A Comparison of the Modified Alvarado Score and the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (Ripasa) Score in a Southeast Asian Population With Histopathology as the Gold Standard.

Background The diagnosis of acute appendicitis has remained difficult despite it being one of the most common surgical emergencies in the world. One of the most frequently used scoring systems is the Modified Alvarado Score (MAS). However, the MAS has been known to be less efficient in Asian populations. To overcome this issue, the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) score has been specifically developed to improve the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in Asian populations. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the RIPASA score compared to the MAS for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a Southeast Asian population keeping histopathology as the gold standard. Methodology The study group comprised 150 patients. Data were collected from each patient using a simple proforma to ascertain both the MAS and the RIPASA score for each patient at the time of presentation. The patients then underwent open appendectomy and histopathology was used as the gold standard to determine the presence or absence of acute appendicitis in the excised specimens. Results The RIPASA score had a sensitivity and specificity of 89.83% and 59.38%, respectively, compared to 64.41% and 53.12%, respectively, for the MAS. Diagnostic accuracy was similarly higher for the RIPASA score at 83.33% versus 62.00% for the MAS. Conclusions The RIPASA score is superior to the MAS for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Using the RIPASA score instead of the MAS in Southeast Asian populations can lead to a more accurate and timely clinical diagnosis of patients with suspected acute appendicitis and help improve patient outcomes.

Predictors of lower limb amputations in patients with diabetic foot ulcers presenting to a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk factors for lower limb amputations in diabetic patients presenting with foot ulcers. METHODS: The analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at the Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from December 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020, and comprised patients of either gender having type 1 or type 2 diabetes and foot ulcers. The wounds were assessed according to Wagner wound staging and wound sepsis was evaluated in terms of local infection of the wound, leucocytosis and osteomyelitis of the bone. The glycaemic control of these patients was assessed on presentation by measuring glycated haemoglobin levels. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. RESULTS: Of the 135 patients, 82(60.7%) were males and 53(39.2%) were females. Majority patients 59(43.7%) were aged 50-60 years. All 135(100%) patients underwent some type of amputation. Of all the amputations, 91(67.4%) were done in patients with poor glycaemic control on presentation, and 56(41.5%) in those with stage 4 wound. Local wound infection, increased total leukocyte count and bone showing features of osteomyelitis were significantly associated with increased risk of lower extremity amputations (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: With proper glycaemic control and early presentation and treatment, majority of amputations could be avoided in diabetic patients with foot ulcers.

Neck exploration for a huge synovial sarcoma, case report and literature review.

A 47-year-old woman presented in the outpatient department of EAST Surgical ward of MAYO Hospital Lahore, Pakistan, on February 2019 with complaint of swelling in the front section of the neck since five months which increased gradually in size and had been causing pain since two months. She had no comorbidities and insignificant family history. Examination revealed a 23×20 cm mass on the right side of the posterior triangle of the neck. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) was inconclusive and CT of the neck showed a huge mass on the right side of the neck with cervical lymph nodes. Exploration was planned, and modified radical neck dissection Type III (Also known as Functional Neck dissection) was performed. The biopsy revealed synovial sarcoma of the neck. The patient's post-operative condition was satisfactory and she was discharged on the fifth post-operative day.

Delamination Detection in Polymeric Ablative Materials Using Pulse-Compression Thermography and Air-Coupled Ultrasound.

Ablative materials are used extensively in the aerospace industry for protection against high thermal stresses and temperatures, an example being glass/silicone composites. The extreme conditions faced and the cost-risk related to the production/operating stage of such high-tech materials indicate the importance of detecting any anomaly or defect arising from the manufacturing process. In this paper, two different non-destructive testing techniques, namely active thermography and ultrasonic testing, have been used to detect a delamination in a glass/silicone composite. It is shown that a frequency modulated chirp signal and pulse-compression can successfully be used in active thermography for detecting such a delamination. Moreover, the same type of input signal and post-processing can be used to generate an image using air-coupled ultrasound, and an interesting comparison between the two can be made to further characterise the defect.

Incidence of Pocket Infection Postcardiac Device Implantation Using Antibiotic versus Saline Solution for Pocket Irrigation.

BACKGROUND: Preprocedure systemic antibiotic prophylaxis reduces infections in patients undergoing cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) implantations. Whether pocket irrigation with antibiotic solution offers any advantage over saline solution in CIED implantation is unknown. METHODS: Records from 327 consecutive patients who underwent CIED implantation by three operators from February 2011 to January 2014 were reviewed. From February 2011 to January 2012, the antibiotic solution was used for pocket irrigation; from February 2012 to January 2014, saline solution was used. All patients received preprocedural IV antibiotics. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, lab data, and occurrence of any pocket infection postimplant were collected. RESULTS: There were 118 and 209 patients in the antibiotic solution and saline solution group, respectively. A total of four (1.2%) patients had CIED infection: two in the antibiotic solution group and two in the saline solution group. Median time to infection from implant date was 81.5 ± 35 days. Two patients (50%) had infection after first device implantation. Of the four patients, one had positive blood culture, three had positive pocket cultures, one had lead vegetation, one underwent pocket exploration, and all of them had devices/leads extracted, with reimplantation on the contralateral side. No mortality was observed due to infectious complications. CONCLUSION: When compared to pocket irrigation in the antibiotic solution group, the saline solution group was not associated with increased incidence of infectious complications after CIED implantation. The use of saline solution pocket irrigation alone may be used in CIED pocket irrigation periprocedurally.  Further evaluation in larger randomized trials is needed.

Asymptomatic metastatic osteosarcoma to the right ventricle: Case report and review of the literature.

Metastatic cardiac tumors are far more common than primary tumors, and benign primary cardiac tumors are common than malignant tumors. We report a 22-year-old Saudi woman with right femur osteosarcoma who was found to have a large right ventricular mass by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Diagnosis was highly suggestive by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) scan. We performed a review of the literature for metastatic osteosarcoma of the right ventricle.