Medical Specialties Commons^™

Anaesthetic Management Of A Young Patient With Homocystinuria, Ali Asghar, Faiza Mazhar Ali

Department of Anaesthesia

Homocystinuria is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease. It is caused by a deficiency in cystathionine-b-synthase leading to a defect in methionine metabolism. High levels of plasma homocysteine are associated with vascular injury via mechanisms of oxidative damage, vascular smooth muscle proliferation, promotion of platelet activation and aggregation,and disruption of normal procoagulant-anticoagulant balance favouring thrombosis. This is a case of 8 years old boy, a known case of homocystinuria, who was scheduled for bilateral lensectomy and intraocular lens placement. The major anaesthetic considerations include the development of thromboembolism, need to avoid nitrous oxide in balanced anaesthesia regimen and hypoglycaemia.

Association Between Tumour Volume And Recurrence Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Head And Neck, Faraz Nasim Kazmi, Amina Adil, Shehzad Ghaffar, Farhan Ahmed

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of computerized tomography derived tumour volume for squamous cell cancers of the head and neck, treated primarily by surgery.Methods: The retrospective review study comprised 72 patients with head and neck malignancies who were treated primarily by surgery at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, with/without adjuvant. It was done from May 2007 to November 2008. Each patient was followed up for a minimum of one year to check for recurrence. For statistical analysis SPSS 17 was used. Frequencies, cross-tabulations with chi square tests to find associations, binary logistic regression analysis, Cox regression analysis and receiver …

Prevalence Of Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors In Three Large Medical Colleges Of Karachi: A Cross-Sectional Study., Efaza Umar Siddiqui, Syed Saad Naeem, Haider Naqv, Bilal Ahmed

Department of Medicine

Background: Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) that include skin picking (dermatillomania), hair pulling (trichotillomania) and nail biting (onychophagia), lead to harmful physical and psychological sequelae. The objective was to determine the prevalence of BFRBs among students attending three large medical colleges of Karachi. It is imperative to come up with frequency to design strategies to decrease the burden and adverse effects associated with BFRBs among medical students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 students attending Aga Khan University, Dow Medical College and Sind Medical College, Karachi, in equal proportion. Data were collected using a pre tested tool, “Habit Questionnaire”. …

Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy In Postmenopausal Women With Breast Cancer: Physician's Choices, Asi Jamal, Shiyam Kumar, Sajjad Raza, Maria Mehboob, Osama Ishtiaq

Internal Medicine, East Africa

The choice of adjuvant hormonal therapy in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer has remained a matter of controversy and debate. The variety of agents is available, with each claiming to be superior. This clinical survey was undertaken to get an impression of the physician's first choice of therapy in an attempt to find out what questions still need to be answered in the making of "standard of care." A web-based clinical survey was sent to the cancer physicians around the world, and 182 physicians responded to the survey. Most were medical oncologists in a tertiary care hospital. …

Prevalence And Determinants Of Human Papillomavirus Infection And Cervical Lesions In Hiv-Positive Women In Kenya, H De Vuyst, N R. Mugo, M H. Chung, K P. Mckenzie, E Nyongesa-Malava, V Tenet, J W. Njoroge, S R. Sakr, C Jlm Meijer, P Jf Snijders, Farzana Rana, S Franceschi

Pathology, East Africa

Background: We assessed the association of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) with various characteristics, CD4 count and use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) among HIV-positive women.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 498 HIV-positive women who underwent HPV PCR-based testing, cytology, and systematic cervical biopsy.

Results: In all, 68.7% of women were HPV-positive, 52.6% had high-risk (hr) HPV, and 40.2% multiple type infections. High-risk human papillomavirus-positivity did not vary significantly by age but it was negatively associated with education level. The most frequent types in 113 CIN2/3 were HPV16 (26.5%), HPV35 (19.5%), and HPV58 (12.4%). …

Laparoscopic Splenectomy For Haematological Disorder: Our Experience, Hasnain Zafar, Aamir Hameed, Amyn Pardhan, Ghulam Murtaza, Samia Mazahir

Section of General Surgery

Laparoscopic splenectomy has universal acceptance due to less morbidity and decreased incidence of per-operative and postoperative complication. It is not a popular procedure in Pakistan due to technical challenges. Here, we are presenting our experience of laparoscopic splenectomy for haematological disorders at Aga khan university hospital. A total of seven cases, underwent elective laparoscopic splenectomy for haematological disorders. The operative time was less than 3 hours with minimal blood loss with rapid and uneventful recovery. There was no procedure related morbidity or mortality; however, one patient expired due to overwhelming post splenectomy sepsis.Our initial report highlights the safety of laparoscopic …

Early Abnormal Sponteneous Activity Findings In Axonal Variant Of Guillain Barre Syndrome: Is This A New Variant Of Guillain Barre Syndrome?, Ghulam Shabbir Dr., Asad Ullah Dr., M.A. Lakhair Dr., Ali Majid Dr., Emran Rashid Dr.

