Snodgrass Hypospadias Repair At Ayub Teaching Hospital: An Audit Of Complications And Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: There are many reported techniques for the repair of hypospadias, and new ones are being reported, which suggests that none is perfect. This study reports the anatomical success rate when using Snodgrass Technique. METHODS: In this descriptive case series, 296 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, by being treated by Snodgrass urethroplasty, were enrolled. The study was conducted at the Department of Surgery, Unit-C, MTI, Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad between May 2008 and June 2021. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 2.4±.8 years, 79.7% (n=236) had anterior (glanular, coronal, sub coronal) meatal location and 20.3 % (n=60) had middle urethral meatus (distal & mid-shaft). The mean operative time was 52 min. 5.1% of patients developed neo-meatal stenosis (n=15), 7.1% (n=21) patients develop a urethral cutaneous fistula (compared to 5% in larger centers, 16% from smaller centers), 11.8% (n=35) developed wound infection, 2% (n=6) had complete disruption. The cosmetic appearance of the penis was "excellent"/good (shape of meatus was slit-like and vertically oriented) in 60.1% (n=178) patients, "acceptable" in 30.1% (n=89), and "not acceptable" in 9.8% (n=29). CONCLUSIONS: Snodgrass technique has a low complication rate, offers an acceptable cosmetic outcome and can be successfully applied to a wide range of defects from distal to mid-shaft hypospadias. Common complications include urethral-cutaneous fistula and meatal stenosis; both occur in a low and acceptable number of patients.

Pattern Of Breast Cancer: Experience At Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy found in females all over the world and the second leading cause of cancer death in European countries. The purpose of this study was to find out the pattern of disease presentation in our region where a proper tumour registry system is lacking. METHODS: This descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Surgery, Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad, from July 2021 to June 2022. All female patients with biopsy-proven breast cancer were included in the study: benign lumps, refused to enrol, and those who were lost to follow-up were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients with carcinoma breast were included: 92 % (n=80) had invasive ductal carcinoma. Axillary lymph nodes were involved in 88.5% (n=77), 75.8% of the tumours, (n=66), were Grade 2, 34.5% (n=30) were in the 40-49 years age group, and 30 % (n=27) of the disease was categorized as Stage III or IV. In 55 % (n=48), the tumour was on the right side and in 39% (n=34), the upper outer quadrant was involved. Most of the patients, 90.8% (n=79), were married and had used contraceptive measures. Only 19.5% of patients (n=17), had a history of nipple discharge and 56% (n=49) had a positive family history: 71% (n=62) had nipple retraction, and 54% (n=47), proved to be ER PR positive. CONCLUSIONS: Our patients presented late: axilla was commonly involved and a third had advanced disease. Screening and community awareness programs may help in early detection. Hormone use for contraception needs to be weighed carefully. Better data collection may help in designing screening and care programs.

Peptide microarrays coupled to machine learning reveal individual epitopes from human antibody responses with neutralizing capabilities against SARS-CoV-2.

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent for the disease COVID-19. To capture the IgA, IgG, and IgM antibody response of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 at individual epitope resolution, we constructed planar microarrays of 648 overlapping peptides that cover the four major structural proteins S(pike), N(ucleocapsid), M(embrane), and E(nvelope). The arrays were incubated with sera of 67 SARS-CoV-2 positive and 22 negative control samples. Specific responses to SARS-CoV-2 were detectable, and nine peptides were associated with a more severe course of the disease. A random forest model disclosed that antibody binding to 21 peptides, mostly localized in the S protein, was associated with higher neutralization values in cellular anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays. For antibodies addressing the N-terminus of M, or peptides close to the fusion region of S, protective effects were proven by antibody depletion and neutralization assays. The study pinpoints unusual viral binding epitopes that might be suited as vaccine candidates.

Complete ophthalmoplegia secondary to idiopathic intracranial hypertension managed successfully with dural sinus stenting: A case and systematic review.

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) typically occurs in obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) females of childbearing age in the absence of any apparent intracranial space-occupying lesion. Patients typically present with headache, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, and blurry vision secondary to increased intracranial pressure, with more severe cases involving cranial neuropathies and ophthalmological manifestations. Complete ophthalmoplegia is a rare event in IIH. In such cases, aggressive management with pharmacological, endovascular, and surgical intervention is essential to hasten recovery and limit long-term neurological and visual deficits. Herein, we present a rare case of a patient with IIH associated with third, fourth, and sixth cranial nerve palsies, resulting in complete unilateral ophthalmoplegia, who underwent dural sinus stenting and 2.5-year follow-up revealed complete resolution with full extraocular movements. We also perform a systematic literature review of complete and partial ophthalmoplegia secondary to IIH, highlighting the associated presentations, pathophysiology, management, and outcomes.

