Medical Specialties Commons^™

Prevalence Of Allergic Rhinitis Among Healthcare Workers And Its Impact On Their Work: A Cross-Sectional Survey At A Tertiary Healthcare Centre In Pakistan, Moghira Iqbaluddin Siddiqui, Rahim Dhanani, Huzaifa Moiz

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

A study was conducted to determine the frequency of allergic rhinitis among healthcare professionals and its impact on their work at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi Pakistan. Healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, technicians and pharmacists were included. Participants were asked to fill a questionnaire consisting of score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR), and work productivity and activity impairment questionnaires. Out of 167 workers, 101 were males. Mean age of the participants was 29.0 ± 5.9 years. Overall prevalence of allergic rhinitis among healthcare workers was found to be frequency (19.2%). We noted that 13 individuals reported to have missed their …

Prevalence Of Risk Factors Of Acute Kidney Injury In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, Ainan Arshad, Ahmed Ayaz

Section of Internal Medicine

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of preventable risk factors of acute kidney injury in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. All patients admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi with diagnosis of acute kidney injury were included out of which 134 were selected via random sampling. Patients with existing CKD were excluded. Data was then collected retrospectively from medical records of these patients. Mean age was 60±11.7 years while mean serum creatinine on admission was 2.4±1.3 (mg/dl). Sepsis played a role in almost half of the patients [60 (45%)]. Other factors included diarrhoea [23 (17%)], …

Snail Fever Of The Bladder In A Non-Endemic Area, Romana Idress, Zehra Jamil, Muhammad Areeb Ashfaq, Daniya Umer, Romana Idress, Hammad Ather

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Schistosomiasis is rarely seen in Pakistan and is generally not very high on the list of differential diagnoses. However, it is an important cause of haematuria in certain endemic areas. It can affect multiple organs including the bladder, liver and lungs. We present a case of a young Pakistani male, travelling to and from Africa, who presented with complains of haematuria and suprapubic discomfort. Final pathologic diagnosis was urinary schistosomiasis (hematobium species). This case is particularly notable for the characteristic sago nodules identified on cystoscopy. It is important to consider schistosomiasis in the differential of haematuria in such scenarios as …

Direct True Lumen Versus Conventional Cannulation For Acute Type-A Aortic Dissection, Asra Wahid, Syed Shahabuddin, Muhammad Muneer Amanullah, Shiraz Hashmi, Shahid Ahmed Sami

Medical College Documents

Acute type-A aortic dissection is a surgical emergency and has a high rate of short-term mortality. Aortic dissection is highly under-reported in Pakistan. With the technological developments in its management, arterial cannulation technique of direct true lumen cannulation has emerged with improved outcomes. We aimed to compare the mortality and morbidity outcomes between direct true lumen and conventional cannulation techniques for arterial access in patients with acute type- A aortic dissection under a single-centre retrospective review from 2007 to 2017. Mean age of the participants was 43.3±11.6 vs 45±12.4 years with males being dominant in both groups. Frequency of overall …

Role Of Oxidative Stress And Altered Thyroid Hormones In Unexplained Infertility, Rehana Rehman, Hiba Ismail Rajpar, Mussarat Ashraf, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Salima Lalani, Faiza Alam

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To explore the link between altered thyroid profile and oxidative stress marker in females with unexplained infertility.
Methods: The cross-sectional case-control study was carried out at the Islamabad Clinic Serving Infertile Couples, Islamabad, Pakistan, from June 2016 to August 2017, and comprised women aged 18-40 years regardless of ethnic background who were divided into two groups; those with unexplained infertility were the cases, while fertile women acted as the controls. Serum was analysed for triiodothyronine, thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone as well as for oxidative stress markers including manganese superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and adrenaline using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. …

Out-Patient Neurological Disorders In Tanzania: Experience From A Private Institution In Dar Es Salaam, Philip Adebayo, Omar Aziz, Rose E. Mwakabatika, Mandela Makakala, Mugisha Clement, Shabbir Adamjee, Noureen Mushi, Ahmed Jusabani, Eric Aris

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background and introduction: Low and middle-income countries (LMIC) have a considerable burden of neurological disorders. Available profile of neurological disorders in our environment is biased towards neurological admissions. There is a paucity of data on out-patient neurological conditions in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: To determine the frequency and demographic data of neurological illnesses being managed at the adult out-patient neurology clinic of the Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam (AKHD).

