Therapeutic Leukocytapheresis to relieve priapism due to leukostasis in CML patients: Our experience in a tertiary care centre.

Hyperleukocytosis in leukemic patients may cause tumour lysis syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and leukostasis, resulting in decreased tissue perfusion and increasing the risk of mortality. Since the myeloid blasts are larger than lymphoid blasts and are less deformable, complications of leukostasis are seen more frequently in myeloid leukemia. Priapism is a less common complication associated with leukostasis in leukaemia patients that should be treated as soon as possible to avoid ischemic injuries. Although chemotherapeutic drugs such as hydroxyurea and imatinib are used to treat hyperleukocytosis in CML patients, leukocytapheresis (LCP) can achieve rapid cytoreduction. Prophylactic LCP could not offer any advantage over aggressive chemotherapy, but therapeutic leukocyte depletion has a proven role in patients having symptomatic leukostasis due to high tumour burden. Three patients with ischaemic priapism were reported at our institute's emergency department, where detumescence could not be achieved by distal shunting or aspiration with phenylephrine instillation. The procedure of therapeutic LCP was performed in all three patients on an emergency basis, which resolved painful priapism by rapid cytoreduction.

Off with the blues: Therapeutic plasma exchange in a case of copper sulphate poisoning.

CuSO4 (Copper sulphate) poisoning though rare, is associated with high mortality. It involves multiple organ systems and if not dealt with promptly can lead to death. Supportive care and chelation therapy along with TPE (therapeutic plasma exchange), whole blood exchange or red cell exchange can be employed in management. We report such a case where swift clinical improvement was seen after TPE.

Electrothermal Vessel Sealing Versus Conventional Suturing in Abdominal Hysterectomy: A Randomised Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The present randomised controlled trial was conducted to compare haemostatic efficiency, operative time, and overall performance of the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing (EBVS) system with conventional suturing in abdominal hysterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The trial was designed with standard parallel arms, i.e., vessel sealing and suture ligature arms. Sixty patients were block randomised into either arms with 30 patients in each. A hand-held vessel sealing instrument was used to perform a hysterectomy in the vessel sealing arm and the quality of the uterine artery seal achieved at the first attempt was graded on an ordinal scale of 1-3 to quantify haemostatic efficiency. Operative time, intra-operative blood loss, and peri-operative complications were compared between the two arms. RESULTS: Significantly reduced mean operative time (26.97±8.92 vs 33.67±8.62 minutes; p=0.005) and intra-operative blood loss (111±53.31 mL vs 320±193.90 mL; p=0.001) was observed in the Vessel Sealing Arm compared to Suture Ligature Arm. Of total 60 uterine seals (from bilateral uterine artery transaction in 30 hysterectomies in the Vessel Sealing Arm), 83.34% were Level 1 with Complete Seal and no residual bleeding, 8.33% were Level 2 or Partial Seals with minimal bleeding, requiring the use of vessel sealers for a second time, while 8.33% had Seal Failure (Level 3) with significant bleeding requiring additional re-security of stumps with sutures. Modal pain scores on the first three postoperative days and duration of hospital stay were significantly less in the Vessel Sealer Arm, reflecting reduced postoperative morbidity. Outcomes were comparable across operators. CONCLUSION: Vessel Sealing System gives superior surgical results with lesser operative time, minimal blood loss, and reduced morbidity.

Comparison of vaginal misoprostol tablets and prostaglandin E2 gel for the induction of labor in premature rupture of membranes at term: a randomized comparative trial.

