Clinicobacteriological evaluation of leprosy patients with 1-5 skin lesions.

Background: Mycobacterium leprae is a noncultivable mycobacteria, and diagnosis of the disease is based on its clinical and histopathological characteristics and finding the bacteria in skin scrapings and in biopsies taken from the patients. The aim of this study was to shed light on the clinical classification (based on the number of skin lesions) used extensively in the field where patients classified as paucibacillary (PB) were positive on skin smears and histopathology leading to treatment failure and drug resistance. Methods: In this study, we enrolled untreated 62 leprosy patients with 1-5 skin lesions and did a detailed bacterio-histopathological analysis by slit-skin smears (SSSs) and histopathology. Results: Of 62 patients analyzed, 15 patients came out to be multibacillary (MB) and 47 were PB by SSS and histopathology. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that the WHO classification of leprosy based on the number of lesions seems to be inappropriate as it considers a number of MB lesions as PB only, thus misleading the treatment strategies. Hence, it is essential that a comprehensive clinicobacteriological assessment of leprosy cases should be done to ensure the appropriate bacillary status and guiding the appropriate treatment strategy.

A Comparative Study of Dexmedetomidine and Midazolam in Reducing Delirium Caused by Ketamine.

INTRODUCTION: Ketamine is a well known agent for sedation for short surgical procedures due to its very good analgesic action. But it has cardio stimulatory response and recovery from anaesthesia after Ketamine use is complicated by delirium and hallucination. In studies it is proved that these side effects can be reduced by premedication with benzodiazepines. The α2 adrenoceptor agonists are becoming popular for their properties like haemodynamic stability and reducing anaesthetic requirement. AIM: This study was planned to see the effects of Dexmedetomidine on emergent reaction of Ketamine, when used as premedication agent with Ketamine for conducting short surgeries in adult patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study was conducted in 90 ASA class I and II male and female patients of age between 18-40 undergoing short procedures like laparoscopic ligation, skin grafting, dilatation and curettage, endoscopic procedures, excision of small swelling, etc. Patients were randomly divided into three groups of 30 each as follows: Group K: after premedication with inj. glycopyrrolate 0.01mg/kg, inj. Ketamine 2mg/kg, Group M: after premedication with inj. glycopyrrolate 0.01mg/kg and inj midazolam 0.05mg/kg, inj. Ketamine 2mg/kg, Group D: after premedication with inj glycopyrrolate 0.01 mg/kg and inj. Dexmedetomidine 0.5µg/kg, Ketamine 2mg/kg was given. Observations were made for cardiovascular response to invasive procedure, post anaesthetic anxiety and delirium with help of Memorial Delirium Assessment scale (MDAS). RESULTS: Midazolam reduced delirium to a greater level, but in comparison to control group and midazolam group, dexmedetomidine reduced delirium to a much greater level (p-value<0.001). Postoperative pain was less in Dexmedetomidine group (p-value< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine reduced delirium caused by Ketamine when used as a premedication agent. It produced more haemodynamic stable patients. Postoperative analgesia was also better.