A Rare Case of Mass-Like Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Mass-like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a unique variant of HCM. HCM predominantly causes mid-ventricular, concentric hypertrophy, and asymmetric septal hypertrophy; however, focal hypertrophy mimicking a cardiac fibroma is rare. A 29-year-old female with a past medical history of recurrent orthostatic hypotension and syncope presented to the emergency department (ED) complaining of lightheadedness, dizziness, and generalized weakness associated with a syncopal episode. The patient reported a history of recurrent pre-syncope and syncope since her teenage years, as well as a family history of sudden cardiac death. Three years prior to her current presentation, the patient had an exercise stress test, 24-hour Holter monitor, and two echocardiograms that were unremarkable. Three weeks prior to presentation, the patient had a cardiac MRI that revealed focal mass hypertrophy of the basal anterior to mid anterior wall measuring up to 2.5 cm. In the ED, the patient was treated with intravenous fluid and beta-blockers; however, beta-blocker therapy had to be discontinued because the patient was experiencing presyncopal episodes and orthostatic hypotension. The patient was started on midodrine with partial improvement lightheadedness, dizziness, and presyncope. The patient was transferred to a tertiary center with the plan to do serial imaging and place an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) if the focal mass thickness reached 3 cm and explore surgical intervention if symptoms worsened. Identifying and reporting anomalous variants of HCM is critical for optimal management of patient care and to improve outcomes.

Headache and Methemoglobinemia.

AIM: This basic review is intended to summarize the current knowledge of methemoglobinemia as an important cause of secondary headache with the hope of generating a growing interest in studying this phenomenon. BACKGROUND: We describe the pathological underpinnings of headaches generated by hypoxia. Possible mechanisms include cerebral vasodilation-associated stretching of the vessel nociceptors, sensitization of perivascular nociceptors mediated by nitric oxide, cerebral calcitonin gene-related peptide, activation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate pathway, cortical spreading depression, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and neurogenic inflammation. We review the clinical features, pathophysiology, and management of methemoglobinemia. We conducted a literature review of reports of symptomatic methemoglobinemia with headache. In addition, we describe a case report of a patient who presented with an acute onset of severe holocranial headache associated with rapidly progressive perioral paresthesia, cyanosis in lips and hands, nausea, and mild dyspnea on exertion. These features can be misinterpreted as an acute attack of migraine with pain-related hyperventilation syndrome and anxiety leading to clinically detrimental delay in the management of the progressive hypoxia. Her symptoms resolved following treatment with methylene blue. The complex relationship of migraine and hypoxia-related headaches is also reviewed. We propose that methemoglobinemia-associated headaches are possibly generated by stretching of the nociceptor nerve endings during cerebral vasodilation and hypoxia-mediated oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: The case highlights the need to broaden the formulated differential diagnosis of an acute onset severe holocranial headache and pay careful attention to other signs and symptoms that may provide hints on potential mechanism(s) for secondary headaches. We provide justification for the need to incorporate "Headache attributed to Methemoglobinemia" as a subtype under the section "Headache attributed to hypoxia and/or hypercapnia" of the International Classification of Headache Disorders to support clinical decision making.

Severe Acute Traumatic Mitral Regurgitation, Cardiogenic Shock Secondary to Embolized Polymethylmethracrylate Cement Foreign Body After a Percutaneous Vertebroplasty.

We report the case of a 61-year-old woman with acute decompensated heart failure secondary to acute traumatic mitral regurgitation, resulting from polymethylmethacrylate cement found in the left ventricle less than 24 hours after fluoroscopic percutaneous vertebroplasty. The patient had a history of ovarian cancer and had undergone treatment for symptomatic osteoporotic compression fractures of the vertebrae (T11, L1, and L3). The patient underwent a successful emergency open-heart operation, mitral valve replacement, closure of an atrial septal defect, and video-assisted removal of the cement foreign body from the left ventricle. The patient was later discharged with a good outcome.

Clinical practice guideline: tinnitus.

