Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Has The Significance Of Incidental Findings On Unenhanced Computed Tomography For Urolithiasis Been Overestimated? A Retrospective Review Of Over 800 Patients, Nadir Khan, M Hammad Ather, Farhan Ahmed, Abdul M. Zafar, Aamir Khan

Department of Radiology

Objectives: To evaluate the detection of clinically unsuspected pathologies using 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen in patients with flank pain. The presence of significant incidental findings (those warranting immediate management) was also correlated with that of urolithiasis, to assess potential changes of management.PATIENTS AND Methods: The study included 899 patients undergoing CT in a 6-month period between June and December 2008. Patients who were referred from outside, with no medical record in the hospital where the study was conducted, and those who were lost to follow-up, were excluded. All of the CT examinations were reported after a …

Rare Co-Occurrence Of Dural Arteriovenous Fistula And Arteriovenous Malformation With Bilateral Subcortical And Basal Ganglia Calcification, Raza Sayani, Zahid Anwar Khan, Tanveer-Ul-Haq, Rana Shoaib Hamid, Muhammed Azeemuddin

Department of Radiology

The present study describes the imaging findings in a patient with dural arteriovenous fistula (AVR) and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with bilateral subcortical and basal ganglia calcification. A 29 year old male patient presented with chief complaint of recent onset of generalized tonic clonic seizures and mild disorientation. The imaging studies on MCT demonstrated diffuse, symmetric calcification in the bilateral basal ganglia and subcortical white matter. MR imaging and angiography revealed AVM in parietooccipital region with supply predominantly from left posterior cerebral and middle cerebral arteries. Multiple dural feeders from meningeal branches of occipital and superficial temporal branches of bilateral external …

Threshold Primary Tumour Sizes For Nodal And Distant Metastases In Papillary And Follicular Thyroid Cancers., Maseeh Uz Zaman, Nosheen Fatima, Zafar Sajjad, Jaweed Akhter, Najmul Islam, Qamar Masood, Asma Ahmed

Department of Radiology

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

In papillary and follicular thyroid cancers (PTC, FTC), nodal and distant metastasis are generally considered important determinants of recurrence and survival, respectively. However, there is no consensus about the threshold primarytumour size (PTS) for these determinants. The aim of this study was to assess size relationships for developing nodal, pulmonary, bone and overall distant metastases.

METHODS:

This prospective study covered 139 (93 females and 46 males) consecutive biopsy proven patients with PTC (114/139, mean age 41.0 ± 15.7 years, M: F, 35%:65%) and FTC (25/139, mean age 39.2 ± 14.3 years, M: F: 24%:76%).

RESULTS:

Average primary tumor …

Incidental Finding Of A Giant Aortic Root Aneurysm And Its Repair, Saulat H. Fatimi, Roheena Zainab Panni, Awais Ashfaq

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

The prevalence of aortic aneurysms is 3-4% in individuals more than 65 years. Age and haemodynamic factors play an important role in the development of aortic aneurysms. Most patients with aortic aneurysms are asymptomatic at the time of discovery. Thoracic aneurysms are usually found incidentally after chest radiographs or other imaging studies. The most common complications of thoracic aortic aneurysms are acute rupture or dissection. Some patients present with tender or painful nonruptured aneurysms. Patients are thought to be at increased risk for rupture and should undergo surgical repair on an emergent basis We document a case of a 66-year-old …

The Clinical, Endoscopic And Histological Spectrum Of The Solitary Rectal Ulcer Syndrome: A Single-Center Experience Of 116 Cases, Shahab Abid, Ali Khawaja, Salima Ahmed Bhimani, Zubair Ahmad, Saeed Hamid, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

Background

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is an uncommon although benign defecation disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variable endoscopic manifestations of SRUS and its association with other diseases.

Methods

All the patients diagnosed with SRUS histologically from January 1990 to February 2011 at The Aga Khan University, Karachi were included in the study. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively to evaluate the clinical spectrum of the patients along with the endoscopic and histological findings.

