Background. Helicobacter pylori infection is most prevalent in developing countries. It is an etiological agent of peptic ulcer, gastric adenocarcinoma, and mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Despite the development of different assays to confirm H. pylori infection, the diagnosis of infection is challenged by precision of the applied assay. Hence, the aim of this study was to understand the diagnostic accuracy of PCR and microscopy to detect the H. pylori in the gastric antrum biopsy specimen from gastric disorder patients. Methods. A total of 52 patients with gastric disorders underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsy. The H. pylori infection in gastric biopsies was identified after examination by microscopy and 23S rRNA specific PCR. The agreement between two test results were analysed by McNemar’s test and Kappa coefficient. Result. H. pylori infection was confirmed in 9 (17.30%) patients by both assays, 6.25% in antral gastritis, 22.22% in gastric ulcer, 100% in gastric ulcer with duodenitis, 50% in gastric ulcer with duodenal ulcer, and 33.33% in severe erosive duodenitis with antral gastritis. Out of nine H. pylori infection confirmed patients, 3 patients were confirmed by microscopy and 8 patients by PCR. In case of two patients, both microscopy and PCR assay confirmed the H. pylori infection. The agreement between two test results was 86.54% and disagreed by 13.46% (p value > 0.05). Conclusion. We found that PCR assay to detect H. pylori is more sensitive than microscopy. However, we advocate for the combination of both assays to increase the strength of diagnostic accuracy due to the absence of the gold standard assay for H. pylori infection.

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The ideal management of cholecysto-choledocholithiasis is an open cholecystectomy (OC) with the common bile duct (CBD) exploration worldwide. The single setting 2-stage approach- endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST), and CBD clearance followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) offers an advantage, mainly by reducing the hospital stay, the cost, and the morbidity. The Objective of the study is to compare the ERCP+LC single setting approach with an OC+CBD exploration for the treatment of cholecysto-choledocholithiasis. This is an interim analysis of 160 patients with 83 (51.9%) patients in ERCP+LC and 77 (48.1%) in an open procedure (OC+CBD exploration) group respectively. We did a prospective study in patients admitted for the management of the cholecysto-choledocholithiasis in the Department of Surgery at the Lumbini Medical College and Teaching Hospital from November 2012–October 2015. They underwent 2-stage ERCP+LC in a single setting and we compared them with 2-stage OC+CBD exploration in a single setting approach. The patients with the open procedure were our control group. All the included cases in the study were elective. The procedure was feasible in our hospital. Similarly, the hospital stay was significantly shorter in the ERCP+LC group; 3.92±0.719 days vs 10.30±1.557 days, p <0.05. There was a significant difference in the total morbidity of ERCP+LC group 7 (8.4%) vs 14 (18.2%), p <0.05. Here, wound infection in the ERCP+LC group was 2 (2.4%) vs 4 (5.2%) and there was one case of abdominal collection 1 (1.2%) which was managed symptomatically. The incidence of retained CBD stone in the ERCP+LC was 3 (1.2%) which was managed successfully with ERCP. In all the cases, post- ERCP amylase value was found to be within the normal limit. The result of our study suggests, single setting ERCP+LC at the peripheral-level hospital is feasible in terms of cost, length of hospital stay, morbidity and stone clearance.

Background: Laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation causes marked increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Even though various agent tried to blunt the hemodynamic response but none of them proved to be an ideal. The aim of the study was to compare dexmedetomidine and placebo in blunting the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation.Methods: A randomized placebo controlled study with total of 90 patients were included in the study of which 30 patients received dexmedetomidine (Group D) 10 minutes prior to endotracheal intubation and 30 patients received 3 ml Normal Saline (Group C) 10 minutes prior to endotracheal intubation. They were evaluated with change in heart rate and mean arterial pressure at 1, 3 and 5 minutes post laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Any adverse effect of the drug was noted. Results: Age, gender, physical status and weight were comparable between the groups. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure attenuated significantly in dexmedetomidine group (p<0.001 in 1, 3 and 5 minute intervals respectively), whereas placebo failed to attenuate hemodynamic response after laryngoscopy and intubation in any measured interval. No complications were noted. Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine 1 mcg/kg given 10 min prior to endotracheal intubation significantly attenuates heart rate and mean arterial pressure at 1, 3 and 5 minutes compared to placebo.

