A study of 1,437 unselected febrile patients in rural Malaysia yielded a diagnosis of leptospirosis in 86 (6.0%). The clinical syndrome was mild to moderate in all cases, jaundice was observed in only 2 (2.3%) and no deaths were documented. The diagnosis was not clinically obvious in most cases, and it is apparent that many infections must be going unnoticed at present.
Hemobilia with jaundice as a result of cholestasis and bleeding from choledochal cyst is uncommon. Ascertaining the diagnosis is often challenging and delayed diagnosis can lead to significant consequences due to hemodynamic instability, particularly in elderly patients. Although surgery remains the definitive treatment modality, interventional radiology for hemostasis has been increasingly recognized as an option. In this manuscript, we described two Malaysian cases of jaundice and hemobilia associated with choledochal cysts and the challenges related with clinical diagnosis and management.
Sixty-one patients with biliary atresia, who underwent portoenterostomy (PE) between 1992 to 1998 in the Institute of Pediatrics, Kuala Lumpur and were followed for a period of one year, were studied to analyze the factors associated with jaundice clearance and cholangitis following PE. Sex distribution was equal. Majority of patients were Malays. Mean age in days at admission to the surgical ward was 66.90 +/- 23.36 and mean age at PE was 75.85 +/- 24.05. At the end of one-year follow-up, six patients (10%) had died, 35 (57%) developed one or more attacks of cholangitis, 35 (57%) had portal hypertension, eight (13%) liver failure and six patients had esophageal variceal bleeding. Thirty-three patients (54%) had jaundice clearance with a mean clearance time of 85 days after PE. The study shows that when the ductules in the porta hepatis were < 150 mu in size, persistence of jaundice after PE and the incidence of cholangitis in the first post-operative year were higher; patients with cholangitis in the first year had lower rate of jaundice clearance. Jaundice clearance was achieved in more patients when their postnatal age at the time of PE was lower but the relationship was not linear. Age at PE also did not have a linear temporal relationship to the incidence of cholangitis and the size of portal ductules. Prospective, multi-center based local studies on a bigger patient population are needed to identify other indicators of successful outcome following PE. This would help to define the indications for primary liver transplantation in the local population.
Severe neurological dysfunction was observed in sheep 4 weeks after grazing on Signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens). These neurological disorders included the stamping of forelegs, star-gazing, incoordination, head-pressing against the fence and circling movements. Histologically, numerous vacuolations of various sizes were observed in the white matter of the brain giving rise to a spongy appearance.
In Malaysia, the incidence of molar pregnancy and gestational trophoblastic neoplasia is 2.8 and 1.59 per 1000 deliveries, respectively; the disease is more common among the Chinese compared to the Malays and Indians. While uterine suction is the preferred method of uterine evacuation of hydatidiform mole, complete evacuation was not achieved at the first attempt in 25% of cases. Partial moles comprise 30% of all moles; these need follow up similar to that for complete moles as they are potentially malignant. In the management of invasive moles, chemotherapy should not be withheld in the presence of metastases or failure of regression of hCG. Placental site tumours are rare. Prophylactic hysterectomy and prophylactic chemotherapy are not recommended. However, in those patients with unsatisfactory hCG regression curves indicating 'at risk' in developing gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), 'selective preventive chemotherapy' appears appropriate. Chemotherapy remains the main modality of treatment for GTN. As tumour bulk and location of disease are important determinants in outcome, we categorized our patients into low, medium- and high-risk groups with survivals of 100, 98 and 61.7% respectively. Surgery and radiotherapy have a limited role.