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Acute Quadriparesis Due To Acute Demyelinating Polyneuropathy In A Patient Newly Diagnosed As Acase Of B -Cell Lymphoma- An Unusual Presentation. A Case Report With Review Of Literature, Anjum Akhtar, Sarwar Jamil Siddiqui

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Transfusion Therapy As A Sole Treatment Option In A Thalassemia Patient With Acute Paraplegia – A Case Report And Review Of Literature, Sana Rashid

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Experience Of Caregivers With The Survivors Of Hepatitis C, Noureen Shehzad Jiwani, Raisa B. Gul, Rubina Sultan

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Objectives: To assess and describe the experiences of those caring for hepatitis C patients in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: Using a qualitative approach, the study adopted a descriptive exploratory design for which 8 caregirers were selected through snowball sampling technique from different parts of Karachi. Data was collected between May and July 2010 through semi-structured interviews from the caregivers. The interviews were recorded on tape and were transcribed verbatim. The data was manually analysed for extracting themes and categories.

Results: The analyses of data led to one theme - \'deadly, dangerous, and devastating. Two associated categories could also be noted: \'perceptions …

Pain Assessment And Management In Different Wards Of A Tertiary Care Hospital, Anwar Ul Huda, Mohammad Hamid, Saboor Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Baqir, Aysha Almas

Department of Emergency Medicine

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the pain management by medical team, emergency room (ER) team and Acute Pain team in a tertiary care hospital.

METHODS:

The cross-sectional study was done in Medical Ward, Surgical Ward and Emergency Room of Aga Khan University, Karachi, in March-April 2010. The assigned research medical officer visited the three locations every day and selected patients by way of convenient sampling. The study comprised 75 patients; 25 each in three groups. Information was collected on patient's demographics, general characteristics, type of drugs and modalities used. Specific queries about pain were sorted out like adequacy of pain assessment done …

Antenatal Care And The Occurrence Of Low Birth Weight Delivery Among Women In Remote Mountainous Region Of Chitral, Pakistan, Z. Ahmed, S. Khoja, Suha S. Tirmizi

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objective: Low birth weight (LBW) is closely associated with perinatal morbidity and bears an increased risk for subsequent infant morbidity. The study aimed to assess low birth weight delivery factors among women in Chitral, Pakistan.

Methodology: Mixed Methodology was adopted. Structured data collection tool was used to collect information from medical records of 1316 mothers, followed by interviews and focus group discussions to understand the causes and their remedies. The main outcome measure was infants born with low birth weight LBW (<2.5kg).

Result: There was a significant association between the occurrence of low birth weight and maternal education, paternal education, …

Neuro-Rehabilitation In The Developing World, Nirmal Surya Dr.

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Higher Scrotal Uptake Ratio Of (99m)Tc-Mdp On Bone Scans In Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer : A Reliable Indicator Of Pelvic Node Metastasis., Maseeh Uz Zaman, Nosheen Fatima, Zafar Sajjad, Ibrahim Hashmi, Khalid Khan

Department of Radiology

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is the gold standard procedure for nodal staging in prostate cancer (PC) but less commonly used due to its invasiveness. More commonly computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used although these have limited sensitivities and specificities. The aim of this study was to find out the correlation between higher scrotal uptake ratio (SUR) of (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) on bone scan and pelvic nodemetastasis in patients with PC at high risk for nodal metastasis.

METHODS:

This was a retrospective study which included 68 biopsy proven newly diagnosed PC patients who had …

Mri Findings In Methanol Intoxication: A Report Of Three Cases, Muhammad Azeemuddin, Rohana Naqi

Department of Radiology

Methanol is a highly toxic substance and acute methanol poisoning produces severe metabolic acidosis and serious neurological symptoms, including severe visual impairment, extrapyramidal signs and coma. We present three cases of accidental methanol intoxication and discuss the MRI findings.

Acute Quadriparesis Due To Acute Demyelinating Polyneuropathy In A Patient Newly Diagnosed As A Case Of B -Cell Lymphoma- An Unusual Presentation. A Case Report With Review Of Literature, Sardar M. Alam, Haroon Khan, Rafi Ud Din, Faiqa Filza, Tariq Khan

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

The Evolution Of Cranioplasty: A Review Of Graft Types, Storage Options And Operative Technique, Pooja Kanhya Lal, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

No abstract provided.

