PHACE syndrome: a case report and a comprehensive review.

Introduction and importance: PHACE syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous disorder characterized by large segmental hemangiomas on the face and is associated with multiple developmental defects. PHACE stands for posterior fossa malformations, hemangiomas, arterial abnormalities, cardiac defects, and eye anomalies, with the most common manifestation being hemangioma in the cervico-facial region in early childhood. Case presentation: The authors report a case of a 15-year-female with complaints of facial hemangioma which on multisystemic imaging showed features of central nervous system (CNS) anomalies that led to the diagnosis of PHACE syndrome. The patient was started on propanolol which decreased the size of hemangioma in follow-up visits. Clinical discussion: The hemangioma in the frontotemporal and frontonasal area of the face are associated more with CNS and cardiovascular anomalies needing a detailed multisystem approach. CNS anomalies include posterior cerebral fossa enlargement, cystic dilation of the fourth ventricle, arachnoid cyst, and cerebellar hypoplasia which were present in our case. Propanolol is considered the first-line drug for facial hemangioma with reported evidence of remarkable improvement and good tolerance. However, regular follow-up of the patient is needed to rule out any recurrence. Conclusion: PHACE syndrome, although being a rare occurrence, must be kept as a differential diagnosis in infants and children with facial hemangioma. Imaging modalities like MRI/magnetic resonance arteriography must be used to rule out possible associations related to PHACE syndrome and focus on early treatment to prevent possible complications.

Effect of Telemedicine Use on Medical Spending and Health Care Utilization: A Machine Learning Approach.

Introduction: This study analyzes the effect of telemedicine use on healthcare utilization and medical spending for patients with chronic mental illness. Methods: Using the IBM MarketScan Research database from 2009 to 2018, this study examined the timing of users' first telemedicine use and identified similar periods for non-users by using random forest and random forest proximity matching. A difference-in-differences approach, which tests whether there are differences in the study outcomes before and after the actual/predicted first use among the treated group (users) compared with the control group (non-users), was then used to assess the impact of telemedicine. Analyses were done in 2021. Results: Comparing users with non-users after matching suggested that telemedicine use both increases the number of overall outpatient visits (0.461; 95% CI=0.280, 0.642; p<0.001) related to psychotherapy and evaluation and management services, and decreases the number of in-person visits (0.280; 95% CI= -0.446, -0.114; p=0.001) for patients with chronic mental health diagnoses. Total medical spending was not significantly affected. Additionally, no evidence was found of telemedicine use being associated with an increased probability of an emergency department visit or hospitalization. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that telemedicine use is associated with an increase in outpatient care utilization for patients with chronic mental health diagnoses. No substantive changes in medical spending, the probability of an emergency department visit, or the probability of hospitalization were noted. Results provide insights into the effect of telemedicine use on spending and healthcare utilization for patients with chronic mental illness. These findings may inform research to guide future telemedicine policies and interventions.

Perioperative Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion for Postlaparoscopic Cholecystectomy Pain.

OBJECTIVE: To compare intravenous lidocaine infusion adjunct to NSAID and Acetaminophen with regular analgesics for postoperative mean pain score and mean ambulation time after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of General Surgery, Islamabad Medical Complex, (IMC), from March 2020 to December 2021. METHODOLOGY: Sixty (n=60) adult patients, both males and females between the ages of 18-60 years planned for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, were selected and randomly allocated to two groups of treatment (Lidocaine and Ringer Lactate). The control group did not receive any other placebo other than Ringer Lactate infusion. Both groups received Intramuscular Diclofenac 12 hourly and intravenous acetaminophen infusion 8 hourly. Postoperative pain 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours (h) and mean ambulation time were compared in both groups. RESULTS: Mean VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) of group 1 versus group 2 at 2 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h were 3.47 ± 0.82 vs. 6.27 ± 0.52 (p=<0.001), 2.7 ± 0.75 vs. 4.8 ± 0.8 (p<0.001), 2.0 ± 0.49 vs. 3.93 ± 0.94 (p<0.001), 0.73 ± 0.82 vs. 2.2 ± 0.61 (p<0.001). Time for spontaneous ambulation after surgery was 5.57 ± 1.55 hours for Group 1 versus 7.3 ± 1.9 hours for Group 2 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Pain scores at all-time intervals were lower, and ambulation time was shorter in patients who received intravenous infusion of lidocaine as compared to patients who received only regular analgesics for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. KEY WORDS: Ambulation time, Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, Postoperative pain.

Psychological and Clinical Predictors of COVID-19 Severity and Outcomes.

