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Sushil K Ahlawat

Publications and source records attributed to Sushil K Ahlawat.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Single-step EUS-guided pancreatic pseudocyst drainage using a large channel linear array echoendoscope and cystotome: results in 11 patients.

CONTEXT: EUS-guided transmural drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst has been reported using a linear array echoendoscope; however, placement of large 10 French stent was not feasible because of the limited diameter of the working channel. Recently linear array echoendoscopes with large working channel (3.7 to 3.8 mm) and newer accessories for pancreatic cyst puncture have become available; however, clinical data on their efficacy and safety in pancreatic pseudocyst drainage is not available. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of a one-step real time EUS-guided pancreatic pseudocyst drainage approach using a 3.8 mm channel linear array echoendoscope and cystotome. DESIGN: Prospective case series. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital endoscopy unit. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: A total of 12 EUS-guided pancreatic pseudocyst drainage procedures were performed in 11 patients with symptomatic pancreatic pseudocyst using a 3.8 mm channel linear array echoendoscope and cystotome. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Complete resolution of pancreatic pseudocyst on imaging. RESULTS: Successful puncture of pancreatic pseudocyst and placement of 1 or 2 stents (10 Fr) was successful in all patients who were considered eligible for EUS-guided pancreatic pseudocyst drainage. Overall 9 patients out of a total of 11 (82%) were managed successfully with EUS-guided pseudocyst drainage. Two recurrences were noted over a mean follow-up period of 4 months (range 3-6 months). One patient underwent successful repeat drainage and the other patient was managed with surgical cystogastrostomy because of infected cyst contents. No major complication occurred. LIMITATIONS: Uncontrolled, small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: A single-step approach using a large channel (3.8 mm) linear array echoendoscope and cystotome appears feasible. This approach appears safe and effective in managing selected patients with symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Role of EUS and EUS-guided FNA in the diagnosis of symptomatic rectosigmoid endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Rectosigmoid endometriosis is an underrecognized cause of GI symptoms in women. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging and CT have a low sensitivity in making this diagnosis. The role of EUS and EUS-guided FNA (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis in symptomatic patients is not well studied. METHODS: A review of medical records identified 5 women who were diagnosed with rectosigmoid endometriosis by EUS and EUS-FNA over a period of 1 year. OBSERVATIONS: Five women with nonspecific GI complaints underwent EUS examination of a rectosigmoid subepithelial mass found on colonoscopy. EUS revealed a hypoechoic lesion infiltrating the muscularis propria and the serosa of the rectal wall, and extending outside the rectal wall, findings consistent with rectosigmoid endometriosis. This diagnosis was confirmed by EUS-FNA, surgical exploration, and/or the patient's clinical course. CONCLUSIONS: EUS and EUS-FNA are noninvasive, sensitive techniques for the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis in symptomatic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Gender-related differences in dyspepsia: a qualitative systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Relative to men, women are diagnosed more frequently with functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. With increased awareness of basic gender differences in perception and treatment of visceral pain, there has been new interest in research on gender disparity in the care of people with functional GI disorders. Past attention has focused on irritable bowel syndrome, whereas gender differences in other disorders are less well described. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to systematically review studies that have examined gender-related differences among patients with dyspepsia. METHODS: MEDLINE, HealthSTAR, and PsycINFO databases were searched for English-language articles on dyspepsia published between 1966 and August 2001. Epidemiologic studies, clinical trials, review articles, and conceptual articles from peer-reviewed journals were included for review. Findings were summarized and discussed within a framework of biological and psychosocial factors. Statistical analysis of combined data was inappropriate because of the inconsistent definition of dyspepsia among different studies and wide variation in the types of articles reviewed. RESULTS: Studies that examine gender-related differences in patients with dyspepsia have focused their investigations on the clinical epidemiology and pathophysiology of dyspepsia. In most epidemiologic studies, no gender analysis was performed beyond a description of sample demographics, and when statistical significance was tested, few consistent gender differences were found. Overall, it appears that men and women with dyspepsia possibly differ with respect to pattern of symptoms, pain perception or modulation, and antinociceptive mechanisms, but these observations have not been confirmed. No study evaluated the clinical implications of these possible differences. CONCLUSIONS: Future efforts should be directed to not only examine gender-related differences in the clinical epidemiology of dyspepsia, but also understand their clinical significance. Therefore, well-designed population-based studies using a consistent definition of dyspepsia are needed to investigate the prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms and patterns of dyspepsia management among men and women.

Domestic Violence↗
PubMed2006

Day-to-day variability in acid reflux patterns using the BRAVO pH monitoring system.

BACKGROUND & GOALS: The wireless pH monitoring system such as the BRAVO pH system is a significant advancement in the evaluation of patients with gastroesophageal reflux because of its potentially better tolerability and the ability to record data over a 48-hour period. The aim of our study was to evaluate safety, performance, tolerability, and day-to-day variability in acid reflux patterns using the BRAVO pH system. METHODS: A total of 90 consecutive patients (48 men and 42 women) with persistent reflux symptoms underwent BRAVO pH capsule placement from October 2002 to August 2003 at a tertiary care hospital. The BRAVO pH capsule was deployed 6 cm proximal to the squamocolumnar junction under endoscopic guidance. The pH recordings over 48 hours were obtained after uploading data to a computer from the pager-like device that recorded pH signals from the BRAVO pH capsule. RESULTS: Successful pH data over 48 hours was obtained in 90% of patients. Nearly two thirds of patients experienced a variety of symptoms ranging from a foreign body sensation to chest discomfort or pain. Four patients had severe chest pain, 3 of whom required endoscopic removal of the BRAVO pH capsule. In 74.4% of patients, number of reflux events as well as time (%) pH<4 correlated from the first 24-hour period to the second 24-hour period. However, in 28% of patients, no predictable pattern of (%) time pH<4 in the supine position was reproduced from one 24-hour period to the next 24-hour period. CONCLUSIONS: The BRAVO pH system appears a safe and effective method of recording esophageal acid exposure. It is an acceptable alternative for patients who are unwilling or unable to tolerate nasopharyngeal catheter-based pH studies, and it has a potential advantage of the 2-day recording period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Pancreatic tuberculosis diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration.

