Backache: Association with Stature, Posture and Work-Station Ergonomics in Information Technology Professionals-An Analytical Study

The Information technology has been the bane of contention in the present scenario and has been an inevitable part of thelife of every citizen in the society. With the improvement in communication, it has brought many health related problems andone among them is the backache. The main aim of the study was to examine the association between the stature, posture andwork-station Ergonomics in Information Technology Professionals. One hundred IT professional who had more than 3 yearsof work experience aged between 20-30 years were surveyed. The anthropometric and workstation measurement werestature, height of tabletop, angle of backrest, position of knees, sitting posture, presence or absence of footrest. The resultsshowed that persons with height of less than 163 cm (21%) and more than 170 cm (72%) suffered backache. Butprofessionals with a height range of 164-169 cm suffered 7% due to many factors. It was concluded that a table top of 75 cmwas recommended to persons with all heights which may greatly reduce the risk of backache in the IT professionals.

case notes analysis of hysterectomy performed for non-neoplastic indications at liaquat national hospital, Karachi

To determine the indications, associated morbidity, mortality and histopathological findings in women who underwent hysterectomy for non-neoplastic indications at Liaquat National Hospital Karachi. This is a five year retrospective case note study of 143 women who underwent hysterectomy, excluding all those performed for benign or malignant pelvic neoplasms [excluding fibroids] and hysterectomy following childbirth for postpartum haemorrhage. Menorrhagia was the commonest indication for performing hysterectomy. The majority of the patients were in their forties; the commonest post operative complications were pyrexia, urinary tract and wound infections in 16% of the patients. There was no mortality associated with the procedure. The histopathology of the specimens revealed adenomyosis followed by leiomyoma to be the commonest pathology. It appears that adenomyosis is a common pathology in women from various ethnic and social backgrounds in Karachi, who are suffering from menorrhagia. Early diagnosis with high-resolution ultrasound is possible and hysterectomy may be offered earlier to these women, as they do not usually respond to medical treatment

Incidence of posdural puncture headache following spinal anesthesia for lower segment cesarean section with the 25 gauge polymedic spinal needle

The incidence of postdural puncture headache [PDPH] was studied in in-patients after spinal anaesthesia with 25 gauge Polymedic needle [Sprotte-like], for lower segment caesarean section [LSCS]. A total of 281 women who underwent LSCS were studied, at the maternity unit of St.Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, Surrey, U.K. Of these, 125 women had a spinal, 93 general and 63 epidural anaesthesia. All the women were questioned about the presence of headache between the second and fourth post-operative day. Its severity was assessed with a visual analogue scale. Women who had an epidural or a general anaesthesia were used as controls. Out of 281 women studied, none complained of PDPH. Four women in the spinal anaesthetic group, complained of headache which did not have the characteristics of PDPH. The 25 gauge Polymedic spinal needle appears to be safe and satisfactory for performing spinal anaesthesia for LSCS

Carcinogenic potential of catechin in salmonella-microsomal test system

Different varieties of catechu [widely used as betal paste] were subjected to mutagenic/ carcinogenic potential in Ames Salmonella-microsomal screening system. The findings indicated that none of the varieties of catechu, in recommended concentrations [500 Ug/plate] was able to increase [compared with the spontaneous reversions] the reversion mutations on his marker. Ethyl methane sulfonate and benzo [alpha] pyrene were used as standard mutagens