Assessment of medical students by OSPE method in pathology

ABSTRACT: Objective structured practical examination (OSPE) is a practical exam system wherein there is a series of stations at which students work through tasks designed to test various skills and are tested using agreed check lists with observers sitting at some of the stations. It has been found to be objective, valid and reliable. It also eliminates examiner bias. The purpose of this study is to introduce OSPE both as an evaluation and a teaching tool and to draw attention to its advantages and disadvantages. We designed an OSPE that tested all the above objectives satisfactorily. The OSPE exam was conducted in the department of pathology during the second internal assessment of the students. This method was the compared with the conventional method of practical exam conducted during the first internal assessment of the same batch of students. The results showed that OSPE tests different desired components of competence better. It is an objective, valid and reliable method and gets rid of variation due to examiner bias. It has a better discrimination index on merit. Interpretative exercises are the most relevant part and deserve the lion’s share of total marks. Students feel more comfortable and less stressed to perform the exam. KEYWORDS: Objective structured practical examination; Medical education; Teaching methodology; PathologyInternet Journal of Medical Update 2012 January;7(1):2-

De Novo Ovarian squamous cell carcinoma : A case of rare malignancy

Abstract Pure primary squamous cell carcinoma of the ovary, not associated with pre-existing ovarian lesions like dermoid cyst, Brenner tumours, or endometriosis is extremely rare. A 28 year old nulliparous female presented with acute pain in left lower abdomen and weight loss. Ultrasonography showed a mass arising from left ovary. An ovarian mass adhered to lateral pelvic wall was found on laprotomy. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of left ovary with no co-existing ovarian dermoid. Postoperatively patient died within 8 weeks despite adjuvant chemotherapy

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis masquerading as a tumor in an infant

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is an uncommon form of chronic pyelonephritis and a well recognized entity. It is rarely seen in children and neonates. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult and the etiology is still obscure. The condition is mostly diagnosed on nephrectomy specimen. The focal form mimicking neoplastic condition is rare. A case of XGP is reported here in an 8 month old child in which case nephrectomy was done with the clinical diagnosis of malignant renal tumor. Various modalities of preoperative diagnosis of this entity with conservative approach are also discussed

Gnathostomiasis: A rare case of cutaneous creeping eruptions

A 21-year-old vegetarian lady presenting with migratory erythema and pain in her right hand subsequently developed a blister on the palm. A worm-like structure came out of the wound and was identified as Gnathostoma spp. adult male worm. It is a very rare cause of creeping eruptions and so far only one case of cutaneous gnathostomiasis caused by a larva has been reported from India. This is the first case of cutaneous gnathostomiasis due to an adult Gnathostoma spp. in India

An unusual case of urinary sparganosis in the Indian subcontinent

Spirometra is a genus of pseudophyllidean cestode that reproduces in canines and felines but can cause pathology in humans. When humans harbour plerocercoids of these tapeworms outside the intestine, it can cause sparganosis. We report a case of urinary sparganosis in a young woman, passing multiple spargana worms in her urine. The worm was identified as the plerocercoid larvae of Spirometra spp., and the case was managed successfully

Unusual manifestation of isolated cutaneous toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent patient

A rare and probably the first documented case of isolated cutaneous toxoplasmosis is being reported in a 50-year-old, vegetarian, immunocompetent man. The granulomatous nodule located on the scrotal skin was excised, and the sections and crushed material of the nodule were subjected to different staining techniques. Demonstration of crescentic structures and PAS-positive material confirmed the presence of Toxoplasma gondii. The significantly raised titer of anti-toxoplasma antibodies further supported the diagnosis. The case was successfully managed surgically. No further treatment was advised since the patient was immunocompetent and it was assumed that cell-mediated immunity would further control the proliferation of organisms

Fine needle aspiration cytology of chondroblastoma of the fibula

Chondroblastoma is a rare benign cartilaginous tumor typically seen in long bones, especially femur, tibia and proximal humerus. Extracortical soft tissue invasion or metastasis is rarely seen. We report here a unique case of chondroblastoma of the fibula with extracortical soft tissue invasion. Differential diagnosis on cytology is discussed

Hematological parameters in COVID-19 patients at admission in a tertiary care centre in central India

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus is an acute respiratory infection with systemic manifestations.Studies have shown that abnormal hematological parameters can help in prognostication of patients. Our study analyses hematological parameters for prognostication and prediction of mortality in SARS-CoV-2 patients from central India. Aim: Present study aims to compare the mean value of hematological parameters from 350 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (survivors and non-survivors), in order to assess their role in prognostication and prediction of mortality. Our study evaluates complete blood count (CBC) and their ratios, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) in COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in central India. Materials and Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 350 patients hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19. They were divided into two groups on the basis of their outcome: group 1 comprised of 28 non- survivors; group 2 comprised of 322 survivors.Results: Male predominance was seen in both survivors and non survivors.Mortality rate was 8%. Statistically significant differences were observed with respect to total leucocyte count (TLC), neutrophil percent (N%), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), Lymphocyte percent (L%), zero eosinophil percent (E%), absolute eosinophil count (AEC), NLR, MLR, PLR and SII at admission between survivors and non survivors of COVID-19 patients.Conclusion: Elevated TLC, neutrophil percent, ANC, NLR, MLR, PLR and SII at admission are useful in prognostication and prediction of mortality in COVID-19 patients