Retrospective review of profile of intensive care unit admissions and outcomes in a tertiary care hospital of Himalayan region

Background: An Intensive care unit (ICU) is an area where highest level of care is given with close invasive and non-invasive monitoring to a critically ill patient. Medical audit is must to assess the quality care provided and lay down policies for future. Objectives: To review retrospectively the profile of patients admitted to ICU and assess their outcome.Methods: From January 2016 to December 2016, ICU records of all admissions, referred, discharges, and deaths were utilized for the purpose of this study. Data extracted from the records included age, sex, diagnosis and outcome.Results: A total of 2316 patients were admitted to ICU. Males were 1489 (64.3%) and females were 827 (35.7%). Most of the patients (42.8%) were between 46-70 years. Most of the patients were shifted from emergency (48.5%) and it was associated with better outcome. A total of 49.6% patients were shifted out of ICU in stable condition while mortality was 28.6%. Around 21.8% patients left ICU against Medical advice.Conclusions: Majority patients admitted to ICU were of general medicine and neurosurgery. Survival was inversely related to age. Mortality was not associated with sex. Outcome was also related to the source from where patient was admitted

Uncommon etiology of chronic wheeze

Endobronchial tuberculosis (TB) refers to TB infection of the tracheobronchial tree. We report the case of a 62-year-old immunocompetent patient of chronic cough with normal X-ray. She did not have any systemic complaints suggestive of TB. Her diagnosis was made when she underwent bronchoscopy to look for any endobronchial cause of cough. It revealed complete caseation in the airways. Microscopically and pathologically, it was confirmed to be tubercular. The patient improved clinically on antitubercular therapy

An Unusual Presentation of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

The granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener’s granulomatosis, is a pauci-immune vasculitis involving small- and medium-sized blood vessels. Classically, the patients inflicted with this disease present with a triad of necrotizing granulomatous inflammation of the respiratory tract, cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis, and glomerulonephritis (GN). The antinuclear (ANA) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are considered as relatively specific markers of the disease. Herein, we presented the case of a patient who initially presented with sepsis but did not respond to the conventional antibiotics and later diagnosed with GPA.The granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener’s granulomatosis, is a pauci-immune vasculitis involving small- and medium-sized blood vessels. Classically, the patients inflicted with this disease present with a triad of necrotizing granulomatous inflammation of the respiratory tract, cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis, and glomerulonephritis (GN).The antinuclear (ANA) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are considered as relatively specific markers of the disease. Herein, we presented the case of a patient who initially presented with sepsis but did not respond to the conventional antibiotics and later diagnosed with GPA

A Three-Year Experience of Medical Thoracoscopy at A Tertiary Care Center of Himalayan Region

Introduction: Medical thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure for diagnosing and treating pleural diseases. Despite its proven role in diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, it is infrequently used, which could be because of cost of equipment and lack of training. We analyzed our initial 3 years record of thoracoscopy at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, a tertiary care center in Himalayan region of north India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was to analyze our experience of medical thoracoscopy which was started in Jan 2011 at our center. All patients who underwent thoracoscopy during the period between Jan 2011 to Dec 2013 were included in the study. Thoracoscopy was performed for diagnosis of undiagnosed pleural effusions. Clinical, radiological, cytological & histopathological data of the patients were collected prospectively and analysed. Results: The diagnostic yield for a pleuroscopic pleural biopsy in our study was 87.23% (41/47). Malignancy was diagnosed histopathologically in 70.2% (33/47) patients (both primary & metastatic pleural carcinoma) and tuberculosis in 10.6% (5/47). There was no mortality related to procedure. Only three patients had minor complications like subcutaneous emphysema which was mild and resolved by second post-procedure day. Pain at intercostal drain site was observed in some patients. Conclusion: Thoracoscopy is an easy outpatient procedure and an excellent diagnostic tool for pleural effusion of uncertain etiology. It has low complication rate even in settings where the procedure is just started. It should be included in the armamentarium of tools for management of pleural effusion

Tracheobronchomalacia/excessive dynamic airway collapse in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with persistent expiratory wheeze: A pilot study

Background: Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) refers to a condition in which structural integrity of cartilaginous wall of trachea is lost. Excessive dynamic airway collapse (EDAC) is characterized by excessive invagination of posterior wall of trachea. In both these conditions, airway lumen gets compromised, especially during expiration, which can lead to symptoms such as breathlessness, cough, and wheezing. Both these conditions can be present in obstructive lung diseases; TBM due to chronic airway inflammation and EDAC due to dynamic compressive forces during expiration. The present study was planned with the hypothesis that TBM/EDAC could also produce expiratory wheeze in patients with obstructive airway disorders. Hence, prevalence and factors affecting presence of this entity in patients with obstructive airway diseases were the aims and objectives of this study. Materials and Methods:Twenty-five patients with obstructive airway disorders (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] or bronchial asthma), who were stable on medical management, but having persistent expiratory wheezing, were included in the study. They were evaluated for TBM/EDAC by bronchoscopy and computed tomographic scan of chest. The presence of TBM/EDAC was correlated with variables including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking index, level of dyspnea, and severity of disease. Results: Mean age of the patients was 62.7 ± 7.81 years. Out of 25 patients, 14 were males. TBM/EDAC was found in 40% of study subjects. Age, sex, BMI, severity of disease, frequency of exacerbations and radiological findings etc., were not found to have any association with presence of TBM/EDAC. Conclusion: TBM/EDAC is common in patients with obstructive airway disorders and should be evaluated in these patients, especially with persistent expiratory wheezing as diagnosis of this entity could provide another treatment option in these patients with persistent symptoms despite medical management