Saturday, November 8, 2014

Ghon's complex in primary tuberculosis mnemonic

The mnemonic is, "GHONS"
GHoN for Giant Hilar lymph Nodes and lymphatics.
S for Subpleural parenchymal lesion.

Remember that the subpleural lesion is located in the lower part of the upper lobe, upper part of lower lobe or the middle lobe.
 
We are so used to learning that tuberculosis bacilli love living in the aerated upper part of the upper lobe that we might, by mistake, choose that option in a MCQ asking about the primary complex. Keep in mind that the infection in upper part of upper lobe is secondary reactivation TB, not primary.

Mnemonic for Ghons focus vs Ghons complex: 
Ghons compLex consists of Lymph nodes and Ghons focuS is just the Site of primary lesion in the lung. 

That's all! 

-IkaN

Filariasis mnemonic

Hi everybody!
These are random mnemonics I use to remember certain points about filariasis. Not sure if it'll help everybody. But uploading anyway!

"Filariasis fills the blood at night."
To remember that Microfilaria can be demonstrated in peripheral smear only at night.

"Microfilaria fills microvessels (capillaries) of the lung"
And cause tropical pulmonary eosinophilia!

Manifestations of filariasis
Remember 3 L's:
Lymphatic filariasis (caused by Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi)
Loiasis (caused by Loa loa)
Light (light, sight, blindness - river blindness caused by Onchocerca volvulus)

So complicated names!

Diethylcarbamazine dose mnemonic:
DEC, D-E-six, 6 mg/kg for 21 days.

That's all!
-IkaN

Scabies treatment mnemonic

Hello.
The mnemonic for this itchy disease is the word, "SCABIES" itself. I divided it into two parts, the scabicides and the extra drugs used for pruritus, keratolysis, etc. The mnemonic is the same for both.

Scabicides: "SCaBIes"
S for Sulphur ointment

C for Crotamiton

B for Benzyl benzoate

b flipped upside down looks like a p, for permethrin

I for Ivermectin

I also looks like a L, for Lindane

Extras: "SCAbies"
S for Salicylic acid
S for Salicylates
C for Calamine lotion
C for Corticosteroids
A for Antihistamines

Notes:
Use 5% permethrin.
L looks like 1, so 1% Lindane.

Ivermectin (200 micro g/kg) single oral dose. Patients with crusted Scabies may require two or more doses of ivermectin.

Salicylic acid is a keratolytic; allows good penetration of scabicides.

Antihistamines, salicylates, and calamine lotion relieve itching during treatment, and topical glucocorticoids are useful for the pruritus that lingers after effective treatment.

That's all!
-IkaN

Short acting bronchodilators and long acting bronchodilators mnemonic

Happy Saturday everyone!
Was studying bronchial asthma and COPD today :)

Metro are trains & trains are long. So any drug with "metro" like word is long acting.
List of long acting bronchodilators:
Salmeterol
Formoterol or Eformoterol
Arformoterol

Friday, November 7, 2014

Testicular tumors surgical management mnemonic

Because scrotal approach for biopsies could disseminate testicular tumors, Chevassu suggested inguinal exploration and occlusion of the testicular vessels before biopsy of suspicious lesions.

I use a pun to remember this - "Chew vessels" to prevent seeding: Chevassou.

Other facts you must remember are - Seminomas are radiosensitive. They respond to chemotherapy with cisplatin as well.

And that teratomas have frequent lymph node involvement.

That's all!

-IkaN

Remembering the autonomic innervation of the bladder

"PISS" is my memory aid for remembering, Parasympathetics make you Pee from S2 - S4 segments. (Two S's in piss, so S2)

So the opposite, sympathetic L1 and L2, allow urine to collect and are inhibitory to the detrusor muscle.

That's all!
-IkaN

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Treatment of organophosphorus poisoning mnemonic

Hey!

I focus on how to remember the doses of the medications in this post.

Atropine. aTWOpine. 2 mg IV every 5-10 minutes till full atropinisation occurs.

Pralidoxime is also known as 2-PAM. Two. So 20 mg/kg in 20 minutes is the loading dose. Half that, 10 mg/kg/hr is the maintenance.

Remember to remove the patient from further exposure and wash the skin, give gastric lavage.
Also catheterize the patient before atropine is given (viva concept).

For symptoms of muscarinic poisoning, the common mnemonics are "DUMBBELLS" and "Cholinergics make you leaky"

That's all!
-IkaN

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Leptospirosis and Weil's disease mnemonic

Mnemonic for leptospirosis
"LEPTOSPIRO "
Lymphadenopathy
Encephalitis (And meningitis)
Pain in abdomen
Transmitted through animal urine
Occipital headache
Suffusion (conjunctival)
Pericorneal reddening, Photophobia
Iridocyclitis
Retro orbital pain, Rash
O looks like a heart for bradycardia

Tuberous sclerosis mnemonic

Tuberous sclerosis makes me think of tubers. Tuber is a plant structure that stores nutrients. Like sweet potatoes. And you know who it reminds me of? Mrs. Potato head from Toy Story!
Tuberous sclerosis mnemonic

Epidural anaesthesia mnemonic

Hello!

The mnemonic is, "EPIDURAL"

EP: Epidural catheter is Placed and anaesthetic is infused

I for Indwelling catheter for additional injections later

D for delay (A 15-30 min delay in onset is seen with epidural anaesthesia)

U for urinary retention, a complication of epidural anaesthesia (Another complication that you must remember is hypotension)

R for Repeated prolonged infusion that can be given with epidural anaesthesia

A for Analgesia (Epidural is used for labor analgesia, post op pain and cancer pain)

L for Lidocaine (The letter L has two lines, so two percent is the dose. Two also reminds me of Touhy needle, used for the anaesthesia)
Another commonly used anaesthetic is 0.5% Bupivacaine.

That's all!
*sings* I've become so numb
-IkaN

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Tocolytic agents mnemonic

Happy Tuesday everyone!

The mnemonic for tocolytic drugs is, "ABC MNO"
A: Atobican
B : Beta mimetics like ritodrine (return to dreams)
C : Calcium channel blockers like Nifedipine
C : Cyclooxygenase inhibitors like Indomethacin
M : Magnesium sulphate
N : NO donors like Glyceryl trinitrate
O : Oxytocin antagonists like Atociban

A and O repeat twice, I wrote them anyway because they give a good flow :)

That's all!

I was asked an MCQ on this concept in my prelims. They asked which of the following drugs is NOT a tocolytic and they put 4 drugs. So it's important to know ALL the tocolytic drugs.

-IkaN

Cullen's sign, Grey Turner's sign and Fox's sign seen in pancreatitis mnemonic

These signs are seen in acute pancreatitis. Having a mnemonic to remember them makes me feel complete!

Cullen's sign mnemonic:
If you complete the C, it looks like an O; umbilicus looks like an O. So pancreatic enzymes seeping through the falciform ligament causing discoloration around the umbilicus is the Cullen's sign.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Hormones that have similar structure and thus clinical effects

ACTH and MSH:
In Addison's disease, increase in ACTH causes hyperpigmentation because it is similar to MSH.

HCG and TSH:
Patients with choriocarcinoma can present with hyperthyroidism. It's because HCG is similar to TSH.

Pitocin and pitressin:
The drug oxytocin can cause water retention because it is similar to vasopressin.

These are all I can think of for now, lemme know if you guys know any other hormones that are so similar that they are able to cause similar effects in our body.