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Biomedical subjects

P Kerkar

Publications and source records attributed to P Kerkar.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Chromosome 22 microdeletion by F.I.S.H. in isolated congenital heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the frequency of del22q11.2 in non-syndromic CHDs using classical cytogenetics and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) technique in Indian population. METHODS: 105 prospective cases which included 6 families with isolated, non-syndromic cardiac defects were analyzed clinically by a cardiologist and a geneticist. The cases were then subjected to karyotypic (classical cytogenetics) as well as FISH analysis. The efficacy of FISH technique was compared with inference drawn from classical cytogenetics. RESULTS: Karyotypic analysis of all the 105 patients revealed a normal chromosomal complement. Microdeletion 22q11.2 was observed in six patients (5.71%) by FISH studies. FISH studies were also performed on the parents of these six patients who revealed a normal chromosome 22. No correlation was found between clinical features (mild or unspecific) with 22q11.2 microdeletion. CONCLUSION: The testing for microdeletion 22q11.2 in isolated non-syndromic patients using FISH technique is mandatory even when mild/unspecific extracardiac abnormalities are seen in the patients.

Adolescent↗

Phaeohyphomycotic ulcer caused by Phialophora verrucosa: successful treatment with itraconazole.

We report the first well documented case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycotic infection caused by Phialophora verrucosa in India. Examination of the biopsied tissue from an ulcerating lesion on the shin of the left leg of a 45-year-old woman from Bombay, India, showed numerous dematiaceous, septate, branching hyphal elements and thick-walled cells characteristic of phaeohyphomycosis. Cultures of the scrapings from the lesion and of the biopsied tissue yielded a pigmented fungus that was identified as P. verrucosa. Initial treatment with fluconazole followed by oral itraconazole for 30 days and local application of a copper sulphate solution resulted in complete resolution of the lesion. Treatment with itraconazole was continued for an additional 3 months after complete healing. No new lesions developed and the patient did not show jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly or any other signs of toxicity.

Antifungal Agents↗

Percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy in mitral restenosis.

BACKGROUND: Mitral restenosis often occurs within 5 to 15 years of surgical valvotomy. Percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy is well established as a safe and effective alternative to mitral stenosis surgery, but only a few small studies have reported on the procedure. AIM: (i) To evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy in patients with mitral restenosis. (ii) To evaluate the intermediate-term outcome of patients undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy after previous surgical valvotomy. (iii) To compare these patients with those undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy as the initial procedure. METHODS: We analysed our experience of 614 consecutive patients undergoing balloon valvotomy and identified 84 patients (13.7%) with mitral restenosis following prior surgical valvotomy (Group I). The remaining 530 patients (86.3%) had not undergone previous surgery (Group II). The incidence of atrial fibrillation (19% vs 5.6%), mitral valve calcification (50% vs 30.6%) and total echo score > 8 (54.8% vs 24.15%) was significantly higher in Group I. Both groups were comparable as regards their functional class, technique of valvotomy, mitral valve area (0.87 +/- 0.18 vs 0.87 +/- 0.15 cm2, P = ns), mean transmitral gradient (19.63 +/- 6.01 vs 19.21 +/- 5.67 mmHg, P = ns), and mean pulmonary artery pressure (42.2 +/- 19.0 vs 40.8 +/- 14.4 mmHg, P = ns). RESULTS: After percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy, the final mitral valve area (1.67 +/- 0.28 vs 1.69 +/- 0.29 cm2, P = ns), mean transmitral-mitral gradient (6.12 +/- 3.68 vs 5.02 +/- 3.21 mmHg, P = ns) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (31.0 +/- 15.2 vs 28.5 +/- 11.1 mmHg, P = ns) were comparable. The success rate (93.0% vs 95.3%, P = ns) were similar in both groups. Significant mitral regurgitation was seen in four (4.8%) patients in Group I and 22 (4.1%) patients in Group II (P = ns). There were two deaths (2.4%) in Group I and five (0.9%) in Group II (P = ns). The clinical and echo Doppler follow-up (8-40 months) studies showed that both groups were of similar NYHA class, and had similar mitral valve area (1.65 +/- 0.21 vs 1.66 +/- 0.3 cm2) and transmitral gradients (7.1 +/- 3.8 vs 5.9 +/- 3.5 mmHg). CONCLUSION: We conclude that percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy can be performed safely and effectively in patients with mitral restenosis following surgical valvotomy; the beneficial acute outcome is sustained, as shown at intermediate-term follow-up and is similar to that of patients undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy as an initial procedure.

