Reducing post-operative length of stay, is it worth the effort?

Background: Studies show that reducing the length of hospital stay (LOS) for surgical patients leads to cost savings. We hypothesize that LOS has a nonlinear relationship to cost of care and reduction may not have a meaningful impact on it. We have attempted to define the relationship of LOS to cost of care.

Disclosing bad news of cancer diagnosis: Patients' preference for communication.

The majority of relatives of cancer patients in Pakistan request their clinicians to adopt a "do not tell approach" while counselling the patients regarding their disease. The current study aimed to assess patients' understanding of their disease and how they would prefer the physicians to deliver news about cancer diagnosis and its management plan. This was a cross-sectional study in which both patients and their immediate relatives were interviewed.

Intraperitoneal lignocaine (lidocaine) versus bupivacaine after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: results of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Intraperitoneal local anesthetics have been shown to improve postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). However, the choice of local anesthetic agent is debatable. We compared the analgesic efficacy of intraperitoneal lignocaine (lidocaine) versus bupivacaine after elective LC.

The role of computed tomography for identifying mechanical bowel obstruction in a Pakistani population.

Objective: To retrospectively review our experience of CT scan in cases with a final diagnosis of surgically confirmed mechanical bowel obstruction.

Methods: It is a retrospective analytical study, done from 2003 to 2008. All adult patients having undergone laparotomy in addition to a preoperative abdominal CT scan over a 5 year period were identified through the medical records and their case notes reviewed.

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm; a rare complication of amoebic liver abscess.

Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm (HAP) is an infrequently encountered entity, usually seen secondary to blunt or penetrating trauma. The clinical presentation is often due to complications such as intrahepatic or intraperitoneal bleeding as a result of rupture of the pseudoaneurysm. Diagnosis is frequently delayed and made by splanchnic angiography.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy: a developing country perspective.

Objective: To review retrospectively, the resultsof Whipple's procedure from 1986 to December 2009 at the Aga Khan University Hospital.

Methods: Patient's case notes were reviewed to extract information related to demographics, clinical and laboratory data, operative procedure and post operative period. Surgical mortality was defined as death within 30 days of procedure.