Study of pattern and management strategies of solid visceral injuries in blunt trauma abdomen in tertiary care centre

Background: Blunt trauma abdomen is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among all age groups. In spite of the best techniques and advances in diagnostic and supportive care, the morbidity and mortality still remain large. The aim was to evaluate pattern and management strategies of solid visceral injuries in blunt trauma abdomen patients.Methods: This was a prospective study on 100 consecutive patients admitted in Department of General Surgery at a tertiary care center with an antecedent history of blunt abdominal injury. All patients proven to have penetrating injury and hollow viscus injury were excluded. The pattern of injury, presentation and parameters associated with management strategies were evaluated.Results: In the present study, solid viscera injury in blunt trauma abdomen is more common in age group 21-30 years (43%) with male predominance (92%). RTA (75%) were the most common mode of injury followed by fall. Most common clinical presentation was abdominal pain (86%) followed by tachycardia (34%) and hypotension (6%). Most common viscera injured is liver (48.2%) followed by spleen (36.7%), kidney (12.3%) and pancreas (2.8%). Majority of patients were managed conservatively (84%).Conclusions: It was concluded from the study that irrespective of the solid organ injury in blunt trauma abdomen, patients can be managed conservatively due to aggressive resuscitation with supplement drug therapy, use of analgesia or sedation in ICU setup and close monitoring. Patients are grossly hemodynamically unstable at presentation do require intervention either immediate or in due course of time.

Evaluation of pattern and prognostic factors of head injury cases in a tertiary care centre

Background: Head injury is a major public health problem worldwide and requires appropriate attention both regionally and globally. This study was done to find the patterns and to evaluate prognostic factors for final outcome of cranio-cerebral trauma.Methods: A prospective study of 200 cases of head injury was conducted in a tertiary care hospital during one year duration. Apart from patient’s demographic profile detailed history and examination was recorded. Final outcome of all patients was noted at discharge and during follow up, various prognostic factors were studied by taking Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) at 3 months of head injury.Results: This study included 156 (78%) males and 44 (22%) females with average age of 35.95 years. Assault followed by RTI was the main cause of TBI. The factors which correlated with poor prognosis are presence of increasing age, less GCS at admission, alcohol intoxication and multiple lesions on CT scan.Conclusions: Prognostication of patients with head injury will help to provide timely multimodality approach which will ultimately help in improving outcome of these patients.

Pattern and Etiology of Patients with Gastrointestinal Perforations: An Observational Prospective Study

Introduction: Perforation peritonitis is the most commonsurgical emergency encountered all over the world. Theobjective of the study was to highlight the spectrum ofperforation peritonitis as encountered in a tertiary care centrein haryana.Material and methods: It was observational prospectivestudy of 100 cases of perforation peritonitis treated in thedepartment of surgery. The maximum number of patients inthe present study were in age group of 21-30 years (26%) witha mean age was 31 years. Male female ratio was 8.09:1.Results: The most common etiology of perforation peritonitiswas peptic ulcer disease (41%) followed by enteric fever (15%)and tuberculosis (13%)The most common site of perforationin this series was gastroduodenal (43%) followed by terminalileum (30%). Mortality rate was 5% and significantly high inpatients coming to the hospital after 24 hours.Conclusion: Early recognition of symptoms and referral isvery important in reducing mortality and morbidity

Low dose mifepristone in medical management of uterine leiomyoma - An experience from a tertiary care hospital from north India.

Background & objectives: Uterine myoma is a common indication for hysterectomy in India. An effective medical treatment option may reduce hysterectomy associated morbidity. This study was undertaken to evaluate efficacy and safety of low dose mifepristone in medical management of myoma and to compare two doses - 10 vs. 25 mg/day. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, women with symptomatic myoma or myoma>5cm were included. Uterine size >20 wk, fibroids >15 cm were excluded. Pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC) score was used to assess menstrual-blood-loss and visual analog scale (VAS) for other symptoms. Haemogram, liver function test, ultrasound with doppler and endometrial histology was performed. Patients were randomized and were given oral mifepristone as 25 mg/day in group 1 and 10 mg/day in group 2 for 3 months. Patients were followed at 1, 3 and 6 months. Results: Seventy patients in group 1 and 73 in group 2 completed treatment. Mean PBAC score reduced from 253 to 19.8 and from 289.2 to 10.4 at 1 and 3 months in groups 1 and 2, respectively. At 3 months, 67 of 70 (95.7%) patients of group 1 and 66 of 73 (90.4%) of group 2 developed amenorrhoea which reverted after median 34 (range 4-85) days. Mean myoma volume decreased by 35.7 per cent (from 176.8 to 113.7cm3) and 22.5 per cent (from 147.6 to 114.4 cm3) at 3 months in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Side effects seen were leg cramps in 7 of 70 (10%) and 5 of 73 (6.8%) and hot-flushes in 5 of 70 (7.1%) and 5 of 73 (6.8%) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Repeat endometrial-histopathology did not reveal any complex hyperplasia or atypia in either group. Interpretation & conclusions: Mifepristone (10 and 25 mg) caused symptomatic relief with more than 90 per cent reduction in menstrual blood. Greater myoma size reduction occured with 25 mg dose. Amenorrhoea was developed in 90-95 per cent patients which was reversible. It can be a reasonable choice for management of uterine leiomyoma as it is administered orally, cost-effective and has mild side effects.