OBJECTIVE: Tinnitus is the perception of sound without an external source. More than 50 million people in the United States have reported experiencing tinnitus, resulting in an estimated prevalence of 10% to 15% in adults. Despite the high prevalence of tinnitus and its potential significant effect on quality of life, there are no evidence-based, multidisciplinary clinical practice guidelines to assist clinicians with management. The focus of this guideline is on tinnitus that is both bothersome and persistent (lasting 6 months or longer), which often negatively affects the patient's quality of life. The target audience for the guideline is any clinician, including nonphysicians, involved in managing patients with tinnitus. The target patient population is limited to adults (18 years and older) with primary tinnitus that is persistent and bothersome. PURPOSE: The purpose of this guideline is to provide evidence-based recommendations for clinicians managing patients with tinnitus. This guideline provides clinicians with a logical framework to improve patient care and mitigate the personal and social effects of persistent, bothersome tinnitus. It will discuss the evaluation of patients with tinnitus, including selection and timing of diagnostic testing and specialty referral to identify potential underlying treatable pathology. It will then focus on the evaluation and treatment of patients with persistent primary tinnitus, with recommendations to guide the evaluation and measurement of the effect of tinnitus and to determine the most appropriate interventions to improve symptoms and quality of life for tinnitus sufferers. ACTION STATEMENTS: The development group made a strong recommendation that clinicians distinguish patients with bothersome tinnitus from patients with nonbothersome tinnitus. The development group made a strong recommendation against obtaining imaging studies of the head and neck in patients with tinnitus, specifically to evaluate tinnitus that does not localize to 1 ear, is nonpulsatile, and is not associated with focal neurologic abnormalities or an asymmetric hearing loss. The panel made the following recommendations: Clinicians should (a) perform a targeted history and physical examination at the initial evaluation of a patient with presumed primary tinnitus to identify conditions that if promptly identified and managed may relieve tinnitus; (b) obtain a prompt, comprehensive audiologic examination in patients with tinnitus that is unilateral, persistent (≥ 6 months), or associated with hearing difficulties; (c) distinguish patients with bothersome tinnitus of recent onset from those with persistent symptoms (≥ 6 months) to prioritize intervention and facilitate discussions about natural history and follow-up care; (d) educate patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus about management strategies; (e) recommend a hearing aid evaluation for patients who have persistent, bothersome tinnitus associated with documented hearing loss; and (f) recommend cognitive behavioral therapy to patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus. The panel recommended against (a) antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anxiolytics, or intratympanic medications for the routine treatment of patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus; (b) Ginkgo biloba, melatonin, zinc, or other dietary supplements for treating patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus; and (c) transcranial magnetic stimulation for the routine treatment of patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus. The development group provided the following options: Clinicians may (a) obtain an initial comprehensive audiologic examination in patients who present with tinnitus (regardless of laterality, duration, or perceived hearing status); and (b) recommend sound therapy to patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus. The development group provided no recommendation regarding the effect of acupuncture in patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus.

Clinical practice guideline: tinnitus executive summary.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) has published a supplement to this issue featuring the new Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus. To assist in implementing the guideline recommendations, this article summarizes the rationale, purpose, and key action statements. The 13 recommendations developed address the evaluation of patients with tinnitus, including selection and timing of diagnostic testing and specialty referral to identify potential underlying treatable pathology. It will then focus on the evaluation and treatment of patients with persistent primary tinnitus, with recommendations to guide the evaluation and measurement of the impact of tinnitus and to determine the most appropriate interventions to improve symptoms and quality of life for tinnitus sufferers.

Operations in spinal surgery are not always needed. Do we operate more than we should?

Lumbar disc herniation and low back pain are the main cause of sickness during labor life. The decision for operation is thought to be taken easily and as a result a lot of money is being spent for treatment and rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether conservative treatment is sufficient for treatment of lumbar disc herniation and low back pain and what percentage of the patients operated are satisfied with social and everyday life two years after operation. One hundred and twenty seven patients (67 male and 60 female) were treated because of lumbar disc herniation. No neurological deficiency or muscle weakness was observed. Seventy two patients underwent conservative treatment. Fifty five patients underwent microsurgical discectomy. Back and leg pain are reported on a visual analog scale (VAS) and with the Oswestry disability index (ODI). The Short Form-36 health survey (SF-36) and the European Quality of Life questionnaire (EQ-5D) should also be completed. Surgical data, including diagnosis, are recorded by the surgeon without access to the patient's questionnaires. Both groups (conservative and operative) improved from baseline with regard to SF-36 and ODI (all P<0.01). The results 2 years after surgery were similar for both groups, as measured with the SF-36 and the ODI. Both groups improved from baseline to follow-up with regard to both back pain and leg pain (all P<0.01). The frequency of returning to work was analyzed for those patients who were less than 65 years of age at the time of follow up, and who had been working before surgery. Statistical analysis indicates that there are no significant differences between the groups. The decision for operation is thought to be taken easily and as a result a lot of money is being spent for treatment and rehabilitation. In conclusion, this study shows that operative treatment is equal in outcome to conservative treatment and should follow, seen from an economic perspective, the conservative treatment.

