Treatment outcome of tuberculosis patients detected using accelerated vs. passive case finding in Myanmar.

SETTING: Several projects involving accelerated or active case finding (ACF) of tuberculosis (TB) cases are being implemented in Myanmar. However, there is a concern that patients detected using ACF have poorer TB treatment outcomes than those detected using passive case finding (PCF). OBJECTIVE: To assess differences in the demographics, clinical profile and treatment outcomes of patients detected using ACF and PCF. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of TB patients diagnosed and enrolled for treatment during 2014-2016. RESULTS: Of 16 048 patients enrolled, 2226 (16%) were detected using ACF; the treatment success rate (cured and completed) was 88%. A higher proportion of cases detected using ACF were aged 55 years, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative and sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB. After adjusting for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, we found that treatment outcomes in patients detected using ACF and PCF were not significantly different (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 0.89, 95%CI 0.78-1.00). Male sex, age  55 years, patients with a previous history of TB and HIV positivity were independently associated with unsuccessful outcomes. CONCLUSION: ACF detected a significant proportion of TB cases in study townships; treatment outcomes in cases detected using ACF and those detected using PCF were similar. More tailored interventions are needed to improve treatment outcomes in patients at a higher risk of unsuccessful treatment outcomes.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with metastasis to the skull base, pituitary gland, sphenoid sinus, and cavernous sinus.

Two cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, with metastases to the skull base, pituitary gland, sphenoid sinus, and cavernous sinus are reported. Patients presented with diplopia, retro-orbital headache, and multiple cranial nerves palsies. Pituitary metastases may require surgery as palliative treatment, and for the confirmation of histology. One of the current cases was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma prior to transphenoidal resection of the pituitary metastasis. The second patient was found to have hepatocellular carcinoma after review of histology, and the development of signs and symptoms relating to the primary tumour.

A randomized, double-blind comparison of ampicillin/sulbactam and ceftriaxone in the prevention of surgical-site infections after neurosurgery.

BACKGROUND: The use of prophylactic antibiotics has been shown to decrease the rate of surgical-site infections after clean neurosurgical operations, although previous clinical trials have provided no evidence that one antibiotic is superior to another for this purpose. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to compare the rates of postoperative infectious complications of neurosurgery with prophylactic ceftriaxone and ampicillin/sulbactam, a less-expensive antibiotic. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing neurosurgery between January and December 1998 were recruited for the study. Those who had an infectious disease for which antibiotics were required, who received antibiotics within 48 hours before surgery, were aged <12 or >85 years, had an indwelling catheter for the monitoring of intracranial pressure, or had a history of allergy to the study drugs were excluded. Before the operation, eligible patients were randomized to either ampicillin/sulbactam 3 g or ceftriaxone 2 g. Surgeons and patients were blinded to treatment assignment. The study drugs were administered by the anesthesiologist as an IV bolus after induction of general anesthesia. All patients were followed for 6 weeks postoperatively. If reoperation was required within 6 weeks of the original operation, the patient received the same antibiotic as during the first surgery, without further randomization. RESULTS: Over the 1-year study period, 180 consecutive patients undergoing neurosurgical operations were recruited. Surgical-site infection occurred in 2 (2.3%) patients in the ampicillin/sulbactam group and 3 (3.3%) in the ceftriaxone group; nonsurgical-site infection occurred in 25 (28.4%) patients in the ampicillin/sulbactam group and 15 (16.3%) in the ceftriaxone group. The between-group differences were not statistically significant, with the exception of surgical implantation of foreign material, which was performed sig- nificantly more frequently in the ceftriaxone group (P = 0.045). In addition, 2 of 3 surgical-site infections in the ceftriaxone group involved foreign-material implantation; however, if these operations are omitted from the analysis, the difference between treatments remains nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that ampicillin/sulbactam and ceftriaxone are of similar prophylactic efficacy in clean neurosurgical operations. Because the acquisition cost of 2 g ceftriaxone is approximately 3 times greater than that of 3 g ampicillin/sulbactam, the latter may be more cost-effective than the former for neurosurgical prophylaxis; however, other relevant hospital-related costs were not assessed in this study.

Computed tomography-guided stereotactic aspiration and biopsy of a cystic metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pons.

We herein report a case of adenocarcinoma of the right main bronchus disseminated to the pons, left cerebral peduncle, and liver. Computed tomography-guided Cosman-Robert-Wells stereotactic aspiration of the cystic pontine lesion was performed through a transoccipital, transtentorial route and a catheter inserted in the cyst cavity that was connected to a subgaleal Ommaya reservoir for further aspiration and decompression. The choice of this approach to the lesion is briefly discussed.

Bifrontal meningeal fibrosarcoma in a patient with metastases to the liver, kidneys and suprarenal glands.

Primary meningeal sarcoma is a rare malignant tumour of the central nervous system and metastases to the liver, kidney and the suprarenal gland have not been reported elsewhere. A 47 year old Chinese woman who presented with a short history of headache and vomiting was found to have metastatic meningeal fibrosarcoma in the liver 4 months after resection of primary bifrontal meningeal fibrosarcoma. The computerized tomography findings and relevant histology are presented.

An epidemiologic study of 70 oral cancer cases at the Institute of Dental Medicine, Yangon, Myanmar, 1985-1988.

This study shows that in Myanmar, South-East Asia, the prevalence of oral cancers is a serious fact as they rank fifth among all cancers being known there. On the 70 oral cancer cases reported at the Institute of Dental Medicine, Yangon, the findings stressed that most patients, male or female, came from the metropolitan division (Yangon), had smoking and chewing habits. Also most of these patients came to hospital only at the severe and late stage. It confirms us in our opinion that early diagnosis and prompt treatment are a necessity.