The practice of cytopathology during the era of COVID-19: challenges and changes

This paper reviews the challenges faced by cytology laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various safety guidelines regarding collection, handling, transport and sampling in cytology laboratory are presented. A brief literature overview of adapted changes regarding new safety techniques, processing, sampling techniques implemented by the cytology laboratories in this part of the world is presented. The use of cytology in COVID-19 patients is discussed. The authors have also tried to present the challenges and changes faced for training and education during this time. Migration from multi-headed scope in-person sign-out to digital based platforms were adapted to continue medical education. The potential long-term implications of these adaptations on cytology services are also touched upon.     

OK-432: An effective sclerosing agent for the treatment of lymphangiomas of head and neck.

Objective: The basic objective of this study was to find out the efficacy of OK-432 for the conservative treatment of lymphangiomas of head and neck regions at the Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods: It was a hospital based prospective, cross-sectional, case series, conducted among the patients suffering from different lymphangiomas of head and neck regions and treated with intra-lesional injection of OK-432, from March, 2005 to September 2006. Altogether eleven patients were enrolled in this modality of treatment out of which one patient was excluded from the study, which was treated surgically due to very ugly scar at the site of lesion resulting from previous surgery for the same. The data were analyzed by using simple mathematical tools like percentage and frequency. Results: Out of ten patients treated with intralesional injection of OK-432, absolute response, i.e. total resolution of swelling was found in nine patients (90%) after the first dose. Remaining one patient also responded well on the treatment but some residual swelling was in situ for which second dose was given. After the second dose it was also totally resolved. In this way we achieved 100% response after the second dose of OK-432. Conclusion: The results of this study so far indicate that OK-432 is an effective and safe tool for the treatment of lymphangioma of head and neck region. As the procedure can be done in an out patient department, without hospitalization and has got minimal side effects, it can be proposed as the first line treatment of lymphangiomas of head and neck. Key words: Lymphangioma, OK-432, Sclerotherapy, Sclerosing agent, Head and Neck.     

四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科2011年糖尿病住院患者费用情况调查

目的 调查四川大学华西医院糖尿病住院患者的费用情况及其与并发症的关系,为进一步研究提供基线数据。 方法 从四川大学华西医院住院电子病历系统（HIS系统）中提取2011年1月1日～2011年12月31日该院内分泌代谢科出院或转他科诊治后出院的住院病例资料,内容包括住院患者基本信息、出院诊断、住院费用及是否在院登记医保等。根据国际疾病分类（ICD-10）标准,对出院记录的各项诊断进行疾病分类,用Excel 2010软件整理数据,并运用SPSS 13.0软件进行统计分析。结果 ① 2011年该科因糖尿病伴急性并发症住院患者占糖尿病住院患者的11.9%（166/1 396）;伴慢性并发症者占67.1%（930/1 396）,以糖尿病周围神经病变及周围血管病变最多。② 糖尿病患者中最常见的合并症依次为高血压、血脂异常、骨质疏松症。③ 2011年糖尿病住院患者中位住院天数13天（9～17天）,人次中位住院总费用为6 578.88元（4 186.93～10 953.89元）。④ 随着糖尿病慢性并发症数量的增多,住院总费用和住院天数均增加。⑤ 糖尿病足病住院者225人次,中位住院天数为18天（13～29天）,人次中位住院总费用为16 672.19元（10 903.93～28 530.37元）;其住院总费用及住院天数均高于非足病患者。结论 糖尿病是内分泌代谢科的重要病种,疾病负担重,其住院费用与糖尿病慢性并发症密切相关,并以糖尿病足病造成的疾病负担最为突出。     

四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科2011年下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺／性腺疾病住院患者费用调查

目的 调查四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科2011年下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺/性腺疾病住院患者的疾病负担情况,为进一步研究提供基线数据。方法 从住院HIS系统中提取2011年1月1日～2011年12月31日自四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科出院或转他科诊治后出院的住院病例资料,内容包括住院患者基本信息、出院首诊断、住院费用及是否在院登记医保等。根据国际疾病分类（ICD-10）标准,对病案首页的各项诊断进行疾病分类,采用Excel 2010软件整理数据,并运用SPSS 13.0软件进行统计分析。结果 ① 2011年该院内分泌代谢科住院患者中首诊断为下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺/性腺疾病住院患者病例352人次,男性139例,女性213例,平均年龄42.9±15.0岁;② 中位住院天数11天,人次中位住院总费用4 361.09元,以化验费、检查费、西药费居多。结论 下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺/性腺疾病是三甲医院内分泌代谢科的重要病种,其住院费用以化验费、检查费及西药费为主。     

2011年四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科甲状腺疾病住院患者费用情况调查

目的渊查四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科2011年甲状腺疾病住院患者的费用情况,为进一步研究提供基线数据。方法从四川大学华西医院住院电子病历系统（HIS系统）采集2011年度该院内分泌代谢科出院或转他科诊治后出院的住院病例资料,内容包括住院患者基本信息、出院首诊断、住院费用及是否在院登记医保等。根据国际疾病分类（ICD-10）标准,对病案首页的首诊断进行疾病分类,用Excel2010软件整理数据,并运用SPSS13．0进行统计分析。结果2011年该院内分泌代谢科甲状腺疾病住院患者205例,男性84例,女性121例,平均年龄45．3＋15-7岁;甲状腺疾病的中位住院天数为10天,人次中位住院总费用为2881．43元,其中以化验费和检查费为主。甲亢住院患者总计162人次,占总甲状腺疾病的79．5％,中位住院天数10天（7～14天）,人次中位住院总费『}】为2958．36元,而甲亢并发症的数量与住院天数、住院费用不相关。结论甲状腺疾病是内分泌代谢科常见疾病,以甲亢最为多见,而且甲亢住院天数和住院费用与甲亢并发症数量无关。     

四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科2011~2012年住院患者疾病构成与费用调查

目的调查分析四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科2011~2012年住院疾病构成及费用情况。方法从四川大学华西医院住院电子病历系统(HIS系统)中提取2011年1月~2012年8月内分泌代谢科住院患者的病例资料,内容包括住院患者的基本信息、出院诊断、住院费用及是否在院登记医保等。根据国际疾病分类(ICD-10)标准对出院记录的各项诊断进行疾病分类,并采用Excel 2010软件整理数据,SPSS 13.0软件进行统计分析。结果①2011~2012年该院内分泌代谢科住院患者前五位病种依次为糖尿病、下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺/性腺疾病、其他系统疾病、甲状腺疾病和代谢性骨病。②人均住院日前五位病种依次为糖尿病、营养不良、代谢性骨病、其他系统疾病和下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺/性腺疾病。③人均总费用前五位病种依次为糖尿病、代谢性骨病、其他系统疾病、营养不良和其他营养素缺乏疾病。结论糖尿病及其并发症是四川大学华西医院内分泌代谢科住院患者的主要病种及疾病负担来源。