Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Surgical Site Infections Post Cesarean Section And Associated Risk Factors: A Retrospective Case-Control Study At A Tertiary Hospital In Kenya., David Odada, Jasmit Shah, Annastacia Mbithi, Reena Shah

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Surgical site infection is a common healthcare-associated infection that affects maternal health, yet it can be prevented or controlled. Caesarian sections are most likely to develop surgical site infections. The rates of delivery by caesarian section in reported to be higher that the acceptable rates in some healthcare facilities. Risk factors for surgical site infections can be identified and modified to reduce the occurrence of surgical site infections. This study aims to determine the risk factors that contribute to surgical site infections post caesarian section in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kenya.

Methods: This was a retrospective case-control (1:2 …

Phenytoin-Induced Cerebellar Atrophy: A Case For Reversibility Of Neurological Decline., Edwin Mogere, Davis Cheruiyot, Nassiuma Manakhe

General Surgery, East Africa

This case serves as a reminder of the infrequent, yet consequential occurrence of cerebellar degeneration linked to phenytoin usage. Whilst emphasizes the importance of monitoring patients on long-term phenytoin therapy, and it further suggests considering employing bedside imaging tools such as Ultrasound fusion imaging for follow-up of patients at risk of this type of disorder. We present a case study involving a 23-year-old woman who experienced significant neurological impairment resulting in severe cerebellar atrophy while undergoing phenytoin treatment. On cessation of phenytoin, the patient exhibited improvement with enhanced cerebellar function.

The Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Global Neurosurgery Collaborations., Alvan Emeka Ukachukwu, Nancy Abu Bonsrah, Andreas Seas, Zoey Petitt, Romaric Waguia Kouam, Samantha Ramos, Alyssa Edwards, Di Deng, Michael Haglund, Mahmood Qureshi

General Surgery, East Africa

No abstract provided.

The Management And Outcomes Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review., Sanju Sobnach, Urda Kotze, Wendy Spearman, Mark Sonderup, Pueya Nashidengo, Chikwendu Ede, Elie Keli, Onesai Chihaka, Luiz Zerbini, Yifan Li, Karan Gandhi

General Surgery, East Africa

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This systematic review aimed to appraise all population-based studies describing the management and outcomes of HCC in SSA.

Methods: A systematic review based on a search in PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), AfricaWide and Cochrane up to June 2023 was performed. PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews were followed. The study protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (registration no: CRD42022363955).

Results: Thirty-nine publications from 15 of 48 SSA countries were …

Impact Of Opioid-Free Analgesia On Pain Severity And Patient Satisfaction After Discharge From Surgery: Multispecialty, Prospective Cohort Study In 25 Countries, Tabish Chawla, Aliya Aziz, Anoosha Marium, Ayesha Akbar Waheed, Faiqa Binte Aamir, Faiza Qureshi, Hammad Ather, Iqra Fatima Munawar Ali, Izza Tahir, Maha Ghulam Akbar, Ronika Devi Ukrani, Sajjan Raja, Sehar Salim Virani, Shahryar Noordin, Saif Ur Rehman, Shalni Golani, Syed Roohan Aamir, Syed Musa Mufarrih, Usama Waqar, Maliha Taufiq

Section of General Surgery

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.
Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview …

Accuracy Of Swept Source Biometry Device In Detecting Macular Diseases Compared With Swept Source Oct, Sidra Zafar, Taha Muneer Ahmed, Rashid Baig, Irfan Jeeva, Rehman Siddiqui

Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences

Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of the IOLMaster 700 foveal scans to detect foveal pathology compared with a standard swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) device.
Results: One hundred seventy eye scans of 95 patients were included in the final analyses. Ninety-nine (58.2%) scans were classified as abnormal by SS-OCT. Mean sensitivity of the biometry device was 67.5% (range: 51-84%) and mean specificity was 69.5% (range: 44-95%). Intra-class correlation coefficients were 0.912 and 0.835, for reader 1 and 2, respectively. Area under the curve for receiver operating curve was 0.726. Foveal scans of the IOLMaster 700 can provide clinically useful …

C-Case 2023: Promoting Excellence In Surgical Education: Canadian Conference For The Advancement Of Surgical Education, Oct. 12-13, 2023, Montréal, Quebec, Jeffrey Sioufi, Brandon Hall, Ryan Antel, Sarah Moussa, Mathushan Subasri, Mustafa Fakih, Nehal Islam, Reggie C. Hamdy, Sonaina Chopra, Karim Damji

Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Uncommon: A Case Report On Localized Peritonitis Caused By Ingested Toothpick, Narmeen Asif, Salva Shariq, Abdul Rehman Alvi

Department of Surgery

Introduction: Bowel perforation is a serious emergency. Occasionally, sharp objects like toothpicks can get stuck in narrow parts of the small intestine, potentially resulting in impaction, obstruction, or perforation.
Presentation of case: A 20-year-old male arrived at our hospital's emergency department with sudden, severe abdominal pain persisting for 24 h. On examination, his abdomen showed tenderness, and bowel sounds were reduced. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) indicated possible small intestine inflammation due to a foreign object and a diagnostic laparoscopy revealed a hyperemic terminal ileum.
Discussion: This case involves ileal perforation from an unnoticed toothpick ingestion. Detecting foreign object perforations is …

Women, Power, And Cancer: A Lancet Commission, Ophira Ginsburg, Verna Vanderpuye, Ann Marie Beddoe, Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy, Freddie Bray, Carlo Caduf, Narjust Florez, Ibtihal Fadhil, Nazik Hammad, Miriam Mutebi

General Surgery, East Africa

Women interact with cancer in complex ways, as healthy individuals participating in cancer prevention and screening activities, as individuals living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis, as caregivers for family members and friends, as patient advocates, as health workers and healthcare professionals, and as cancer researchers and policy makers. The topic of women and cancer spans broad terrain, beyond women’s cancers and the biomedical aspects of any type of cancer that women in all their diversities might experience. It is inclusive of the ways in which sex and gender influence exposures to cancer risk factors, interactions with the cancer health …

Advanced Breast Cancer Care: The Current Situation And Global Disparities, Aruni Ghose, Susannah Stanway, Bhawna Sirohi, Miriam Mutebi, Sarah Adomah

General Surgery, East Africa

Objectives: Advanced breast cancer (ABC) is an incurable disease. The number of people living with ABC has increased globally. Disparities in ABC care exist at both individual and system levels. ABC cases in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are underreported due to a lack of national cancer registries. Harmonized guidelines for resource stratification and capacity building in LMICs are under way.

Data sources: MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were used.

Conclusion: To improve ABC outcomes and resolve disparities, more robust health systems or pathways need to be developed across the cancer continuum in addition to social education.

Implications …

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.

Phenytoin-Induced Cerebellar Atrophy: A Case For Reversibility Of Neurological Decline, Edwin Mogere, Davis Cheruiyot, Manakhe Nassiuma

General Surgery, East Africa

This case serves as a reminder of the infrequent, yet consequential occurrence of cerebellar degeneration linked to phenytoin usage. Whilst emphasizes the importance of monitoring patients on long-term phenytoin therapy, and it further suggests considering employing bedside imaging tools such as Ultrasound fusion imaging for follow-up of patients at risk of this type of disorder. We present a case study involving a 23-year-old woman who experienced significant neurological impairment resulting in severe cerebellar atrophy while undergoing phenytoin treatment. On cessation of phenytoin, the patient exhibited improvement with enhanced cerebellar function.

Maternal And Perinatal Outcomes Of Women With Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section Compared To Repeat Cesarean Birth In Select South Asian And Latin American Settings Of The Global Network For Women's And Children's Health Research, Lester Figueroa, Margo Harrison, Manolo Mazariegos, Shivaprasad Gouda, Avinash Kavi, Richard Derman, Archana Patel, Prabir Das, Sarah Saleem, Farnaz Naqvi

Community Health Sciences

Objective: Our objective was to analyze a prospective population-based registry including five sites in four low- and middle-income countries to observe characteristics associated with vaginal birth after cesarean versus repeat cesarean birth, as well as maternal and newborn outcomes associated with the mode of birth among women with a history of prior cesarean.
Hypothesis: Maternal and perinatal outcomes among vaginal birth after cesarean section will be similar to those among recurrent cesarean birth.
Methods: A prospective population-based study, including home and facility births among women enrolled from 2017 to 2020, was performed in communities in Guatemala, India (Belagavi and Nagpur), …

Gall Bladder Schistosomiasis Diagnosed Incidentally Post Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Case Report, Willbroad Kyejo, Sajida Panjwani, Ally Zain Ismail, Blessing Mathew, Caroline Ngimba, Ally Mwanga

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction and importance: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic worms of the genus Schistosoma. It primarily affects the intestines, liver, and urinary tract however, rare cases have been reported where the parasite invades other organs. This case report presents an incidental finding of schistosomiasis, upon histopathology evaluation, in a patient who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstone disease with recurrent attacks of cholecystitis.

