Introduction:Like many other people based professions, communications skills are essential to medical practice also. Traditional medical teaching in India does not address communication skills which are most essential in dealing with patients. Communication skills can be taught to medical students to increase clinical competence.Objective:To teach basic communication and counseling skills to fourth-year undergraduate students to increase their clinical competence.Methodology:A total of 48, fourth-year MBBS students participated in the study. They were given training in basic communication and counseling skills and taught the patient interview technique according to Calgary–Cambridge guide format. Improvement in communication was assessed by change in pre- and post-training multiple choice questions, clinical patient examination, and Standardized Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (SPSQ) scores.Results and Analysis:About 88% of the students in the sample were convinced of the importance of learning communication skills for effective practice. Almost 90% students were communicating better after training, as tested by improved SPSQ. As judged by Communication Skill Attitude Scale, student's positive attitude toward learning communication skill indicated that there is a necessity of communication skill training during undergraduate years.Conclusion:The ability to communicate effectively is a core competency for medical practitioners. Inculcating habits of good communications skill during formative years will help the medical students and future practitioners. Regular courses on effective communication should be included in the medical school curriculum.
Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome [PCOS] is a complex ill understood hormonal disorder resulting in myriads of symptoms like irregular menses, hyperandrogenism, metabolic disturbances and infertility. It occurs in about 8-11% of reproductive age group women. Recently changing lifestyles and rising obesity worldwide have contributed to rise in the incidence of PCOS. Objective of the present is to study the prevalence and symptomatology of PCOS in Indian women.Methods: 170 women in reproductive age group, with irregular menstrual cycles attending OPD, voluntarily participated in a cross sectional study. All were subjected to detailed history, examination and investigated with a battery of lab tests to confirm PCOS. Out of 170 women investigated 70 women with features of PCOS were included in the study (diagnosed as PCOS by NIH criteria).Results: The overall prevalence of PCOS in the study population was, 41%. It was 16% in married women and 24 % in unmarried girls. Common menstrual irregularity was-oligomenorrhea (40%), Menorrhagia (12.8%) amenorrhea (11%). Common symptoms were hirsutism, acne, infertility and alopecia.Conclusions: PCOS is rising in young women and to some extent the changing lifestyle in urban women may be linked to it. There in a world-wide increase in the incidence of obesity, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, PCOS and its accompanying insulin resistance is contributing to it. Treating PCOS and its complications is adding to health care burden.
Background: Cesarean section is by far the commonest surgery performed worldwide. Most of these surgeries are performed by Pfannenstiel incision. Various techniques and material have been tried for skin closure in these surgeries. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The objective of the study was to compare wound outcomes in Pfannenstiel incisions closed in interrupted mattress sutures and subcuticular suture with absorbable material, in a prospective study of cesarean deliveries.Methods: It was studied that 104 women who had cesarean sections with Pfannenstiel incision prospectively for wound outcomes in terms of wound complications (hematoma formation, infection, nonunion, dehiscence and need for resuturing), pain and cosmetic appearance in two groups. One with absorbable subcuticular sutures, another with interrupted mattress suture.Results: Women who had subcuticular stitches had less postoperative pain, better wound outcomes, faster recovery, early discharge from hospital and cosmetically superior scars as compared with interrupted mattress sutures.Conclusions: While search for the best method and material for skin closure continues, the subcuticular suture with an absorbable material seems to leave a cosmetically better scar with lesser wound complications.
Background: Cesarean section is the most commonly performed surgery worldwide. Recent times have seen rising trends in c-section rates, for a variety of reasons. Although the basic procedure remains same, some new techniques have been adopted like not closing the visceral or the parietal peritoneum. A large number of studies on merits and demerits of these practices have been published, generating even larger debates. Objective of this effort is to evaluate studies on either side of the argument and cite our experiences. Methods: Repeat cesarean sections were evaluated for adhesion related procedural problems in both peritoneal closure and non closure in primary cesareans. Results: Dense adhesions were observed in cases where peritoneal closure was not done in previous surgery and there were fewer or less dense adhesion cases where routine closure of parietal peritoneum was practiced. Conclusion: Routine closure of parietal peritoneum in cesarean sections is recommended to reduce adhesion related morbidity and difficult subsequent surgery. [Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol 2013; 2(3.000): 406-409
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