Good Knowledge About Hypertension Is Linked To Better Control Of Hypertension; A Multicentre Cross Sectional Study In Karachi, Pakistan, Aysha Almas, Saniya Siraj Godil, Saima Lalani, Zahra Aziz Samani, Aamir Hameed

Section of Internal Medicine

Back Ground: According to the National Health survey only 3% of the population has controlled hypertension. This study was designed to elucidate the knowledge about hypertension in hypertensive patients at three tertiary care centers in Karachi. Secondly we sought to compare the knowledge of those with uncontrolled hypertension and controlled hypertension.

Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at The Aga Khan University hospital (AKUH), Ziauddin Hospital (ZH) and Civil hospital, Karachi (CHK. All diagnosed Hypertensive patients (both inpatients and outpatients) coming to a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan aged > 18 years were included. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: …

Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans: An Unusual Case Of Neck Swelling, Naeem Sultan Ali, Maliha Kazi, Beena Umar, Mumtaz Jamshed Khan

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a relatively intermediate to low grade malignant tumour with high proclivity for local recurrence if excised inadequately. It is a locally aggressive tumour and despite sharing some histological features with fibrohistiocytic tumours, it tends to grow in a more infiltrative manner. We are reporting this rare tumour in a 30-year-old woman where the diagnosis of DFSP was confirmed histologically and by positive immunomarkers at immunohistochemistry.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Pakistan: Where Do We Stand?, Amna Subhan Butt, Zaigham Abbas, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

Context: From the 1970s till the mid 1990s, hepatitis B was the most common etiological factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Pakistan. Afterwards, a shift in HCC etiology was observed with a steady rise in hepatitis C virus (HCV) related HCC cases. HCV-3a, which is the most prevalent genotype, is also most frequent in HCV related HCC. There was an increase in the proportion of non-B non-C (NBNC) HCC cases as well, which might be attributed to an increase in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Evidence Acquisition: The age-standardized rate for HCC is 7.64/100 000 in males and 2.8/100 000 in …

Non-Compaction Of The Left Ventricle And Associated Ventricular Septal Defect., Abid Laghari, Javed Tai, Sumaira Saleem

Department of Medicine

A case report of a 28-year-old patient, who presented with symptoms and signs of congestive heart failure and had clinical signs of ventricular septal defect as well. On further work-up echocardiogram showed non-compaction of the left ventricle with severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction and a ventricular septal defect. He was treated with standard treatment of heart failure and is doing well.

Cabergoline Therapy For Macroprolactinoma During Pregnancy: A Case Report., Hira Shahzad, Aisha Sheikh, Lumaan Sheikh

Department of Medicine

Background: We assessed the safety of Cabergoline therapy during pregnancy in a lady with hyperprolactinemia intolerant to Bromocriptine.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 31 year old lady who presented to us with uncontrolled hyperprolactinemia. A pituitary Macroadenoma was demonstrated by MRI. Due to intolerance to Bromocriptine, Cabergoline was started. The patient improved and subsequently conceived. MRI in the second trimester demonstrated further reduction in the tumor size. It was decided to continue Cabergoline throughout pregnancy to ensure further reduction in tumor size until delivery and to hold Cabergoline during postpartum period to allow for an adequate interval …

Are Robots Any Better In Stroke Rehabilitation?, Muhammad Faisal Wadiwala, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Recurrent Non-Aneurysmal, Metastatic Intraparenchymal Haemorrhages Following Resection Of Atrial Myxoma - Case Report And Literature Review., Emmon Raza, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Department of Medicine

Atrial myxomas are the commonest cardiac neoplasms. The most common extra-cardiac manifestations are embolic infarcts from tumour embolisation. Infrequently, aneurysm formation and intracranial haemorrhages also occur. Incredibly rare are space-occupying lesions and malignant transformation. The authors report a case of a previously healthy middle-aged lady who developed recurrent and expanding intraparenchymal haemorrhages following resection of a left atrial myxoma without any primary disease recurrence. The case described is completely different from the described literature in that her intracranial vasculature was free of aneurysms on angiography despite central nervous system haemorrhage and no myxomatous or malignant features were seen on histology …

Situation Analysis Of Child Labour In Karachi, Pakistan: A Qualitative Study, Asaad Ahmed Nafees, Kausar S. Khan, Zafar Fatmi, Mubashir Aslam