Materials and methods: The electronic medical records of all cases with neurological diseases who presented to the adult neurology clinic of the AKHD between January 2018, and December 2019 were retrospectively …

Family Planning And Afghan Refugee Women And Men Living In Melbourne, Australia: New Opportunities And Transcultural Tensions, Alana Russo, Belinda Lewis, Razia Ali, Atiq Abed, Grant Russel, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

This research aimed to explore the family planning perspectives and experiences of Afghan women and men living in Melbourne. A total of 57 Afghan women and men participated in six focus groups and 20 semi-structured interviews. The majority of participants indicated a preference for two or three children and were open to using modern contraception. However, many women described experiencing negative side effects when using hormone-based contraception and expressed difficulty negotiating condom use with their husbands as an alternative. Some women described how these difficulties resulted in inconsistent contraceptive practices and, at times, unintended pregnancy. Participants recognised that health professionals …

Qualitative Approach To Understanding Barriers To Delivering Difficult News In Sub Saharan Africa, Karishma Sharma, Jasmit Shah, Sayed Karar

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Communication, especially delivery of difficult news (DDN), remains a key part of clinical practice. Despite its importance, many medical providers lack the skill and ability to effectively DDN to their patients. Due to lack of data specific to sub-Saharan Africa and to help us develop an appropriate training tool for this geographical area, we sought to explore what challenges and barriers residents at our institution faced when they deliver difficult news to their patients.

Interactions Between The Physical And Social Environments With Adverse Pregnancy Events Related To Placental Disorders—A Scoping Review, Yolisa Prudence Dube, Newton Nyapwere, Laura A. Magee, Marianne Vidler, Sophie E. Moore, Benjamin Barratt, Rachel Craik, Peter Von Dadelszen, Prestige Tatenda Makanga, Marleen Temmerman, Angela Koech, Patricia Okiro, Geoffrey Omuse, Sikolia Wanyonyi

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Due to different social and physical environments across Africa, understanding how these environments differ in interacting with placental disorders will play an important role in developing effective interventions.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted, to identify current knowledge on interactions between the physical and social environment and the incidence of placental disease in Africa.

Results: Heavy metals were said to be harmful when environmental concentrations are beyond critical limits. Education level, maternal age, attendance of antenatal care and parity were the most investigated social determinants.

Conclusions: More evidence is needed to determine the relationships between the environment and placental …

The Surveillance For Enteric Fever In Asia Project (Seap), Severe Typhoid Fever Surveillance In Africa (Seta), Surveillance Of Enteric Fever In India (Sefi), And Strategic Typhoid Alliance Across Africa And Asia (Strataa) Population-Based Enteric Fever Studies: A Review Of Methodological Similarities And Differences, Megan E. Carey, William R. Macwrigh, Justin Im, James E. Meiring, Malick M. Gibani, Se Eun Park, Ashley Longley, Hyon Jin Jeon, Caitlin Hemlock, Mohammad Tahir Yousafzai, Farah Qamar

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Building on previous multicountry surveillance studies of typhoid and others salmonelloses such as the Diseases of the Most Impoverished program and the Typhoid Surveillance in Africa Project, several ongoing blood culture surveillance studies are generating important data about incidence, severity, transmission, and clinical features of invasive Salmonella infections in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. These studies are also characterizing drug resistance patterns in their respective study sites. Each study answers a different set of research questions and employs slightly different methodologies, and the geographies under surveillance differ in size, population density, physician practices, access to healthcare facilities, and access to …

