Pancreas divisum

Objective: To evaluate the complications, technical success, diagnostic evaluation and various endoscopic management options in patients with pancreas divisum

Study Design: Descriptive study

Place and Duration of Study: Endoscopy Suite, Surgical Unit 4, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from January 2007 to December 2013

Methodology: All Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-pancreatography [ERCPs] procedure performed in patients with pancreas divisum were analyzed. Success was defined as having authentic diagnostic information or a successful endoscopic therapy for the condition

Results: During the study period, 3600 patients underwent 4500 ERCP procedures. Pancreas divisum was found in 17 patients [0.47%]; 7 ERCPs [41.2%] were performed for diagnostic and 10 [58.8%] for therapeutic purposes. Sixteen [94.1%] had complete PD and one [5.9%] had incomplete PD. Male and Female ratio was 1:1.83 with a mean age of 26.3 years and median symptom duration of 11 months. A total of 23 procedures were performed in 17 patients; 2 had ERCP done thrice, 2 underwent the procedure twice, while the rest had single procedure done. Six [35.3%] patients had chronic pancreatitis, 7 [41.2%] had acute recurrent pancreatitis and 4 [23.5%] had acute pancreatitis. Endoscopic minor papillotomy was performed. There was no procedure-related mortality. ERCP affected management in 88.2% [15/17 procedures]

Conclusion: ERCP is a safe and feasible procedure for pancreas divisum patients

study on estimation of stature from foot length

Stature is considered as one of the important and significant parameters for establishment of personal identity in forensic medical examination or anthropological studies. With the alarming increase in frequency of road and train accidents, floods, fire, deliberate mutilation, disfigurement and natural disasters, there is a need of studies that provide help to identify the deceased from fragmentary and dismembered human remains. In such situations, measurements of feet provide a reasonably good estimation about the stature of a person. The paucity of data that allowing reconstruction of stature from the dimensions of feet which highlights the need of such study. 1]. To determine the relationship between foot length and stature by calculating correlation coefficient. 2- To establish a regression model for estimation of stature from foot length in both male and female. Cross sectional survey study was carried out on the MBBS students of above 20 years of age of King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Systematic sampling technique applied. Amongst the total students [873] of 3[rd] year, 4[th] year and final year, every third student was included. Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology KEMU, Lahore. It was carried out in one year. The subject selection was based on following criteria: The MBBS students of King Edward Medical University, Lahore irrespective of sex with age above 20 years were included in this study. The subjects having diagnosed lower limb or foot deformities on clinical assessment were excluded. A significant and positive correlation was found between foot length and stature in male and female subjects and regression equation was framed for both sexes. The correlation coefficient was highest between stature and foot length in males and females. Dimensions of feet can provide good reliability in estimation of stature. The correlation coefficient was highest between stature and foot length of both in males and females

Cheiloscopy; a tool for sex determination

Identification of human being is always a problem for scientists and is based upon scientific principles. Finger prints, dental data, anthropometry and DNA analysis are the tools used for identification purposes. The new arriving tool in the field of personal identity is cheiloscopy i.e. study of lip prints which are unique for every individual and behold the potential for identification purpose. If lip prints are found at scene of crime, the presence or absence of a person can be ruled out from the scene of crime. The present study comprises of 150 students of SKZMDC in the age group of 20-23 year out of which 50 are males and 100 females. Lip prints were collected and matched according to Suzuki and Tsushihashi's classification. The most common pattern found in female was II, while type III was predominant among males. Conclusion: Studies show lip prints have great potential to establish individuality, show gender variation and remain unchanged forever

Guillain - Barre syndrome occurring after rabies vaccination

A variety of events are associated with the onset of Guillain-Barre syndrome, including vaccinations and vaccines. These are the swine influenza vaccine, oral poliovirus vaccine and rabies vaccine. Rabies is a uniformly fatal disease. It is preventable if World Health Organization [WHO] guidelines for post exposure treatment [PET] are followed. These include local treatment of wound, passive immunization with rabies immunoglobulins and administration of a efficacious vaccine. Cell culture vaccines are highly immunogenic with fewer side effects, but are costly. For that reason neurotissue vaccines are still widely used in Pakistan, although they are less immunogenic with higher incidence of neuroparalytic complications. We report a case of Guillain-Barre syndrome secondary to sheep brain anti-rabies vaccine in a young boy, who presented with lower limb weakness with total recovery after treatment

Leptin and liver disease: Facts and presumptions

Leptin is being recognized as a multifunctional cytokine with diverse actions on body weight, energy expenditure, glucose homeostasis, reproduction, hemopoiesis and wound repair. This commentary describes some evidences related with its possible role in liver diseases, particularly, in fat deposition, inflammation and fibrosis. This is a short communication