Role of cephalomedullary nail in proximal femur fractures

Background: Hip fractures are recognized to be a major public health problem. Key determinants of hip fractures include age, osteoporosis, and falls. In these determinants socioeconomic status, have not been well explored. Under eccentric loading, high bending loads occur, leading to failure of the osteosynthetis anchorage at the center of the femoral head.The introduction of the reconstruction nail has broadened the indications for the intramedullary fixation of difficult femoral fractures. The operative technique is however complicated. Some technical difficulties encountered during its use are presented together with guidance to allow these problems to be avoided.Methods: This Study had included 47 cases which were operated by single surgeon and use of different implant (cephalomedullary nail) was randomized irrespective of fracture types and pattern. This study was done over a period of 12 months (October 2013 to October 2014) with 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months follow up. At every visit patient were assessed as per Oxford hip score. Type of implant used was PFNA, Intertan, Sirus Nail.Results: The mean age of the patients was 65.68 (±13.55) years. Severe pain was observed among majority of the patients at one month (70.2%) which became mild (40.4%) and moderate (34%) at 3 months. Very mild pain was found in 36.2% patients at 6 months and in 61.7% at 12 months. The limping was all the time among all the patients at one month. However, the limping was found often in 46.8% at 3 months and sometimes in 57.4% at 6 months and 53.2% at 12 months. The hip score was found to be severe among all the patients at one month. However, moderate to severe hip was in 46.8% patients at 3 months, mild to moderate was in 57.4% at 6 months and satisfactory joint function was in 68.1% at 12 months. The comparison of Hip score according to long or short nail at one 3, 6 and 12 months showed no difference. Conclusions: Cephalomedullary nails with adequate technique so that the lag screws by purchase in the centre-centre or posterior-inferior quadrant combines the benefit of sliding hip screw as well as intramedullary implants. So we recommend the use of cephalomedullary nails in proximal femur fractures especially the unstable fractures

An evaluation of hyperbaric ropivacaine with magnesium as an adjuvant in lower abdominal surgeries among the north Indian subjects: a double-blind randomized trial

Background: An evaluation of intrathecal hyperbaric ropivacaine without adjuvant and with adjuvant magnesium for lower abdominal surgeries.Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind study conducted among the patients aged 18 to 60 years planned for lower abdomen surgeries under spinal anaesthesia and ASA grade I or II. Patients were randomly allocated to two groups (30 in each): ropivacaine Group (R group): spinal anesthesia with 3ml of 0.6% hyperbaric ropivacaine (18mg )+ 0.5ml NS. hyperbaric ropivacaine + Magnesium Group (R+M group ):   spinal anesthesia with 3ml of 0.6% hyperbaric ropivacaine (18mg) + 0.5ml magnesium sulphate (50 mg).  All the patients scheduled for operation were given oral tablets ranitidine 150 mg and Alprazolam 0.25mg in the night before surgery.Results: There was no significant difference in the basic characteristics between the groups. The mean HR, MAP and SpO2 in both the groups decreased over the periods as compared to baseline. However, the trend of HR over the periods remains similar in both R and R+M groups. The bromage levels were significantly (p=0.0001) higher among the patients of Group R compared with R+M.  The 2 segment sensory regression (min), Sensory regression S2 (hr), motor recovery (hrs) and long term mobilization after spinal anesthesia were significantly (p=0.0001) lower among the patients of Group R compared with R+M. The complications were lower in Group R+M than R.Conclusions: Magnesium may be more suitable drug in surgeries in which muscle relaxation has greater value in lower abdominal surgeries

Comparison of prices of commonly used drugs in AMRIT pharmacy, Jan Aushadhi Centre and Private chemist shop: An analytical study from a tertiary care centre in Haryana

Background: The price of medicine in India has always been a point of discussion in public domain. The price range of the same drug is very large with more than 100% difference between various brands available in different settings. Aims and Objectives: To assess the price of different drugs at Jan Aushasdhi (JA), AMRIT and Private Chemist and to compare the prices of these three outlets so that the issues. Material and Methods: This institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out from May 2019 to June 2019. A pretested proforma was prepared to compare the prices of 284 different medicines in Jan Aushadhi, AMRIT and private chemist shops. The collected data were entered in an Excel spreadsheet and presented in Proportions, percentages, and mean. Results: The price of 284 medicines were compared from JA (Median(IQR)- 15.18(18.75) INR) and Private chemist shop (Median(IQR)-88(111.5) INR) while 249 medicine from AMRIT (Median(IQR)-61.05(78.33) INR). Although the majority of the AMRIT drugs are cheaper than the chemist shop except for 31% of Antipsychotic drugs, 26.6% of antihypertensives, 25% of respiratory drugs, 25% of steroids, 21.9% of antibiotics. Conclusion: We concluded that JA is providing drugs cheaper than AMRIT and Private chemist . The prices of medicines offered at AMRIT  are lower than market pricing but they are costlier when compared to JA prices