Community Health Sciences

In Karachi, large employment opportunities, burgeoning population and the availability of cheap labour might be the contributing factors for the increasing prevalence of child labour. A literature review was conducted in 2007 that included published and unpublished literature since 2000. Various organizations working in the field were also covered, while the perception of the child labourers was covered through three focus group discussions. Common health issues among the child labourers in Karachi included respiratory illnesses, fever and generalised pains, as well as drug and sexual abuse. Organisations working for child labour could be broadly categorised into those working for legal …

Anaesthetic Management Of Neonatal Primary Hyperparathyroidism, Anwar-Ul-Huda, Sanam Dost Mohammad, Tauseef Ahmed

Department of Anaesthesia

Neonatal primary hyperparathyroidism (NPHP) is a rare disease that presents in the first 6 months of life. It is almost invariably fatal unless a prompt diagnosis is made and urgent surgical intervention is instituted. Patients with hyperparathyroidism require special preoperative considerations. They require proper work-up from cardiac, renal and neurological point of view, correction of intravenous volume and electrolytes irregularities. We are presenting a case of an infant who started to have cyanosis and lethargy at 21st day of life. Initial diagnosis of pneumonia was made but later on diagnosed as hyperparathyroidism. He was planned for parathyroidectomy under general anaesthesia. …

Comparison Of Upper Lip Bite Test With Mallampati Test In The Prediction Of Difficult Intubation At A Tertiary Care Hospital Of Pakistan, Muhammad Asghar Ali, Muhammad Qamar-Ul-Hoda, Khalid Samad

Department of Anaesthesia

Objective: To determine the accuracy of the Upper lip bite test and Mallampati test in predicting difficult endotracheal intubation.Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, a tertiary care facility in Karachi, Pakistan. Between June 1,2007 and May 31, 2008, 324 adult patients undergoing elective surgeries requiring general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubations were enrolled. Pre-operatively upper lip bite test and Mallampati test were performed for the assessment of airway by a specifically trained observer. Laryngoscopic view was rated by using Cormack and Lehane laryngoscopic grading once the patient was fully anaesthetised using standard anaesthesia technique. Completed …

The Study Of Hiv And Antenatal Care Integration In Pregnancy In Kenya: Design, Methods, And Baseline Results Of A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Janet M. Turan, Rachel L. Steinfeld, Maricianah Onono, Elizabeth A. Bukusi, Meghan Woods, Starley B. Shade, Sierra Washington, Reson Marima, Jeremy Penner, Marta L. Ackers, Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha, Craig R. Cohen

Pathology, East Africa

Background: Despite strong evidence for the effectiveness of anti-retroviral therapy for improving the health of women living with HIV and for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), HIV persists as a major maternal and child health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. In most settings antenatal care (ANC) services and HIV treatment services are offered in separate clinics. Integrating these services may result in better uptake of services, reduction of the time to treatment initiation, better adherence, and reduction of stigma.

Methodology/Principal Findings: A prospective cluster randomized controlled trial design was used to evaluate the effects of integrating HIV treatment into ANC …

The Causes, Treatment, And Outcome Of Acute Heart Failure In 1006 Africans From 9 Countries, Albertino Damasceno, Bongani M. Mayosi, Mahmoud Sani, Okechukwu S. Ogah, Charles Mondo, Dike Ojji, Anastase Dzudie, Charles Kouam Kouam, Ahmed Suliman, Neshaad Schrueder, Gerald Yonga, Serigne Abdou Ba, Fikru Maru, Bekele Alemayehu, Christopher Edwards, Beth A. Davison, Gad Cotter, Karen Sliwa

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) in sub-Saharan Africa has not been well characterized. Therefore,wesought to describe the characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients admitted with AHF in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: The Sub-Saharan Africa Survey of Heart Failure (THESUS–HF) was a prospective, multicenter, observational survey of patients with AHF admitted to 12 university hospitals in 9 countries. Among patients presenting with AHF, we determined the causes, treatment, and outcomes during 6 months of follow-up.

Results: From July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2010, we enrolled 1006 patients presenting with AHF. Mean (SD) age was 52.3 (18.3) years, 511 (50.8%) were women, …

Complications Of Total Hip Replacement, Kashif Abbas, Ghulam Murtaza, Masood Umer, Haroon Rashid, Irfan Qadir

Section of Orthopaedic Surgery

Objective: To determine the factors causing complications in unilateral total hip replacement.
Study Design: Analytical study.
Place and Duration of Study: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, between 2000 and 2010.
Methodology: During the study period, 199 patients underwent elective unilateral total hip replacement at the Aga Khan University Hospital. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of postoperative complications within 30 days of surgery. Significant factors at 5% significance level on univariate analysis were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.
Results: Postoperative complications occurred in 39 patients (19.6%); dislocation being most common in 13 patients (6.5%), followed …