the use of mobile phones inside hospitals especially in clinically sensitive areas is a subject of controversy because it may improve the quality of healthcare but also can transmit health care associated infections. to determine the potential role of mobile phones in harboring microorganisms and to evaluate their role in transmission of microorganisms from the mobile phone to the hand of health care personnel, 32 staff members (12, 8 and 12 were neurosurgeons, anesthetists and nurses respectively) were enrolled in this study. a questionnaire was submitted to all participants to collect information on the extent of usage of mobile phones, the location of use, the use of headsets, the awareness of disinfection practices of mobile phones and the frequency of hand washing after using their phones. they were asked to disinfect their hands using an alcohol based hand rub and fingers of both hands were cultured. Then, they were asked to do a short phone call from their personal mobile phones. Sampling was repeated from the hand used to make the call and from each participant's mobile phone. Following the hand rub, no growth was detected. after the use of a mobile phones, the rate of bacterial contamination on the hands increased to 30 ⁄ 32 (93.7%) same as that found from the mobile phones (93.7%). the use of mobile phones in clinically sensitive areas should be weighed against the risk for contamination and transmission of infections.
Background:The neurovascular conflict in trigeminal neuralgia is an intractable condition; medical treatment is usually of long duration and can be annoying for both patients and clinicians.Aim:This prospective study was designed to assess the outcome of microvascular decompression (MVD) in patients with more than 3 years' history of intractable idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and poor response to drugs.Materials and Methods:Twenty-one patients (8 females and 13 males) with intractable idiopathic TN (group 1) underwent MVD and were followed up for 2 years. Group 2 (n = 15), which included 6 females and 9 males, received pharmacotherapy. The outcome responses of pain relief were evaluated using a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS) and the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) scoring system. The patients' morbidity was recorded as well.Results:All patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were offered MVD surgery. Freedom from pain was achieved immediately after surgery in 95.2% (n = 20) of patients in group 1, and 90.5% (n = 19) had sustained relief over the follow-up period. There were no statistical significance recurrences or surgical complications in group 1 (P>0.5), while 53.3% (n = 8) of the subjects in group 2 showed poor response with pharmacotherapy over the same period of time and many patients experienced drug intolerance that had statistical significance (P<0.01).Conclusion:Early MVD in TN can help patients avoid the side effects of drugs and the adverse psychological effects of long-term pharmacotherapy and prolonged morbidity.
Background:After malaria, schistosomiasis is the second most prevalent tropical disease. The prevalence of oviposition in CNS of infected persons varies from 0.3 to 30%. The conus medullaris is a primary site of schistosomiasis, either granulomatous or acute necrotizing myelitis.Objective:To report the clinical, radiological, and laboratory results of spinal cord schistosomiasis (SCS) and to design proper therapeutic regimens.Materials and Methods:Seventeen patients (13 males and four females) with SCS were enrolled between 1994 and 2009 at Mansoura University Hospitals. Their median age at diagnosis was 19 years (13-30 years). Independent neurological, radiological, and laboratory assessments were performed for both groups, excluding pathological confirmation that was done earlier in eight patients (Group 1). In the group 2 (nine patients), indirect hemagglutination (IHA) test for bilharziasis in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was performed. Higher positive titer in CSF than serum indicated SCS plus induction of antibilharzial and corticosteroid protocols for 12 months with a three-year follow-up.Results:Rate of neurological symptoms of granulomatous intramedullary cord lesion was assessed independently in 16 cases and acute paraparesis in one case. All patients in group 2 had positive IHA against Schistosoma mansoni with median CSF and serum ranges 1/640 and 1/320, respectively. Seven patients (41.18%) had complete recovery, eight patients (47.06%) showed partial recovery, and no response was reported in two patients (11.76%) (P = 0.005). There was no recorded mortality in the current registry.Conclusions:Rapid diagnosis of SCS with early medical therapies for 12 months is a crucial tool to complete recovery.
BACKGROUND: Hydrocephalus is a very common childhood condition usually requiring placement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt. Infection is considered one of the most significant complications that leads to prolonged hospital stay and more cost. OBJECTIVE:The aim of the work was to correlate ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt infection in relation to preoperative, operative and postoperative predictors and also to identify measures to decrease shunt infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS:We performed a prospective study of fifty children below two years of age evaluated in a single neurosurgery department from 2017 to 2019. All included children underwent CSF shunt insertion . A shunt infection was defined by growth of bacteria in the CSF of a child who underwent shunt removal within 7 days of presentation. All cases of shunt infection were correlated to preoperative predictors such as age, operative predictors including operative time and postoperative predictors such as fever and CSF leak. RESULTS:In our study, 4 cases presented with shunt infection in the follow up period representing 8% of all cases. Shunt infection occurred mainly in the first six month of age. Fever was the leading sign in case of shunt infection and it occurred in 75% of cases of shunt infection. CONCLUSION:The lower the age of the child, the more the incidence of shunt infection. Fever, irritability and clinical signs such as CSF leak, erythema and fluid tracking over the shunt were strong predictors for shunt infection.
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