Mesenteric myolipoma.

The authors report on a case of benign myolipoma (synonym lipoleiomyoma) which was first described in 1991. The benign soft tissue tumor is composed of smooth muscle and adipose tissue and occurs sporadically in different locations. In the available literature cases were described retroperitoneal, spinal, orbital and subcutaneous and mostly have been discovered in females. Characteristically myolipomas are very large at diagnosis and reach diameters of 7 to 30 cm particularly in peritoneal or retroperitoneal localization. The sometimes enormous size leads to a displacing growth pattern which ultimately leads to the clinical symptoms. The patients often complain of nonspecific, mostly painless abdominal or thoracic pressure. Bordered by an intact capsule the tumors show no signs of malignancy and in the available literature there is no evidence of metastatic seeding. To the best of our knowledge the presented case is the first description of a diffuse mesenteric myolipoma in a male individual. In this article, we present the multidetector computed tomographic image characteristics, macroscopic appearance and histopathological findings.

Surgical outcomes based on resident involvement: what is the impact on vascular surgery patients?

BACKGROUND: Central to the education of future surgeons is residency which involves training and learning on patients. We examined the quality of surgical outcomes of vascular patients when residents were involved in their surgical case. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review was conducted using the data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from the 2010 year vascular surgery patient cases. Statistical analysis was used to compare the cases with and without residents involved. RESULTS: There were a total of 363,431 from which we analyzed 2829 vascular surgery patients. Of those cases, 88% had a resident involved. Postgraduate year (PGY) 1 or 2 residents were involved in 12% and senior residents (PGY ≥ 3) were involved in 88% of surgeries. Preoperative pneumonia, cerebral vascular accident, dialysis, and smoking were significantly higher preoperative risk factors in the cases without the resident. Most of the patients were an American Society of Anesthesiology class III. Twenty-six percent of the patients were diabetic. The most common postoperative occurrences included transfusion requirement, postoperative pneumonia, and surgical site infections. Surgical site infections were the most common postoperative complication (4.6%). Cases with the resident involved had significantly more postoperative blood transfusions and on average took 15 more minutes to finish surgeries. A PGY 7 resident was predictive of prolonged hospital stay. The 30-day survival in the cases that had residents was 3.8% significantly higher compared with the cases that did not have residents. CONCLUSIONS: Resident involvement in surgeries does not significantly worsen surgical outcomes.

Do we glow? Evaluation of trauma team work habits and radiation exposure.

BACKGROUND: Health care workers' potential exposure to ionizing radiation has increased. Annual radiation exposure limit for the general public per US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is 100 mrem (1 mSv). The whole-body annual occupational radiation exposure limit is 5,000 mrem (50 mSv). Studies have been done to evaluate patient radiation exposure. To date, there has been no study to evaluate the radiation exposure of trauma team members or evaluate their behaviors and attitudes. METHODS: Forty primary providers (residents, physician assistants) rotating on the trauma service at an American College of Surgeons Level 1 trauma center participated. Dosimeters were worn by participants, and the radiation doses were measured monthly. A survey detailing the frequency of involvement in radiographic studies, use of protective equipment, and knowledge of education programs was completed monthly. RESULTS: The range of radiation measured was 1 mrem to 56 mrem, with an average effective dose of 10 mrem per month. Thirty-two (80%) of 40 reported daily exposure to x-rays and 28 (70%) of 40 to computed tomographic scans. Thirty-four (85%) of 40 reported that they never or seldom wore lead apron in trauma bay as opposed to 1 (3%) of 40 who failed to wear it during fluoroscopy. Twenty (50%) reported that an apron was not available, while 20 (50%) reported that it was too hot or did not fit. Thirty-nine (97%) of 40 reported that they received training in radiation safety. CONCLUSION: Despite inconsistent use of protective equipment by resident staff, the actual radiation exposure remains low. Hospitals should be sure lead aprons and collars are available. Additional education concerning the availability of programs during pregnancy is needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III.