Results

A total of 116 patients were evaluated. The mean age was 37.4 ± 16.6 (range: 13–80) years, 61 (53%) of …

Pregnancy Loss Rate Following Amniocentesis, Shama Munim, Humera Ismail

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To determine pregnancy loss rate following amniocentesis in a mainstream urban healthcare centre.
Methods: We analysed cases of all pregnant women who underwent Amniocentesis at the Foetal Medicine Unit of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, during 2001 to 2010. Cases of unknown pregnancy outcome were excluded, and after the process of consent, the final study population was 228 patients. Two operators performed the procedure using 22 G needle.
Results: The mean age of women in the study was 32 +/- 6 years. The commonest indication of the procedure was a previous baby with Down's Syndrome. Majority 197 (86.6%) cases …

Morbidities Of Cervical Cerclage: Experience At A Tertiary Referral Center, Saba Mubasshir, Shama Munim, Ghulam Zainab

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

The Perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with pre-term delivery is well known. Cervical incompetence or short cervix is a risk factor for the condition and cervical cerclage is the management option for such cases. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of operative morbidities of cervical cerclage. All women undergoing cervical cerclage from April 2007 to December 2009 at the Aga Khan University Hospital served as the study subjects. Findings suggested that the risk of developing ruptured membranes after cervical cerclage was 10% and that of pregnancy loss was 8.6%. The risk of cerclage-associated complications like rupture …

Sinonasal Teratocarcinosarcoma, Zainul Abedeen Sobani, Shabbir Akhtar, Montasir Junaid, Iftikhar Salahuddin

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

Teratocarcinosarcoma is a rare, morphologically heterogeneous and highly malignant neoplasm. It is characterized by the presence of benign and malignant epithelial, mesenchymal and neural components. The carcinoma may be either squamous or adenocarcinoma and the mesenchymal component may manifest spindle, smooth, skeletal muscle, cartilage and bone features. Because of their infrequency, these lesions are often misdiagnosed, leading to management difficulties. In this case report we have shared our experience with sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma in a 23 year old female and performed a brief review of literature.

Clinical Significance Of Maternal Anti-Cw Antibodies: A Review Of Three Cases And Literature, Shabneez Malik, Bushra Moiz

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Anti Cw antibody is a low frequency immunoglobulin (IgG) against red cell antigen- Cw. It is clinically significant and may cause haemolytic disease of the newborn. Due to its low frequency, it is not included in routine antenatal antibody screening panel. The incidence of Anti Cw antibodies has not been reported in our population. Here, we describe the clinical and laboratory spectra of three pregnant women having low titres anti Cw antibodies. Fortunately, haemolytic disease of the newborn was not encountered in any case.

Figo Ivb (Para-Aortic Lymph Adenopathy) Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Uterine Cervix Associated With A Left Pelvic Kidney: A Therapeutic Challenge, Nasir Ali, Farrok Karsan, Ahmed Nadeem Abbasi, Zakaur Rehman Khan

Department of Radiation Oncology

The standard of care for locally advanced carcinoma of uterine cervix is concurrent chemoradiation therapy followed by intracavitary brachytherapy, when there is para-aortic lymphadenopathy, radiation field needs to be extended to para-aortic region. In the latter case dose limiting organs are spinal cord, kidneys and small intestine. We present a challenging case of FIGO IVB squamous cell carcinoma of cervix and a pelvic kidney. This patient received chemoradiation to pelvis and para-aortic field, brachytherapy was not performed as patient already had undergone attempted hysterectomy. Treatment, outcome and challenges encountered in this case are presented and literature is reviewed.

Determinants Of Patient's Satisfaction With Health Care System In Pakistan: A Critical Review, Maliha Naseer, Aysha Zahidie, Babar Tasneem Shaikh

Community Health Sciences

Patient satisfaction with health care services is considered an important factor of quality health care. Although research on patient satisfaction has become standard in many developed country, in countries such as Pakistan the concept of patient satisfaction is still relatively neglected. This study aimed to find out the determinants of patient satisfaction from existing literature in Pakistan.The literature search was carried out by using the database of Medscape, Medline, PakMedinet and PubMed, without any language restriction using MeSH words as “patient satisfaction AND health care system in Pakistan” and “Determinants of patient satisfaction AND Pakistan”. Twenty-one articles were found which …

Hdl Cholesterol--How Do I Raise My Patients Good Cholesterol?, Quratulain Shaikh, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

Gender Differences In Risk Factors, Mortality, And Length Of Stay Of Patients Discharged From A Pakistani Stroke Unit: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study, Farzin Majeed, Bilal Ahmed, Maria Khan, Shaista Anwar Siddiqi, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

BACKGROUND: Differences between women and men in relation to stroke are increasingly being recognized. There is a scarcity of data on gender-based differences in stroke risk factors and outcomes from Pakistan.

