Severe Bleeding from Herpes Esophagitis

We describe a patient with the unusual complication of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to herpetic esophagitis, whose bleeding persisted despite a vigorous antireflux regimen but who responded dramatically to intravenous acyclovir. The patient is reported to underscore the importance of considering herpetic infection of the esophagus as a cause of severe gastrointestinal bleeding so that appropriate therapy may be instituted.     

Pretreatment with β‐adrenergic receptor agonists facilitates induction of LTP and sharp wave ripple complexes in rodent hippocampus

Norepinephrine, is involved in the enhancement of learning and memory formation by regulating synaptic mechanisms through its ability to activate pre‐ and post‐synaptic adrenergic receptors. Here we show that β‐agonists of norepinephrine facilitate the induction of both associational LTP and sharp wave ripples (SPW‐Rs) in acute slices of rat hippocampus in area CA3. Surprisingly, this facilitating effect persists when slices are only pretreated with β‐receptor agonists followed by wash out and application of the unspecific β‐adrenoreceptor (βAR) antagonist propranolol. During application of βAR agonists repeated stimulation resulted in facilitated induction of SPW‐Rs. Since SPW‐Rs are thought to be involved in memory replay we studied the effects of βAR‐agonists on spontaneous SPW‐Rs in murine hippocampus and found that amplitude and incidence of SPW‐Rs increased. These effects involve cyclic‐AMP and the activation of protein kinase A and suggest a supportive role in memory consolidation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

DNA Damage in Major Psychiatric Diseases

Human cells are exposed to exogenous insults and continuous production of different metabolites. These insults and unwanted metabolic products might interfere with the stability of genomic DNA. Recently, many studies have demonstrated that different psychiatric disorders show substantially high levels of oxidative DNA damage in the brain accompanied with morphological and functional alterations. It reveals that damaged genomic DNA may contribute to the pathophysiology of these mental illnesses. In this article, we review the roles of oxidative damage and reduced antioxidant ability in some vastly studied psychiatric disorders and emphasize the inclusion of treatment options involving DNA repair. In addition, while most currently used antidepressants are based on the manipulation of the neurotransmitter regulation in managing different mental abnormalities, they are able to prevent or reverse neurotoxin-induced DNA damage. Therefore, it may be plausible to target on genomic DNA alterations for psychiatric therapies, which is of pivotal importance for future antipsychiatric drug development.     

Sigmoid volvulus in pregnancy and puerperium: a surgical and obstetric catastrophe. Report of a case and review of the world literature

ABSTRACT: Sigmoid volvulus is a rare surgical complication occurring in pregnancy and puerperium. Only 84 cases of sigmoid volvulus in pregnancy have been reported in the English literature so far. We have reviewed the available literature on this subject and present another case recently managed at our institution. The available literature suggests that over the years, there has been an improvement in the maternal and fetal outcome for this critical condition, but delay in presentation and a further delay in diagnosis remain a challenge for the treating physicians. Our patient was a 30-week pregnant lady, who presented late with 6?days history of abdominal pain, distension and absolute constipation. She had evidence of multi-organ dysfunction at presentation due to complicated sigmoid volvulus. She was resuscitated and surgical exploration revealed gangrenous large bowel. Bowel resection with diverting ileostomy was performed, but she succumbed to the septic shock due to late presentation. Acute surgical pathology may be overlooked in pregnant patients due to reluctance in radiological workup and a high index of suspicion is essential for enhanced outcome. There is a need to increase the awareness amongst the obstetricians and general practitioners. Early diagnosis and referral and timely surgical intervention could significantly improve the outcome of this surgical and obstetric catastrophe.     

Surgical management of contiguous multilevel thoracolumbar tuberculous spondylitis

Introduction

Tuberculous spondylitis (TBS) is the most common form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. The mainstay of TBS management is anti-tuberculous chemotherapy. Most of the patients with TBS are treated conservatively; however in some patients surgery is indicated. Most common indications for surgery include neurological deficit, deformity, instability, large abscesses and necrotic tissue mass or inadequate response to anti-tuberculous chemotherapy. The most common form of TBS involves a single motion segment of spine (two adjoining vertebrae and their intervening disc). Sometimes TBS involves more than two adjoining vertebrae, when it is called multilevel TBS. Indications for correct surgical management of multilevel TBS is not clear from literature.

Materials and methods

We have retrospectively reviewed 87 patients operated in 10 years for multilevel TBS involving the thoracolumbar spine at our spine unit. Two types of surgeries were performed on these patients. In 57 patients, modified Hong Kong operation was performed with radical debridement, strut grafting and anterior instrumentation. In 30 patients this operation was combined with pedicle screw fixation with or without correction of kyphosis by osteotomy. Patients were followed up for correction of kyphosis, improvement in neurological deficit, pain and function. Complications were noted. On long-term follow-up (average 64 months), there was 9.34 % improvement in kyphosis angle in the modified Hong Kong group and 47.58 % improvement in the group with pedicle screw fixation and osteotomy in addition to anterior surgery (p < 0.001). Seven patients had implant failures and revision surgeries in the modified Hong Kong group. Neurological improvement, pain relief and functional outcome were the same in both groups.

Conclusion

We conclude that pedicle screw fixation with or without a correcting osteotomy should be added in all patients with multilevel thoracolumbar tuberculous spondylitis undergoing radical debridement and anterior column reconstruction.

