Biomedical subjects

A R Charles

Publications and source records attributed to A R Charles.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Pediatric surgery in India - a specialty come of age?

The quality of neonatal surgical care and scientific publications are reliable yardsticks that were used to assess the status of pediatric surgery in India. A specific questionnaire to assess neonatal care and surgical outcome was mailed to all institutes imparting pediatric surgery training. Data were obtained regarding the outcome of important neonatal surgical conditions for the year 1998 and a PubMed literature search was performed to identify scientific articles between 1995 and 2000. Though a literature search was done to compile a complete list of publications of all the consultants in all the institutes, of the 24 questionnaires mailed, only 11 (45.8%) institutes provided data. The mean (range) annual neonatal admissions in neonatal surgical units was 137 (42-263). The mean newborn admissions requiring surgical intervention per surgeon per year was 36 (17-80). The overall survival was 57.2% (30%-75%), 70.8% (40%-100%), 90.4% (75%-100%), 74.7% (30%-100%), and 59.1% (0%-100%) for esophageal atresia (EA) with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), congenital diaphragmatic hernia, anorectal malformations, intestinal atresia, and abdominal-wall defects, respectively. The center that had the lowest survival in EA/TEF and CDH had the highest workload per consultant. Between 1995 and 2000, the mean number of scientific articles published in indexed journals compiled from all the institutes (n = 24) was 10.7 (0-84). In conclusion, this is a preliminary study toward setting up national databases of neonatal surgery in different parts of the world to set goals for improvement.

General Surgery↗

PubMed2002

Urinary-tract infection affects somatic growth in unilateral symptomatic hydronephrosis.

To assess whether symptomatic unilateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction (SUUPJO) affects somatic growth and, if so, the parameters associated with it, 61 children (54 boys and 7 girls) who underwent pyeloplasty for SUUPJO without any other associated urological abnormalities were retrospectively studied. Height was compared with standard growth charts and was considered to be affected if it was below 2.00 Z-score. Such children were considered group B and the rest group A. Mean (+/-SD) age at presentation and mean (+/-SD) split renal function (SRF) (%) of the affected kidney were 6.0 +/- 4.0 years and 27.3 +/- 13.2, respectively, for the entire group. Somatic growth was affected in 16 (12 boys, 4 girls) children (26.2%). Urinary tract infection (UTI) was the presenting symptom in 11 (69%) and 5 (11%) children in groups B and A, respectively. Impaired somatic growth had no association with age at presentation or SRF, but a significant association (P < 0.001) was found with UTI. The mean post-surgery height percentile (2.92 +/- 4.85) over a mean follow-up of 3.37 +/- 1.86 years was significantly (P < 0.005) better compared with pre-surgery height percentile (0.67 +/- 0.96) in group B, indicating catch-up growth after surgery. In SUUPJO, somatic growth is affected. Presentation with UTI has a significant association, and height significantly improves after surgery in these patients.

Body Height↗

PubMed2001

Betamethasone in plus phenobarbitone prior to hepatobiliary scintigraphy increases diagnostic accuracy in infants with jaundice.

OBJECTIVE: In the diagnostic work up of the child with neonatal obstructive cholangiopathy (NOC), hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) determines the need for peroperative cholangiography (POC). Traditionally, phenobarbitone is recommended to prime the liver to HBS. This retrospective study was designed to evaluate whether addition of the betamethasone (BM) alters the diagnostic accuracy of the HBS in distinguishing neonatal hepatitis (NH) from extra hepatic biliary atresia (EHBA). METHODS: Between 1993-1999, 202 patients presented with NOC and this study was not designed as a prospective randomized clinical trial. Of these, 126 patients had received Phenobarbitone (Group I) and the remaining 76 (Group II) had received BM in addition to the PB in a dose of 5 mg/k/d and 2.2 mg/k/d respectively for 7 days prior to HBS. RESULTS: Retrospective analysis revealed that, in the Group I, 41 showed excretion and 85 did not show any excretion of the radiopharmaceutical and the latter underwent POC which revealed that 31 patients (36%) of them showed patent biliary tract. In group II, 32 patients revealed excretion and 44 did not show any excretion of the radiopharmaceutical and the latter had undergone POC, which revealed that only 8 patients (18%) showed patent biliary tract. The percentages of false positives (36% vs 18%) was statistically significant (p < 0.03). CONCLUSION: Addition of BM increases the diagnostic accuracy of the HBS and this would lead to decreased need for POC to distinguish NH from EHBA.

Betamethasone↗

PubMed2001

Giant congenital solitary cyst of the liver: report of a case.

Giant solitary nonparasitic cysts of the liver are rarely encountered in children, and establishing a preoperative diagnosis is usually difficult, especially when the cyst occupies the entire abdomen. We report herein the case of an 8-year-old girl found to have a giant congenital solitary cyst of the liver masquerading as an ovarian cyst.

Child↗

PubMed2001

Ergonomic problems associated with laparoscopy.

PURPOSE: Failure to understand the ergonomics of laparoscopic surgery has a potential to pose health problems for the surgeons. This study was planned to assess the prevalence, significance, and awareness of ergonomic problems associated with laparoscopy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire designed to assess the frequency and degree of physical discomfort practicing surgeons experienced and their awareness of the responsible factors was distributed to approximately 350 attendees of the Live International Workshop and CME on Laparoscopic Urologic Surgery. The response sheets were analyzed. RESULTS: Two hundred four attendees completed the questionnaire, of whom 131 were performing laparoscopic surgery (Group A). The rest (N = 73) were practicing only conventional surgery (Group B). The correct answer to the pictorial question, which tested the correct grip technique, was 81% and 56% in Group A and B, respectively (P = 0.0003). Group A surgeons were significantly (P = 0.04) better at answering the questions on neurapraxia. There was a statistically significant (P = 0.004) increase in the frequency of finger numbness and eye strain in Group A surgeons compared with Group B. Within Group A, finger numbness (P = 0.03) and eye strain (P = 0.002) were significantly greater in the junior laparoscopic surgeons than in senior laparoscopic surgeons. Surgeons having <2 years of laparoscopic surgical experience were significantly more affected. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons performing laparoscopy have significant ergonomic problems, especially finger numbness and eye strain. Junior laparoscopic surgeons and surgeons with <2 years of laparoscopic surgical experience are more affected.

Adult↗