Phytomedicine: Herbal venture in green endodontics

Introduction: Nature has bestowed a very rich botanical wealth. Antimicrobial agents of plant origin have enormous therapeutic potential. Azadirachta Indica (AI) & Aloe Barbadensis (AB) are the natural product that has gained interest in endodontics as irrigant due to their antibacterial effectiveness against several endodontic pathogens. Hence the purpose of this in vivo study was to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of herbal (Azadirachta Indica & Aloe Barbadensis) with conventional (Sodium Hypochlorite and Chlorhexidine Gluconate) irrigants in infected root canals. Methodology: One hundred and twenty five patients satisfying the inclusion criteria were selected. Before and after the root canal preparation, two canal samples were obtained by a harvesting method using a sterile paper point and then transferred for microbiological study. Results: The results of present study indicated that use of Sodium Hypochlorite showed greatest percentage reduction in Aerobic Microbial Load (87.58%) followed by Azadirachta Indica (82.24%), Chlorhexidine Gluconate (78.32%), Aloe Barbadensis (27.22%) and Distilled Water (15.73%). In anaerobic microbial load Azadirachta Indica showed greatest percentage reduction (78.43%) followed by Chlorhexidine Gluconate (78.12%), Sodium Hypochlorite (75.16%), Distilled Water (12.38%) and Aloe Barbadensis (-9.74%). Conclusion: The results of present study indicate that the number of post-irrigant positive cultures (CFU/ml) was significantly lower than the pre-irrigant cultures in all the groups

Development of DNA Aptamers to Visualize Release of Mycobacterial Membrane-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Infected Macrophages

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged into a novel vaccine platform, a biomarker and a nano-carrier for approved drugs. Their accurate detection and visualization are central to their utility in varied biomedical fields. Owing to the limitations of fluorescent dyes and antibodies, here, we describe DNA aptamer as a promising tool for visualizing mycobacterial EVs in vitro. Employing SELEX from a large DNA aptamer library, we identified a best-performing aptamer that is highly specific and binds at nanomolar affinity to EVs derived from three diverse mycobacterial strains (pathogenic, attenuated and avirulent). Confocal microscopy revealed that this aptamer was not only bound to in vitro-enriched mycobacterial EVs but also detected EVs that were internalized by THP-1 macrophages and released by infecting mycobacteria. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that detects EVs released by mycobacteria during infection in host macrophages. Within 4 h, most released mycobacterial EVs spread to other parts of the host cell. We predict that this tool will soon hold huge potential in not only delineating mycobacterial EVs-driven pathogenic functions but also in harboring immense propensity to act as a non-invasive diagnostic tool against tuberculosis in general, and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in particular

Assessing the cardiology community position on transradial intervention and the use of bivalirudin in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing invasive management: results of an EAPCI survey.

AIMS: Our aim was to report on a survey initiated by the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) collecting the opinion of the cardiology community on the invasive management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), before and after the MATRIX trial presentation at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2015 Scientific Sessions. METHODS AND RESULTS: A web-based survey was distributed to all individuals registered on the EuroIntervention mailing list (n=15,200). A total of 572 and 763 physicians responded to the pre- and post-ACC survey, respectively. The radial approach emerged as the preferable access site for ACS patients undergoing invasive management with roughly every other responder interpreting the evidence for mortality benefit as definitive and calling for a guidelines upgrade to class I. The most frequently preferred anticoagulant in ACS patients remains unfractionated heparin (UFH), due to higher costs and greater perceived thrombotic risks associated with bivalirudin. However, more than a quarter of participants declared the use of bivalirudin would increase after MATRIX. CONCLUSIONS: The MATRIX trial reinforced the evidence for a causal association between bleeding and mortality and triggered consensus on the superiority of the radial versus femoral approach. The belief that bivalirudin mitigates bleeding risk is common, but UFH still remains the preferred anticoagulant based on lower costs and thrombotic risks