Background:Congenital anomalies are a major cause of stillbirths and neonatal mortality. The pattern and prevalence of congenital anomalies may vary over time or with geographical location.Aims and Objectives:The aim of this study is to determine the proportion and types of congenital anomalies in live newborns and to study maternal and perinatal risk factors.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the neonatal care unit of R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital during the period of September 2011 to August 2012. All the live born babies born in this hospital during this period were included. The newborns were examined for the presence of congenital anomalies and mothers were interviewed for socio-demographic variables.Results:During the study period, 12,896 babies were born, of which 286 had congenital malformations, making the prevalence 2.22%. Most of the women (55.7%) belonged to the age group between 21 and 30 years. Congenital anomalies were seen more commonly (3.3%) in the multiparas in comparison with primiparas (1.8%). The predominant system involved was Musculo-skeletal system (33.2%) followed by gastro-intestinal (GI) system (15%). Talipes (17.1%) was the most common one in musculoskeletal group and likewise cleft lip and cleft palate in GI system. Congenital anomalies were more likely to be associated with low birth weight, prematurity, multiparity, consanguinity and cesarean delivery.Conclusion:Public awareness about preventable risk factors is to be created and early prenatal diagnosis and management of common anomalies is strongly recommended.

Background:The clinical pattern and etiology of stroke may vary over time or with geographical location. In Asian countries, specific etiology and outcome of childhood stroke have been rarely reported.Objective:To determine the clinical and etiological pattern of childhood stroke and their outcome in a Tertiary Care Center.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kolkata over a period of 3 years. All children from 6 months to 12 years, diagnosed as childhood stroke by radio-imaging were included in our study. Children presenting with paraplegia/paraparesis were excluded. Etiologies were determined on the basis of clinical examination, related blood investigations and radio-imaging findings. Data gathered from the stroke patients were entered into a preformed proforma and appropriate statistical analyses were done.Result:Most commonly found clinical presentation was hemiparesis (70.6%). Next in place was a seizure (61.8%) and alteration of consciousness (58.8%). The most common etiology of childhood stroke in our hospital was found to be an intracranial infection (41.2%), followed by vascular etiology. Stroke was ischemic in nature in 91.2% of cases. Among the clinical features, vomiting, alteration of sensorium, and fever were significantly (P < 0.01) more in infectious cases of stroke, but hemiparesis was significantly (P < 0.05) more common in noninfectious etiology. Most of the cases of noninfectious etiology (95%) completely recovered without any persistent neurodeficit or mortality.Conclusion:Intracranial infection is the commonest etiology of stroke in pediatric patients presenting at our hospital. Commonest type is an ischemic stroke. The most of the patients completely recovered from the acute neurological insult after proper and timely management.

Central nervous system tuberculoma can have variable presentations depending on the site and number of tuberculomas. We are reporting a rare case of an 11-year-old male child presenting with ptosis and ataxia. Clinical examination revealed bilateral partial 3rd cranial nerve palsy (ptosis without any upward gaze palsy) associated with dysdiadochokinesia and ataxia on the right side. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a single ring-enhancing lesion in the dorsal midbrain with perifocal edema. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy provided the etiological information as tuberculoma.