Single visit approach for management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia by visual inspection & loop electrosurgical excision procedure.

Background & objectives: Developing a feasible and sustainable model of cervical cancer screening in developing countries continues to be a challenge because of lack of facilities and awareness in the population and poor compliance with screening and treatment. This study was aimed to evaluate a single visit approach (SVA) for the management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and Lugol's iodine (VILI) along with loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) in women attending Gynaecology OPD in a tertiary care hospital in north India. Methods: In this hospital-based study, 450 women receiving opportunistic screening by conventional Pap cytology were also screened by VIA and VILI. VIA/VILI positive cases underwent same-day colposcopy and biopsy of all lesions. If the modified Reid score was >3, the patient underwent LEEP at the same visit. Results: Of the 450 women screened, 86 (19.1%) and 92 (20.5%) women were VIA and VILI positive, respectively. Detection rates of VIA, VILI and cytology findings at ASCUS threshold were 33.3, 35.5 and 24.4 per 1000, women, respectively to detect a lesion >CIN1. For detection of CIN2+ lesion, detection rates of VIA, VILI and cytology were 20, 22.2 and 22.2 per 1000 women, respectively. Sixteen patients with Reid score >3 underwent the See-and-treat protocol. The overtreatment rate was 12.5 per cent and the efficacy of LEEP was 81.3 per cent. There were no major complications. Interpretation & conclusions: The sensitivity of VIA/VILI was comparable to cytology. A single visit approach using visual screening methods at community level by trained paramedical personnel followed by a combination of ablative and excisional therapy can help to decrease the incidence of cervical neoplasia.

Supra-Cath : A Life Saving Catheter.

Amebic liver abscesses are more likely to be solitary and more commonly located in the right hepatic lobe. Though uncommon, erosion usually from left lobe into the pericardium is the most dangerous complication of amebic liver abscess. We encountered an interesting case of an elderly male, who presented with features suggestive of cardiac temponade. We could demonstrate the left lobe abscess, pericardial effusion and also pericardial fistula on ultrasonography. Patient was successfully managed by percutaneous drainage of left lobe hepatic abscess by Supra- Cath, which also drained pericardial effusion with immediate symptomatic relief.

Post-sterilization regrets in Indian women.

BACKGROUND: Tubal ligation is the most common form of contraception in India. We conducted this study to assess the factors associated with post-sterilization regrets. AIMS: This study was designed to assess risk factors that are likely to cause regret following female sterilization in Indian women. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Questionnaire-based study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a questionnaire-based study to assess the level of satisfaction after tubal ligation in women attending family planning clinic at the hospital over a period of 1 year. Evaluation of data obtained through questionnaire from 236 women who had undergone tubal ligation was done. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Univariate analysis to determine crude odds ratio was carried out. Subsequently, multiple regression analysis was used to find the adjusted odds ratio (and 95% confidence intervals) for each variable. RESULTS: We found a strong co-relation between regrets and young age (less than 30 years), fewer number of children, few or no male children and lack of partner motivation prior to sterilization. Menstrual irregularities and dysmenorrhoea did not influence regret to a large extent. CONCLUSION: Fertility-related factors, namely, age at sterilization, family size, number of male offspring, timing of sterilization and non-involvement of partner in decision making played a greater role in post-sterilization regrets than menstrual factors (menstrual irregularities and dysmenorrhoea).

Gallstone expectoration following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for uncomplicated gallstone disease. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy may result in lost (spilled) gallstones. Such stones may precipitate various infective intra-abdominal complications. An unusual case of spilled gallstones eroding the diaphragm and eventually being expectorated out 12 months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is reported.

Electrocardiographic changes in craniocerebral trauma--could they serve as prognostic indicators?

Electrocardiographic (ECG) changes were analysed in one hundred patients of craniocerebral injuries irrespective of age and sex. Males comprised 82% of patients and most vulnerable age group was 15-40 years (66%). Although the overall mortality was 17%, the maximum mortality (44.44%) was observed in the age group of 41-60 years. Computed tomographic scan proved lesions in intracerebral haemorrhage, subdural haematoma, mixed lesions and extradural haematoma were associated with mortality rates in 66.66, 33.33, 20 and 11.11 per cent respectively. ECG changes of some or the other type were present in almost all patients (99%) but ST-segment shift, sinus tachycardia/bradycardia, T-wave changes and prolonged QTc-interval (> 440 msec) carried high mortality rates of 60, 34.6/27.3, 19.6 and 17.3 per cent respectively, especially if these changes persisted for long duration. Occurrence of supraventricular tachycardia and nodal arrhythmia, although associated with high (50%) mortality rates, were probably terminal events rather than the cause of increased mortality. There was, however, no direct correlation between the type of craniocerebral injury and specific ECG changes.