Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Editorial: Resilience, Quality Of Life And Psychosocial Outcomes Of Cancer Patients And Their Caregivers, Nida Zahid, Nargis Asad, Ashraf El-Metwally

Department of Surgery

No abstract provided.

Immunohistochemical Detection And Prognostic Significance Of P53, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, Murine Double Minute 2, And Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 In Glioblastoma Multiforme Patients Of Pakistan, Syed Muhammad Adnan Ali, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Syed Ather Enam, Zubair Ahmad, Yumna Adnan, Hasnain Ahmed Farooqui

Department of Surgery

Introduction: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the deadliest cranial tumors occurring in adults. Various biomarkers have been tested for their significance in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of GBM. Some well-studied markers in GBM are Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), Murine double minute 2 (MDM2), Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), and p53. The aim of this study was to investigate the protein expression of these markers in GBM patients of Pakistan.
Methods: A total of 102 surgically resected formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens from patients diagnosed and treated at Aga Khan University Hospital were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for IDH1, MDM2, …

Psychometric Properties Of The Urdu Version Of The Eortc Qlq-H&N35 (European Organization For Research And Treatment Of Cancer Head And Neck Module) Quality Of Life Tool, Nida Zahid, Russell Seth Martins, Wajeeha Zahid, Iqbal Azam Syed, Mubasher Ikram, Aneesa Hassan, Shireen Shehzad Bhamani, Adnan Abdul Jabbar, Nargis Asad, Shabbir Akhtar, Moghira Iqbaluddin Siddiqui, Mohammad Sohail Awan, Khabir Ahmad

Department of Surgery

Background: We translated and validated the Urdu version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (QoL) Questionnaire's Head and Neck (H&N) Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-H&N35) and assessed its convergent and discriminant validity by examining correlations of QoL with depression, anxiety, and resilience.
Methods: We translated the EORTC QLQ-H&N35 according to EORTC instructions. Patients at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan completed a survey consisting of Urdu versions of EORTC QLQ-C30 (core QoL tool), QLQ-H&N35, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale (RS-14). Content validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and reliability …

Case Report: Axilla Fibroadenoma - An Atypical Presentation, Safna Naozer Virji, Lubna Mushtaque Vohra, Syeda Sakina Abidi, Romana Idress

Department of Surgery

No abstract provided.

Medical Students In Karachi And Covid-19: Myths And Facts, Omer Bin Khalid Jamil, Muhammad Muhib, Muhammad Anas Abbal, Amna Muhammed Ahmed, Hafsa Hayat Khan, Nabeela Yar Khan

Department of Surgery

Objectives: COVID-19 pandemic brought mortalities, morbidities, fear, and financial despair among people around the world. As it advanced, misinformation and myths about it caught wildfire, contributing to misbelief among the already shocked population. Medical students are the building blocks of the medical community and can provide a pivotal role in combating COVID-19 misinformation by delivering correct knowledge and awareness to the non-medical population of the country. Hence, it is important to assess their knowledge and perception of COVID-19 myths. Therefore, this study evaluates medical student's knowledge regarding myths and misinformation related to COVID-19 infection and its vaccine. The study also …

Surgical Management During The Covid-19 Era At A Private Tertiary Care Hospital Of Karachi, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study, Nida Zahid, Erum Baig, Gulzar S. Lakhani, Hasnain Zafar, Asad Latif, Syed Ather Enam

Department of Surgery

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), declared a pandemic in March 2020, has affected the entire healthcare system, including the surgical practice. Guidelines for the management of surgical patients during this COVID-19 era need to be established to provide timely yet safe surgical care. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the COVID-19 testing algorithm established for surgery patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, and to compare the outcomes among patients who underwent elective versus emergency surgery.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan to apply …

Resilience And Its Associated Factors In Head And Neck Cancer Patients In Pakistan: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study, Nida Zahid, Wajeeha Zahid, Wardah Khalid, Syed Iqbal Azam, Mubasher Ikram, Aneesa Hassan, Haissan Iftikhar, Shireen Shehzad Bhamani, Adnan Jabbar, Shabbir Akhtar, Moghira Siddiqui, Mohammad Sohail Awan, Nargis Asad, Khabir Ahmad

Department of Surgery

Introduction: The study aimed to assess resilience and its associated factors in head and neck cancer patients, post-treatment in a low middle income country (LMIC) such as Pakistan.
Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 to May 2020 among head and neck cancer patients aged at least 18 years at the largest private tertiary care hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan. Information regarding their resilience scores was collected through Wagnild and Young's Resilience scale that comprises of 14 items (RS-14). Moreover, depression and anxiety were also assessed via Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and social support was assessed …

Impact Of Duration Of Antibiotic Prophylaxis On Rates Of Surgical Site Infection (Ssi) In Patients Undergoing Mastectomy Without Immediate Reconstruction, Comparing A Single Prophylactic Dose Versus Continued Antibiotic Prophylaxis Postoperatively: A Multicentre, Double-Blinded Randomised Control Trial Protocol, Abida K. Sattar, Nida Zahid, Hania Shahzad, Rufina Soomro, Omema Saleem, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Department of Surgery