Case presentation: We present the case of a 42-year-old female patient who presented to the emergency department with symptoms and signs suggestive of acute cholecystitis. She underwent conservative management with interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy …

A Review Of The Current State Of Global Surgical Oncology And The Role Of Surgeons Who Treat Cancer: Our Profession’S Imperative To Act Upon A Worldwide Crisis In Evolution, Aaron C. Saunders, Miriam Mutebi, T. Subramanyeshwar Rao

General Surgery, East Africa

Worldwide, the capacity of healthcare systems and physician workforce is woefully inadequate for the surgical treatment of cancer. With major projected increases in the global burden of neoplastic disease, this inadequacy is expected to worsen, and interventions to increase the workforce of surgeons who treat cancer and strengthen the necessary supporting infrastructure, equipment, staffing, financial and information systems are urgently called for to prevent this inadequacy from deepening. These efforts must also occur in the context of broader healthcare systems strengthening and cancer control plans, including prevention, screening, early detection, safe and effective treatment, surveillance, and palliation. The cost of …

Metallic Implant-Related Osteosarcoma, Frawa Mohsin, Mustafa Bin Ali Zubairi, Kulsoom Fatima, Muhammad Asad Diwan

Department of Radiology

Orthopedic metallic prostheses are commonly used in the current practice of orthopedic surgery. Although, biomaterials used in these implants are generally considered to be biologically inert, there have been consequences of foreign body reactions and potential carcinogenesis. Majority of implant-related malignancies are high grade, and develop in bone or soft tissue around the implant site. No clear association has been identified between the biomaterial implanted and the type of sarcoma. We report the case of a 36-year-old male who underwent intramedullary nailing of femur for mid-shaft fracture secondary to trauma and presented with osteogenic sarcoma of femur 14 months later.

Long-Term Safety And Efficacy Of Non-Absorbable Abdominal Mesh For Apical Prolapse Surgery: A 10-Year Experience At Tertiary Care Hospital, Samia Aijaz, Novera G. Chughtai, Urooj Kashif, Summera Malik

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objectives: To evaluate the complications of apical prolapse correction with abdominally placed mesh and to assess the long-term efficacy of Sacrohysteropexy and Sacrocolpopexy.
Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Aga Khan University Hospital. All women who underwent apical prolapse surgery using abdominal mesh from January 2010 to December 2019 at AKUH were included. Patients with missing routine follow up visits and incomplete data up to one year post op were excluded. Patient notes were reviewed, and subjective and objective success and complications were analyzed. Safety was measured by incidence of intra, early …

Emerging Therapeutic Strategies For Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma: A Systematic Review, Shahrukh Farrukh, Shagufta Habib, Amna Rafaqat, Zouina Sarfraz, Azza Sarfraz, Muzna Sarfraz, Karla Robles-Velasco, Miguel Felix, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Of all central nervous systems tumors, 10-20% are located in the brainstem; diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is diagnosed in 80% of them. With over five decades of clinical trial testing, there are no established therapeutic options for DIPG. This research article aims to collate recent clinical trial data and provide a landscape for the most promising therapies that have emerged in the past five years.
Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane were systematically searched using the following keywords: Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, Pontine, Glioma, Treatment, Therapy, Therapeutics, curative, and/or Management. Both adult and pediatric patients with …

Spontaneous Large Volume Hemothorax Managed With A Small-Bore Chest Tube, Moiz Salahuddin, Samia Ayub

Department of Medicine

A 67-year-old male with metastatic lung cancer presented with acute shortness of breath and increasing oxygen requirements. He had a decreasing hemoglobin for which he required red blood cell transfusions. His chest x-ray showed near complete white-out of the left lung. Bedside ultrasound (Handheld Sonostar C4PL) showed a large pleural effusion with swirling echogenic material suggestive of plankton sign. The pleural effusion was aspirated and showed frank blood, after which a small-bore chest tube (SBCT) was inserted. A total of 3200ml of blood was drained with the SBCT. There was complete clearance of the pleural space, and no further blood …

