Results of management of spinal tuberculosis according to middle path regime and short course chemotheraphy

Background: Vertebral tuberculosis is the most common form of skeletal tuberculosis and it contributes about 50 percent of all cases of skeletal tuberculosis. The purpose of this study is to delineate the importance of middle path regime and short course chemotheraphy in the management of spine tuberculosis.Methods: A prospective study was conducted which included 44 patients diagnosed as tuberculous spondylitis. Management was started as per middle path regime and drugs were given as per the revised national tuberculosis control program (RNTCP) regime category I under directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) therapy. Specimen was collected and studied for smear, culture, antibiotic sensitivity and histopathology. ATT was stopped at the end of 6 months as per DOTS schedule and MRI was done at the end of therapy.Results: Dorsal spine lesions were found in 33 patients. 8 patients were smear positive and 38 patients were culture positive of whom 26 patients were sensitive to first line ATT drugs. 12 patients had MDR tuberculosis and were sensitive to 2nd line ATT drugs. 6 patients having negative culture were diagnosed from histopathology. All patients on 1st line ATT had satisfactory result. Only 8 patients with MDR tuberculosis recovered neurologically. Conclusions: It is mandatory to do obtain tissue biopsy and examine culture, sensitivity and histopathology. Recently there is an increasing tendency in multidrug resistance cases and total drug resistant cases. By doing culture and sensitivity of the specimen we can find out the number of MDR cases and initiate proper drug regimen to avoid further complication and mortality

Three Distinct Urethral Fistulae 35 Years After Pelvic Radiation

Introduction: While the development of fistulae is a well-known complication of radiotherapy, such fistulae can often be challenging to manage. Case Presentation: We describe the case of a 37 year old male who developed in succession a urethrocutaneous fistula to the thigh, a rectourethral fistula and a peritoneo-urethral fistula 35 years after radiotherapy for pediatric pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma. These complications were managed successfully after multiple surgical procedures. Discussion: We subsequently discuss the different approaches currently employed for the management of radiation induced urinary fistulas and describe the rationale behind our approach towards their surgical management

Assessing the prevalence of various modes of injury and type of malleolar fractures based on Lauge-Hansen classification presenting at a tertiary care center

Background: Ankle fractures represent approximately 9% of all fractures and are a common occurrence with an incidence of 138-169 per 100,000 per year. The mechanism of injury differs in terms of mode of injury in various age groups. The Lague-Hansen classification is a pathologic-anatomic classification and emphasizes different stages of ligamentous injury, in addition to the fracture pattern, and provides options for fracture treatment.Methods: A retrospective observational study, where the prevalence of various types of ankle fractures were classified according to the Lauge-Hansen Classification, in the period of 2018 onwards till date. The mode of injury and age group of the patient was also noted.Results: A total of 84 patients were analyzed, supination-external rotation (48.7%) were the most frequently observed fractures in our study population, with no significant correlation between mode of injury and fracture pattern noted. There was a statistically significant association (p<0.05) between the velocity of injury and the age groups suffering ankle trauma.Conclusion: The Lauge-Hansen Classification continues to be an important tool in assessing the biomechanics of ankle fractures and the management options available, especially in a country like India where more expensive imaging modalities may not be available or affordable at times. Our study also highlights that high velocity fractures continue to be a major cause of morbidity in the younger age group, especially in developing countries such as India. Stringent traffic rules and public awareness need to be put into practice to reduce the toll of this problem

Assessment of functional outcome of surgical management of proximal humerus fracture treated with PHILOS plate

Background: Proximal humeral fractures were treated conservatively in the past and often had compromised functional results. With the advancement of surgical techniques, these fractures, especially displaced, are now more often managed operatively; to meet the needs of the patient, provide early rehabilitation and better functional outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the functional outcome of operative management of proximal humeral fractures with Philos plate fixation.Methods: In this prospective study, 30 patients aged 19-75 years (mean age 47.1 years) with fractures of the proximal humerus, including two-, three-, and four-part fractures, were treated by open reduction internal fixation with Philos plating. Patients’ functional outcomes were evaluated based on subjective (35 points) and objective (65 points) parameters, as per the constant scoring system.Results: Functional outcome based on the constant scoring system of the patient at 6 month follow-up were compared. Excellent results were seen in 12 patients (40%), 2 had very good results (6.66%), 9 patients were having good (30%) and 6 had fair (20%) functional outcome. One patient had poor functional results (3.33%). Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the humeral head was observed in one patients.Conclusions: Philos plate fixation for proximal humeral fractures provides good stable fixation with good functional outcome and is a feasible option.