Introduction: In breast surgeries, prophylactic antibiotics given before the surgical incision as per Joint Commission Surgical Care Improvement Project guidelines have been shown to decrease the rate of postoperative infections. There is, however, no clear consensus on postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing mastectomy with indwelling drains. This trial protocol proposes to study the difference in rates of surgical site infection (SSI) with or without continuation of postoperative antibiotics in patients undergoing mastectomy without immediate reconstruction and with indwelling drains.
Methods and analysis: In this multicentre, double-blinded clinical trial, all patients undergoing mastectomy (without immediate reconstruction) will receive a single …

Concordance Between Clinical And Pathological Response Assessment After Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy In Patients With Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, Aisha Shaikh, Muhammad Usman Tariq, Shaista Khan, Romana Idress, Lubna Mushtaque Vohra, Saira Fatima Shaikh, Hira Waheed

Department of Surgery

Background: Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is frequently administered in breast carcinoma patients. The clinical response to NAC guides further treatment. The pathological response is not only an independent prognostic factor, but it also guides further treatment and prognosis.
Objectives: The aim of our study was to find the degree of concordance between clinical and pathological response assessments after NAC in Invasive lobular Carcinoma (ILC) cases by using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and different pathological systems, respectively. We also tried to identify any useful parameter of clinical assessment that could better correlate with pathologic assessment and provide a better estimation of …

Patient Delay In Breast Cancer Diagnosis In Two Hospitals In Karachi, Pakistan: Preventive And Life-Saving Measures Needed, Uzma Shamsi, Shaista Khan, Syed Iqbal Azam, Shaheryar Usman, Amir Maqbool, Tiffany Gill, Romaina Iqbal, David Callen

Department of Surgery

Purpose: Patients with breast cancer in Pakistan commonly present with advanced disease. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the frequency and length of delays in seeking medical consultation and to assess the factors associated with them.
Methods: Four hundred ninety-nine patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer were enrolled and interviewed over the period from February 2015 to August 2017. Information on sociodemographic factors, delay to medical consultation, stage of breast cancer at presentation, and tumor characteristics of the breast cancer were collected through face-to-face interviews and medical file review.
Results: The mean (standard deviation) age of patients with …

Health Care Professionals’ Compliance To Tracheal Suctioning Policy At A Tertiary Care Hospital, Rozina Khimani, Fauziya Ali, Salma Amin Rattani, Mohammad Sohail Awan

Department of Surgery

Objective: To assess the compliance of tracheal suctioning practices against the standard guidelines of a tertiary care hospital, with regard to the participants’ professional characteristics.
Methods: Using cross sectional study design, forty health care professionals (HCPs) were assessed twice, using a quantitative structured observational design, for tracheal suctioning practices, in one of the surgical care units of the tertiary care hospital. Tracheal suctioning policy which was used as a tool, its inter-rater reliability was tested and each step showed the Kappa value of 0.65 to 1.000. Data was analyzed using epidata info version 3.5.1 and SPSS version 19.
Results: From …

Resilience And Quality Of Life (Qol) Of Head And Neck Cancer And Brain Tumour Survivors In Pakistan: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study Protocol, Nida Zahid, Wardah Khalid, Khabir Ahmad, Shireen Shehzad, Iqbal Azam Syed, Nargis Asad, Adnan Jabbar, Mumtaz J Khan, Ather Enam

Department of Surgery

Background: Cancer is a devastating disease and has detrimental effects on the quality of life (QoL) of cancer survivors and interferes with their treatment compliance. The aim of the study is to assess resilience and QoL among cancer survivors and to evaluate the important factors affecting their resilience and QoL, with respect to the Pakistani cultural context.
Method and Analysis: A cross-sectional study will be conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. A minimum sample size of 250 head and neck cancers and 250 brain tumour survivors with 10% inflation for non-response rate will be required. The SD …

Instructional Posters And Prevention Education: Do They Really Work?, William D. Mcquilken Ba, Deanna Shisslak, Judith M. Schultz Ba, Cstr

Department of Surgery

No abstract provided.

The Community As A Learner Group, Cathyann Feher Rn,Msn, Karen L. Kutner Mba, Robert Ruhf, Charles Scagliotti Md,Facs, Michael M. Badellino Md

Department of Surgery

No abstract provided.

Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Around Health Research: The Perspective Of Physicians-In-Training In Pakistan, Hassan Khan, Sadaf Khan, Arshad Iqbal

Department of Surgery

Background:Health research training is an essential component of medical education and a vital exercise to help develop physician research skills. This study was carried out to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards research amongst a group of Post Graduate Medical Trainees (PGMTs') at Aga Khan University (AKU), Pakistan.

Methods:

A cross sectional health research survey was carried out on all PGMTs' at AKU Pakistan. AKU is a tertiary care health facility which offers residency in 28 specialties and fellowship in 16 programs. Knowledge, attitudes and practices related to health research were assessed using a pretested, structured …