     

Pain management after traumatic spinal cord injury

Pain is experienced by people suffering from spinal cord injury leading to disability and affecting the person's functional ability, independence, psychological well - being, ability to return to work and quality of life. Pain management in these patients is notoriously difficult due to multiple factors and varied mechanism leading to pain. Only few treatments have been assessed in randomized, controlled trials and management is based on different case reports. We are reporting our experience of managing 2 patients with neuropathic pain following traumatic spinal cord injury. Both the patients were refractory to conventional pain medications but there was significant reduction in pain following lignocaine infusion in the first patient and with ketamine in the second patient.     

Post-Tonsillectomy Pain and Vomiting:Role of Pre-operative Steroids

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a single pre-operative dose of dexamethasone with the frequency of postoperative vomiting and severity of throat pain in children undergoing electrocautery tonsillectomy under standard general anaesthesia. Study Design: Randomised controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: ENT Department, Combined Military Hospital, Kharian, from January to December 2010. Methodology: Children of either gender aged between 4 - 12 years, undergoing tonsillectomy were divided into two groups of 50 each. One group was selected to receive dexamethasone 0.5 mg/kg (maximum of 8 mg); the second group was given equivalent volume of saline, pre-operatively. The frequency of early and late vomiting was assessed postextubation. Mean time of first oral intake in minutes after extubation and mean score of postoperative throat pain were compared in both groups. Severity of throat pain was monitored by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score 0-10 after 4,8,12 and 24 hours of extubation. Results: Dexamethasone group showed significantly less postoperative early vomiting (12%, n = 6) as compared to placebo (30%, n = 15) group (p < 0.05). The mean time of first oral intake was earlier in the dexamethasone group (4 hours and 16 minutes postextubation), while in saline group it was 5 hours and 20 minutes (p < 0.001). Pain score was also significantly lower and swallowing was less painful in patients after 4,8,12 and 24 hours in dexamethasone group. Pain score on the average was 0.8 - 1.2 factors less in dexamethasone group than in saline group in first 24 hours on a VAS score of 1 -10. Conclusion: Pre-operative intravenous dexamethasone reduced postoperative vomiting and pain significantly in children undergoing electrocautery tonsillectomy.     

Inverted papilloma of ureter: a rare cause of hydronephrosis

A case of hydronephrosis with a rare underlying cause in a 35 years old male is described. He reported with pain in the left lumbar region with a past history of left ureterolithotomy. The ultrasound and IVU studies were suggestive of left hydronephroureter. CT Scan showed left hydronephroureter with narrowing at the lower end of left ureter. Ureterorenoscopy (URS) confirmed polypoidal lesions in the left lower ureter, completely obliterating the lumen and involving the whole circumferential wall of the lower ureter. The biopsy of the lesion revealed an inflammatory polyp. Accordingly open surgical intervention was planned. Excision of the lower third of left ureter with ureteric reimplantation was done with a Boari flap. The histopathology report of the lower third of ureter confirmed inverted papilloma of ureter. The patient made a smooth postoperative recovery.     

The role of a standardized 36 core template-assisted transperineal prostate biopsy technique in patients with previously negative transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsies

Study Type – Diagnostic (exploratory cohort) Level of Evidence 2b What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Template assisted transperineal biopsy of the prostate has become increasingly popular over the past decade. Several studies have demonstrated that transperineal prostate biopsy (TPB) is associated with an increased rate of cancer detection, increased histological concordance with final prostatectomy samples and an increase in anterior and apical prostate cancers than standard TRUS biopsy. However, interpretation of the literature is difficult due to considerable variation between studies in terms of technique and equipment. We examined a small cohort (n= 40) of patients using a standardized 36 core template assisted TPB technique. We show that utilising this technique is associated with high cancer (68%) detection rate in patients with two previous negative TRUS biopsies. Of patients were found to have anterior gland tumours which would not have been detected by standard TRUS guided biopsy.

OBJECTIVE

? To determine the efficacy and safety of a standardized 36 core template‐assisted transperineal biopsy technique for detecting prostate cancer in patients with previously negative transrectal ultrasonography‐guided prostate biopsies and elevated prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

? Between April 2008 to September 2010, a total of 40 patients with a mean (range) age of 63 (49–73) years, a mean (range) elevated PSA level of 21.9 (4.7–87) ng/mL and two previous sets of negative TRUS‐guided prostate biopsies underwent standardized 36 core template‐assisted transperineal prostate biopsies under general anaesthetic as a day case procedure. ? The cancer detection rate and complications for all cases were evaluated.

RESULTS

? In total, 27 of 40 (68%) patients were found to have adenocarcinoma of the prostate, two patients (5.0%) had atypical small acinar proliferation, one had high‐grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (2.5%), four (10%) had chronic active inflammation and six (15%) had benign histology. ? Gleason scores were in the range 6–9, with a median Gleason score of 7. ? There were no cases of urosepsis, urinary tract infections or haematuria. A single patient experienced acute urinary retention, with a subsequent succesful trial without a catheter, and haematospermia was common, although minor.

CONCLUSIONS

? Our standardized 36 core template‐assisted transperineal prostate biopsy technique is safe and associated with a high detection rate of prostate cancer. ? This technique should be considered in patients with elevated PSA levels and previously negative TRUS‐guided prostate biopsies.