CONTEXT: Isolated pancreatic tuberculosis is rare in the Western world. Its clinical presentation often mimics pancreatic malignancy and the diagnosis is usually not suspected or confirmed prior to laparotomy. Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology has proved to be an excellent tool for the cytological diagnosis of pancreatic and peripancreatic masses. However, this technique has not been reported for diagnosing pancreatic or peripancreatic tuberculosis. CASE REPORT: We describe a 57-year-old South Asian man with pancreatic tuberculosis who presented with fever of undetermined origin and a pancreatic mass on imaging. He was successfully treated with anti-tuberculosis regimen following confirmation of his diagnosis with endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic tuberculosis should be suspected in patients having a pancreatic mass, particularly if patient presents with fever and lived in, or traveled to, an area of endemic tuberculosis or exposed to tuberculosis. When the diagnosis is suspected, endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology of the pancreatic lesion can confirm the diagnosis and so avoid an unnecessary explorative laparotomy or pancreatic resection.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

A prospective study of gastric acid analysis and esophageal acid exposure in patients with gastroesophageal reflux refractory to medical therapy.

A number of factors have been proposed to account for the lack of response to medical therapy in patients with gastroesophageal reflux; however, no controlled studies are available in the literature. The goal of this study was to determine possible causes of medical refractoriness in patients with gastroesophageal reflux. Gastric acid output and esophageal acid exposure were measured in patients who continue to have reflux symptoms despite aggressive antisecretory therapy. In addition, an upper endoscopy was also performed in each patient. Patients with a drug-controlled acid output < 1 mEq/hr and a supine total esophageal pH < 4 for less than 1.7% of the time measured were considered responsive to therapy; on the other hand, those with a drug-controlled gastric acid output > 1 mEq/hr and a supine esophageal pH < 4 for more than 1.7% of the time measured were considered resistant to therapy. Twenty-four patients met the inclusion criteria (13 male and 11 female; mean age, 52). Drug-controlled gastric acid output was more than 1 mEq/hr in 25% of patients and less than 1 mEq/hr in the remainder. Of those patients with a gastric acid output of less than 1 mEq/hr (18 patients), 8(44%) had a supine esophageal pH < 4 for more than 1.7% of the time, suggesting that factors other than gastroesophageal reflux likely contributed to their reflux-like symptoms. Acid suppression appears adequate in the majority of patients with gastroesophageal reflux refractory to medical therapy. The exact cause of persistent reflux-like symptoms in patients who fail medical treatment is uncertain but may be related to non-acid-related factors such as esophageal hypersensitivity to physiologic reflux, increased intake of air resulting in aerophagia, or other factors such as bile reflux.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Validation and modification of streptococcal pharyngitis clinical prediction rules.

OBJECTIVE: To validate a simplified version of the Walsh clinical prediction rules (CPRs) for the presence of streptococcal pharyngitis in an inner-city, ethnically diverse population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study conducted in New York City, NY, from January 1,1997, to May 31,1997, consisted of 171 consecutive adult walk-in patients who presented with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and/or sore throat. The patients were assessed by using 5 clinical factors: cough, exposure to known streptococcal contact, temperature, tonsillar-pharyngeal exudates, and cervical lymphadenopathy. Throat cultures for group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus were obtained from all patients. Clinicians assessing the patients were unaware of throat culture results, and those processing the throat cultures were blinded to the clinical predictors. RESULTS: The prevalence of streptococcal pharyngitis was 24% (95% confidence interval, 18%-30%). The simplified version of the Walsh CPR for streptococcal pharyngitis predicted accurately the probability of a positive culture in our diverse population (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.71). The simplified CPR also showed clinically useful likelihood ratios and posterior probabilities. CONCLUSION: A simplified version of the Walsh CPR is accurate for diagnosing streptococcal pharyngitis in an inner-city population. This finding should provide clinicians more confidence in applying the CPR in similar clinical settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Time trends in the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors in Chandigarh.

To estimate the changes in the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors over a 30 years period a cross-sectional population survey in three randomly selected sectors of Chandigarh city was carried out. Study population consisted of 1181 individuals (570 males and 611 females) aged 35 years and above. A total of 1049 subjects were interviewed using a structured interview schedule, and 937 were examined by a physician. Blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Physical activity was graded according to the job performed by the individual. Guidelines of the Fifth Joint National Committee (JNC-V) of USA were used for diagnosis of hypertension. Estimation of body fat from skin fold thickness was done by applying Grande's formula and the method of Pascale et al. Data were compared to that of year 1968 when a similar cross-sectional survey had been carried out in Chandigarh. Age and sex standardised prevalence of hypertension according to JNC-V criteria increased from 26.9 per cent in 1968 to 44.9 per cent in 1996-97. In 1968, 70% of the male population were engaged in sedentary and light physical activity compared to 73.7 per cent in 1996-97. Total body fat has increased in both men and women. High and high middle income groups in males were 61.2% in 1996-97 compared to 37.4% in 1968. Smoking rates, however, remained unchanged, 25.4 per cent men smoked in 1968 compared to 24.6 per cent in 1996-97. The prevalence of hypertension has almost doubled over 30 years in Chandigarh. Unfavourable change in prevalence of hypertension, physical activity and body fat makes this population highly vulnerable to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Adult↗