Covid-19 And Liver Injury: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jawad Ahmed, Tehlil Rizwan, Farheen Malik, Raniyah Akhter, Mehreen Malik, Junaid Ahmad, Abdul Wasay Khan, Muhammad A. Chaudhary, Muhammad Shariq Usman

Department of Anaesthesia

Background and Aims: The prevalence and extent of liver damage in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients remain poorly understood, primarily due to small-sized epidemiological studies with varying definitions of “liver injury”. We conducted a meta-analysis to derive generalizable, well-powered estimates of liver injury prevalence in COVID-19 patients. We also aimed to assess whether liver injury prevalence is significantly greater than the baseline prevalence of chronic liver disease (CLD). Our secondary aim was to study whether the degree of liver injury was associated with the severity of COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed and Scopus) were systematically searched in June …

A Case Series On Uterine Arteriovenous Malformations: A Life-Threatening Emergency In Young Women, Rabia Hammad, Sidrah Nausheen, Mumtaz Malik

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare condition, with few cases reported in the literature. Despite being rare, it is a potentially life-threatening condition in women of child-bearing age. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of prolonged or irregular vaginal bleeding, which, otherwise, can lead to critical complications ending up in severe morbidity and mortality. This case series describes four cases of young Asian women aged between 33 and 38 years who presented with irregular vaginal bleeding. Trans-abdominal ultrasound of the pelvis showed increased vascularity with multi-directional blood flow in the uterus. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed an …

Implementing Parasite Genotyping Into National Surveillance Frameworks: Feedback From Control Programmes And Researchers In The Asia-Pacific Region, Rintis Noviyanti, Olivo Miotto, Alyssa Barry, Jutta Marfurt, Sasha Siegel, Nguyen Thuy-Nhien, Huynh Hong Quang, Nancy Dian Anggraeni, Ferdinand Laihad, Najia Karim Ghanchi

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

The Asia-Pacific region faces formidable challenges in achieving malaria elimination by the proposed target in 2030. Molecular surveillance of Plasmodium parasites can provide important information on malaria transmission and adaptation, which can inform national malaria control programmes (NMCPs) in decision-making processes. In November 2019 a parasite genotyping workshop was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, to review molecular approaches for parasite surveillance and explore ways in which these tools can be integrated into public health systems and inform policy. The meeting was attended by 70 participants from 8 malaria-endemic countries and partners of the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network. The participants acknowledged …

Invasive Pulmonary Infection By Syncephalastrum Species: Two Case Reports And Review Of Literature, Memoona Irshad, Nosheen Nasir, Urooj Haider Hashmi, Joveria Farooqi, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Section of Internal Medicine

Background: Syncephalastrum species belong to the class Zygomycetes and order Mucorale. These are found in the environment and tropical soil, usually presenting as colonizers and rarely cause human infection. Syncephalastrum racemosum is a species of the genus Syncephalastrum and is the most commonly identified pathogen. Most cases are reported in immunocompromised individuals, such as patients on long term steroids, poorly controlled diabetes, or patients with malignancy.
Case presentation: We are describing two cases of rare fungal infection by Syncephalastrum species causing invasive pulmonary manifestation. Both patients had compromised immune status and presented with worsening dyspnea to the emergency room. Both …

A Fatal Case Of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (Pam) Complicated With Diabetes Insipidus (Di): A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Zain Mushtaq, Saad Bin Zafar Mahmood, Adil Aziz

Section of Internal Medicine

Naegleria fowleri is a highly infective free-living amoeba usually isolated from soil and fresh water and is primarily found to infect the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM as a cause of meningitis is often overlooked for other, more common causes of meningitis. Despite all the advances in antimicrobial therapy and supportive care systems, the mortality rate of this rare infection remains above 95% with the bulk of the cases being found in developed countries. We are presenting a case of a 44-year-old male with fever, worsening headache, and generalized weakness. Lumbar puncture showed a …

