Penetrating Sugarcane Injury to Brain via Orbit: A Case Report.

Penetrating brain trauma is rare. We present a unique case involving a sugarcane injury that penetrated the brain via the orbit following a road traffic accident. A 32-year-old male arrived at our emergency department with a penetrating injury to his left eye. A non-contrast computerized tomography (NCCT) scan of the head showed a foreign body in the left orbit, extending to the frontal lobe. Left frontotemporal craniotomy, anterior cranial fossa exploration, retrieval of the foreign body (a sugarcane piece), and dural repair of the anterior cranial fossa were performed. The patient was discharged and showed positive progress on follow-up. Penetrating trauma to the eyes and brain can be fatal, leading to vision loss. Therefore, early surgical intervention and close coordination between ophthalmologists and neurosurgeons are imperative.

Measles pneumonitis, an important cause to recognize in the era of COVID-19: a case report.

Measles is an acute febrile viral illness with a characteristic rash. It is usually present in children. Due to the vaccine's development and wide use, serious complications are quite infrequent in vaccine-covered areas. Case Presentation: A 36-year-old immunocompetent woman presented with a fever and a macular rash affecting the face and upper trunk. She was found to have transaminitis and later developed bilateral pulmonary infiltrates with decreased oxygen saturation. After extensive work, the measles PCR returned positive results. The patient was treated conservatively until she recovered. Discussion: Measles pneumonitis is a rare complication that usually occurs in immunosuppressed patients. Due to the coronavirus disease pandemic, diagnosis can be difficult, especially if the presentation is not classic. Conclusion: We report this case to emphasize the importance of correct diagnosis and proper management.

Bone Within Bone as a Calcified Subdural Hematoma.

Calcified subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a very rare presentation but a known and reported entity in literature. Most of the case reports have been described in children and the elderly. Surgical treatment for CSDH is still considered controversial. We report here a case of calcified subdural hematoma in a middle-aged male that was successfully operated on. A 45-year-old male presented with complaints of right-sided weakness and seizures with a history of head trauma three years ago. Non-contrast computerized tomography (NCCT) head showed calcified subdural hematoma associated with mass effect and midline shift. A frontotemporoparietal craniotomy was done to remove the CSDH. Intra-operatively the brain was pulsating well. He was discharged on the 12th postoperative day and doing well on a follow-up visit.

The Valsalva Maneuver Is Not as Effective as Lidocaine for the Attenuation of Pain on Injection of Propofol: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background and objective Lidocaine pretreatment is considered the gold standard for attenuating pain on injection of propofol. Valsalva maneuver (VM) causes baroreceptor reflex arc-induced antinociception by increasing the intrathoracic pressure. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VM in alleviating the pain on injection of propofol in this randomized comparative study. Methods A total of 90 patients were recruited for this randomized study. They were classified into two groups. Patients in group D received 5-mL 4% lidocaine in saline intravenously while the venous drainage was occluded. Then they were asked to press a rubber ball as hard as they could. Patients in group V received 5-ml saline pretreatment. They were then asked to perform VM by blowing into rubber tubing connected to a manometer and raising and holding the pressure up to 40 mmHg. The verbal response and behavioral signs were recorded with a score corresponding to no, mild, moderate, or severe pain. A t-test was performed to compare the mean of variables between the two groups. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for testing the equality of the distribution function of pain scores between the groups. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to test the heart rate and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at different points of observation. Results The incidence of pain and pain scores were significantly higher among the patients in the VM group as compared to those in the lidocaine with distraction group. Conclusions VM performed immediately before the injection failed to attenuate the pain produced by propofol as compared to lidocaine pretreatment along with distraction.

Anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) as a silent cause of mitral regurgitation in children.

Anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), also known as Bland-White-Garland syndrome, is a rare cardiac disease. This condition may present with complications such as myocardial infarction, left ventricular dilatation, mitral regurgitation, and left heart failure in children. We report a case of a four-year-old boy who presented with shortness of breath, palpitations, and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. He was diagnosed with mitral regurgitation. During the surgery, left coronary artery (LCA) was not present in its anatomical position and ALCAPA was identified. One should keep in mind the possibility of ALCAPA in presentation of mitral regurgitation in children despite not being reported in echocardiography.

Weight Loss Outcomes With Telemedicine During COVID-19.

Background: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was rapidly implemented to maintain patient care during quarantine. However, there is little data on how this transition may have impacted weight loss outcomes and interventions among patients with overweight or obesity. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of adults who established care for medically managed obesity at the Weill Cornell Comprehensive Weight Control Center during September-November 2019 and May-July 2020 and who completed 6 months of follow-up. Weight loss outcomes and weight management interventions were explored and stratified by patient-provider interaction: in-person visits only, in-person and video visits, and video visits only. Results: Of 499 charts eligible for review, 245 (49%) returned for their 6-month follow-up visit and were included for analysis. Of 245 patients, 69 had in-person visits only ("in-person"), 85 started in-person and later switched to video visits ("hybrid"), and 91 had video visits only ("video"). All cohorts were predominantly white and female. Median ages were 56, 49, and 49 years; baseline median weights were 98.9, 96.8, and 93.0 kg; and baseline median BMIs were 35.3, 34.4, and 34.0 kg/m2 for in-person, hybrid, and video cohorts, respectively. The median percent weight changes over 6 months were not significantly different among cohorts: -4.3% [-8.5, -1.5] in the in-person cohort, -5.6% [-8.7, -2.2] in the hybrid group, and -5.8% [-9.7, -2.4] in the video cohort. The percent of patients who achieved ≥5% weight loss were also similar: 46.4%, 55.3%, and 59.3%, respectively. The median number of visits in the video cohort was more than in the in-person or hybrid groups (5 vs. 4). Median number of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) prescribed was similar among groups. The most common AOMs were metformin (all cohorts) followed by semaglutide 1.0 mg (in-person and video) or topiramate (hybrid). Conclusion: Patients on anti-obesity medications who were followed for 6 months via video or video plus in-person visits (hybrid) experienced clinically significant weight loss. Median number of AOMs were similar among groups, and the most common AOMs were metformin, semaglutide 1.0 mg, and topiramate. More investigation is required to compare telemedicine models with in-person care.

Pseudoaneurysm of the uterine artery with presentation of haematuria; a rare case report.

INTRODUCTION: Pseudoaneurysm of the uterine artery is a condition in which extra luminal collection of blood with a turbulent flow that communicates with flowing blood of uterine artery through a defect in its arterial wall. As per literature uterine artery pseudoaneurysm is a very rare condition and its incidence is 2-3/1000 deliveries. Clinical diagnosis is very challenging and in the index case haematuria was the presenting complaint which in fact is the extremely rare presenting complaint. Angioembolization is the ideal treatment modality for such a rare condition. CASE PRESENTATION: A 25-year old female presented in a shock state with history of massive haematuria two months after delivering a baby. She was resuscitated with fluid, blood and blood products. A computed tomography angiogram was done which showed a large pseudoaneurysm of the left uterine artery so consequently angioembolization was done with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and lipoid mixture. Serial assessment of biochemical and clinical parameters depicted improvement in the clinical status of the patient. She was doing well at 6 months of follow up. DISCUSSION: A post-partum massive haematuria could be due to pseudo aneurysm of uterine artery. The presentation of haematuria may occur due to communication of aneurysm with urinary bladder and which further get ruptured. Aggressive resuscitation and angioembolization of the pseudoaneurysm is employed to treat such patients. CONCLUSION: Pseudoaneurysm of uterine artery is rare condition which may present as haematuria. Once clinical diagnosis is suspected it's better to first resuscitate and plan for angioembolization for better outcome.