Background: Health camps are usually targeted to underprivileged people of rural places. They help in the awareness, preventive and curative services to those people. A mega health camp was conducted in Yangwarak rural municipality of Panchthar district of Eastern Nepal. All the services including medicines, consultation charges, laboratory services and imaging were free of cost.Methods: It’s a prospective cross-sectional study comprised of all consecutive patients attending the camp in Yangwarak rural municipality of Panchthar district in Eastern Nepal. All the patients attending the free camp were taken as a case. Necessary information was deducted and enrolled in this study. The data was entered into the Microsoft excel software and analysed using statistical package for social studies (SPSS) software 23.0 version.Results: A total of 1656 people were directly benefitted with consultation of a dozen of department. 58.7% were female and rest were male. Majority of people had gastrointestinal issues. The knowledge, attitude and practice to health was poor.Conclusions: Keeping in mind the findings of the camp, this only represents the tip of iceberg. There are many such places with needy people who need the help of health professionals and proper address by the government. The preventive approach to health should be magnified even more.

Anesthetic management of pathological fracture due to multiple myeloma with systemic manifestation poses a perioperative challenge especially in low-resource setups like Nepal. Regional anesthesia using ultrasound-guided block can improve the accuracy, reduce complications, and improve overall perioperative management of pathological fractures due to malignancy with systemic spread in resource-deprived setups. We present a case of a 53-year-old lady with pathological fracture of left humerus shaft, a diagnosed case of multiple myeloma with compression fracture of multiple lumbar spine with chest wall metastasis with resolving acute kidney injury with chest infections. Ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block with sedation was done for open reduction internal fixation of humerus shaft fracture taking in consideration the overall high perioperative risk of patient. Intraoperative hemodynamic was uneventful, with no neurological sequelae and good recovery status perioperatively. Ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block if done cautiously can be a very useful alternative technique for better perioperative outcome in patients with malignancy with systemic spread in areas where expertise is scarce and resource is limited.

Background: Cooled Radiofrequency ablation is a newer technique for management of chronic knee pain in osteoarthritis. The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes in patients with chronic osteoarthritis in terms of pain scores for first six months of cooled radiofrequency ablation using ultrasound guidance. Methods: A cross-sectional study with retrospective review of database was evaluated to analyze the change in the Numerical Rating Scale from baseline scores at 1 day, 1 month and 6 months after the Cooled Radiofrequency ablation of genicular nerves around knee in patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis. Results: Median age was 71 years [ 61-73 years (IQR: 25-75)] with more female preponderance. Numerical Rating Scale (Mean ± S.D.) was significantly less at 1 day (1.87 ± 1.22), 1 month (3.03 ± 0.99) and 6 months (3.37 ± 1.098) from baseline values (6.77 ± 1.00). No soreness and numbness were noted.Conclusions: Cooled Radiofrequency using Ultrasound guidance for management of knee pain in chronic osteoarthritis is promising and reduces Numerical Rating Score significantly from baseline at 1 month and 6 months respectively.Keywords: Cooled radiofrequency ablation; genicular nerve; numeric rating scale

Background: Emergency Department of National Trauma Center Nepal Center is the only specialized trauma care hospital in Nepal, in operation since 2012. Traumatic injury is one of the major causes for mortality worldwide. This study aims to see the epidemiology, pattern of injuries and outcome of the patients presenting to the emergency room.Methods: After getting ethical approval, we included all patients presenting to the Emergency Department with at least one injury, between Jan 2018 to Dec 2020. Informations on age, gender, mechanism of injury and outcome was abstracted for all patients presenting to the emergency department. Data were extracted from hospital database with the permission of hospital authority.Results: Total of 49991 patients presented to emergency department with different types of injuries.  Among them 7792 (14.0%) needed hospital admission. Fall and road crashes comprised almost 80% of admitted cases. Mortality was 2.1% of admitted patients, mostly with head injuries followed by multiple injuries. Conclusions: Among the patient visiting the trauma center during the study period most common mechanism of the injury were fall and road crash with head and neck injury. Majority of the patients were only managed in the ward without surgery.Keywords: Emergency care; triage; trauma care system; unintentional injury