Enhancing Transplant Awareness and Acceptance Through Targeting Knowledge Gaps and Common Misconceptions.

Introduction Organ transplantation is a critical intervention for patients with end-stage organ failure, but misconceptions and knowledge gaps often hinder organ donation. This study evaluates the acceptability and effectiveness of an organ donation campaign focusing on addressing knowledge gaps and misconceptions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods A two-day awareness campaign was conducted in a shopping mall, featuring four stations providing information on various aspects of organ donation. Participants completed a self-administered, researcher-developed, questionnaire before and after the tour. Results Of the 201 participants, 167 completed the questionnaire (83% response rate). The majority (92.9%) reported learning new information and indicated that the knowledge improved their perspective on organ donation. A high percentage (93.5%) felt the campaign answered their questions, with 90.9% deciding to register as organ donors. Conclusion A knowledge-enhancing campaign can effectively improve public perception and promote awareness of organ donation and transplantation. However, the study is limited by its short timeframe, location, and subjective data. Future research should explore the impact of such campaigns on donor registrations and evaluate their effectiveness in different cultural contexts.

Provision of Safe Anesthesia in Magnetic Resonance Environments: Degree of Compliance with International Guidelines in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The lack of local guidelines and regulations for the administration of anesthesia in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) units presents a potential risk to patient safety in Saudi Arabia. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the extent to which hospitals in Saudi Arabia follow international guidelines and recommendations for the safe and effective administration of anesthesia in an MRI environment. METHODS: This study used a questionnaire that was distributed to 31 medical facilities in Saudi Arabia that provided anesthesia in MRI units. RESULTS: The findings of the study revealed that the mean compliance with the 17 guidelines across the 31 sites was 77%; 5 of the 31 sites (16.1%) had a compliance rate of less than 50% with the recommended guidelines. Only 19.4% of the institutes provided general safety education. Communication breakdowns between anesthesia providers and MRI teams were reported. CONCLUSIONS: To conclude, this survey highlights the status of anesthesia standards in Saudi Arabian MRI units and emphasizes areas that require better adherence to international guidelines. The results call for targeted interventions, including the formulation of specific national anesthesia guidelines for MRI settings. Communication breakdowns between anesthesia providers and MRI teams were reported at a rate of 83.9% during the administration of a gadolinium contrast agent. There were additional breakdowns, particularly for high-risk patients with implants, such as impaired respirators (74.2%), thus requiring further investigation due to potential safety incidents during MRI procedures. While considering the limitations of this study, such as potential biases and the low response rate, it provides a valuable foundation for refining protocols and promoting standardized practices in Saudi Arabian healthcare.

Knowledge and attitudes of gout patients and their perspectives about diagnosis and management: A cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Gout is a chronic noncommunicable disease that might lead to multiple systemic complications if it is left untreated. The knowledge, attitudes, and perceptives among patients toward the diagnosis and management of gout are important indicators in determining the prognosis and predicting sequelae of the disease. This cross-sectional survey aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives of patients diagnosed with gout toward the disease diagnosis and treatment. METHODOLOGY: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at university clinics and local health facilities in central Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the duration between April and August 2022. Pearson χ2 test was used to determine the difference in the proportion of patients who adapt different attitudes and perspectives in terms of their demographic variables. Statistical significance was defined as a p value less than .05. RESULTS: Two-hundred thirteen patients were involved in this study. The majority of the patients (84.0%) were diagnosed for more than 1 year. The majority of the patients (76.5%) were aged 25-60 years when they were diagnosed with gout. The most common complaint at the time of the diagnosis was joint pain (73.7%). The most commonly reported gout medication treatment being used was allopurinol accounting for 23.0%. The majority of the patients (83.6%) were satisfied regarding the effects of gout management on their job performance, work life, and careers. The vast majority (97.5%) reported that they are satisfied with the health service provided. CONCLUSION: The patients diagnosed with gout in Saudi Arabia exhibited a satisfactory level of information, attitude, and perspectives regarding their condition. The participants expressed a significant degree of satisfaction with the impact of gout management on their occupational performance, work-life balance, and professional plans. Additional research is necessary to ascertain the risk factors associated with gout and provide suitable preventative interventions.