Adult↗

Interruption of the aortic arch with associated cardiac anomalies. Survival to adulthood.

Interruption of the aortic arch is a rare and usually lethal cardiac malformation. We report a rare case of a patient with IAA distal to the left subclavian artery associated with double outlet right ventricle, subaortic VSD and patent DA who survived to adulthood. In this patient, the complete diagnosis was made by cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography. We discuss the probable mechanisms, diagnostic problems and therapeutic implications of such long survival.

Adult↗

Intracavernous papaverine in the management of psychogenic impotence.

Intracavernous papaverine has found an important place in the management of male erectile failure. The effect of this mode of therapy was studied in 48 patients with psychogenic impotence. The average follow-up for this group of patients ranged from 7 months to 37 months (mean 16.3 months). All the patients in this group were advised sex therapy as an initial mode of therapy. On refusal to undergo sex therapy, they were offered an option of intracavernous papaverine injection. Papaverine appears to break the performance anxiety erectile failure cycle and was noted to have good results. Overall 57.9% patients expressed complete satisfaction with this mode of therapy. One patient (2.1%) developed priapism, which was adequately treated with intracavernous epinephrine. Use of low dosage of papaverine is suggested as an additional mode of therapy in the management of psychogenic impotence.

Adult↗

What should be called a brisk 'Y' descent?

Patients with pericardial constriction show a prominent 'y' descent in right atrial and vena caval pressure traces. In all earlier hemodynamic descriptions of constrictive pericarditis, the 'y' descent has been described as 'brisk', 'sharp' or 'rapid' but no effort has been made to quantify the same. In this study, we have tried to objectively evaluate and describe this 'y' descent by measuring its negative slope (-dy/dt) at its steepest portion. Forty one patients were studied hemodynamically, 9 with constrictive pericarditis (Group I) and 32 normals (Group II). The negative slope of the 'y' descent in patients with constrictive pericarditis (69.95 +/- 23.04 mm Hg) was found to be significantly greater than normals (35.13 +/- 7.84 mm Hg, p < 10(-6). Discriminant analysis was used to determine its sensitivity, specificity, predictive value and overall accuracy, in the diagnosis of pericardial constriction. Value of > or = 45 mm Hg/sec was found to have the highest overall accuracy (0.88). The correlation between the right ventricular end diastolic pressure and the slope of 'y' descent in patients with pericardial constriction (r = 0.66) and in normals (r = 0.60) was fair. It is concluded that -dy/dt is significantly different in patients with constrictive pericarditis as compared to normals. The diagnostic utility of this parameter needs to be evaluated in patients with equivocal clinical and hemodynamic data, in those with occult pericardial constriction and in post-pericardiectomy cases where the pressures do not normalise immediately after adequate pericardial resection.

Adult↗

Acute hemodynamic response to vasodilators in primary pulmonary hypertension.

Acute hemodynamic effects of high flow oxygen (O2) inhalation, sublingual isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), intravenous aminophylline (AMN) and sublingual nifedipine (NIF) were studied in 32 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). In 30 out of 32 patients the basal ratio of pulmonary to systemic vascular resistance (Rp/Rs) was > 0.5 (mean = 0.77 +/- 0.20). Oxygen caused significant decrease in the mean resistance ratio to 0.68 +/- 0.20 (p = 0.005). ISDN, AMN and NIF caused increase in the resistance ratio to 0.79 +/- 0.26; 0.78 +/- 0.26; and 0.80 +/- 0.23 respectively. O2, ISDN, AMN and NIF caused a fall of Rp/Rs in 21 (65.6%), 10 (31.2%), 10(31.2%) and 9(28.1%) patients respectively. Thus, of the four drugs tested high flow O2 inhalation resulted in fall of Rp/Rs in two thirds of patients whereas ISDN, AMN and NIF caused a mean rise in Rp/Rs. One third of patients did respond acutely to the latter three drugs. Acute hemodynamic studies are useful before prescribing vasodilators in patients with PPH since more of the commonly used drugs like ISDN, AMN, NIF could have detrimental hemodynamic responses in some patients. However, great caution should be exercised before performing hemodynamic study as the procedure has definite mortality and morbidity.

Administration, Sublingual↗