Objective The present study aimed to assess the psychological and clinical determinants of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their association with the disease severity and outcomes. Methods This prospective study was conducted at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar-Pakistan. Admitted patients were screened for COVID-19 with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and subsequently, 250 COVID positive patients were included in the final analysis. Data were obtained from the patient's medical chart; demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Psychological determinants, including anxiety and depression, were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The predictors of disease severity and outcomes (recovery vs. mortality) were also studied. Results A total of 250 patients were included in this study; out of which, 193 patients recovered from this deadly virus and 57 died. Based on psychological assessment, 58.4% of the enrolled COVID-19 patients had poor HADS scores. Most of the patients who died (70.2%) had severe symptoms (poor HADS scores). Similarly, 49.6% of the total cases were observed with poor HADS, and 50.9% of those who died had severe depression. Conclusion It is concluded from the study results that psychological distress is frequent in COVID-19 patients. Age, hypertension, fatigue, abnormal respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, ferritin, and poor HADS sore were determined as the significant predictors of COVID-19 severity and outcomes.

Histopathological Account of Obstetrical and Gynecological Specimens: Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Center of Peshawar.

Introduction Histopathologic specimen examination of surgically isolated organs and tissues yields valuable information regarding a disease process and plays a vital role in the future management of a patient. Our aim was to account for the common diagnosis yielded from histopathological specimens of the obstetrics and gynecology department and to determine if all the obstetric and gynecological specimens should be routinely sent for histopathology. Methods A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the histopathology unit of a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar. Data were acquired for all gynecological and obstetric specimens sent for histopathology for analysis to the histopathology unit during August 2018 and July 2019. Any sample that was not sent via surgical excision was excluded from the study. Results A total of 922 samples were sent for histopathological analysis in the tertiary care hospital. The mean age of patients who had their specimens sent for pathology was 40.78 ± 10.81 years. Most of the samples sent were of the uterus (458) and the age 31-50 years (270) had the highest proportion of histopathological specimens. Normal ovaries (64.4%) and fallopian tubes (78.8%) were the main diagnoses for these two specimens while a normal cervix (0.58%) was the least common diagnosis among samples sent for histopathology. Chronic cervicitis (92.4%) in cervix and secretory phase endometrium (30.1%) in the uterus were the other common diagnosis. All the other samples were infrequently sent. Conclusion Uterine specimens are the most common histopathological specimen sent followed by cervix and then fallopian tube. Fallopian tube and ovaries yielded the highest normal diagnosis. Cervix specimens must be biopsied. More data is needed for a certain consensus on the need for routine histopathology.

Impact Of Covid-19 On Post Natal Mental Health.

BACKGROUND: In January, 2020 COVID-19 infection was declared a public health emergency characterized as pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). In March 2020, special guidelines were issued to address mental and psychological aspects of the disease survivors and community at large. This study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the psychological impact of COVID-19 on mothers in the postpartum period. METHODS: It was cross-sectional study of six months duration on COVID-19 positive deliveries and Covid negative mothers. A total of 84 women (42 Covid Positive and 42 Covid negative) were included through non-probability quota with consecutive sampling technique. Mothers with pre-existing mental health issues, those who had been on medication for any psychological issues or those who suffered from obstetrical and neonatal complications or required transfer to High Dependency Unit (HDU) were excluded from the study. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to screen the women for postpartum depression. Independent sample t test was used for continuous variables and Fisher exact test was used for qualitative variables. RESULTS: Mean EPDS score was 9.48±6.33 in COVID-19 positive group. The sub-scale analysis showed mean scores 1.6±1.76 and 4.86±2.94 for Anhedonia and Anxiety with statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Women experiencing COVID-19 infection during pregnancy were found to have greater anxiety and nervousness in post-natal period compared to their COVID-19 negative counterparts.

Preoperative oral antibiotics in colorectal surgery increase the rate of Clostridium difficile colitis.

HYPOTHESIS: Bowel preparation traditionally consists of cathartics, oral antibiotics, and intravenous antibiotics. We hypothesize that the use of oral antibiotics in bowel preparation results in a higher rate of postoperative Clostridium difficile colitis. DESIGN: Retrospective case-controlled study of elective colon surgery patients; January 1997 to June 2003. SETTING: Tertiary care veterans administration hospital. PATIENTS: Records of patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery (n = 304) were reviewed. Patients with bowel obstruction or emergent operation were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Detection of C difficile toxin A/B by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a stool specimen within 30 days of surgery. RESULTS: All 304 patients received both cathartics and intravenous antibiotics. Of 304 patients, 107 (35.1%) received oral antibiotics. The rate of postoperative C difficile colitis was 4.2% in the entire study population. The rate of C difficile infection was higher in patients who received oral antibiotics (7.4%) compared with patients who did not receive oral antibiotics (2.6%; P = .03). There were no C difficile-related mortalities. CONCLUSION: Oral nonabsorbable antibiotics in bowel preparation resulted in a higher rate of C difficile infection. This may be due to the additional effect of oral antibiotics on normal bowel flora. We recommend that oral nonabsorbable antibiotics not be used in preoperative bowel preparation regimens since postoperative C difficile infection can lead to additional morbidity, length of stay, and hospital costs.