Authors diary: Have fun while studying

If you are not having fun while studying, you are doing it wrong.

I crack really lame jokes. It keeps me sane :P

Low Weight in Cerebral Palsy : Possibilities

Hi everyone ! Here's a short post on Causes of Weight loss or Poor gain of weight in Cerebral palsy (CP) patients.

1. Feeding problems due to motor deficit -
- Patients with CP have poor feeding due to problems with sucking and swallowing. - They may have  palato-pharyngeal incoordination due to the UMN lesions - especially if there's an accompanying Bulbar or Pseudobulbar palsy.
-So there's impaired oral motor control.
- Repeated aspirations may be present.

2. GERD -
- Gastro esophageal reflux is a common co-morbidity with CP.
- This can be very bothersome for the baby and reduces appetite and may even cause repeated vomiting.

3. Reliance on Care taker -
- The child cannot use his own hands to feed a lot of times.
- This causes excess reliance on the caretaker.
- The caretaker may underfeed the baby weary of the aspirations and Dysphagia of the baby.

4. Poor hygiene -
- Poor hygiene practices are more likely to cause infections (Feco-oral ).
- This is more likely to cause undernutrition due to the infective agents.

Hope this felt clinically relevant and helpful to you !
Stay awesome !

~A.P.Burkholderia

Syndromes associated with Ventricular Septal Defect : Mnemonic

Here's a short post.
So a fair bit of genetic mutations are associated with VSD's.

Remember :
ACED 2
(As in You ACED your exam ! )

A- Apert Syndrome
Features are mainly Cranio-digital. Causes Craniosynostosis, Syndactyly and mandibulo-facial deformities.

C- Cri du chat Syndrome
Notorious for the kitten like cry.
Other features are hyperagrresivenes, skin tags in front of eyes , microcephaly and wide eyes.

E - Edwards Syndrome
Trisomy 18. Other features - Omphalocele , esophageal atresia, low set ears, Microcephaly, Ptosis and Rocker bottom feet , Hypertelorism. Also associated with ASDs.

D - DiGeorge Syndrome
CATCH 22
C - CHD
A - Abnormal facies
T - thymic aplasia
C - Cleft palate
H - Hypocalcemia
22 - Chr 22 abnormality.

D - Down Syndrome
(You all know about that one !)

That's all!
Hope this helped.
Happy Studying and like always , Stay awesome !

~ A.P.Burkholderia

Medicowesome secret project : Lets talk about 'adjustments'

“Hello, I'm sure you would relate to me,
You will understand how I feel,
Because you might have felt it for a few moments like I feel most of the time.”

I was diagnosed with clinical depression a year back. Although the labeling never led to any improvement but it made me understand that I have a medical problem and I need help. Being from a smaller city, where everyone knew each other, where life moved at its own pace and where things were easier to understand, moving to Delhi away from my family proved stressful for me. The constant pressure to fit in, to dress, talk, sit in a particular manner and being ridiculed for being little different only made things worse. There would be days in row when I wouldn't feel like getting up, the day would stretch far too long and I wouldn't understand what exactly was I going through. I would stay awake till 4am crying with feeling of helplessness. From being the topper of my school I became one of the lowest scorers of my class.  Nothing would seem to motivate me to keep going because I had already given up. Fortunately, two failed suicide attempts made me feel like seeking for help. My treatment is ongoing. People close to me understand that it's something which I wasn't in control of. Depression is something which can break you into innumerable pieces, loosen your ability to look at positivity and get up to fight back with zeal. I hope you understand. - maybe this is what someone with depression goes through (I guess). So will you help them stay strong? :)

You, out of all these people have the capacity to love yourself the most, trust yourself the most and build yourself stronger with each passing day. Then why be worried if someone doesn't love you back or breaks your trust? It's you who is important. It's your life, you make your own decisions. Let no one ever tell you your worth or take away your happiness. You deserve all of the good things like everyone else.  You is important. Yes, you are :)

Thanks Purnima Bhatia for sharing this story ( a part of it is hers, rest is fiction ) with us and spread awareness on the matter. :)

Ewing's Sarcoma- A review.

Hello everybody!

Let's review a few important points on Ewing's sarcoma.

Ewing sarcoma is one of the small, round cell lesions of bone

Second most common malignant bone tumor in children (after osteosarcoma)
Common in males than females.

