Pelvic fractures: experience of pelvic ring fractures at a major trauma centre.

In this review, we discuss the imaging classification of pelvic ring fractures in the context of our experience of reporting trauma computed tomography (CT) in a major trauma centre. Pelvic ring fractures are potentially significant injuries with risk of significant haemorrhage and morbidity. This review details the use of classification systems in determining the mechanism and severity of injury, with discussion of the features of the Young and Burgess classification system. We demonstrate the different types of pelvic ring fracture with examples from trauma CT, and with reference to the distribution and frequency of these injuries in trauma patients. This review will allow the reader to assess trauma CT for significant pelvic ring injury and identify features of instability.

Imaging features of spinal trauma: what the radiologist needs to know.

Traumatic spinal fractures typically occur in a young subset of patients following a high-energy motor vehicle accident (MVA) or a fall from height. Upon recognizing the spinal injury, the radiologist should be able to describe the fracture pattern based on conventional nomenclature and to deduce the likely mechanism of injury. This will enable the provision of a more clinically relevant report and will help the radiologist to appreciate the likelihood of associated ligamentous and neurological injury. Vertebral trauma often follows a recognizable pattern based on a specific mechanism of injury. These predictable types of fracture have been referred to as the "fingerprints" of the injury.(1) This review depicts the variety of vertebral column fractures seen in a cohort of 781 patients admitted to our level 1 trauma centre over 1 year.

Spinal cord injury: scenario in an Indian state.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. OBJECTIVES: To find out the epidemiology and demographic factors associated with patients of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Sawai Man Singh Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, India. METHODS: Consecutive SCI cases admitted from January 2000 to December 2008 were evaluated on a preformed proforma for demographic factors, epidemiological data and neurological status. RESULTS: In 2716 cases of SCI, 1400 were cervical and 1316 thoracolumbar, with male to female ratio of 4.2:1 and 71% in the age group of 20-49 years. Around 79% patients were from rural background. About 23.3% were farmers while 22.9% were laborers. Among the causes of injury, 53% patients had a fall from height and 28% suffered from road traffic accidents. Fall of heavy object over head and back (10.7%), fall with heavy object over head (3.0%) and fall following electric shock (4.0%) were uncommon causes. Complete paralysis was found in 20.5% cervical and 23.3% in thoracic injuries. Extremity and rib fractures (10.6%) and head injuries (7.2%) were common associated injuries. About 55% cases were initially attended at non-specialized centers. Proper bladder and bowel management in early phase was lacking. CONCLUSION: Epidemiological factors of SCI in Indian scenario are different from western countries with major cause being fall. The low socio-economic status and younger age group had a major financial, social and psychological impact as majority of the patients were the primary earning members of the family. Therefore, measures should be taken to reduce the incidence of SCI.

A Functional Domain Based Approach in Neurocognitive Rehabilitation with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A Case Report.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a novel brain stimulation technique which has kindled hope in alleviating motor, language as well as cognitive deficits in neuronal injury. Current case report describes application of tDCS in two phases using two different protocols in a patient with hypoxic injury. In the first phase anodal stimulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improved the language fluency. Subsequently, after 6 months second phase application of anodal stimulation over posterior parietal region targeted arithmetic and working memory deficits. Individualising the treatment protocols of brain stimulation, based on the lesion and the functional deficits, for neuro-rehabilitation is emphasised.

Effect of microwave pretreatment of coal for improvement of rheological characteristics of coal-water slurries.

Indian high-ash coal contains alpha-silica components of the mineral matter. When coal is transported in the form of a slurry, alpha-silica adds to the settling properties of coal and enhances erosion of pipelines. As such any technique that will contribute to changing the characteristics of mineral matter by selective demineralization is bound to supplement the knowledge of coal slurries in the science of rheology. One such method is the use of a novel microwave technology, which changes the alpha-silica to less harmful beta-silica. Thus microwave-treated coal slurry facilitates enhanced flow characteristics and abates the erosion problem in pipeline transport as well as in coal-slurry injection furnaces. This paper reports on the rheological study of closely sized coal particles of medium-volatile, low-ash, low-moisture cleans and high-ash rejects with and without microwave treatment. Viscosity of suspensions of microwave-treated coal was found to be less than that of untreated coal, in the case of both cleans and rejects. Microwave pretreatment thus reduces the viscosity and the pumping cost and opens a new outlook for pipeline transport. An attempt has been made to quantify the improvement of rheological characteristics due to microwave pretreatment.

Normal parameters of ventricular system in healthy infants.

Six hundred healthy inborn newborns and infants upto the age of 18 months were studied. Cranial sonography was performed by real time 2D scanner with 5 MHz transducer and images were obtained through anterior fontanelle and temporo-squamal suture. Various parameters related to ventricular system were measured for different ages till the fontanelle remained open. These values will prove useful for diagnosing hydrocephalus at an early stage of the disease and also to find out the blocks at various levels in ventricular system.

Bitter sweet tympani.

During cholesteatoma surgery, the chorda tympani nerve must often be divided. We present an interesting case of a patient whose severe dysgeusia due to cholesteatoma resolved following section of the chorda tympani nerve.

Dermoid cysts in camels.

In our experience the camel (Camelus dromedarius) seems to be affected more commonly by dermoid cysts as compared to other cutaneous cysts. However, apart from one reference (Monteverde, 1935), the dermoid cyst has not been reported in the camel. This report documents dermoid cysts in identical locations in 11 camels with two camels having bilateral dermoid cysts at the similar site.