Biomedical subjects

Mehnaz Atiq

Publications and source records attributed to Mehnaz Atiq.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Brain abscess in children.

OBJECTIVES: Brain abscess is a serious life-threatening complication of several diseases. The objective of this study was to look at the clinical profile of patients, predisposing conditions, microbiology and outcome of children suffering from brain abscess. METHODS: Thirty children aged less than 15 years were reviewed. There were 15 males and 15 females. The mean age of presentation was 5.6+/-4.4 years. RESULTS: The duration of illness at the time of admission was 17.6+/-24.6 days. Typically patients presented with fever, vomiting, headache and seizures. The predisposing conditions found were cyanotic congenital heart disease in 11 (37%) of children, meningitis in 6 (20%), septicemia in 7 (23%) and no underlying cause was found in 5 (17%) children. The most common microbe in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease was of the Streptococcus milleri group (52%). Computerized tomography confirmed the diagnosis and the most common location of the abscess was the parietal lobe of the cerebral hemisphere. All abscesses were large, more than 2 cm in diameter and were aspirated surgically. Excision was performed in 6 children. Five children expired, one due to a intracranial bleeding and the others due to severe cerebral edema and tentorial herniation. Complications were seen in 20 children and 16 had sequelae, hemiparesis in 11 and seizure disorder in 5. CONCLUSION: Brain abscess is a serious infection with poor outcome if diagnosed late. Delayed surgical drainage has high morbidity and mortality. The threshold for diagnosis should be low, particularly in children with a predisposing condition like cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Pulmonary agenesis--vascular airway compression and gastroesophageal reflux influence outcome.

Pulmonary agenesis (PA) is a rare malformation that can be isolated or associated with other anomalies. We report 3 cases of left-sided PA having ipsilateral renal agenesis, facial, and radial ray anomalies. Patients presented in infancy with nonspecific respiratory symptoms and were diagnosed to have PA on chest radiograph and computed tomographic scan. Bronchial compression, by dilated pulmonary artery and associated severe gastroesophageal reflux, aggravated respiratory symptoms and required surgical intervention. The relevant literature is briefly reviewed.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed2005

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects in children with a hypoplastic right ventricle.

The efficacy and safety of device closure of atrial defects in children with complex congenital heart disease and a hypoplastic right ventricle have not been detailed. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical impact and outcomes of a staged surgical catheter-based management strategy. A retrospective analysis of 17 children with a hypoplastic right ventricle who had undergone cardiac catheterization and attempted device occlusion of an atrial defect was undertaken. Clinical data, anatomical diagnoses, previous surgeries, and interventions were noted. The clinical course and echocardiographic findings were compared before and after defect closure (6 +/- 4 months of follow-up). Nine children had pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum, six had Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve, and two had isolated right ventricular hypoplasia. The mean age at defect closure was 6.6 +/- 3.4 years. Under general anesthesia, closure of the atrial defect was undertaken after initial temporary test occlusion. The Qp:Qs ratio before closure was 1.1 +/- 0.4. Oxygen saturation improved in all children from 91% +/- 1% to 98% +/- 1% (P < 0.0005). Mean right atrial pressure increased from 9 +/- 3 to 11 +/- 4 mm Hg after closure, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.2). Follow-up revealed an increased right ventricular length (P = 0.009) and Z-score (P = 0.02), although no significant increase in the diameter of the tricuspid valve annulus was observed in children with pulmonary atresia. Right ventricular systolic pressures or systolic function did not change significantly during follow-up (P = 0.5 and 0.29, respectively). Exercise tolerance improved in all children and clinical evidence of right ventricular decompensation was absent. Catheter closure of atrial defects in children with a hypoplastic right ventricle is well tolerated, safe, and effective as a treatment strategy in the staged management.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

PubMed2004

Sengers disease: a rare association of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congenital cataracts.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an uncommon childhood cardiac disease and can be primary or secondary. Several systemic diseases are known to be associated with this entity. Senger's disease is a mitochondrial disorder causing congenital cataracts lactic acidosis and skeletal and cardiac myopathy. Diagnosis should be kept in mind when routine neonatal eye screening reveals absent red reflex. The authors report a case of Sengers disease and discuss the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reversible obstructive sleep apnea and right heart failure due to massive tonsillar hypertrophy.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a relatively common but under diagnosed clinical entity in children. Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the most common cause for upper airway obstruction in pediatric patients. If the obstruction to upper airways is not relieved, then the child can develop obstructive sleep apnea and its consequences. Treatment is simply to remove the obstruction thereby restoring patency of upper airways.

Cardiac Catheterization↗