Rupture uterus--changing Indian scenario

A total of 60 cases of rupture uterus managed in last five years in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi were reviewed. Of these 77% cases reported to the hospital with rupture uterus while in 23% cases rupture occurred after admission. The factor responsible for rupture in admitted patients was either oxytocin induction/augmentation in scarred uterus or obstetrical manipulation in unscarred uterus; 80% cases were totally unsupervised during antenatal period. Previous uterine scar was responsible for rupture in as high as 63.3% cases. The commonest previous surgery was caesarean section mostly for non-recurrent causes. Obstructed labour was responsible for rupture in 26.6% cases while traumatic rupture was seen in 10% cases. Repair of uterine rent was performed in 54% cases while rest required hysterectomy. Bladder injury was associated in 9 cases and was repaired at the time of laparotomy. Maternal mortality was 3.33% and foetal mortality was 78.66%. The changing trends observed in the present study are those of low maternal mortality and decreasing incidence of obstructed labour in the aetiology of rupture uterus.     

Favourable impact of intensity-modulated radiation therapy on chronic dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) on the incidence and severity of chronic dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer. 62 evaluable patients with head and neck cancer who were treated with IMRT with or without concurrent chemotherapy were analysed. The majority of the patients (77.4%) had advanced locoregional disease. 45 patients underwent definitive IMRT and 17 received post-operative IMRT. Concurrent chemotherapy was given to 29 of the 45 patients treated with definitive IMRT. The average prescribed dose to clinical target volume (CTV)1 was 66-70 Gy (definitive IMRT) and 56-62 Gy (post-operative IMRT); 60 Gy to CTV2; 54 Gy to CTV3; and 50-52 Gy to the supraclavicular area. At a median follow-up of 19 months, 2-year actuarial locoregional control and survival was 77% and 74%, respectively. At 6 months after IMRT, chronic dysphagia was Grade 0 in 77.1% of patients, Grade 1 in 10.5% and Grade 2 in 12.3%. Acute mucositis showed no correlation with long-term dysphagia. The percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or nasogastric tube was removed in all of the patients within 8 weeks of completion of treatment. Xerostomia was Grade 0 in 61.4% of patients, Grade 1 in 31.5% and Grade 2 in 7% of patients. In conclusion, IMRT conferred a major favourable impact on chronic dysphagia in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers, with satisfactory locoregional control.     

Evidence-based review of diabetic macular edema management: Consensus statement on Indian treatment guidelines

The purpose of the study was to review the current evidence and design a diabetic macular edema (DME) management guideline specific for India. The published DME guidelines from different organizations and publications were weighed against the practice trends in India. This included the recently approved drugs. DME management consisted of control of diabetes and other associated systemic conditions, such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and specific therapy to reduce macular edema. Quantification of macular edema is precisely made with the optical coherence tomography and treatment options include retinal laser, intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), and implantable dexamethasone. Specific use of these modalities depends on the presenting vision and extent of macular involvement. Invariable eyes with center-involving macular edema benefit from intravitreal anti-VEGF or dexamethasone implant therapy, and eyes with macular edema not involving the macula center benefit from retinal laser. The results are illustrated with adequate case studies and frequently asked questions. This guideline prepared on the current published evidence is meant as a guideline for the treating physicians.     

Examining the phonological neighborhood density effect using near infrared spectroscopy

Phonological density refers to the number of words that can be generated by replacing a phoneme in a target word with another phoneme in the same position. Although the precise nature of the phonological neighborhood density effect is not firmly established, many behavioral psycholinguistic studies have shown that visual recognition of individual words is influenced by the number and type of neighbors the words have. This study explored neurobehavioral correlates of phonological neighborhood density in skilled readers of English using near infrared spectroscopy. On the basis of a lexical decision task, our findings showed that words with many phonological neighbors (e.g., FRUIT) were recognized more slowly than words with few phonological neighbors (e.g., PROOF), and that words with many neighbors elicited significantly greater changes in blood oxygenation in the left than in the right hemisphere of the brain, specifically in the areas BA 22/39/40. In previous studies these brain areas have been implicated in fine‐grained phonological processing in readers of English. The present findings provide the first demonstration that areas BA 22/39/40 are also sensitive to phonological density effects. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Laterality and language experience

A meta-analysis was conducted on studies that examined hemispheric functional asymmetry for language in brain-intact monolingual and bilingual adults. Data from 23 laterality studies that directly compared bilingual and monolingual speakers on the same language were analysed (n?=?1234). Variables examined were language experience (monolingual, bilingual), experimental paradigm (dichotic listening, visual hemifield presentation, and dual task) and, among bilinguals, the influence of second language proficiency (proficient vs nonproficient) and onset of bilingualism (early, or before age 6; and late, or after age 6). Overall, monolinguals and late bilinguals showed reliable left hemisphere dominance, while early bilinguals showed reliable bilateral hemispheric involvement. Within bilinguals, there was no reliable effect of language proficiency when age of L2 acquisition was controlled. The findings indicate that early learning of one vs. two languages predicts divergent patterns of cerebral language lateralisation in adulthood.     

Longitudinal vaginal septum 'obstructive variety'--a challenge for gynaecologist

The cases which have been presented here have varied presentations but all the three patients in the series had acyclical abdominal pain. Since the uterus is functional there is collection of blood in the pouch formed due to the vaginal septum. This is a potential site for infection and could result in foul smelling discharge. Failure of fusion of lower ends of mullerian ducts that form vagina results in longitudinal vaginal septum. The septum may be partial or complete. The clinical syndrome of double uterus with vaginal obstruction (unilateral, partial or complete) and ipsilateral renal agenesis (same as of the side of obstruction) is rare. This combination is suggestive of embryologic arrest occuring at 8 weeks of pregnancy that simultaneausly affected the mullerian and metanephric ducts.