Does Mainstream Brca Testing Affect Surgical Decision-Making In Newly-Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients?, Quratul Ain, Caroline Richardson, Miriam Mutebi, Angela George, Zoe Kemp, Jennifer E. Rusby

General Surgery, East Africa

Background: Germline pathogenic variants mutations) in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes cause an increased risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Mainstream cancer genetic testing (MCG) was introduced for breast cancer patients in our unit in 2013. Non-geneticist clinicians have been trained to offer genetic testing during initial treatment planning. We assessed the impact of timely test results on surgical decision-making.

Methods: Women who had undergone mainstream genetic testing for breast cancer between September 2013 and September 2018 were identified from a prospective database. Surgical data were collected retrospectively.

Results: 580 eligible women had mainstream genetic testing. …

Caesarean Section For Placenta Previa: A Retrospective Cohort Study Of Anaesthesia Techniques, Samina Ismail, Saima Rashid

Department of Anaesthesia

Objective: Placenta previa is associated with maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. This study aims to add to the limited literature from the developing world on the association of different anaesthetic techniques with blood loss, the need for blood transfusion, and maternal/ neonatal outcomes among women undergoing caesarean section with placenta previa.
Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Aga University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. The patient population included parturients undergoing caesarean section for placenta previa from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2019.
Results: Out of 276 consecutive cases of placenta previa progressing to caesarean section during the study period, …

A Qualitative Description Of Barriers To Visual Rehabilitation Experienced By Stroke Survivors With Visual Impairment In Alberta, Canada, Kiran Pohar Manhas, Katelyn Brehon, Jennis Jiang, Karim F. Damji, Fiona Costello

Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences

Background: Post-stroke visual impairment (VI) is a common but under-recognized care challenge. Common manifestations of post-stroke VI include: diplopia, homonymous hemianopia, oscillopsia secondary to nystagmus, and visual inattention or neglect. In acute care settings, post-stroke VI recognition and treatment are often sub-optimal as emphasis is placed on survival. Stroke survivors with VI often face inconsistencies when accessing care out of hospital because variable availability and subsidization of visual rehabilitation. We sought to identify gaps in care experienced by stroke survivors with VI from stroke survivors' and care providers' perspectives.
Methods: We conducted a qualitative description study across 12 care sites …

Relationship Of Abdominal Circumference And Trunk Length With Spinal Anesthesia Block Height In Geriatric Patients Undergoing Transurethral Resection Of Prostate, Muhammad Yahya, Aliya Ahmed, Iayla Fatima, Muhammad Nasir

Department of Anaesthesia

Introduction: Spinal anesthesia is commonly used for various surgical procedures. Prediction of spinal anesthesia block height is always a challenging task for anesthetists. Higher than desired levels of spinal anesthesia blocks are associated with serious side effects, while inadequate block height does not provide satisfactory surgical anesthesia. In this study, we observed the relationship between the ratio of trunk length (TL) and square of the abdominal circumference (AC²) and spinal anesthesia sensory block height in geriatric patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).
Material & Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at the Aga Khan University …

Glucocentric Drugs In Cardiovascular Disease Protection And Heart Failure, Khawaja M. Talha, Gregg C. Fonarow, Salim S. Virani, Javed Butler

Office of the Provost

Evidence for cardiovascular outcomes with older-generation antihyperglycemic drugs in the management of type 2 diabetes is based on aggregated data from prior randomized controlled trials and observational studies that were not focused on prespecified cardiovascular end points. Newer antihyperglycemic medications have undergone a rigorous evaluation of cardiovascular outcomes through randomized controlled trials since the US Food and Drug Administration imposed a mandatory requirement for all glucose-lowering drugs in 2008. The three classes of drugs that have been most extensively studied are dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, the latter two reporting significant …

A Single Centre Experience Of Local Perforator Flaps In Oncoplastic Breast Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Study, Sana Zeeshan, Lubna Vohra, Uzma Shamsi, Nida Zahid, Danish Ali, Nargis Asad, Cristina Garusi

