Emergency contraception: knowledge, attitude, and practices among health care providers in North India.

Aims: The present study was conducted to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency contraception in health care providers and users in North India.

Methods: A survey was carried out with the help of a predesigned questionnaire comprising of two groups of clients (abortion seekers at Family Welfare center, and non-medical college students (prospective clients)); and 4 groups of health care providers (gynecologists, general practitioners, paramedical workers, and medical students).

Results: Practically none of the clients were familiar with the concept of emergency contraception and so the rest of the information could not be obtained from them and hence this was excluded from further analysis.

Effect of lycopene on pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine growth retardation in primigravidas.

Objectives: To observe the effect of the antioxidant lycopene on the occurrence of pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation in primigravida women.

Methods: A total of 251 primigravida women were enrolled in this prospective, randomized controlled study in the second trimester. A total of 116 women were given oral lycopene (Group I) in a dose of 2 mg twice daily while 135 women were given a placebo (Group II) in the same dose until delivery.

Chronic myeloid leukemia presenting with avascular necrosis of femur head.

We report the case of a 15 years girl in whom avascular necrosis (AVN) of right femur head was the presenting feature of chronic stable phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). To date, only three case of CML with AVN have been reported. So, in view of rarity of this condition, a similar case of CML presenting as AVN of femur head is being reported.

Mitral valve surgery and maternal and fetal outcome in valvular heart disease.

Objectives: To compare maternal and fetal outcomes in patients with non-operated valvular heart disease and patients who had surgery before or during pregnancy.

Methods: The 308 women with valvular heart disease who delivered in this hospital in the last 8 years were divided into three groups. The 218 (70.

Randomized controlled study of laparoscopic total extraperitoneal versus open Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair.

Background: Whereas open anterior inguinal herniorrhaphy is a time-tested, safe, and well-understood operation with a high success rate, laparoscopic techniques of inguinal hernia repair are fairly recent. Consequently, short- and long-term outcomes are still being evaluated. Few studies have compared laparoscopic extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair with tension-free open hernia repair.

'High' anorectal malformation in boys: need for clarity of definition and management.

Posterior sagittal anorectoplasty is purported to be the approach of choice for the treatment of both intermediate and high variety of anorectal malformations. The authors describe their devastating experiences with 2 cases of high variety of anorectal malformations in which defects were repaired thorough the posterior sagittal approach. In the first case, because of the high level of the rectal pouch, complete urethrovesical disconnection was done along with inadvertent mobilization and pull-through of urinary bladder.

Anti-oxidant vitamins and steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome in Indian children.

Objective: In recent years, it has been proposed that nephrotic syndrome is a consequence of an imbalance between oxidant and anti-oxidant activity. In the present study, the levels of micronutrient anti-oxidant vitamins (vitamin E, vitamin C, carotene and riboflavin) in Indian children with steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome were investigated. Their levels were measured during the acute proteinuric phase of the disease, as well as during clinical recovery (remission), in order to understand the possible role of nutritionally modifiable anti-oxidants in the aetiopathogenesis of the disease.

Comparative efficacy of various treatment regimens for androgenetic alopecia in men.

Our understanding of the aetiology of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) has substantially increased in recent years. As a result, several treatment modalities have been tried with promising results especially in early stages of AGA. However, as far as has been ascertained, there is no comprehensive study comparing the efficacy of these agents alone and in combination with each other.

Combined abdominal and posterior sagittal approach for redo pull-through operation in Hirschsprung's disease.

Background/purpose: In Hirschsprung's disease (HD) redo pull-through (PT) is indicated for anastomotic complications and retained aganglionosis after a previous operation. Duhamel or Swenson method is used commonly for redo operations. The pelvic dissection may be difficult, especially in Swenson's type of operation, because of fibrosis resulting from previous surgery or its complications.

An unusual presentation of the Papillon-Lefevre syndrome as recurrent liver abscesses.

The Papillon-Lefevre syndrome is a rare genetic disorder with a predisposition to severe infections. We describe Papillon-Lefevre syndrome in a 17 year old boy from a family where four out of eight siblings were affected with this disease and who presented with recurrent pyogenic liver abscesses over a period of 9 years, an association never previously reported.

The effect of fracture-related factors on the functional outcome at 1 year in distal radius fractures.

Sixty-nine cases of distal radius fracture were studied retrospectively for various factors that might affect the functional outcome. Patients were treated with various techniques including plaster immobilization, external fixation, open reduction and internal fixation and percutaneous pinning. Functional assessment was made at 1 year after the injury.

Esophageal tuberculosis: is it so rare? Report of 12 cases and review of the literature.

Objective: Mycobacterial involvement of the esophagus is rare in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts with advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, even in countries with high prevalence rates like India. Most of the reported cases of esophageal tuberculosis (ET) are secondary to tuberculosis elsewhere in the body, most commonly pulmonary tuberculosis. Very few cases of isolated or primary ET have been reported, and most of them have been from developing countries.

Randomised trial of amnioinfusion during labour with meconium stained amniotic fluid.

Objective: To assess the effect of amnioinfusion during labour with meconium stained amniotic fluid on caesarean section rate and perinatal outcome.

Design: Prospective randomised controlled study.

Setting: A tertiary care teaching hospital in India.

Cytokine profile in human immunodeficiency virus positive patients with and without tuberculosis.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with a profound dysregulation of the immune system and alterations in the cytokine profile. Tuberculosis, a common opportunistic infection in HIV positive patients, leads to further immune suppression and a faster progression of the disease. This study was conducted to assess and compare the cytokine profiles in HIV positive subjects with and without pulmonary tuberculosis.

Comparative evaluation of intraocular pressure changes subsequent to insertion of laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube.

Aims: To evaluate the intraocular pressure and haemodynamic changes subsequent to insertion of laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube.

Subjects And Methods: The study was conducted in 50 adult patients. A standard general anaesthesia was administered to all the patients.

Pyoderma gangrenosum in two siblings: a familial predisposition.

We report pyoderma gangrenosum in two siblings with onset during childhood and no associated systemic abnormalities. The patients were born of nonconsanguineous, healthy parents. Treatment with oral corticosteroids produced an excellent clinical response, followed by recurrence after cessation of therapy.

Neuroblastoma with concomitant giardiasis: report of a case with diagnosis by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Background: Diagnosis of two pathologies, including a neoplasm and infectious condition, by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in the same patient is rare.

Case: A 2-year-old, male child presented with fever, abdominal pain and abdominal mass. Imaging findings were strongly in favor of a neuroblastoma.

Drotaverine hydrochloride vs. valethamate bromide in acceleration of labor.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of drotaverine hydrochloride and valethamate bromide in shortening the duration of labor.

Methods: In a randomized controlled trial of 150 nulliparous women in established labor with cervical dilation of 4 cm, 50 women were given drotaverine (group I), 50 women were given valethamate (group II) and another 50 women were not given any medication (group III). Duration of labor, mode of delivery, side effects, and neonatal outcome were measured in all cases.