Gender Discrimination Against Female Surgeons: A Cross-Sectional Study In A Lower-Middle-Income Country, Mahin Janjua, Hina Inam, Russell S. Martins, Nida Zahid, Abida K. Sattar, Shaista Khan, Sadaf Khan, Aneela Darbar, Nuzhat Faruqui, Sharmeen Akram, Ather Enam, Adil H. Haider, Mahim Malik

Department of Surgery Docs

Introduction: Although gender discrimination and bias (GD/bias) experienced by female surgeons in the developed world has received much attention, GD/bias in lower-middle-income countries like Pakistan remains unexplored. Thus, our study explores how GD/bias is perceived and reported by surgeons in Pakistan.
Method: A single-center cross-sectional anonymous online survey was sent to all surgeons practicing/training at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. The survey explored the frequency, source and impact of GD/bias among surgeons.
Results: 98/194 surgeons (52.4%) responded to the survey, of which 68.4% were males and 66.3% were trainees. Only 19.4% of women surgeons reported 'significant' frequency of GD/bias …

Magnitude Of Screening For Gestational Diabetes Mellitus In An Urban Setting In Tanzania; A Cross-Sectional Analytic Study, Akampa Mukuve, Mariam Noorani, Ibrahim Sendagire, Miriam Mgonja

Family Medicine, East Africa

Background: Medical screening detects risk factors for disease or presence of disease in otherwise well persons in order to intervene early and reduce morbidity and mortality. During antenatal care (ANC) it is important to detect conditions that complicate pregnancy, like gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Despite international and local guidelines recommending screening for GDM during ANC, there is evidence to suggest that the practice was not being carried out adequately. A major challenge may be lack of consensus on uniform GDM screening and diagnostic guidelines internationally and locally.

The primary objective was to determine the magnitude of screening for GDM among …

Randomized Control Trial Of Advanced Cancer Patients At A Private Hospital In Kenya And The Impact Of Dignity Therapy On Quality Of Life, John Weru, Miriam Gatehi, Alice Musibi

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Palliative care is a modality of treatment that addresses physical, psychological and spiritual symptoms. Dignity therapy, a form of psychotherapy, was developed by Professor Harvey Chochinov, MD in 2005.The aim of the study was to assess the effect of one session of dignity therapy on quality of life in advanced cancer patients.

Methods: This was a randomized control trial of 144 patients (72 in each arm) randomized into group 1 (intervention arm) and group 2 (control arm). Baseline ESAS scores were determined in both arms following which group 1 received Dignity therapy while Group 2 received usual care only. …

Physical And Mental Health Impacts Of Covid-19 On Healthcare Workers: A Scoping Review, Natasha Shaukat, Daniyal Mansoor Ali, Junaid Razzak

Community Health Sciences

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to 198 countries, with approximately 2.4 million confirmed cases and 150,000 deaths globally as of April 18. Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) face a substantially higher risk of infection and death due to excessive COVID-19 exposure. This review aimed at summarizing the evidence of the physical and mental health impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on health-care workers (HCWs).
Methods: We used the Arksey O'Malley framework to conduct a scoping review. A systematic literature search was conducted using two databases: PubMed and Google Scholar. We found 154 studies, and out of which 10 met our criteria. …

Negative Appendectomy Rate In Urban Referral Hospitals In Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Associated Factors, Masawa Klint Nyamuryekung’E, Ali Syed Muhammad Akhtar, Miten Ramesh Patel, Aidan Njau, Omar Sherman, Ahmed Jusabani, Ali Akbar Zehri

General Surgery, East Africa

Background: Acute appendicitis (AA) has a lifetime risk of 8.3% with a consequent 23% lifetime risk of emergency appendectomy. In atypical presentation, making a clinical diagnosis is difficult, leading to a high perforation rate (PR) or misdiagnoses and high negative appendectomy rates (NAR). This study aimed to establish NAR and explore the associated factors and possible attainable solutions to reduce it in urban referral hospitals in Tanzania.