Section of General Surgery

Background & objectives: Various oncoplastic techniques have emerged over the years to preserve breast cosmesis and symmetry without compromising the principles of tumor excision. One of the newer techniques for breast volume replacement to achieve symmetry and cosmesis is the use of fasciocutaneous pedicled chest wall perforator flaps or local perforator flaps (LPF). The objectives of this study were to document the details of the surgical procedure as well as patient-reported satisfaction and well-being following the procedure using a validated BREAST-Q tool among Pakistani women.
Materials & methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to February 2021 enrolling …

Anticancer Effect Of Illicium Verum (Star Anise Fruit) Against Human Breast Cancer Mcf-7 Cell Line, Asra Khan Pahore, Shagufta Khan, Nasim Karim

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To investigate the anticancer effect of Illicium verum against human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line.
Methods: An experimental study was conducted in Multidisciplinary and Tissue Culture Laboratory, Aga Khan University in collaboration with Pharmacology Department of Bahria University Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan from January 2021 to June 2021. MCF-7 cells of Luminal-A breast cancer were seeded in 96-well plate and treated with I.verum methanol extract. After incubation, MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) dye was used for cell viability and cell proliferation assays to determine the number of dead and viable cells, and the absorbance was measured using an enzyme-linked …

Effectiveness Of Non-Invasive Respiratory Support Strategies In Patients With Covid-19: A Systematic Review And Meta Analysis, Vinesh Kumar, Umair Arshad Malik, Reshman Kumari, Berkha Berkha, Vijay Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Simran Simran, Suman Suman, Bushra Nasim

Medical College Documents

Background: The effectiveness of non-invasive respiratory strategies, namely CPAP and HFNO, in reducing the risk of mortality and tracheal intubation in patients with severe COVID-19 is not well established.
Methods: A thorough literature search was conducted across 3 electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Central) from inception through July 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies assessing the impact of CPAP or HFNO on clinical outcomes in patients infected with COVID-19 were considered for inclusion. End-points included all-cause mortality and risk of tracheal intubation. Evaluations were reported as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and analysis was …

Sociodemographic Determinants Of Oral Anticoagulant Prescription In Patients With Atrial Fibrillations: Findings From The Pinnacle Registry Using Machine Learning, Zahra Azizi, Andrew T. Ward, Donghyun J. Lee, Sanchit S. Gad, Kanchan Bhasin, Robert J. Beetel, Tiago Ferreira, Sushant Shankar, John S. Rumsfeld, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Background: Current risk scores that are solely based on clinical factors have shown modest predictive ability for understanding of factors associated with gaps in real-world prescription of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
Objective: In this study, we sought to identify the role of social and geographic determinants, beyond clinical factors associated with variation in OAC prescriptions using a large national registry of ambulatory patients with AF.
Methods: Between January 2017 and June 2018, we identified patients with AF from the American College of Cardiology PINNACLE (Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence) Registry. We examined associations between patient …

Tuberculous Salpingitis - Possible Cause Of Salpingo-Enteric Fistula, Shayan Sirat Maheen Anwar, Anam Khan, Fahd Haroon, Frawa Mohsin

Department of Radiology

Salpingo-enteric fistula is a rare disease causing infertility. It occurs when there is a connection between fallopian tube and the intestine. It can be accurately diagnosed with hysterosalpingography. Fistulas mostly occur as a consequence of obstetric complications, however, inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic malignancy, pelvic radiation therapy, iatrogenic causes, and trauma are other potential causes. The possibility of tuberculous salpingitis as a possible cause of salpingo-enteric fistula should always be considered in the developing countries where tuberculosis is endemic.

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Artificial Intelligence For Detecting Gastrointestinal Luminal Pathologies: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Om Parkash, Asra Tus Saleha Siddiqui, Uswa Jiwani, Fahad Rind, Zahra Ali Padhani, Arjumand Rizvi, Zahra Hoodbhoy, Jai K. Das

Section of Gastroenterology

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds considerable promise for diagnostics in the field of gastroenterology. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of AI models compared with the gold standard of experts and histopathology for the diagnosis of various gastrointestinal (GI) luminal pathologies including polyps, neoplasms, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Methods: We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Wiley Cochrane Library, and Web of Science electronic databases to identify studies assessing the diagnostic performance of AI models for GI luminal pathologies. We extracted binary diagnostic accuracy data and constructed contingency tables to derive the outcomes of interest: sensitivity and specificity. …