Incidence and Causes of Early Hospital Readmissions After Living-Donor Renal Transplant at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh.

BACKGROUND:  Living-donor organ transplant has a higher long-term survival rate compared to deceased-donor organ transplant, with kidney transplantation being the optimal treatment for most kidney failure patients. However, early hospital readmission within 30 days of discharge can occur due to various factors and can negatively affect long-term outcomes. Effective communication with patients pre-and post-transplant is crucial for a better quality of life and for reducing readmissions. Chronic kidney disease and co-morbid conditions must also be addressed for better long-term outcomes. The incidence and causes of early hospital readmission vary depending on local characteristics and other factors. METHODS:  A retrospective cohort study of outcomes in patients who underwent living-donor renal transplantation at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) between 2015 and 2022. Data were collected by chart review using the BestCare system. The data collected included patients' demographics, comorbidities, surgery-related data, and the outcome of transplantation. The categorical data were presented using percentages and frequencies, while the numerical data were presented as mean and standard deviation. The Chi-square test was used for inferential statistics to find the association between categorical variables. RESULTS:  Regarding sociodemographic characteristics, the majority of patients were male, aged 19-50 years, and either overweight or had obesity class 1. The incidence of complications, graft failure, and mortality after renal transplant was low, with only a small percentage of patients experiencing these outcomes within one year of transplant. There is no significant association between gender, age, BMI, and the likelihood of readmission after renal transplantation. Patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease had a higher likelihood of readmission after renal transplantation. The study provides an association between readmission after renal transplantation and various factors such as surgical complications, previous transplant, age at transplant, graft failure, and mortality. Out of the 107 readmitted patients, 2.8% had surgical complications, and 5.6% had a previous transplant, but the association was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION:  Early hospital readmission within 30 days of discharge can be a concern for patients undergoing renal transplants. While the incidence of complications, graft failure, and mortality after renal transplant was low, patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease had a higher likelihood of readmission after renal transplantation. Although the association between surgical complications and readmission was not statistically significant, it is important to continue monitoring this factor in future studies. Effective communication with patients pre-and post-transplant can play a crucial role in reducing readmissions and improving long-term outcomes.

Utilization of the emergency department by kidney transplant recipients: a retrospective cohort study from a high-volume transplant center.

This study aims to assess the trends of emergency department (ED) visits among kidney transplant recipients in a high-volume transplant centre. Methods: This retrospective cohort study targeted patients who underwent renal transplantation at a high-volume transplant centre from 2016 to 2020. The main outcomes of the study were ED visits within 30 days, 31-90 days, 91-180 days, and 181-365 days of transplantation. Results: This study included 348 patients. The median (interquartile range) age of patients was 45.0 years (30.8, 58.2). Over half of the patients were male (57.2%). There was a total of 743 ED visits during the first year after discharge. 19% (n=66) were considered high-frequency users. High-volume ED users tended to be admitted more frequently as compared to those with low frequencies of ED visits (65.2% vs. 31.2%, respectively, P<0.001). Conclusion: As evident by the large number of ED visits, suitable coordination of management through the ED remains a pivotal component of post-transplant care. Strategies addressing prevention of complications of surgical procedures or medical care and infection control are aspects with potential for enhancement.

Validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the revised illness perception questionnaire for patients with hypertension.

Background: Hypertension is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia affecting 31.4% of the population. The Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R) is a validated and reliable tool for assessing the perception of hypertension among patients. This cross-sectional study aimed to translate the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) into Arabic and validate it among Arabic patients with hypertension from the outpatient departments of the Prince Sattam University Hospital and King Khalid Hospital (KKH) in Al-Kharj City in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A bilingual panel of doctors and medical translators was assembled to translate the IPQ-R into Arabic. The questionnaire was administered to 100 adult Arabic speaking patients with clinically diagnosed primary hypertension. Patients with secondary hypertension or complications of hypertension were excluded from the study. Results: Fifty-seven patients (57%) were male and sixty-five (65%) were older than 40 years. Headache was the most common symptom of hypertension reported by 65% of the participants. The internal consistency of the questionnaire excluding the domain of 'Disease Identity' was 0.76 indicating satisfactory consistency. There were weak to moderate positive linear correlations (r = 0.003-0.561) between the domains of IPQ-R suggesting a reasonable discriminant validity among the domains. Conclusion: The Arabic version of the IPQ-R for hypertensive patients is a consistent, valid, and reliable tool to be used by researchers or clinicians for assessing knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of Arabic speaking patients with hypertension living in Saudi Arabia.