Toll-like receptor gene variants and bacterial vaginosis among HIV-1 infected and uninfected African women.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal syndrome associated with altered microflora that increases the risk of preterm delivery and acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases. The cause of BV is unknown although toll-like receptors (TLRs), that are central to innate immune responses, may be important. We evaluated associations between TLR SNPs and BV among HIV-1 infected and uninfected African women. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between SNPs (N=99) in TLRs 2-4, 7-9 and BV (as classified by Nugent's criteria). Among HIV-1 uninfected women, TLR7 rs5743737 and TLR7 rs1634323 were associated with a decreased risk of BV, whereas TLR7 rs179012 was associated with an increased risk. TLR2 SNP rs3804099 was associated with a decreased risk of BV among HIV-1 infected women. Our findings indicate that there may be differences in TLR association with BV among HIV-1 infected and HIV-1 uninfected women

The feasibility of local anesthesia for the surgical treatment of umbilical hernia: a systematic review of the literature

Background: Yearly approximately 4500 umbilical hernias are repaired in The Netherlands, mostly under general anesthesia. The use of local anesthesia has shown several advantages in groin hernia surgery. Local anesthesia might be useful in the treatment of umbilical hernia as well. However, convincing evidence is lacking. We have conducted a systematic review on safety, feasibility, and advantages of local anesthesia for umbilical hernia repair. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Outcome parameters were duration of surgery, surgical site infection, perioperative and postoperative complications, postoperative pain, hernia recurrence, time before discharge, and patient satisfaction. Results: The systematic review resulted in nine included articles. Various anesthetic agents were used, varying from short acting to longer acting agents. There was no consensus regarding the injection technique and no conversions to general anesthesia were described. The most common postoperative complication was surgical site infection, with an overall percentage of 3.4%. There were no postoperative deaths and no allergic reactions described for local anesthesia. The hernia recurrence rate varied from 2 to 7.4%. Almost 90% of umbilical hernia patients treated with local anesthesia were discharged within 24 h, compared with 47% of patients treated with general anesthesia. The overall patient satisfaction rate varied from 89 to 97%. Conclusion: Local anesthesia for umbilical hernia seems safe and feasible. However, the advantages of local anesthesia are not sufficiently demonstrated, due to the heterogeneity of included studies. We, therefore, propose a randomized controlled trial comparing general versus local anesthesia for umbilical hernia repair

Identifying Host Genetic Risk Factors in the Context of Public Health Surveillance for Invasive Pneumococcal Disease

Host genetic factors that modify risk of pneumococcal disease may help target future public health interventions to individuals at highest risk of disease. We linked data from population-based surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) with state-based newborn dried bloodspot repositories to identify biological samples from individuals who developed invasive pneumococcal disease. Genomic DNA was extracted from 366 case and 732 anonymous control samples. TagSNPs were selected in 34 candidate genes thought to be associated with host response to invasive pneumococcal disease, and a total of 326 variants were successfully genotyped. Among 543 European Americans (EA) (182 cases and 361 controls), and 166 African Americans (AA) (53 cases and 113 controls), common variants in surfactant protein D (SFTPD) are consistently underrepresented in IPD. SFTPD variants with the strongest association for IPD are intronic rs17886286 (allelic OR 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.25, 0.82], with p = 0.007) in EA and 5′ flanking rs12219080 (allelic OR 0.32, 95%CI [0.13, 0.78], with p = 0.009) in AA. Variants in CD46 and IL1R1 are also associated with IPD in both EA and AA, but with effects in different directions; FAS, IL1B, IL4, IL10, IL12B, SFTPA1, SFTPB, and PTAFR variants are associated (p≤0.05) with IPD in EA or AA. We conclude that variants in SFTPD may protect against IPD in EA and AA and genetic variation in other host response pathways may also contribute to risk of IPD. While our associations are not corrected for multiple comparisons and therefore must be replicated in additional cohorts, this pilot study underscores the feasibility of integrating public health surveillance with existing, prospectively collected, newborn dried blood spot repositories to identify host genetic factors associated with infectious diseases

Bacterial Vaginosis Associated with Increased Risk of Female-to-Male HIV-1 Transmission: A Prospective Cohort Analysis among African Couples

In a prospective study, Craig Cohen and colleagues investigate the association between bacterial vaginosis and the risk of female-to-male HIV-1 transmission