Organization of the POCT Unit.

Point-of-care testing (POCT) has evolved as an important part of laboratory medicine by virtue of its compactness, portability, and the feasibility of operation by nonlaboratory personnel, where fast and accurate testing methods are a primary concern and, as a result, improving the patient care. To successfully achieve POCT quality in networks, a multidisciplinary organizational approach is required. A clearly defined organizational structure should be put in place for proper functioning and optimum utilization of each POCT unit.

Intralobar sequestration with situs inversus totalis.

Pulmonary sequestration is a relatively rare congenital lesion of the lung. The occurrence of intralobar pulmonary sequestration coincidentally with situs inversus totalis is an interesting combination. We report a case of intralobar sequestration with situs inversus totalis a 30-year-old lady, which was treated successfully in our institution.

A prospective, observational, multicentre study comparing tenecteplase facilitated PCI versus primary PCI in Indian patients with STEMI (STEPP-AMI).

Objective: To compare the efficacy of pharmacoinvasive strategy versus primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Primary PCI is the preferred treatment for STEMI, but it is not a feasible option for many. A pharmacoinvasive strategy might be a practical solution in the Indian context, although few empirical data exist to guide this approach.

Papilloma of the umbilicus.

We present an interesting and rare case of umbilical papilloma associated with Carcinoma cervix.

Modified technique of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion in the pediatric population.

Objectives: To assess whether placement of a superficial cuff deeper to the external oblique aponeurosis reduces cuff extrusion and exit site infection in peritoneal catheter insertion in children.

Material And Methods: In 2013, a total of fourteen children underwent open continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion using Tenckhoff double cuffed catheters. The initial eight patients underwent a conventional technique and developed exit site infection and cuff extrusion.

Risks of concomitant trauma to the knee in lower limb long bone shaft fractures: A retrospective analysis from a prospective study population.

Background: Numerous associated injuries (bony and/or soft tissue lesions) occur commonly in conjunction with fractures of the femoral shaft in young patients after high-energy injuries. Knee ligamentous injuries, historically called as the internal derangements of the knee or IDK, are mostly not visible in plain radiographs taken in the emergency and these injuries are likely to be overlooked by clinicians because first attention always goes to open wounds and radiologically visible injuries of the limb whenever a patient is received in a trauma unit.

Materials And Methods: A total of 93 cases of lower limb long bone fractures were retrospectively analyzed from materials of a prospective study conducted on consecutive patients having high-velocity injuries to lower limb long bones with a view to confirm or rule out concomitant ipsilateral IDK in cases of femoral and tibial shaft fractures, that already employed a policy of focused clinical examination followed by arthroscopy of the ipsilateral knee, immediately after operative fracture fixation under the same anesthesia.

Laparoscopic management of post-cholecystectomy sectoral artery pseudoaneurysm.

Vascular injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy can occur similar to biliary injuries and mostly represented by intraoperative bleeding. Hepatic artery system pseudoaneurysm are rare. It occurs in the early or late postoperative course.

Acute interstitial nephritis due to proton pump inhibitors.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are commonly prescribed for dyspepsia and acid peptic disease. Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is an uncommon though important side-effect of these classes of drugs. We describe four cases: three females and one male.

Surgical placement of totally implantable venous access device-an institutional experience.

Objectives: To investigate the advantages and disadvantages of Totally implantable venous access devices (TIVAD) catheter in pediatric age group and also to review this subject in the recent literature and compare the results with the present results.

Methods: A total of 61 cases, 2 mo to 14 y old, were included in the index study. TIVADs were implanted in these patients for chemotherapy.

Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in children: a single institution experience.

Objective: To describe the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in children based on a single institution experience.

Methods: This study is a retrospective review of all 12 children with TTP seen at New York Medical College- Westchester Medical Center during a period of 15 y from 1993 to 2008.

Results: There were 7 females and 5 males with acquired TTP, with a median age of 13 (range, 6-17); and no cases of congenital TTP.

Risk prediction of acute kidney injury in cardiac surgery and prevention using aminophylline.

The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery remains high. The nonspecific adenosine receptor antagonist aminophylline has been shown to confer benefit in experimental and clinical acute renal failure (ARF) due to ischemia, contrast media, and various nephrotoxic agents. We conducted a prospective open label trial to assess the effectiveness of aminophylline for prevention of renal impairment after cardiac surgery.

Tunneled central venous catheters: Experience from a single center.

In the past vascular surgeons were called in to place tunneled central venous catheter (TVC) for hemodialysis patients. Advent of percutaneous technique has resulted in an increasing number of interventional nephrologists inserting it. A single centre three year audit of 100 TVCs with a cumulative follow up of 492 patient months is presented here.

Laparoscopic appendicectomy for complicated appendicitis: is it safe and justified?: A retrospective analysis.

Background: Although laparoscopic appendectomy has some advantages over open appendectomy, the literature suggests conflicting results regarding postoperative complications for complicated appendicitis.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients with complicated appendicitis managed surgically at Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center, Madurai, Tamilnadu, India was undertaken. A total of 497 patients were admitted with acute appendicitis and operated during the study period of 10 years from January 1999 to July 2009, out of which 119 (24%) patients had complicated appendicitis whereas 378 (76%) had uncomplicated acute appendicitis.

Childhood Bartter's syndrome: An Indian case series.

This is a retrospective analysis of children diagnosed with Bartter's syndrome (BS) between 2001 and 2009 in our hospital. Seven children (six males) were diagnosed with BS. The mean age at presentation was 6.

Single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy.

Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is a rapidly evolving field as a bridge between traditional laparoscopic surgery and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery. We present a case of SILS splenectomy performed with conventional laparoscopic instruments in a 7-month-old boy with the diagnosis of multiple splenic abscesses. A 3-cm umbilical incision was used for the placement of two (5 mm) trocars and one 10-mm videoscope (30°).