Posttraumatic stress disorders and influencing factors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of frontline nurses.

AIMS: To assess the extent of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and severity, factors motivating work continuation, and factors influencing PTSD development among frontline nurses caring for patients with COVID-19. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has an emotional toll on nurses. Exposure to traumatic events associated with the pandemic places frontline nurses at risk for developing PTSD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Frontline nurses (n = 370) who cared for COVID-19 patients in three governmental hospitals in the United Arab Emirates were recruited from November 2020 to January 2021. The self-reported Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) was used to assess PTSD. The motivational factors for work continuation explored were: work-related factors (e.g., availability of personal protective equipment and management recognition), family support, and obligation to care. We used correlation and multiple regression analyses to investigate factors that influenced PDS score, including sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, exercising status, and general health status), work factors (e.g., hospital type [COVID vs non-COVID], prior work experience, and encountering deaths), and factors motivating work continuation. The reporting of this study was consistent with STROBE guidelines. RESULTS: In total, 36.2% participants had a probable PTSD diagnosis (PDS score ≥28) with most reporting unwanted memories. Family support (95.9%) and management recognition (90.8%) were the most frequently reported motivating factors. Factors significantly associated with higher PDS score were smoking, lack of management recognition, not exercising, and encountering COVID-19 deaths; the correlation and regression coefficients (b) were significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING/HEALTH POLICY: Policy makers must expand healthcare policies to address frontline nurses' mental health as a priority during the pandemic. Nurse leaders must be involved in health policy development to protect nurses in anticipation of and during global health emergencies.

Urinary Tract Infections in the First 6 Months after Renal Transplantation.

PURPOSE: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in the first 6 months after renal transplantation, and there are only limited data about UTIs after transplantation in Saudi Arabia in general. METHODS: A retrospective study from January 2017 to May 2020 with 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: 279 renal transplant recipients were included. Mean age was 43.4 ± 16.0 years, and114 (40.9%) were women. Urinary stents were inserted routinely during transplantation and were removed 35.3 ± 28 days postoperatively. Ninety-seven patients (35%) developed urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the first six months after renal transplantation. Of those who developed the first episode of UTI, the recurrence rates were 57%, 27%, and 14% for having one, two, or three recurrences, respectively. Late urinary stent removals, defined as more than 21 days postoperatively, tended to have more UTIs (OR: 1.43, P: 0.259, CI: 0.76-2.66). Age >40, female gender, history of neurogenic bladder, and transplantation abroad were statistically significant factors associated with UTIs and recurrence. Diabetes, level of immunosuppression, deceased donor renal transplantation, pretransplant residual urine volume, or history of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was not associated with a higher incidence of UTIs. UTIs were asymptomatic in 60% but complicated with bacteremia in 6% of the cases. Multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) were the causative organisms in 42% of cases, and in-hospital treatment was required in about 50% of cases. Norfloxacin + Bactrim DD (160/800 mg) every other day was not associated with the lower risk of developing UTIs compared to the standard prophylaxis daily Bactrim SS (80/400 mg). CONCLUSION: UTIs and recurrence are common in the first 6 months after renal transplantation. Age >40, female gender, neurogenic bladder, and transplantation abroad are associated with the increased risk of UTIs and recurrence. MDROs are common causative organisms, and hospitalization is frequently required. Dual prophylactic antibiotics did not seem to be advantageous over the standard daily Bactrim.