Methods: This was a crosssectional study with 91 consecutive patients, aged 10 years and older undergoing appendectomy for suspected AA with histological evaluation of specimens. The study was powered to detect the NAR …

Negative Appendectomy Rate In Urban Referral Hospitals In Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Associated Factors, Nyamuryekung'e Klint Masawa, Authar Ali, Miten Ramesh Pate, Aidan Njau, Omar Sherman, Ahmed Jusabani, Ali Akbar Zehri

General Surgery, East Africa

Background: Acute appendicitis (AA) has a lifetime risk of 8.3% with a consequent 23% lifetime risk of emergency appendectomy. In atypical presentation, making a clinical diagnosis is difficult, leading to a high perforation rate (PR) or misdiagnoses and high negative appendectomy rates (NAR). This study aimed to establish NAR and explore the associated factors and possible attainable solutions to reduce it in urban referral hospitals in Tanzania.

Methods: This was a crosssectional study with 91 consecutive patients, aged 10 years and older undergoing appendectomy for suspected AA with histological evaluation of specimens. The study was powered to detect the NAR …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Laboratory Professionals-A Descriptive Cross Sectional Survey At A Clinical Chemistry Laboratory In A Developing Country, Lena Jafri, Sibtain Ahmed, Imran Siddiqui

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: The lab professionals at one end are at increased risk of contracting the infection while on the other end have to deal with the various challenges during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. This survey was undertaken to analyze the lab professionals' perspectives, in terms of the challenges, financial implications, fears, motivation and satisfaction from organizational processes and policies adopted, amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Material & methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional survey design. The survey was administered online via the google docs survey tool from medical laboratory professionals (n = 64) serving at the section of Clinical Chemistry, …

Wet Labs: A Useful Tool In Training Surgical Residents In A Third World Country, Hina Inam, Narmeen Asif, Abdul Ahad Sohail, Saulat Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

•Wet labs are a useful, cost-effective and safe tool in teaching of Cardiothoracic Surgery residents.•In a third world country where advance real life simulators are not available.•It improves resident's tissue handling and surgical skills.•Allows faculty members to give continuous feedback to their residents.

A Rare Case Of Constrictive Pericarditis As Initial Manifestation Of Paediatric Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Requiring Urgent Pericardiectomy, Sara Iqbal, Abdul Ahad Sohail, Narmeen Asif, Muhammad Rahil Khan, Sabeehuddin Siddique, Saulat Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a rare end stage inflammatory disorder affecting both parietal and visceral pericardium leading to a right heart failure. Malignancy is the least common cause of CP. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) accounts for 10-15% of all Non-Hodgkin lymphomas in children. Very few case reports have reported ALCL that is involving the heart and only two have been published involving pericardium but all were managed medically. We present an interesting case of an 11 year old child who presented with an effusive CP that required urgent Pericardiectomy for managing right heart failure. His histopathology was positive for …

Investigating Sofa, Delta-Sofa And Mpm-Iii For Mortality Prediction Among Critically Ill Patients At A Private Tertiary Hospital Icu In Kenya: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Lillian N. Lukoko, Peter S. Kussin, Rodney Adam, James Orwa, Wangari Siika

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

Background: Outcomes in well-resourced, intensive care units (ICUs) in Kenya are thought to be comparable to those in high-income countries (HICs) but risk-adjusted mortality data is unavailable. We undertook an evaluation of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi ICU to analyze patient clinical-demographic characteristics, compare the performance of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), delta-SOFA at 48 hours and Mortality Prediction Model-III (MPM-III) mortality prediction systems, and identify factors associated with increased risk of mortality.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of adult patients admitted to the ICU between January 2015 and September 2017. SOFA and MPM-III scores were determined …

Distribution And Correlation Of Ocular Surface Disease Index Scores In A Non-Clinical Population: The Karachi Ocular Surface Disease Study, Nauman Hashmani, Faizan Ghulam Mustafa, Muhammad Ali Tariq, Syed Farjad Ali, Fakiha Bukhari, Abdul Sami Memon, Sharif Hashmani