METHODS: We enrolled 231 consecutive patients diagnosed with acute stroke. All patients received care along a standardized stroke pathway in a single stroke unit. We analyzed demographic and medical factors, NIHSS scores, and outcomes.

RESULTS: Of 213 consecutive hospitalized patients, 135 patients were men and 76 were women. The male to female ratio was 1.84. The mean age of males was 62.3913.56, as compared to females 61.15911.60 years. Hypertension, …

Elective Tracheostomy In Mechanically Ventilated Children, Prem Kumar Maheshwari, Muhammad Rehan Khan, Anwarul Haque

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Tracheostomy is an important procedure in children requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the frequency, indications, postoperative course and short-term outcome of elective tracheostomy in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Pakistan. Twenty-five patients underwent tracheostomy in last 5 years (2.2 % of all PICU admissions). Mean age of patients was 6 years and 60% were male. The most common indication for tracheostomy was prolonged mechanical ventilation secondary to neurological disease (60%), followed by upper airway obstruction (40%). Major complications included accidental decannulation (20%) and tube obstruction (20%). Three patients (12%) developed ventilator-associated pneumonia …

Post-Abortion Care Family Planning Use In Pakistan, Syed Khurram Azmat, Waqas Hameed, Muhammad Ishaque, Ghulam Mustafa, Aftab Ahmed

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: The stagnated CPR and high unmet need for contraception lead to approximately 890,000 induced abortions every year in Pakistan. A fairly recent study from Pakistan also revealed that around 40% of abortions are performed by unskilled workers in backstreet clinics. Considering these grave statistics, it should not come as surprise that unwanted pregnancies are the leading cause of induced abortions in Pakistan. Despite country's inferior situation, there is no data available in Pakistan that unveils the much needed information pertaining to post-abortion care family planning (PAC) use. Thus, this paper attempts to document socio-demographic profile seeking post-abortion care clients; …

Post-Traumatic Pseudoaneurysm Of Internal Carotid Artery: A Cause Of Intractable Epistaxis., Mohammad Adeel, Mubasher Ikram

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

In this case report, the authors are presenting a case of a 35-year-old lady who presented to our clinic with recurrent episodes of massive epistaxis and loss of right eye vision for last 6 months following road traffic accident. There was no other significant medical and surgical history. Bleeding episodes were sometimes very severe with loss up to 400-500 cc and would stop spontaneously. She was given multiple blood transfusions after these episodes. A complete otorhinolaryngological examination including rigid endoscopy and coagulation investigation did not reveal any abnormality. CT with contrast of paranasal region showed blood within the right sphenoid …

A Successful Model Of Road Traffic Injury Surveillance In A Developing Country: Process And Lessons Learnt, Junaid Abdul Razzak, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Amber Mehmood, Syed Ameer Hussain, Mir Shabbar Ali, Rashid Jooma

Department of Emergency Medicine

Background: Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) are one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide with 90% of global mortality concentrated in the low and middle income countries. RTI surveillance is recommended to define the burden, identify high risk groups, plan intervention and monitor their impact. Despite its stated importance in the literature, very few examples of sustained surveillance systems are reported from low income countries. This paper shares the experience of setting up an urban RTI surveillance program in the emergency departments of five major hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.
Method: We describe the process of establishing a surveillance …

Beta2-Adrenoceptor Agonists For Dysmenorrhoea, Zbys Fedorowicz, Mona Nasser, Vanitha A. Jagannath, Jessica H. Beaman, Kiran Ejaz, Esther J. Van Zuuren

Department of Emergency Medicine

Background:Dysmenorrhoea is a common gynaecological complaint that can affect as many as 50% of premenopausal women, 10% of whom suffer severely enough to be rendered incapacitated for one to three days during each menstrual cycle. Primary dysmenorrhoea is where women suffer from menstrual pain but lack any pathology in their pelvic anatomy. Beta2-adrenoceptor agonists have been used in the treatment of women with primary dysmenorrhoea but their effects are unclear.
Objectives:To determine the effectiveness and safety of beta2-adrenoceptor agonists in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea. Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group Specialised Register, …

Concurrent Intracranial And Spinal Arteriovenous Malformations: Report Of Two Pediatric Cases And Literature Review, Hussain Shallwani, Muhammad Zubair Tahir, Muhammad Ehsan Bari, Tanveer Ul Haq

