Paterson-Kelly syndrome and celiac disease--a rare combination.

Paterson-Kelly syndrome is characterized by an association of iron deficiency with dysphagia. We describe a patient with this syndrome who was later diagnosed to have celiac disease.     

Cerebral vasculitis as a rare cause of low bispectral index values

A case of low baseline bispectral index (BIS) values in a patient undergoing cerebral angiography followed by coil embolization of a basilar artery aneurysm is presented. A generalized cortical hypoperfusion was observed on angiography, suggestive of vasculitis. This finding was the cause of the low BIS values.     

Sucralfate enema in ulcerative rectosigmoid lesions

To assess the efficacy of sucralfate enemas in distal colonic ulcerative lesions, 22 patients with radiation proctitis (n = 8), idiopathic ulcerative proctitis (n = 5), and solitary rectal ulcer (n = 5) unresponsive to conventional medical therapy, and those with ulcerated and bleeding rectal polyps awaiting polypectomy (n = 4) were studied. Enemas of sucralfate suspension (2 gm in 20 ml water) were administered twice daily for a period of three weeks. Clinical and sigmoidoscopic improvements were observed in 19 and 18 of the 22 patients, respectively (86 and 82 percent, respectively). No side effects were seen. The authors conclude that sucralfate enemas are useful in the treatment of ulcerative lesions of the rectosigmoid.     

Sonographic diagnosis of diastematomyelia in utero: A case report and literature review

Fetal diastematomyelia is a rare form of spinal dysraphism that is characterized by a complete or incomplete division of the spinal cord by an osseous or fibrocartilaginous septum. A case of diastematomyelia, which was detected on the routine third trimester detailed ultrasound scan, is presented. The diagnosis was based on the detection of an echogenic focus in the posterior aspect of the spine in association with widening of the interpedicular vertebral space. The case illustrates that diastematomyelia can occur in the absence of overt spina bifida and that prenatal detection will allow timely postnatal investigation and treatment. Prenatal literature is further reviewed to assess the clinical significance of this finding.     

A review of perioperative complications during frameless stereotactic surgery: our institutional experience

Purpose  Frameless stereotactic neurosurgery is increasingly being used for the biopsy of intracranial tumors and the resection of deep-seated lesions where reliance on surface anatomic landmarks can be misleading, as well as in movement disorders, psychiatric disorders, seizure disorders, and chronic refractory pain. Nascent biological approaches, including gene therapy and stem-cell and tissue transplants for movement disorders, also utilize neuronavigational techniques. These procedures are complex and involve understanding of the basic principles and factors affecting neuronavigation. The procedure may appear to be simple, but serious complications may occur. Methods  The purpose of this study was to review the intraoperative and postoperative complications occurring during frameless stereotaxy at our institution from January 2003 to July 2007. Results  Seventy-eight patients underwent various neurosurgical procedures under general anesthesia. Intraoperative complications seen were intraoperative brain bulge (n = 3), seizures (n = 3), failure to extubate (n = 4), and fresh neurodeficits (n = 6). No hemodynamic disturbances such as hypertension or hypotension or bradycardia or tachycardia requiring active intervention were observed. Conclusion  Awareness and vigilance can help in the early identification and better management of the above intraoperative complications.     

Colonic lipoma presenting with recurrent rectal bleeding

A case of colonic lipoma in a patient who presented with rectal bleeding is presented. The final diagnosis was established at histology. Rarity of the symptomatic colonic lipomas is highlighted.     

Induction of chromosome changes by metal compounds in cultured CHO cells

The effect of 4 metal salts on the induction of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was investigated. It was observed that CdCl2, NiCl2, CrO3 and HgCl2 were effective in causing various types of chromosome aberrations. The percentages of abnormalities increased with increasing doses of the metals used. These metal compounds also raised the SCE rates compared to 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine controls. The importance of rapid screening of potentially hazardous metals is described.