Section of Ophthalmology

Introduction: There is increasing recognition of dry eye disease (DED) as a significant factor influencing quality of life in seemingly normal individuals. Our goal was to determine the distribution of Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores in non-clinical individuals in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: We distributed OSDI questionnaires to subjects aged > 18 years with no active ocular complaint. Examiners were selected from various areas of the city to administer questionnaires to students and the general population. The OSDI score was grouped as per the following: normal (0-12 points), mild (13-22 points), moderate (23-32 points), and severe (33-100 points).
Results: We surveyed …

Association Of Cardiovascular Risk Factor Profile And Financial Hardship From Medical Bills Among Non-Elderly Adults In The United States, Gowtham R. Grandhi, Javier Valero-Elizondo, Reed Mszar Reed Mszar, Eric J. Brandt, Amarnath Annapureddy, Rohan Khera, Anshul Saxena, Salim S. Virani, Ron Blankstein, Nihar R. Desai

Office of the Provost

Background: While optimal cardiovascular risk factor (CRF) profile is associated with lower mortality, morbidity, and healthcare expenditures among individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), less is known regarding its impact on financial hardship from medical bills. Therefore, we assessed whether an optimal CRF profile is associated with a lower burden of financial hardship from medical bills and a reduction in cost-related barriers to health.
Methods: We used a nationally representative sample of adults between 18 and 64 years from the National Health Interview Survey between 2013 and 2017. We assessed ASCVD status and the number of risk factors to categorize …

Determination Of Reference Intervals For Common Chemistry And Immunoassay Tests For Kenyan Adults Based On An Internationally Harmonized Protocol And Up-To-Date Statistical Methods, Geoffrey Omuse, Kiyoshi Ichihara, Daniel Maina, Mariza Hoffman, Elizabeth Kagotho, Alice Kanyua, Jane Mwangi, Caroline Wambua, Angela Amayo, Peter Ojwang, Zul Premji, Rajiv Erasmus

Pathology, East Africa

Background: Due to a lack of reliable reference intervals (RIs) for Kenya, we set out to determine RIs for 40 common chemistry and immunoassay tests as part of the IFCC global RI project.

Methods: Apparently healthy adults aged 18–65 years were recruited according to a harmonized protocol and samples analyzed using Beckman-Coulter analyzers. Value assigned serum panels were measured to standardize chemistry results. The need for partitioning reference values by sex and age was based on between-subgroup differences expressed as standard deviation ratio (SDR) or bias in lower or upper limits (LLs and ULs) of the RI. RIs …

Elective Tracheostomy In Critically Ill Children: A 10-Year Single-Center Experience From A Lower-Middle Income Country, Sidra Ishaque, Anwarul Haque, Saqib Hamid Qazi, Hamdan Mallick, Saad Nasir

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: Tracheostomy is a commonly performed procedure amongst critically ill patients, especially in cases of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). This study aimed to describe the indications, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of elective pediatric tracheostomies in critically ill children at our center.
Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of children who underwent elective tracheostomies in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) was conducted from January 2009 to June 2018. Data were extracted based on demographics, indications of tracheostomy, and patient outcomes. Results were reported as mean with standard deviation and as frequencies with percentage.
Results: Of the 3,200 patients admitted …

Use Of Cephalic Vein For Venous Anastomosis In Head And Neck Reconstruction: A Case Series, Mohammad Fazlur Rahman, Muhammad Asif Ahsan, Safdar Ali Shaikh, Muhammad Ubaid Khan, Sami Ullah

Department of Surgery Docs

Purpose: To describe the use of the cephalic vein as a recipient vessel for venous outflow in head and neck reconstruction. The cephalic vein is used as a vessel in cases where there is a paucity of veins in the neck. This may be due to previous surgery, previous radiation therapy, or advanced cancer. The cephalic vein may also be used to salvage a failing free flap.
Methods: It is a retrospective review of 230 free flaps that had been used in head and neck reconstruction performed from July 2014 to July 2018 by a single surgeon.
Results: There were …