Comparison of oral versus intravenous steroid in the management of Bell's palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Bell's palsy is a condition affecting cranial nerve VII that results in acute peripheral unilateral facial weakness or paralysis of unclear etiology. Corticosteroids are the primary therapy choice, because they improve outcomes. According to a recent study, prednisolone effectively treats Bell's palsy in the short and long term. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of Single-Dose Intravenous Methylprednisolone to Oral Prednisolone in treating Bell's palsy patients. METHODS: PRISMA statement guidelines were used to design and conduct this systemic review. MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases were used in our search. We conducted the database search in November 2022. RESULTS: Thirty-three publications were reviewed as a result of the literature review. Three studies were included in the meta-analysis after applying our criteria. 317 Bell's palsy patients were included in our study. Regarding complete recovery to grade 1 in 1 month, IV methylprednisolone was higher than oral prednisolone; (log OR = 0.52, 95% CI [0.08, 0.97], P = 0.022). However, at 3 months, the two groups had no significant difference. Patients with grade 4 Bell's palsy were more likely to fully recover to grade 1 in 1 month with IV methylprednisolone than with oral prednisolone (log OR = 0.73, 95% CI [0.19, 1.26], P = 0.008), but not for patients with grade 3 or grade 2 Bell's palsy. CONCLUSION: This study shows evidence that patients with Bell's palsy can fully recover to grade 1 in 1 month when IV methylprednisolone is used instead of oral prednisolone. At 3 months, however, there was no discernible difference between the two treatments. Within 3 days of the onset of symptoms, IV methylprednisolone treatment can be started, which may help patients recover fully to grade 1 in 1 month. However, administering IV methylprednisolone may not always have long-term advantages compared to oral prednisolone.

Assessing incidence and risk factors of laparoscopic cholecystectomy complications in Jeddah: a retrospective study.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the gold standard treatment for gallstones. However, it is associated with several complications. No previous studies have investigated LC complications and their associated risk factors in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Aims: We aimed to identify the risk factors for postoperative complications (POCs) of LC at a tertiary institute in Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia. Settings and design: This retrospective study was conducted between June 2021 and August 2021 among patients who underwent LC at a tertiary centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: Records of 596 patients were reviewed, and 510 patients were included in the final analysis after applying the exclusion criteria. Data were collected from hospital medical records. χ 2 tests and independent t tests were used to analyse categorical and continuous variables, respectively. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for nonparametric data. Multivariate regression analysis was used to adjust the P values to determine the most strongly and independently associated risk factors. Results: Our data showed that the overall incidence of intraoperative complications (IOCs) was 10.8%. The most common complications were gallbladder perforation (n=28, 5.5%), bile leakage (n=25, 4.9%), and bleeding (n=15, 2.9%). POCs occurred in 11% of the patients; the majority complained of abdominal pain (n=36, 6.9%), had elevated liver function tests (n=14, 2.7%), and retained stones (n=11, 2.2%). Acute cholecystitis, overweight, diabetes, and male sex were significant predictors of IOC, POC, and conversion to open cholecystectomy (P<0.05). Conclusions: LC complications have a multifactorial aetiology. Patient awareness of all possible IOCs is fundamental. The improved skill and experience of the surgical team can mitigate serious complications.