Study of serum ferritin as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for severity of sepsis: a hospital-based study

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate serum ferritin levels to define it as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for severity of sepsis.Methods: In this hospital-based descriptive type of observational study, conducted at the Department of Pediatrics, NIMS Medical College; 80 children of age group 6 months to 18 years with diagnosis of pediatric sepsis were included. Children were divided into grades of sepsis (sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, MODS). Progress of sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, and sepsis with MODS was followed with serum ferritin levels on day 1, day 3, day 7, or more than 7 days and one week post recovery.Results: Pneumonia was identified as the most common source of infection. The blood culture positivity rate was 32.5%. E. coli was the most common organism grown on blood culture. Median serum ferritin levels increased as sepsis severity worsened. A significant association was discovered between sepsis severity and CRP levels at the time of admission.Conclusions: There is a consistent pattern of Serum ferritin levels with increasing severity of pediatric sepsis. Routine use of serum ferritin levels in diagnosis and prognostication is both feasible and simple. CRP level correlate well with serum ferritin level for diagnosis of sepsis.

Supraglottic device for circumventing bag-mask ventilation in giant lip hemangioma

Congenital hemangiomas are benign tumors of endothelium most often occurring as a solitary lesion with a predilection for the head-and-neck. This report presents a case of a giant friable hemangioma of the lower lip in a 1-month-old male child posted for excision of the lesion. Airway management was challenging as the size, site, and history of repeated local site bleeding made mask ventilation impossible. Bypassing mask ventilation, a supraglottic device (SGD) was directly inserted and adequate lung ventilation was ensured followed by C-MAC� video laryngoscope-guided intubation. Challenging extubation was also overcome by the use of a SGD. This case demonstrates how an airway with impossible bag and mask ventilation can be managed by securing the airway with SGD before intubation.

Case report of prune belly syndrome: An airway challenge too?

Prune belly syndrome (PBS) is a rare congenital disease presenting a characteristic triad of abdominal muscle deficiency, urinary tract abnormality, and cryptorchidism with associated anomalies of various systems. We report the anesthetic management of an infant with PBS with no obvious facial deformity in whom we encountered an unanticipated difficult airway. Multiple attempts to secure the airway with different supraglottic airway devices were unsuccessful and the trachea could be intubated only on the second attemp

Clinical Outcome and Factors Predictive of Outcome of Nasolacrimal Duct Probing for Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction in Younger and Older Children Performed at a Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Western India

2-6 % of full term newborn children manifest symptoms of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The most frequent presentation is tearing associated with mattering of the eyelashes and recurrent infection. We designed a study to compare the success rate of nasolacrimal duct probing for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in younger and older children seen at our western regional institute of ophthalmology. Probing under general anaesthesia was done in a cohort of children presenting with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction . The demography ,clinical presentation, management and outcome of the cases were documented. Factors associated with success of the procedure were documented. Aim: The aim of the study was to document the clinical outcome and factors predictive of success of nasolacrimal duct probing for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in younger and older children seen at our Western Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in India. Methods: The study was carried out at our Western Regional Institute of Ophthalmology. The study period was July 2018 to May 2019 . The study was a prospective interventional outcome study in an institutional cohort. Probing was reserved for patients with recurrent infection or acute dacryocystitis in children between 6 months to 9 months of age . Initial probing was the treatment of choice for children between one year and three years as well as older children above three years upto twelve years. Probing was performed under general anaesthesia. Patients were followed at 1 week, 3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after the procedure. Outcome was defined as resolution of symptoms and signs of nasolacrimal duct obstruction as observed by the ophthalmologist as well as reported by the parents within 3 weeks of the procedure and continued remission for 6 months post procedure. Probing was done twice before the procedure was declared a failure. Statistical Analysis: Student t test and chi square test was used for statistical analysis . p<0.05 was taken as significant. The Fischer exact test was used to calculate the chi square value. Results: 25 eyes of 18 children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction were subjected to probing during the time of the study. The age range was six months to eleven years. The overall success rate was 16/25(64%). The success rate for children less than or equal to three years was 8/9 (89%).The success rate in the age group three years to less than or equal to seven years was 7/12 (58.3%) . The success rate dropped to 25% (1/4) for children more than seven years of age. The success rate of nasolacrimal duct probing was observed to reduce with increasing age of the child. Persistent dacryocystitis, firm obstruction on nasolacrimal duct probing and repeat probing were statistically significantly associated with the outcome of probing. The children with any of the above factors had a lower success rate of nasolacrimal duct probing. Conclusion: The results of our study are comparable to other studies reporting outcome and predictive factors of nasolacrimal duct probing in younger and older children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Children less than or equal to three years of age with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction could be successfully managed with nasolacrimal duct probing with great outcomes. Older children too had a reasonable outcome and age did not appear to be a significant factor affecting outcome. A firm obstruction on probing, persistent dacryocystitis and repeat procedure are significantly associated with the outcome of nasolacrimal duct probing. Conclusion: Children less than or equal to three years of age with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction can be successfully managed with nasolacrimal duct probing with great outcomes. Older children too had a reasonable outcome and age did not appear to be a significant factor affecting outcome. Thus in the light of the fact that probing is a safe and effective procedure , it appears logical to give a trial of initial nasolacrimal duct probing even to children older than three years. A firm obstruction on probing, persistent dacryocystitis and repeat procedure are significantly associated with the outcome of nasolacrimal duct probing.

Visual Outcome and Major Surgical Complications of Phacoemulsification versus Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery Performed by Resident Doctors at a Regional Institute of Ophthalmology

Introduction: Cataract is the most frequently performed surgery in the world. The beginner cataract surgeon at our institute is first trained in extra capsular cataract extraction followed by training in manual small incision cataract surgery. Once trained in these two surgical arts, the surgeon is then step wise graduated to doing phacoemulsification. We designed a study to compare the major surgical complications and visual outcome of Phacoemulsification versus MSICS performed by resident doctors at our centre. Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the visual outcome and major surgical complications of Phacoemulsification versus Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS) performed by resident doctors at our Western Regional Institute of Ophthalmology. Methods: 253 eyes of 203 patients with visually significant cataract presenting to our outpatient department wer enrolled. The study was carried out at our Regional Institute of Ophthalmology. The study design is a prospective, non-randomized cohort study. Informed consent for cataract surgery was taken from every patient. The data of consecutive resident phacoemulsification and manual small incision cataract surgeries done from December 2017 to February 2018 was analyzed. Phacoemulsification was done by post Master of Surgery JR4. MSICS was done by JR3 and JR2. Results: Both the surgeries in all the three resident groups had good visual outcome. The rate of major surgical complications was 3.70%for JR4 performing phacoemulsification,2.6%and 5.74% for JR3 and JR2 respectively performing MSICS. The overall major surgical complication rate for MSICS was 4.52%. Conclusion: We conclude that Phacoemulsification and MSICS can be taught to resident doctors with good visual results and a comparable rate of major surgical complications. The beginner resident surgeon graduates comfortably from MSICS to phacoemulsification with low complication rates and good visual results.