Unilateral retrobulbar hemorrhage immediately after bilateral strabismus surgery

Retrobulbar hemorrhage can be associated with periorbital surgeries or injections. However, it is rarely associated with strabismus surgery. We report a case of immediate unilateral retrobulbar hemorrhage in a child after strabismus surgery. The case was managed with urgent canthotomy and cantholysis to avoid excessive tension over ocular and periocular structures including the optic nerve.     

Successful Treatment of Recurrent Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis After Transplantation in Children: A Single-Center Experience

Objective

We aim to report our experience managing cases of recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in a group of pediatric renal transplant recipients.

Assessment of knowledge and attitude toward stem cells and their implications in dentistry among recent graduates of dental schools in Saudi Arabia

Background

To evaluate the knowledge and attitude level of recent dental graduates in Saudi Arabia toward stem cells and their potential therapeutic applications.

The use of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a marker for COVID-19 infection in Saudi Arabia: A case-control retrospective multicenter study

Objectives:To assess the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) diagnostic and prognostic value in the context of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection in Saudi Arabia.Methods:A case-control study in which 701 confirmed COVID-19 patients (of which 41 were intensive care unit [ICU]-admitted) and 250 control subjects were enrolled. The study was conducted retrospectively in October on patients admitted to 3 separate hospitals in Saudi Arabia namely: King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital (Riyadh), Ohud Hospital (Madinah), and Nojood Medical Center (Madinah) between May and September 2020. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was calculated based on absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte count. Institutional ethical approval was obtained prior to the study.Results:Patients (median age 35 years), of which 54.8% were females, were younger than the control cohort (median age 48 years). Patients had significantly higher NLR compared to the control group. Intensive care unit admitted patients had significantly higher platelet, WBC and neutrophil counts. The ICU patients’ NLR was almost twice as of the non-intensive patients. The NLR value of 5.5 was found to be of high specificity (96.4%) and positive predictive value (91.4%) in diagnosing COVID-19. Furthermore, it had a very good sensitivity (86.4%) in predicting severe forms of disease, such as, ICU admission.Conclusion:Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is an important tool in determining the COVID-19 clinical status. This study further confirms the prognostic value of NLR in detecting severe infection, and those patients with high NLR should be closely monitored and managed.     

Chemical composition and protective effect of Juniperus sabina L. essential oil against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity

The hepatoprotective activity of the total extract of Juniperus sabina L. against CCl₄ induced toxicity in experimental animals was previously reported and indicated promising results. Essential oil of J. Sabina was prepared by hydrodistillation method. Components of the oil were identified by comparison of GC-MS and retention indexes with reported data. The hepatoprotective effect of the essential oil against CCl₄ induced toxicity was studied using male Wistar rats and silymarin at 10 mg/kg p.o as standard drug. The protective effect was evaluated via serum biochemical parameters such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), and total bilirubin as well as tissue parameters including non-protein sulfhydryl groups (NP-SH), malonaldehyde (MDA) and total protein (TP). Histopathological study was applied on the liver tissues using Mayer’s hematoxylin stain, Periodic Acid Schiff – Hematoxylin (PAS-H) and Masson trichrome technique on light microscope. Electron microscope images were also obtained for more detailed study.     

Knowledge,awareness, and perception of oral and maxillofacial surgery among the public and professionals in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

Although oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) is expanding rapidly in Saudi Arabia, accurate knowledge of the specialty appears to be lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, awareness, and perception of OMS among the public and professionals in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional design was adopted, incorporating five groups: dental interns, dental practitioners, medical interns, medical practitioners, and the public. A sample size of 130 was determined for each group, assuming a significance level of 5% and test power of 90%. Surveys were distributed randomly to participants from March to June 2018. For each of 15 specific clinical problems, respondents were asked to choose the most appropriate of three overlapping specialties for treatment, including OMS. A total of 1051 responses were collected. Participants correctly recognized OMS as appropriate for some problems, such as mandibular reconstruction, but for others recognition was poor. Surprisingly, medical professionals were the only group to strongly consider plastic surgery appropriate for treating orthognathic correction. Dental professionals were the most informed. This study highlights the need for greater awareness and education regarding OMS, promoting its development, contribution, and impact among the public and healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia.     

Risk factors for surgical site infection following spinal surgery in Saudi Arabia: A retrospective case–control study

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common complications after spinal surgery that result in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. It was estimated that SSIs after spinal surgery resulted in a 4-fold increase in health care costs. The reported SSI rate following spinal surgery remains highly variable between approximately 0.5% and 18%. In this study, we aimed to estimate the SSI rate and identify possible risk factors for SSI after spinal surgery in our Saudi patient population.We conducted a single-center, retrospective case–control study in Saudi Arabia that included patients who developed SSIs, while the controls were all consecutive patients who underwent spinal surgery between January 2014 and December 2016. We extracted data on patient characteristics, anthropometric measurements, preoperative laboratory investigations, preoperative infection prevention measures, intraoperative measures, comorbidities, and postoperative care.We included 201 consecutive patients in our study; their median age was 56.9 years, and 51.2% were men. Only 4% (n = 8) of these patients developed SSIs postoperatively. Postoperative SSIs were significantly associated with longer postoperative hospital stays, hypertension, higher American Society of Anesthesia (ASA) scores, longer procedure durations, and the use of a greater number of blood transfusion units.This study revealed a low SSI rate following spinal surgery. We identified a history of hypertension, prolonged hospitalization, longer operative time, blood transfusion, and higher ASA score as risk factors for SSI in spine surgery in our population. As our findings are from a single institute, we believe that a national research collaboration among multiple disciplines should be performed to provide better estimates of SSI risk factors in our patient population.