Sunday, November 16, 2014

Colles fracture mnemonic

Hello fellow medical students!
Colles fracture is associated with a "Dinner fork" deformity so I remember the other eating utensil, the "Spoon" to memorize everything about Colles.

Somatostatinoma mnemonic

S for somatostatin, S for 3 S's!

Sugar: Diabetes mellitus
Stones: Cholecystolithiasis
Steatorrhoea

That's all!
Sugar, spice and everything nice :)
-IkaN

Whipple's triad mnemonic

The mnemonic is, "wHIpple'S"
H for hypoglycaemia in fasting state.
I to remind you that it is seen in insulinomas.
S for sugar less than 45 mg % and for Symptoms relieved by Glucose.

Alternatively, you can remember "HIS Whip" if you know what I mean ;)

-IkaN

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Charcot's triad mnemonic

Hello. This is a mini post... For CHArcot's!
Jaundice
Pain
Fever
Seen in ascending cholangitis.
That's all!
-IkaN

Exception to Courvoisier's law mnemonic

Hello!

Courvoisier's law states that in a patient with jaundice, if there is a palpable gallbladder, it is not due to stones.

Obviously, exception to the rule will be conditions with a stone and palpable gallbladder!

The mnemonic is, "DHE exception".
D: Double impacted stone - one in CBD and one in cystic duct, with mucocele of gallbladder.
H: Large stone in Hartmann's pouch.
E: Empyema gallbladder.

The rule ain't useful if the patient doesn't have a gallbladder (absence, previous cholecystectomy) or if the gallbladder is intrahepatic.

That's all!
'DHEm' rebellious conditions breaking rules xD
-IkaN

Saint's triad mnemonic

Just don't forget the D was from the word "triaD"
Because, you might forget.

Types of sequestrum

Since there isn't a complete post on it online, I thought I'd write about it.

Clinical features of tuberculosis spine mnemonic

Here's the illustration!

Tuberculosis spine mnemonic

I made this for my reference, so that I could make sure that I'd be able to write all the points, in case a LAQ was asked about it.

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