SPSS and the graphs of frequency for all the complications were computed. After analyzing the 220 participants it was found that 7.7% were males while 92.3% were females, and 61.8% were found to be within 21 to 23 years of age. After the analyses of data for the complications it was found that out of the total participants 18.8% experience foot swelling, 19.4% blisters, 16.4% foot numbness, 12.3% foot callosities, 2.8% heel spur, and 3.7% experience bunions. From this study conducted on the students of medical college it was found that wearing high heel shoes is not associated with any significant complications among most of the students

Acute appendicitis: diagnostic accuracy of alvarado scoring system: experience at a public sector hospital in Pakistan

Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of the Alvarado score in acute appendicitis

Study design: A cross sectional study

Place and duration: The study was conducted at the Accident and Emergency Department of KVSS Site Hospital during a period of 12 months from 1 Jan 2012 to 31 Dec 2012

Methodology: Hundred and ten consecutive patients who attended emergency department of KVSS Site Hospital with provisional diagnosis of acute appendicitis were included in this study after informed consent. Alvarado score was recorded and according to the aggregate score, patients were divided into two groups with scores of <5 and >/=5. The clinical diagnoses and operative findings of patients who were subjected to surgery for Alvarado score>/= 5 were compared with their histopathology reports. A self designed questionnaire was used to record relevant data including patients' age, gender, weight, Alvarado score and histopathology

Result: Out of total 110 cases [79 males, 31females], 28.2% [n=31] belonged to Group-A and 71.81% [n=79] belonged to Group-B. Surgical procedures were performed in 98.2% of cases, along with conservative treatment. Final diagnosis by histopathology was confirmed in 71.3% [n=77] cases. The overall negative appendectomy rate was 28.7% [males: 28.2%, females: 30%]. Sensitivity and specificity of Alvarado scoring system was found to be 93.5% and 80.6% respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 92.3% and 83.3% respectively and accuracy was 89.8%

Conclusion: The Alvarado score is highly effective and non-invasive in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis