Enteric nervous system and developmental abnormalities in childhood

ENS consists of a complex network of neurons, organised in several plexuses, which interact by means of numerous neurotransmitters. It is capable of modulating the intestinal motility, exocrine and endocrine secretions, microcirculation and immune and inflammatory responses within the gastrointestinal tract, independent of the central nervous system. Though the embryological development of various plexuses are completed by mid-way of gestation, the maturation of neurons and nerve plexuses appear to continue well after birth. Therefore, any histological or functional abnormalities related to the gastrointestinal function must be investigated with the ongoing maturational processes in mind.     

Mucinous cystadenoma of the ovary in perimenarchal girls

Ovarian masses in children are an uncommon occurrence. They represent less than 2% of all tumours in girls less than 16 years of age. Mucinous tumours of the ovary occur principally in middle adult life and are extremely rare prior to menarche. To the best of our knowledge, there are only 13 previous cases of benign mucinous cystadenoma (MCA) of the ovary in perimenarchal girls reported in the literature. We present six cases of this rare tumour. We reviewed the charts of six patients who presented with large MCA of the ovary. The patient’s ages ranged from 13 to 14 years (mean 13.6 years). Two were premenarchal and four were within 1 year of menarche. All children presented with marked abdominal distension and discomfort. Except for one child who had ultrasound scan alone, all the others had either CT or MRI scan as well. Ultrasound demonstrated a large multiloculated cystic mass arising from the pelvis reaching the level of the xiphoid. CT demonstrated an enormous mass occupying almost the entire abdomen. The mass was partly solid, partly cystic and the cystic elements were multiloculated in all patients. Three patients demonstrated contralateral hydronephrosis on imaging. Laparotomy revealed a tumour arising from the left ovary in five patients and from the right ovary in one. Several litres of fluid were aspirated in order to deliver the tumour from the abdomen. All patients underwent oophorectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy. Histology revealed benign MCA of the ovary in all cases. On follow up, ranging from 2.4 to 5 years, all patients were well with no evidence of recurrence. MCA in perimenarchal girls usually affects the left ovary. Although this tumour is rare, this diagnosis should be considered in 11 to 15-year-old girls presenting with a very large abdominal mass.     

Prevention of post operative phrenic nerve palsy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Introduction Close proximity of phrenic nerves to pericardium and internal mammary arteries (IMA) makes them liable to injury during cardiac surgery which occurs due to its transection, compromised vascularity or hypothermia. Methods Between July, 1999 to August, 2000 fifty fresh cadavers were examined and the intrathoracic course of phrenic nerves was studied. This information was utilised while performing 200 open heart operations. Intermittent cooled saline (4°C) was used instead of ice slush for topical cooling and pericardiophrenic branch of IMA was preserved while harvesting it. Results Variations were observed in the anatomical relationship between the phrenic nerves and proximal internal mammary arteries. Incidence of unilateral phrenic nerve injury among patients who had open heart surgery was 1.5% and was 4% among patients in whom internal mammary artery was harvested. Conclusion A thorough knowledge of anatomical variations in the course of phrenic nerves, preservation of pericardiophrenic branch of IMA while harvesting it for CABG and use of cooled saline instead of ice slush for topical cooling helps in avoiding phrenic nerve injury during cardiac surgery. (Ind J Thome Cardiovasc Surg, 2001; 17: 225-229)     

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours of the maxillary sinus: A brief clinical report and review of the literature

Although inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours (IMTs) have been accepted as a clonal neoplasm, their pathology is poorly understood due to variable presentation. There is no identifiable cause and they are usually observed as tumour growth combined with inflammation. In the current WHO classification, IMTs are designated as intermediate malignancies. In terms of biological potential, IMTs are classified under ‘rarely metastasizing’. IMTs are rare in the maxillary sinus but, when reported, can be locally aggressive or even destructive if they invade the orbit. The authors present a brief clinical report describing a five-year-old girl with a slow-growing mass in the right maxillary sinus extending into the lacrimal sac and its management.     

How Accurately Are We Coding Readmission Diagnoses After Total Joint Arthroplasty?

Readmission rates have been cited as an important quality measure in the Affordable Care Act. Accordingly, understanding and accurately tracking the causes for readmission will be increasingly important. We queried an electronic database for all patients who underwent primary THA or TKA at our institution from 2006 through 2010. We identified those readmitted within 90 days of surgery and analyzed 87 random de-identified medical records. We then assigned a clinical diagnosis for each readmission, which was then compared with the coder-derived diagnosis by ICD-9 code. The overall 90-day readmission rate was 7.9%. We identified 22 of 87 patients for whom there was disagreement (25.3%, 95% CI = 16.6–35.8%). The most common were procedure-related complications. Coded diagnoses frequently did not correlate with the physician-derived diagnoses. The unverified use of coded readmission diagnoses in calculating quality measures may not be clinically relevant.     

Seropositivity of Anti-SARS CoV2 IgG antibodies in health care workers of an Indian tertiary care hospital during COVID-19

PurposeHealth care workers [HCW] are at a higher risk of infection SARS CoV2 infection due to frequent and close contact to patients with COVID-19.MethodsSerum samples from 500 HCW's were tested for SARS CoV2 IgG antibodies in October 2020. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical data. All these HCWs were tested for COVID-19, in 2nd week of September 2020, as a hospital policy.ResultsAnti SARS CoV2 antibodies were detected in 128/ 500 [25.6%] HCWs. A total of 195/ 500 [39%] enrolled cases had already tested positive for Covid-19 at least once in last six months by RT-PCR. Sixty eight percent of HCWs with previous COVID-19 positivity by RT- PCR tested positive for Anti SARS CoV2 antibodies, whereas only 2.76% of asymptomatic HCWs tested positive. Of 121 anti SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive persons, 70 [57.85%] had CT value ?< ?25. Low CT value and asymptomatic cases had a strong reverse statistically significant association with SARS CoV2 IgG antibody positivity.ConclusionsWe report that sero-conversion rate in HCWs is similar to that in general population suggesting that preventive practices used in hospitals are satisfactory. Cases with low viral counts in respiratory sample and asymptomatic cases have lower rate of seroconversion.     

Role of CTLA Inhibition in Management of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Current Oncology Reports - The use of single-agent or combination immunotherapy strategies has revolutionized the management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we review the...     

Demonstration of Saw Blade Accuracy and Excursion : A Cadaveric Comparison Study of Blade Types Used in Total Knee Arthroplasty

In total knee arthroplasty, outcomes partly depend on accurate osteotomies and integrity of stabilizing structures. We compared accuracy and excursion between a conventional and an oscillating tip saw blade. Two sets of osteotomies were made on cadaveric knees. Bi-planar accuracy was compared using computer navigation, and excursion was compared using methylene blue. Wilcoxon-Mann–Whitney testing demonstrated no significant difference in blade accuracy (p = 0.35). Blades were within 0.5 degrees of neutral coronally and 2.0 degrees sagittally. The oscillating tip blade demonstrated less dye markings on the surrounding tissues. Accurate osteotomies and soft tissue protection are critical to successful arthroplasties. Although comparative accuracy was equal, the oscillating tip blade exhibited less excursion displaying potential for less iatrogenic soft tissue injuries leading to catastrophic failure.