A study on the standard of documentation of lumbar puncture in neurology department of a major Irish Teaching Hospital in Ireland

Objective:

Poor documentation following lumbar puncture (LP) had always been a matter of concern. This study aimed to investigate the documentation pattern of neurology house officers, registrars (Regs), and specialist Regs following LP in a major teaching hospital.

Materials and Methods:

Total hundred patient records were examined in the light of a carefully designed proforma containing 15 important indicators of good-quality LP documentation.

Result:

Mean number of indicators overall documented by doctors was found to be 6.24 ± 3.0037. The mean number of indicators recorded by house officers was 5.11 ± 3.01 and Regs was 7.56 ± 3.28. A total of 33% LPs were performed without a documented consent. Only 36% performers documented the type and size of needle they used during the procedure. Only 46% documents revealed the strength and name of the local anesthetic used. Statistically significant difference between senior house officers and Regs in terms of numbers of indicators documented was noted.

Conclusion:

The documentation standard among neurology junior doctors remained poor.Key Words: Consent, documentation, knowledge, lumbar, neurology, puncture     

Clinical profile and follow-up of 51 pediatric neurocysticercosis cases: A study from Eastern India

Introduction:

Our present observational study attempted to evaluate the clinical profiles, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up results of 51 pediatric neurocysticercosis patients over a mean duration of five years (from January 2006 to December 2010).

Materials and Methods:

Diagnosis was mainly based on clinical features, computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging scan and exclusion of other causes. Patients with active, transitional cysts and seizure were treated with albendazole for 28 days, steroids and anticonvulsants.

Results:

A total of 38 patients completed this study. Mean age of the presentation was 8.47 ± 3.19 years 52.6% of the patients were female. Overall patients presented with generalized seizure in 55.3%, focal in 31.6%, headache ± vomiting in 63.2%, focal neurodeficit in 10.5% and combination of symptoms in 60.5% cases. Contrast CT brain showed a solitary lesion in 27 (71.1%) and multiple in the rest. At presentation lesions were transitional in 58.2%, inactive in 20% and mixed in 14.6%. After a mean of 2 years, seizure persisted in 9 (23.7%) and headache in 8 (21.1%) of whom six had normal electroencephalography (EEG) while one each showed focal slowing, generalized slowing and epileptiform discharges. During the follow-up, CT scan brain 44.7% lesions calcified, 31.6% disappeared, 10.5% regressed and the rest persisted.

Conclusion:

Solitary ring enhancing lesions (transitional stage) involving the parietal lobe was the commonest CT picture at presentation. Generalized tonic-clonic seizure was the most common type of seizure. Number of lesions, persistence of lesion, number of seizures, EEG abnormality at presentation were not found to be prognostically significant (P > 0.05).Key Words: Brain, epilepsy, lesion, neurocysticercosis, parenchyma, solitary     

Ultrasound biomicroscopic appearances of eyelid lesions at 50 MHz

PURPOSE: To correlate the ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) appearance of eyelid lesions with the results of histopathologic examination. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with eyelid lesions were evaluated using 50-MHz UBM, and the UBM scans were compared with the histopathologic findings. The obscuration of the normal lid sonographic layers and invasion into adjacent tissues were criteria suggesting malignancy. RESULTS: UBM characteristics of different eyelid lesions are presented. The sensitivity of UBM in detecting malignancy ranged from 78% to 86%, whereas the specificity ranged from 37% to 69%. CONCLUSION: This study of eyelid lesions shows that UBM can help differentiate between various benign and malignant lid lesions.     

Bio-Absorption of Human Dentin-Derived Biomaterial in Sheep Critical-Size Iliac Defects

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bio-absorption and bone regeneration of human tooth-derived dentin scaffold, entitled as perforated root-demineralized dentin matrix (PR-DDM), after in vivo implantation into the critical-size iliac defects. The dentin scaffolds were prepared from human vital, non-functional teeth. Thirty artificial macro-pores (Ø 1 mm) were added after removing the enamel portion. The modified teeth were supersonically demineralized in 0.34 N HNO₃ for 30 min. The microstructure was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The 3D micro-CT and histological analysis were carried out to evaluate the bio-absorption of PR-DDM at 2 and 4 months. A smooth dentin collagen surface with symmetrical macro-pores and tube-type dentinal tubules (Ø 1–2 µm) with micro-cracks were observed on the perforated region. A significant number of custom-made macro-pores disappeared, and the size of the macro-pores became significantly wider at 4 months compared with the 2 months (p < 0.05) evaluated by 3D micro-CT. Histological images revealed the presence of multinucleated giant cells attached to the scalloped border of the PR-DDM. The morphological changes due to bio-absorption by the cellular phagocytes were comparable to the 3D micro-CT and histological images at 2 and 4 months. Altogether, the results demonstrated that the PR-DDM block was gradually absorbed by multinucleated giant cells and regenerated bone. Human PR-DDM might serve as a unique scaffold for extraoral bone regeneration.