AIM: To compare immediate induction with vaginal misoprostol tablets and immediate induction with vaginal dinoprostone (naturally occurring prostaglandin E2 [PGE2]) gel in women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term. METHODS: Two hundred and twelve women with PROM at term were assigned randomly to receive either an intravaginal 25 µg misoprostol tablet, 4-hourly, with a maximum of five doses, or 0.5 mg intravaginal PGE2 gel, 6-hourly, with a maximum of two doses. The primary outcome measures were the admission-to-delivery interval and the induction-to-delivery interval. Secondary outcomes included cesarean section rate, mode of delivery, and maternal and neonatal safety outcome. Results were calculated applying Fisher's exact test, χ2-test, t-test and calculating the P-value using an alpha level of 0.05 for Type I errors. RESULTS: The mean time from admission to delivery was 13.53 h in the misoprostol group and 12.30 h in the PGE2 group (P = 0.090). The induction-to-delivery interval was also comparable between the groups (10.75 h vs. 9.37 h), while the cesarean section rate did not differ significantly between them (7.61% vs. 15.30%). More women in the misoprostol group had an instrumental delivery (12.38% vs. 2.94%). The only significant difference in neonatal outcome was a greater number of babies born with Apgar score < 7 at 1 min in the misoprostol group. Maternal outcomes were not significantly different, except for a higher number of digital vaginal examinations in the misoprostol group. CONCLUSION: Vaginal misoprostol is equally efficacious in labor induction and demonstrates a similar fetal and maternal safety profile to PGE2 gel.

A comparison of two regimens of misoprostol for second trimester medical termination of pregnancy: a randomized trial.

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and side-effects of two regimens of vaginal misoprostol for second trimester voluntary medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) according to the MTP Act of India. A randomized trial was conducted in 185 women from January 2007 to September 2008. Women in group 1 were given vaginal misoprostol 400 microg every 6 h for a maximum of four doses. Women in group 2 were given vaginal misoprostol 400 microg every 12 h for a maximum of four doses. Our primary outcome measure was induction abortion interval. Secondary outcome measures were success rate, side-effects and completeness of procedure. Results were calculated applying Fisher's exact test, chi-square test, Z test and calculating the P value using an alpha level of 0.05 for Type I error. The mean induction abortion interval in group 1 (12.59 h) was significantly shorter (P < 0.001) than that in the group 2 (16.41 h). The percentage of women who achieved successful abortion within 12 h in group 1 (56.52%) was also significantly higher (P = 0.00005) than that in group 2 (25.80%). The incidence of side-effects was comparable and not clinically serious. It is concluded that the regimen of vaginal misoprostol 400 microg every 6 h was more effective than the regimen of misoprostol every 12 h in medical termination of second trimester pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy--an analysis of 180 cases.

Ectopic pregnancy is the most life threatening emergency in pregnancy. Increase in incidence and impairment in fertility are now the real concerns. The aim of this study was to estimate the epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of ectopic pregnancy with a view to suggest action to improve the prognosis. This was a prospective study carried out at NRS Medical College, Kolkata, among consecutive 180 patients of ectopic pregnancy admitted from January, 2002 to December, 2004. During this period the incidence of ectopic pregnancy was 1 in 161(0.6%). The peak age of incidence was 26-30 years; primi were the most sufferers. There were 65.0% patients was had identifiable risk factors. Tubectomy (14.4%), history of abortion (26.1%), infertility (12.2%), pelvic inflammatory diseases (12.8%) and history of previous surgery (11.1%) were the important risk factors. Amenorrhoea (76.1%), abdominal pain (86.1%) and vaginal bleeding (42.2%) were the frequent presenting complaints. There were 87.8% patients was had pallor, 9.4% were admitted with features of shock. Cervical motion tenderness (82.2%) was the most frequent sign. Urinary beta-hCG was positive in 96.1% cases. Ultrasonography revealed diagnosis in 2/3rds cases among 129 patients. Culdocentesis evoked the diagnosis in 73.3% cases out of 135 patients. In 95.0% cases it was of tubal variety, 70.2% ruptured, 19.9% tubal abortion and 9.9% unruptured. Surgery by open method in the form of salpingectomy (81.9%), salpingo-oophorectomy (9.3%) and salpingostomy (5.3%) were the mainstay of management. Expectant management and medical therapy can be offered only in 1.2% and 1.75% respectively. There was no case fatality. By reducing and identifying the risk factors and 'catching' the patients at the earliest it is possible to improve the prognosis so far as morbidity, mortality and fertility are concerned.