Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to K Gowrinath.
A 58-year old woman had anaphylactic reaction two hours after oral administration of paracetamol. She was treated conservatively and responded favourably. This incident is being reported as anaphylaxis to paracetamol which is rare. Whenever there is history of allergy to other non-narcotic analgesic drugs, paracetamol sensitivity should be tested under medical supervision.
A case of histiocytosis X of the nose in a 5-year-old Nigerian child has been described. This localization of the lesion with secondary involvement of the submandibular cervical nodes is quite unusual and no similar case has been so far reported in the literature. The difficulties encountered in the diagnosis, the aetiological factors and treatment are briefly discussed.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A case of re-expansion pulmonary oedema (RPO) following chest tube insertion for left spontaneous pneumothorax is reported. There were no severe symptoms and routine chest radiograph done four hours after tube thoracostomy showed features of pulmonary oedema in the re-expanded left lung. RPO is an uncommon complication of rapid pleural drainage of air or fluid with potentially serious cardiopulmonary manifestations but appears to run a benign course if there is no prior systemic hypoxaemia and if pneumothorax is drained without suction. Chest radiograph should be done routinely within four hours after chest tube insertion for early detection of RPO.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Pleural involvement in nocardiosis is rarely reported from India. A case of hydropneumothorax due to Nocardia asteroides in a patient with diabetes mellitus is reported. Tube thoracostomy drainage and therapy with trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole for seven months prevented reaccumulation of pleural fluid and improved the general condition but failed to expand the lung. Bronchoscopy may be useful if multiple sputum examinations are negative in diagnosing pulmonary nocardiosis.
Antemortem diagnosis of acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) with a large thromboembolus at the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk (saddle thromboembolus) is difficult, as most patients either die or are too ill for any diagnostic imaging. We report a case of massive PTE where constrast enhanced computed tomographic (CECT) scan of chest detected a saddle thromboembolus and showed its resolution with anticoagulant treatment. In our case, the presenting feature was unusual massive PTE as there was no haemodynamic instability or hypoxaemia.
The clinico-radiological profile of seven patients with pleural involvement and HIV infection is presented. Five out of seven subjects had a right-sided effusion. The aetiology in three cases; two tubercular and one invasive candidiasis was established by pleural biopsy. The mortality was high (5/7) indicating a poor prognosis in patients of HIV with pleural involvement.
A case of pleural effusion is reported. Pleural biopsy showed microfilariae on histopathological examination. Treatment with diethyl carbamazine yielded excellent results. Filarial aetiology should be included in the differential diagnosis of idiopathic pleural effusions, especially in endemic areas.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The clinico-radiological profile of 20 patients with tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases infected with HIV-1 is presented in this preliminary communication. Twelve patients had proven and 4 had suspected tuberculosis. Two patients were diagnosed as having interstitial pneumonitis on limited autopsy. Five patients fulfilled the CDC's new AIDS definition criteria. Though our experience is limited, yet, in the present series, the patients with tuberculosis showed typical extensive upper zone infiltrative lesions. Patients with tuberculosis (pulmonary and extrapulmonary, excluding disseminated disease) showed improvement on short course regimens of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, without any toxic effects.