The prevalence of HBV infection in the cohort of IDPs of war against terrorism in Malakand Division of Northern Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B is an important public health problem in the Pakistani population and is the major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. High prevalence of HBV infections has been observed especially in areas of low economic status. In spite of effective immunization programs, no significant change has been observed in the epidemiology of HBV in the rural areas of Pakistan (~67.5% of the total population) mainly due to lack of interest from government authorities and poor hygienic measures. The current study was aimed at estimating the prevalence and risk factors associated with HBV infection within internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to war against terrorism in the Malakand Division of Northern Pakistan. METHODS: Blood samples from 950 IDPs suspected with HBV infection (including both males and females) were collected and processed with commercial ELISA kits for HBsAg, Anti HBs, HBeAg, Anti HBe antibodies. The samples positive by ELISA were confirmed for HBV DNA by real-time PCR analysis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of HBV observed was 21.05% of which 78.5% were males and 21.5% were females. Most confirmed HBV patients belong to the Malakand and Dir (lower) district. High-risk of infection was found in the older subjects 29.13% (46-60 years), while a lower incidence (11.97%) was observed in children aged <15 years. Lack of awareness, socioecomic conditions, sexual activities and sharing of razor blades, syringes and tattooing needles were the most common risk factors of HBV infection observed during the cohort of patients. CONCLUSION: The present study, revealed for the first time a high degree of prevalence of HBV infection in rural areas of Northern Pakistan. The noticed prevalence is gender- and age-dependent that might be due to their high exposures to the common risk factors. To avoid the transmission of HBV infection proper awareness about the possible risk factors and extension of immunization to the rural areas are recommended.

Hepatitis B virus infection among different sex and age groups in Pakistani Punjab.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious health problem in the developing countries including Pakistan. Various risk factors are responsible for the spread of this infectious disease. Prevalence of HBV infection in apparently suspected individual of Punjab province of Pakistan was analyzed during January 2008 to December 2010. Current study was aimed to investigate the epidemiology and risk factors of HBV infection. METHODOLOGY: Four thousand eight hundred and ninety patients suffering from chronic liver disease were screened for the presence of HBV DNA using qualitative Real Time PCR methodology to confirm their status of infection. A predesigned standard questionnaire was filled for all the patients that included information about the possible risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 4890 ELISA positive patients were screened for Hepatitis B virus infection. Of these 3143 were positive for HBV, includes 68.15% males and 31.85% females. Male were observed to be more frequently infected as compared to the female with a positivity ratio of 2.14: 1. The rate of infection increases with the passage of time in the course of three years. Highest frequency of infection was found in the age of 21-30 was 34.93% followed by 23.83% in 31-40. Only (13.39%) were belonging to the age group 11-20 year. The rate of infection declines with increasing age as shown by age groups 41-50 (16.13%) and 51-60 (7.09%). While children aged 0-10 and very old >60 age groups were very less frequently 1.49% and 1.65% infected respectively. Important risk factors contributing to HBV spread include barber risk (23.60%), blood transfusion (4.04%), History of injection 26.19%, Reuse of syringes 26.60%, dental risk (11.20%) and surgical procedure (4.26%). Among the entire respondents trend sharing personal items was very common. History of injection, barber risk, surgery and dental procedure and reuse of syringes appear as major risk factors for the transmission. CONCLUSION: Male were more frequently exposed to the risk factors as compared to female. Similarly the younger age group had high rate of infection as compared to the children's and the older age groups. Reuse of syringes', barber risk and History of injection were main risk identified during the present study. To lower HBV transmission rate Government should take aggressive steps towards massive awareness and vaccination programs to decrease the burden of HBV from the Punjab province of Pakistan.

HCV genotype distribution and possible transmission risks in Lahore, Pakistan.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and their association with possible transmission routes in the general population of Lahore, as the data exclusively related to this city is limited. METHODS: Complete data regarding patient's history, possible route of infection and biochemical tests was collected from the public hospital for 1364 patients. SPSS version 16 windows software was used for data analysis by univariate and multivariate techniques. RESULTS: Age range < or = 40 years showed high prevalence of HCV infection. HCV genotype 3a was dominant (55.9%), followed by 1a (23.6%), 4a (12.5%), 3b (3.2%), untypable (2.5%), 4b (1.2%) and mixed type (1.2%). Blood transfusion, dental surgery and barber shops were the main risk factors for HCV transmission. Genotype prevalence was independent of age (P = 0.971) and gender (P = 0.122) while risk factors showed a significant association with age (P = 0.000) and genotypes (P = 0.000). We observed an independent association of risk factors and genotype 3a, while patients with genotype 1 and 4 were mostly infected due to dental surgery blood transfusion and barber shops. Risk factors of intravenous drug use and sexual exposure were exclusively found in < or = 40 years age group. CONCLUSION: An increase in genotypes 1a and 4a suggest migration of people, possibly from Balochistan and the northern war-zone area. Government should focus on public education regarding infection routes.