Follow-up assessment of patients with Pure Neural Leprosy in a reference center in Rio de Janeiro—Brazil

Introduction Pure Neural Leprosy (PNL) is a rare clinical form of leprosy in which patients do not present with the classical skin lesions but have a high burden of the disability associated with the disease. Clinical characteristics and follow up of patients in PNL are still poorly described in the literature. Objective This paper aims to describe the clinical, electrophysiological and histopathological characteristics of PNL patients, as well as their evolution after multidrug therapy (MDT). Methods Fifty-two PNL patients were selected. Clinical, nerve conduction studies (NCS), histopathological and anti-PGL-1serology were evaluated. Patients were also assessed monthly during the MDT. At the end of the MDT, all of the patients had a new neurological examination and 44 were submitted to another NCS. Results Paresthesia was the complaint most frequently reported by patients, and in the neurological examination the most common pattern observed was impairment in sensory and motor examination and a mononeuropathy multiplex. Painful nerve enlargement, a classical symptom of leprosy neuropathy, was observed in a minority of patients and in the motor NCS axonal injuries, alone or in combination with demyelinating features, were the most commonly observed. 88% of the patients did not present any leprosy reaction during MDT. There was no statistically significant difference between the neurological examinations, nor the NCS pattern, performed before and after the MDT. Discussion The classical hallmarks of leprosy neuropathy are not always present in PNL making the diagnosis even more challenging. Nerve biopsy is an important tool for PNL diagnosis as it may guide therapeutic decisions. This paper highlights unique characteristics of PNL in the spectrum of leprosy in an attempt to facilitate the diagnosis and management of these patients.

A comparative clinical study on the effect of Gudashunti Nasya and Kola Kulattadi Ruksha Sweda in Manyasthamba

Due to present day lifestyle, a greater number of people are inclined to desk work and computer usage leading to many disorders. Manyasthamba is one among such disorders where the stiffness of neck with severe pain is the classical symptom which hampers our day to day life. While explaining treatment of Manyasthamba our Acharyas explained Rukshasweda and Nasya Karma as main line of treatment. Here a study was done by taking Gudashunti Yoga explained in Sharangadara Samhita indicated for Nasya and Kolakulattadi Churna indicated in Vatavyadhi explained in Ashtanga Sangraha for Ruksha Churna Sweda. A comparative clinical study of 40 patients suffering from Manyastambha were selected after thorough investigation. Patients were subjected to Nasya Karma in Group A and Ruksha Sweda and Nasya Karma in Group B for 7 days. Patients were assessed based on standard parameters before and after treatment and 7 days follow up. The statistical analysis revealed that there was a significant improvement in parameters like pain and stiffness. Hence proving the efficacy in the condition.

Surgical Case

Appendicitis is a common and urgentsurgical illness with protean manifestations,generous overlap with other clinical syndromes,and significant morbidity,whichincreases with diagnostic delay. No single sign,symptom,or diagnostic test accurately confirms the diagnosis ofappendiceal inflammation in all cases. The surgeon's goals are to evaluate a relatively small population of patients referred for suspected appendicitis and to minimize the negative appendectomy rate without increasing the incidence of perforation. The emergency department clinician must evaluate the larger group of patients who present to the ED with abdominal pain of all etiologies with the goal of approaching 100% sensitivity for the diagnosis in a time-,cost-,and consultation-efficient manner.IN 1886Reginald fitz, pathologist 1st described the clinical condition of A.A.Fewyears laterCharles mcBurney describe the clinical finding ofA.A.55% of patients presented with classical symptom of A.A so complication occurbecauseof atypical presentation which due to variation in app. Position, age of patient & degree of inflammation.Migrating pain 80% sensitive and specific Vomiting 50% Nausea60 -90 %Anorexia 75 % Diarrhea18 % 32 % has similar attach 90 % RLQ tenderness Marklesign 74 %Dunphy's sign (sharp pain in the RLQ elicited by a voluntary cough) may be helpful in making the clinical diagnosis of localized peritonitis. Similarly,RLQ pain in response to percussion of a remote quadrant of the abdomen,or to firm percussion of the patient's heel,suggests peritoneal Inflammation

Clinical and ultrasonographic differences between cattle and buffaloes with various sequelae of traumatic reticuloperitonitis

This study was performed to document the clinical and ultrasonographic differences between cattle and buffaloes with various sequelae of traumatic reticuloperitonitis (TRP) and the importance of ultrasonography in detection of such sequelae. Twenty nine cows and 33 buffaloes with TRP were investigated. By using ultrasonography and some confirmatory techniques as paracentesis, laparotomy and necropsy, the various sequelae of TRP in both species were clarified. Acute local peritonitis, chronic local peritonitis, acute diffuse peritonitis, reticular abscesses, thoracic abscesses and pericarditis have been detected as sequelae of TRP in both cattle and buffaloes. The clinical findings of all sequelae are described. The results of the present study indicate that the classical symptom of pain and systemic reactions were common in most sequelae of TRP in cattle and less common in buffaloes. No specific findings have been recorded for reticular abscesses in both species. Brisket oedema and distended jugular veins have been shown in both cattle and buffaloes with pericarditis and also in four buffaloes with thoracic abscesses. Hence, it is important to use ultrasonography for early detection of TRP especially in buffaloes and to discriminate between different sequelae which have the same clinical findings.

Frequent incidental discovery of phaeochromocytoma: data from a German cohort of 201 phaeochromocytoma

ContextAdrenal and extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma are chromaffin cell-derived tumours that are discovered due to classical symptom triad with headache, sweating and palpitations combined with persistent or paroxysmal hypertension. However, an increasing proportion of phaeochromocytoma seems to be discovered incidentally upon abdominal imaging.ObjectiveTo specify the exact circumstances of discovery of adrenal and extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma.Design and patientsFour German endocrine centres participated in this retrospective study. Medical records of 201 patients with adrenal and extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma who were diagnosed between 1973 and 2007 were analyzed.ResultsThe typical triad of symptoms was found only in 10% of cases. Ten percent of patients presented were without clinical symptoms and 6.1% were normotensive. Documented blood pressure peaks occurred in 44.1% of cases. In 24 patients (12.2%), phaeochromocytoma was malignant. Before 1985, <10% of cases were incidentally discovered, whereas thereafter the frequency was >25% (29.4% of the total study population). Patients with incidentally detected phaeochromocytoma were significantly older (53.1±1.9 vs 47.0±1.3 years; P<0.05) and often had less blood pressure peaks (37.0 vs 70.7%; P<0.001) than patients in whom the diagnosis was suspected on clinical grounds. Of phaeochromocytomas 94.4% were intra-adrenal tumours, of which 12.9% were bilateral. Bilateral tumours were significantly smaller than unilateral tumours (36.6±14.7 vs 52.5±34.3 mm; P<0.05), whereas extra-adrenal tumours had a mean diameter of 52.6±28.7 mm.ConclusionsOwing to better availability and accessibility of imaging procedures, the number of incidentally discovered phaeochromocytoma is increasing and reaches nearly 30% in our study population. Every adrenal incidentaloma should be investigated for the presence of phaeochromocytoma.