The Impact of Timing of Stent Removal on the Incidence of UTI, Recurrence, Symptomatology, Resistance, and Hospitalization in Renal Transplant Recipients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of early (<3 weeks) versus late (>3 weeks) urinary stent removal on urinary tract infections (UTIs) post renal transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed including all adult renal transplants who were transplanted between January 2017 and May 2020 with a minimum of 6-month follow-up at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: A total of 279 kidney recipients included in the study were stratified into 114 in the early stent removal group (ESR) and 165 in the late stent removal group (LSR). Mean age was 43.4 ± 15.8; women: n: 114, 40.90%; and deceased donor transplant: n: 55, 19.70%. Mean stent removal time was 35.3 ± 28.0 days posttransplant (14.1 ± 4.6 days in the ESR versus 49.9 ± 28.1 days in LSR, p < 0.001). Seventy-four UTIs were diagnosed while the stents were in vivo or up to two weeks after the stent removal "UTIs related to the stent" (n = 20, 17.5% in ESR versus n = 54, 32.7% in LSR; p=0.006). By six months after transplantation, there were 97 UTIs (n = 36, 31.6% UTIs in ESR versus n = 61, 37% in LSR; p=0.373). Compared with UTIs diagnosed after stent removal, UTIs diagnosed while the stent was still in vivo tended to be complicated (17.9% versus 4.9%, p: 0.019), recurrent (66.1% versus 46.3%; p: 0.063), associated with bacteremia (10.7% versus 0%; p: 0.019), and requiring hospitalization (61% versus 24%, p: 0.024). Early stent removal decreased the need for expedited stent removal due to UTI reasons (rate of UTIs before stent removal) (n = 11, 9% in the early group versus n = 45, 27% in the late group; p=0.001). The effect on the rate of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) was less clear (33% versus 47%, p: 0.205). Early stent removal was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of UTIs related to the stent (HR = 0.505, 95% CI: 0.302-0.844, p=0.009) without increasing the incidence of urological complications. Removing the stent before 21 days posttransplantation decreased UTIs related to stent (aOR: 0.403, CI: 0.218-0.744). Removing the stent before 14 days may even further decrease the risk of UTIs (aOR: 0.311, CI: 0.035- 2.726). CONCLUSION: Early ureteric stent removal defined as less than 21 days post renal transplantation reduced the incidence of UTIs related to stent without increasing the incidence of urological complications. UTIs occurring while the ureteric stent still in vivo were notably associated with bacteremia and hospitalization. A randomized trial will be required to further determine the best timing for stent removal.

Incidence Rate and Predictors of Delayed Graft Function Among Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background Delayed graft function (DGF) is the most common early postoperative complication of renal transplantation. The occurrence of DGF can lead to both early and late devastating consequences on the allograft's survival. The risk of developing this complication can increase with certain factors that are related to both the donor and the recipient. In the present study, we aimed to detect the incidence rate of DGF among patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to investigate potential predictors of DGF. Materials and methods This retrospective chart review was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The inclusion criteria were all patients, 18 years or older, who had renal transplantation from January 1, 2016, to March 31, 2020. Patients who had a second renal transplant, or renal transplantation in a different hospital and were followed up at KAMC were excluded. Patients' medical records were accessed using the BESTCare electronic system to obtain the patients' demographic data. A Chi-square test was used to test for the association between a predictor and a delay in graft function. Results A total of 344 patients were enrolled in the present study, approximately half of whom were males (56.6%, n=189). Around one-half (49.4%) were aged between 40 and 64 years. The most common cause of renal failure was hypertension, which was found in 117 (35%) patients, followed by diabetes mellitus (DM) in 94 (28.1%) patients. Most organ donors 258 (77.2%) were alive. A total of 23 (6.9%) participants developed DGF. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) was found to be significantly associated with DGF (P < 0.001). Those who took MMF (5.9%) had a significantly lower rate of DGF compared to those who did not (36.4%). A significantly higher rate of DGF was seen in patients whose transplants were taken from deceased donors (15.5%) compared to living donor transplants (3.9%). Gender, age, body mass index (BMI), recipient blood type, donor blood type, and cause of renal failure were not associated with DGF. Conclusions Only 6.9% of the study's participants exhibited DGF. The observed rate was lower than the ones detected in the literature. Those who took MMF had a significantly lower rate of DGF compared to those who did not. Transplants of deceased donors (15.5%) showed a significantly higher rate of DGF. Larger multicenter studies are required to further investigate DGF in a region with a high prevalence of organ failure and a higher need for transplantations, such as Saudi Arabia.

