IMMEDIATE PAIN RELIEF BY MICROVASCULAR DECOMPRESSION FOR IDIOPATHIC TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia is a common entity which is managed by neurosurgeons in day to day practice. Up-till now many treatment options have been adopted for it but micro-vascular decompression is much impressive in terms of pain control and recurrence rate in all of them. The objective of study was known the efficacy of micro vascular decompression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia by using muscle patch in terms of immediate pain relief. METHODS: This descriptive study was carried out in Neurosurgery Department lady reading hospital, Peshawar from January 2010 to December 2012. All patients who underwent micro vascular decompression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia were included in the study. Patients were assessed 72 hours after the surgery by borrow neurological institute pain scale (BNIP scale) for pain relief and findings were documented on predesigned pro forma. Data was analysed by SPSS-17. RESULTS: Total 52 patients were included in this study. Among these 32 (61.53%) were female and 20 (38.46%) were males having age from 22-76 years (mean 49 years). Right side was involved in 36 (69.23%) and left side in 16 (30.76%) patients. Duration of symptoms ranged from 6 months to 16 years (mean 8 years). History of dental extraction and peripheral neurectomy was present in 20 (38%) and 3 (5.76%) patients while V3 was most commonly involved branch with 28 (57.69%) frequency and combined V2, V3 involvement was 1 (11.53%). Superior cerebellar artery was most common offending vessel in 46 (88.46%) while arachnoid adhesions were in 2 (3.84%) patients. We assessed patient's immediate postoperatively using BNIP pain scale. CONCLUSION: Micro-vascular decompression is most effective mode of treatment for trigeminal neuralgia in terms of immediate pain relief.

Joubert Syndrome with a Rare Ocular Phenotype: Coloboma with Retrobulbar Cysts - A Case Report.

Joubert syndrome (JS) is a rare, autosomal recessive, genetic syndrome that derives from the defects in a sensory organelle, the primary cilia. It is a multiorgan disorder affecting the brain, kidneys, liver, and eyes. The most common presenting feature in the newborn period is hypotonia, abnormal eye movements, irregular breathing pattern, characterized by episodic hyperpnea and apnea, later on, ataxia, and developmental retardation. Besides, a range of highly variable, systemic and ocular features can be present. We report a case of 2-month-old female infant, the product of a consanguineous marriage, with a sibling affected by JS, presenting with intermittent hyperpnea, apnea, facial dysmorphism, strabismus, oculomotor apraxia, proptosis, retinal dystrophy, chorioretinal coloboma, and large retrobulbar cysts communicating with the coloboma. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed the characteristic neuroradiologic finding, the "molar tooth sign." The child does not fix or follow the light, and the visual prognosis with all the ocular features of the syndrome present is extremely poor. In addition to adding to the diversity of ocular phenotypes, this case reiterates the importance of identifying the syndrome, understanding the varied ocular phenotypic presentations, need for further research on causative genes, prenatal diagnosis in affected families, interventions, and adequate genetic counseling.

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.