Medical College Documents

Background: Concurrent intracranial and spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are very rare with only a few cases being reported in literature. Two of the rare concurrent intracranial and spinal AVM cases are presented.
Case description: Case 1 is a 12-year-old girl with headache and motor disturbances in the lower limbs. Her spinal and brain angiogram was done and she was diagnosed to have a spinal AVM at level T8-T9 and an intracranial AVM in the left mesial temporal lobe. Her spinal AVM was embolized, while no treatment was given for her intracranial AVM. Case 2 is a 10-year-old girl who presented …

Associations Between Retinol-Binding Protein 4 And Cardiometabolic Risk Factors And Subclinical Atherosclerosis In Recently Postmenopausal Women: Cross-Sectional Analyses From The Keeps Study, Gary Huang, Dan Wang, Unab I. Khan, Irfan Zeb, Joann E. Manson, Virginia Miller, Howard N. Hodis, Matthew J. Budoff, George R. Merriam, Mitchell S. Harman, Eliot A. Brinton, Marcelle Cedars, Yali Su, Rogerio A. Lobo, Frederick Naftolin, Nanette Santoro, Hugh S. Taylor,, Rachel P. Wildman

Department of Family Medicine

Background: The published literature regarding the relationships between retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and cardiometabolic risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis is conflicting, likely due, in part, to limitations of frequently used RBP4 assays. Prior large studies have not utilized the gold-standard western blot analysis of RBP4 levels.
Methods: Full-length serum RBP4 levels were measured by western blot in 709 postmenopausal women screened for the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study. Cross-sectional analyses related RBP4 levels to cardiometabolic risk factors, carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), and coronary artery calcification (CAC). Results: The mean age of women was 52.9 (± 2.6) years, and the …

Virulence Markers Of Helicobacter Pylori In Patients With Diarrhoea-Dominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome., Javed Yakoob, Zaigham Abbas, S. Naz, M. Islam, Waseem Jafri

Department of Medicine

Recent studies suggest that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is associated with low-grade inflammation. This study aims to determine the distribution of Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) and vacuolating cytotoxin A (vacA) alleles (e.g., s1 and s2) in Patients with diarrhoea-dominant IBS (IBS-D) as the latter causes vacuolation in colonic epithelial cells in vitro. One hundred and seventy Patients meeting Rome III criteria for IBS-D (mean age: 40 +/- 15 years) were enrolled. Gastric biopsy was assessed histologically and DNA extraction was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for H. pylori genus 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA), cagA and vacA …

Spinal Muscular Atrophy:Clinical Spectrum And Genetic Mutations In Pakistani Children, S. H. Ibrahim, Tariq Moatter, Ali Faisal Saleem

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: In Pakistan the rate of consanguineous marriages is high, thus, the chance of incidence of autosomal recessive disorders is likely to be high. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics and genetics of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in children who presented to Aga Khan University, Karachi.
Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective review of the medical charts of children (neonate: 15 years) with discharge diagnosis of SMA during last 10 years. Demographic features, consanguinity, and diagnostic analysis (including genetic analysis) were noted.
Results: During the study period 67 children had a discharge diagnosis …

Frequency And Associated Factors For Anxiety And Depression In Pregnant Women: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study., Niloufer Sultan Ali, Iqbal Azam Syed, Badar S. Ali, Ghurnata Tabbusum, Sana S. Moin

Department of Family Medicine

Antepartum anxiety and/or depression is a major public health problem globally. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of antepartum anxiety and/or depression among pregnant women. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care hospital among pregnant women. A total of 165 pregnant women were interviewed by a clinical psychologist using HADS for assessing anxiety and/or depression and also collected information regarding sociodemographic, obstetric, family relationships, and home environment. Out of the total of 165 pregnant women about 70 percent of them were either anxious and/or depressed. The increasing age of women (P-value = 0.073), …

Phenytoin Versus Leviteracetam For Seizure Prophylaxis After Brain Injury - A Meta Analysis, Syed Nabeel Zafar, Abdul Ahad Khan, Asfar Ayaz Gauri, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim

Section of Neurosurgery

Background: Current standard therapy for seizure prophylaxis in Neuro-surgical patients involves the use of Phenytoin (PHY). However, a new drug Levetiracetam (LEV) is emerging as an alternate treatment choice. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to compare these two drugs in patients with brain injury.
Methods: An electronic search was performed in using Pubmed, Embase, and CENTRAL. We included studies that compared the use of LEV vs. PHY for seizure prophylaxis for brain injured patients (Traumatic brain injury, intracranial hemorrhage, intracranial neoplasms, and craniotomy). Data of all eligible studies was extracted on to a standardized abstraction sheet. Data about baseline …

