Sixty-nine severely head-injured patients treated by general surgeons over a 28 month period with admission Glasgow Coma Scale motor scores of 3 to 8 were reviewed retrospectively. Fifty-one patients were comatose on admission with periods from injury to admission exceeding 4 h in 34 patients who were referred from peripheral hospitals. Forty patients with acute intracranial bleeding underwent emergency decompressive surgery with 13 good recoveries and 18 deaths; good recoveries were observed in 11 of 20 patients with extradural haemorrhages, one out of eight patients with subdural haemorrhages, and one of 12 patients with intracerebral and/or combined haemorrhages. Twenty-nine patients with no evidence of acute mass lesions were treated medically with sedation, mechanical ventilation and mannitol infusion for cerebral decompression with seven good recoveries and 16 deaths. There were 15 good outcomes in 40 patients with admission motor scores of 6, 7 or 8 and five good outcomes in 29 patients with scores of 3, 4 or 5. A good outcome of 29% in the study may be improved by (i) better neurosurgical training of surgical and nursing staff; (ii) provision of technologically advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities; (iii) an efficient referral system; and (iv) provision of effective long-term rehabilitation.
This Guideline is a joint official statement of the Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) and the Asian Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy (APSDE). It was developed in response to the increasing use of antithrombotic agents (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants) in patients undergoing gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy in Asia. After reviewing current practice guidelines in Europe and the USA, the joint committee identified unmet needs, noticed inconsistencies, raised doubts about certain recommendations and recognised significant discrepancies in clinical practice between different regions. We developed this joint official statement based on a systematic review of the literature, critical appraisal of existing guidelines and expert consensus using a two-stage modified Delphi process. This joint APAGE-APSDE Practice Guideline is intended to be an educational tool that assists clinicians in improving care for patients on antithrombotics who require emergency or elective GI endoscopy in the Asian Pacific region.
Ventriculostomy or external ventricular drain (EVD) placement by free-hand technique has a high malplacement rate. It is a blind procedure that often requires multiple attempts and revisions. To date, no neurological complication due to EVD malplacement has been reported in the literature. In this report, we present the first case of coma induced by a malplaced EVD and the patient regained consciousness after the drain was adjusted. Our discussion focused on various techniques that can improve the accuracy of EVD insertion. EVD insertion under image guidance provides better accuracy with limited disadvantages. We hypothesized that the patient's coma was due to the mass effect and irritation of the malplaced EVD exerted onto the ventral periaqueductal grey matter and the ascending neurons from upper brainstem.
This is a prospective study conducted from February 2000 to July 2002 in a single neurosurgeon neurosurgical service in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. There were 66 cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracranial aneurysm presenting to this hospital over the study period. Fifty cases had their aneurysms clipped. Eighty percent of our patients were operated within 48 h of presentation. Forty-four percent presented with poor WFNS grades of 4 and 5. We had a 20% operative mortality and 29% total management mortality. Twenty-nine (58%) of the operated cases had a favorable outcome with a mean follow-up of 32 weeks. Multiple aneurysms were less common. The diagnosis of aneuysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and clipping of aneurysms have increased dramatically over the previous two and half years indicating an increased awareness of the diagnosis and treatment. This series supports the previously reported beliefs that the lower rate of aneurymal subarachnoid hemorrhage in developing countries is likely due to both underdiagnosis and undertreatment. Good results can be achieved in developing countries with early diagnosis and intensive management.
Intussusception is common cause of bowel obstruction in the paediatric age group compared to the elderly population. Many times, the diagnosis may be difficult because of asymptomatic nature of this bowel disorder. We hereby describe the case of a 75-year-old male who presented with lethargy, weakness, loss of movement in the joints and was found to be anemic. The haemoglobin level was low so he was transfused with packed cells. On gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, upper GI bleed was observed. A mass was observed beyond ampulla at the 2nd and 3rd part of the duodenal junction. Computerized tomography (CT) scan also showed a mass at the head of pancreas and the lesion at the left lung. In view of persistent bleed, 'Whipple's procedure' was performed. Histopathological examination showed small cell carcinoma of the lungs with metastasis to the pancreas and the jejunum. We here discuss the case of intussusception with intestinal metastasis which presented with gastrointestinal bleeding.