Knowledge, awareness, and vaccination compliance of hepatitis B among medical students in Riyadh's governmental universities.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B is a blood-borne infectious liver disease caused by the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and it is best prevented by immunization. Due to occupational exposure, medical students have an increased risk of contracting HBV. Therefore, it is essential for all medical students to have good knowledge about HBV and to complete their HBV vaccinations. AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess and compare HBV knowledge, awareness, and vaccination compliance among pre-clinical medical students in four universities. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2018 at the College of Medicine of four governmental universities: King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Saud University, Princess Noura university, and Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two-hundred-sixty-three pre-clinical medical students completed a questionnaire with sections about demographics, HBV awareness, knowledge, and vaccination compliance. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The data was transferred to Excel and SPSS version 22 was used for statistical analysis. A significance level of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The overall knowledge about HBV and vaccination compliance were poor. KSU students had the highest vaccination compliance (n = 52, 54.2%) and KSAU-HS the lowest (n = 19, 23,8%). The most-cited reasons for noncompliance were "forgetting about the vaccine" and "busy schedule". CONCLUSION: Overall, most of the participants had poor HBV knowledge and vaccine compliance. Therefore, we recommend the implementation of pre-clinical vaccine checking and the addition of an infectious disease awareness and prevention program.

Assessing the Inhospital Complications in Patients Postrenal Transplantation, in a Tertiary Care Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can range from localized to systemic manifestations that can worsen patients' outcomes. CKD results in irreversible deterioration in renal function, which ultimately progresses to end-stage renal failure and necessitates the need for renal transplantation. Our study aimed to identify patients' complications postrenal transplant during hospitalization and assess the main factors affecting these patients' outcomes and survival rates. This study is a single-centered, retrospective cohort chart review conducted from January 2016 to March 2019. The collected data parameters included patients' characteristics (e.g., gender, age, body mass index), as well as surgical-related details and postoperative complications. Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS Statistics version 22.0 were used for data entry and analysis. The descriptive statistics were presented as frequency and percentage for the categorical variables (e.g., gender and smoking status), while the mean ± standard deviation was used for numerical variables. A total of 80 posttransplant patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited. Urogenital complications were the most commonly seen during the postoperative period, especially developing urinary tract infections by 16%. During our study, the rate of complications was considered minimal and not significant in assessing posttransplant patients.

Postoperative complications in living liver donors: A retrospective study, single-center experience in Saudi Arabia.

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) offers life to patients with end-stage liver disease. The balance between the benefit to the recipient and the risk to the donor plays a central role in justifying LDLT. However, the incidence rates of complications posttransplant differ widely. This study is designed to identify postoperative complications in LDLT in a tertiary care center King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC). This was a retrospective cohort study. All donors at KAMC between January 2003 and December 2015 were reviewed through a hospital database and patient charts to determine the postoperative complications based on the modified Clavien classification system. All donors were relatives of the recipients and assessed before the surgery. A total of 101 donors underwent LDLT: 75 were male and 26 were female, with a mean age of 27.7 ± 6.6. The breakdown of specific surgical procedures was as follows: 65 (64.3%) donors underwent right hepatic lobectomy, 31 (30.6%) underwent left lateral hepatectomy, three (2.97%) underwent extended right hepatectomy with the inclusion of the middle hepatic vein, and two (1.98%) underwent left hepatectomy. Postoperative complications were determined in 20 patients (19.8%), but no mortality was observed. Complications were reported in 14 (21.5%) right and six (19.4%) left lateral hepatectomy donors. A total of 12 patients had Grade I complications, six patients had Grade II complications, and Grade III complications were reported in two cases. The most frequent complications were upper limb weakness to brachial plexus neuropathy and mild bile leak. Life-threatening complications in our center have not been reported in LDLT; however, some donors may experience postoperative morbidity, which usually were mild and had a good prognosis.

