Accuracy of intra-operative imprint smears in breast tumours: A study of 40 cases with review of literature

Context: Imprint smears are invaluable diagnostic tool for intra-operative evaluation of breast tumours. Aims: The aim of this study was (1) to evaluate the accuracy of intra-operative imprint smears in breast tumours. (2) to compare the results with that of published literature on imprint smears of breast tumours. Materials and Methods: 40 cases of breast tumours underwent intra-operative imprint smears between March 2003 to April 2004, the results of which were compared to the post-operative final histopathological sections. Statistical Analysis Used: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated. Results: Of the 40 cases, 21 were malignant and 19 were benign. The accuracy rate for benign lesions was 100% and that for malignant lesions was 97.5% with a false negative rate of 2.5%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 95.24%, 100%, 100% and 95% respectively. Conclusions: Intra-operative imprint smears like frozen sections help in on table diagnosis, wherein the fine needle aspiration cytology is inconclusive or suspicious. Imprint smears is a simple, accurate, rapid and cost-effective diagnostic tool, intra-operatively wherein facilities for frozen section are not available

Prescription Analysis of Pediatric Outpatient Practice in Nagpur City

<b>Background:</b> Medication errors are probably one of the most common types of medical errors, as medication is the most common health-care intervention. Knowing where and when errors are most likely to occur is generally felt to be the first step in trying to prevent these errors. <b> Objective:</b> To study prescribing patterns and errors in pediatric OPD prescriptions presenting to four community pharmacies across Nagpur city and to compare the prescription error rates across prescriber profiles. <b> Materials and Methods:</b> The study sample included 1376 valid pediatric OPD prescriptions presenting to four randomly selected community pharmacies in Nagpur, collected over a period of 2 months. Confirmed errors in the prescriptions were reviewed and analyzed. The core indicators for drug utilization studies, mentioned by WHO, were used to define errors. <b> Results:</b> The 1376 prescriptions included in the study were for a total of 3435 drugs, prescribed by 41 doctors. Fixed dose formulations dominated the prescribing pattern, many of which were irrational. Prescribing by market name was almost universal and generic prescriptions were for merely 254 (7.4&#x0025;) drugs. The prescribing pattern also indicated polypharmacy with the average number of drugs per encounter of 2.5. Antibiotics were included in 1087 (79&#x0025;) prescriptions, while injectable drugs were prescribed in 22 (1.6&#x0025;) prescriptions. The prescription error score varied significantly across prescriber profiles. <b> Conclusion:</b> The findings of our study highlight the continuing crisis of the irrational drug prescribing in the country