Occurs between the ages of 5-30 years.

 Location:

Arise in medullary cavity, usually of long bones in the lower extremities. Commonly involves metadiaphysis of long bones.

Most commonly occurs in long bones and pelvis but they can occur in virtually any bone.

Clinical Findings:

Most common symptoms are localized pain and swelling.

Additional symptoms:

Fever

Weight loss

Anemia

Leukocytosis

Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate 

Imaging Findings:

Most lesions are visible on conventional radiographs

However, their degree of spread is better evaluated with MRI

Common manifestations on conventional radiography include

1)Poorly marginated, lytic, destructive lesion

2)Permeative (small holes) or moth-eaten (mottled) appearance

3)Rarely, they can be sclerotic,Soft tissue mass or infiltration is common

4)Soft tissue mass may occur without destruction of cortex.Soft tissue mass may produce saucerization (scalloped depression in cortex)

5)Periosteal reaction is common

6)Lamellated - onion-skinning due to successive layers of periosteal development

7)Sunburst or spiculated - hair-on-end appearance when new bone is laid down perpendicular to cortex along Sharpey’s fibers.

8)Codman’s triangle - formed between elevated periosteum with central destruction of cortex

9)Osteosclerosis may be present secondary to reactive bone formation

Prognosis:60-75% five-year survival.

Treatment:Systemic chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment with surgery and/or radiotherapy playing a role depending of the location and size of the tumour.

Hope this was useful.

Let's Learn Together!

-Medha.

Types of barium-contrast imaging.

Hello everybody!

Let's quickly revise the types of Barium investigations.

So to enlist the investigations are: Barium swallow, barium meal, barium follow-through, and barium enema.

The barium swallow, barium meal, and barium follow-through are together also called an upper gastrointestinal series (study), whereas the barium enema is called a lower gastrointestinal series (study).

Procedure:

In upper gastrointestinal series examinations, the barium sulfate is mixed with water and swallowed orally, whereas in the lower gastrointestinal series (barium enema), the barium contrast agent is administered as an enema through a small tube inserted into the rectum.

Let's review individual examinations breifly:

Barium swallow X-ray examinations are used to study the pharynx and esophagus.

Barium meal examinations are used to study the lower esophagus, stomach and duodenum.

Barium follow through examinations are used to study the small intestine.

Enteroclysis also called small bowel enema is a Barium X-ray examination used to display individual loops of the small intestine by intubating the jejunum with a small tube and administering Barium sulfate followed by methylcellulose or air.

Barium enema examinations are used to study the large intestine and rectum.

Hope this was useful!

Let's learn Together!

-Medha.

Authors' diary: How to study during Ramzaan

This video has been requested since last year! Finally made it! :)

Autism and ADHD : The clinical intersection

Hello

Autism and Attention - Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may co - occur in upto 80% of children and they share about 50 - 75% of their genetic factors and pathologic features, thus resulting in some clinical intersection.

NBME 7 question on muscle weakness

Disclaimer: This is an NBME form 7 question for step 2 CK. If you are planning to take USMLE step 2 CK in the future, I would recommend that you DO NOT read this post because it will bias your assessments.

CMS neurology form 2 question on fibromuscular dysplasia with paresis, occulomotor palsy

Disclaimer: This is an CMS neurology form 2 question for step 2 CK. If you are planning to take USMLE step 2 CK in the future, I would recommend that you DO NOT read this post because it will bias your assessments.

CMS neurology form 2 question on headache, seizures, urinary incontinence, broad based gait

Disclaimer: This is an CMS neurology form 2 question for step 2 CK. If you are planning to take USMLE step 2 CK in the future, I would recommend that you DO NOT read this post because it will bias your assessments.

NBME 7 question on intoxication

Disclaimer: This is an NBME form 7 question for step 2 CK. If you are planning to take USMLE step 2 CK in the future, I would recommend that you DO NOT read this post because it will bias your assessments.

Fact of the day : Pinenes for refreshing your Airways

Hello

Did you know? One of the reasons your lungs feel refreshed ( increased mental focus and energy ) when you walk through the shades of beautiful pine forest is because of an anti - inflammatory compound called alpha -Pinene, that is found in conifers. It is used as a bronchodilator in the treatment of asthma and is abundantly present in marijuana.

- Jaskunwar Singh