Quality of life in living kidney donors: A single-center experience at the king abdulaziz medical city.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) results in irreversible decline in renal function, which ultimately progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Transplantation is the treatment of choice for ESRD, and this is possible only if donor kidneys are available. Several doubts can appear in the minds of donors and among general public regarding the quality of life (QOL) after donation which can affect the willingness to donate. Therefore, we aimed to assess the QOL in living kidney donors in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using the kidney disease QOL instrument short form (KDQOL-SF). This was a cross-sectional survey of living kidney donors between 18 and 65 years of age who donated their kidneys between 2008 and 2014 and was conducted in the hepatobiliary and transplantation department of our hospital. The study measured 17 domains in KDQOL-SF. Each domain score is up to 100; the higher the score in each domain, the better the QOL. Data will be entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21.0. The descriptive statistics will be presented as frequency and percentage for the categorical variables (e.g., gender and income) and the mean ± SD for numerical variables (e.g., QOL score). The study included 60 donors who donated during the study period between 2008 and 2014. Males were 49 (82%) with the age (mean ± standard deviation) as 32 ± 6.5 years. The donors reported an "overall-mean-score" of 86.7 ± 14.6. Four domains had lower scores between 60 and 80: "sleep" (61.8 ± 13.8), "emotional-well-being" (71.6 ± 11.1), "quality-of-social-interaction," and "energy/fatigue." The other 13 domains had scores >80. The two highest domains: "role-physical" (97.9 ± 13.3) and "effect-of-kidney-disease" (97.4 ± 8). Comparing males and females scores, work status was higher in males with P = 0.03. Our findings suggest that donors have a good QOL which may result in more donations. It is important to improve the standard of care for donors to enable them to live their life to the fullest.

Antidote Availability in Saudi Arabia Hospitals in the Riyadh Province.

Inadequate antidote stocking is a global problem in hospitals. Insufficient supplies and delays in the administration of antidotes could lead to death and additional potentially negative clinical consequences. Our objective was to determine the availability of antidotes in hospitals listed on the Saudi Ministry of Health website in the Riyadh Province and to evaluate the leading poison in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed to pharmacist directors and emergency room-treating physicians in 17 public hospitals throughout the Riyadh Province. None (0/17) of the pharmacies contained the 24 recommended essential antidotes by the expert consensus guidelines for stocking of antidotes in hospitals. Polyvalent scorpion antivenom, atropine sulphate, calcium gluconate, flumazenil and naloxone hydrochloride were stocked in 94.12% (16/17) of hospitals. 66.67% of patients presented with osmolality, and 55.56% of referral patients with opiates, barbiturates, acetaminophen and salicylate. Our findings have important implications for healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical practices. National practice guidelines are needed to assist pharmacists in selecting appropriate antidotes based on the local pattern of poisoning incidents. Therefore, further study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia needs to be completed to fully evaluate the availability of antidotes throughout the country.

Endoscopic extraction of vascular embolization coils that have migrated into the biliary tract in a liver transplant recipient.

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm (HAA) is a rare vascular complication of liver transplantation. Minimally invasive radiological interventions are generally considered before seeking surgical treatment of HAA. Coil embolization of the aneurysmal sac and or exclusion of pseudoaneurysm by deploying a stent over the aneurysm are effective interventions to control hemobilia arising from the HAA. Migration of coils inside the bile duct is a rarely reported complication in post-hepatic transplantation. Treatment options remain largely unexplored due to the rarity of its occurrence. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiographic removal of migrated vascular coils in the common bile duct following embolization of HAA has not been described in a liver transplant setting. We report a liver transplant recipient who underwent uneventful and successful endoscopic removal of migrated coils into the bile duct.

Late Renal Allograft Rupture Associated with Cessation of Immunosuppression following Graft Failure.

A 29-year-old man developed chronic allograft nephropathy 63 months after renal transplantation. He became symptomatic with advanced chronic graft failure; his immunosuppressive medications were reduced and he was commenced on haemodialysis. Two months following the withdrawal of immunosuppression, he presented with abdominal pain, haematuria, and a marked drop in haemoglobin. The patient was taken to the operating room, where the renal allograft was found to be ruptured, and graft nephrectomy was subsequently performed. Histological examination of the graft specimen showed severe haemorrhagic acute vascular cellular rejection in a background of marked chronic allograft vasculopathy. Immunostaining for C4d showed diffuse, strong, linear circumferential staining of the peritubular capillaries, indicating a concurrent antibody-mediated rejection. We report herein an unusual case of spontaneous renal allograft rupture that occurred long time after transplantation due to severe acute rejection following cessation of immunosuppressive medications for advanced chronic allograft failure. To the best of our knowledge, the time interval between transplantation and the rupture of this allograft is the longest of those reported in the literature.