A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing Haemodynamic Stability In Elderly Patients Undergoing Spinal Anaesthesia At L5,S1 Versus Spinal Anaesthesia At L3,4 At The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Karen Nkatha Mbaya

Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology

Background: Spinal anaesthesia is a routinely used anaesthetic technique for elderly patients undergoing operations involving the lower limbs, lower abdomen, pelvis and the perineum. Spinal anaesthesia has several advantages over general anaesthesia and these include stable haemodynamic variables, less blood loss, less post operative pain, faster recovery time and less post operative confusion. However, despite these advantages, the sympathetic blockade induced by spinal anaesthesia can result in hypotension, bradycardia, dysrhythmias and cardiac arrests. Conventionally, spinal anaesthesia is performed at the level of L3,4 interspace; with a reported incidence of hypotension in the elderly ranging between 65% and 69%. A possible …

General Practitioners' Awareness And Management Of Common Psychiatric Disorders: A Community-Based Survey From Karachi, Pakistan, H A. Naqvi, S Sabzwari, S Hussain, M Islam, M Zaman

Department of Psychiatry

This study assessed the knowledge and management of common psychiatric disorders by general practitioners (GPs) in Karachi, Pakistan. Structured interviews were carried out in 2009 with 360 GPs selected by cluster random sampling. Patients with psychiatric disorders were estimated to be up to 10% of the daily caseload according to 71.8% of doctors. Two-thirds of GPs were unaware of the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for depression and anxiety disorders. Benzodiazepines were the most recognized category of medication (75.3%) and were the most commonly used medication for all mental health conditions. Fewer GPs were familiar with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (35.1%) or …

Pulmonary Hyalinising Granuloma: A Rare Pulmonary Disorder, Arsalan Rahatullah, Zeeshan Waheed, Javaid A Khan, Nasir-Ud-Din

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

Pulmonary hyalinising granulomas are rare, noninfectious fibrosclerosing lesions of the lung which can mimic metastatic disease. It was first described in literature by Engleman et al in the year 1977. Its etiology is unknown but they may be caused by an exaggerated immune response. The patient typically presents with cough, chest pain. dyspnoea or haemoptysis in association with multiple bilateral parenchymal nodules. We report the case of a 20 years old male who presented with a 12-month history of worsening dry cough. His plain chest radiograph and subsequent CT scan revealed bilateral pulmonary nodules. A CT guided biopsy of the …

Triage; A Literature Review Of Key Concepts, Khairulnissa Ajani

School of Nursing & Midwifery

The emergency department (ED)--sometimes termed the emergency room (ER), or the accident & emergency (A&E) department--in a hospital or primary care facility that provides initial treatment to patients with a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening or requiring immediate attention. The earliest patients-physician encounter is the triage doctor/nurse who completes the preliminary evaluation before transferring care to another area of the ED or a different department in the hospital. A strong triage system is the backbone of an efficient ED. It indicates that the staff is capable of differentiating critically ill from the sick, …

Managing Work-Role Transition: From Nurse Clinician To Nurse Educator, Shirin Rahim, Munira Prasla

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Change in any aspect of human life is often challenging and requires significant efforts for readjustment from the individual and could result in improving or worsening existing situation. Change in work-role is also a significant event in a person's life. Present study attempts to analyse management of work-role transition from clinical nurse to nurse educator. The study is based on systematic and critical review of articles that appeared in peer-reviewed Journals. Research articles were searched from databases CINAHL, PubMed, Sage, and Science Direct using various combinations of keywords. 20 shortlisted articles were subjected to analysis for common theme of work-role …

Hidden Voices Of Hermaphrodites, Zohra Asif Jetha, Nasreen Sulaiman Lalani, Gulnar Akber Ali

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Gender is a psychological component which is given by the society to a person, while sex is a biological component which is awarded by the God. However, there are certain conditions in which the biological aspects are put to challenge with the social and psychological aspects of gender. Hermaphrodites are a third gender role, who is neither male or female man nor woman but contains the element of both. One may question that if they are neither male nor female then who they are and whether they are equally treated in our society. Looking at the challenges faced by hermaphrodites, …