Comparison of negative pressure wound therapy against normal dressing after vascular surgeries for inguinal wounds: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is a therapeutic technique of applying sub-atmospheric pressure to a wound to reduce inflammation, manage exudate, and promote the formation of granulation tissue. It aims to optimise the natural physiological processes of wound healing for more effective recovery, and NPWT has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional dressings. Methods: The protocol followed in the study was prospectively registered. Appropriate search terms and Boolean operators were used to search electronic databases for relevant articles. Screening of articles was performed, and data extraction was done. The effect measure was chosen according to the nature of the variable, and the effect model was chosen as per heterogeneity. Forest plot was used to give visual feedback. Results: This study included 11 randomized controlled trials (13 publications) with a total of 1310 patients (1497 inguinal wounds). The NPWT group had lesser odds of developing surgical site infection (OR: 0.40; 95 % CI: 0.29-0.54; n = 1491; I2 = 20 %; p-value ≤0.00001) and lesser odds of needing surgical wound revision (OR: 0.48; 95 % CI: 0.26-0.91; n = 856; I2 = 0 %; p-value = 0.02) as compared to the normal dressing group. No significant difference was observed in duration of hospital stay, cost of care, wound healing time, or other complications. Conclusion: NPWT application in inguinal wounds significantly reduces the surgical site infection and the need for wound revision in patients who have undergone vascular surgery.

Positive Attitude Towards Personal Drug Selection among Undergraduate Medical Students of a Medical College.

Introduction: Personal drug exercise helps in the selection of drugs depending on the criteria- safety, efficacy, suitability and cost. Undergraduate medical students are the future practitioners-in-training and should focus more on rational prescribing. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of positive attitudes towards personal drug selection among undergraduate medical students of a medical college. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among second and third-year medical students after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. Data was collected from 1 December 2022 to 30 May 2023. A convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Results: Among 132 medical students, 126 (95.45%) (91.90-99.01, 95% Confidence Interval) of the students showed a positive attitude toward P-drug selection. Conclusions: The prevalence of positive attitudes towards P-drug selection among medical students was found to be similar to other studies done in similar settings. Keywords: medical students; medicine; perception; prevalence.

Third Year MBBS - Gateway to Clinical Skills Learning.

Practising medicine is all about art, skills and knowledge. According to the Tribhuvan University curriculum, the second phase, third year Bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery is the beginning of clinical skill learning. After studying integrated basic medical sciences for two years which is more like a conventional method of learning, the third year brings a new experience. It integrates theoretical knowledge in hospital settings by observing the patients, historytaking, examination, learning effective communication skills and empathy. Keywords: clinical skills; communication; empathy.