Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S K Acharya

Publications and source records attributed to S K Acharya.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Clinical profile of multiple amoebic liver abscesses.

Of 70 consecutive patients with amoebic liver abscess admitted over a 3 year period, 15 (21.4%) had multiple abscesses. This condition, like solitary abscess, was a disease of the 2nd to 5th decade with a male preponderance. Multiple abscesses were more frequently associated with fever, jaundice, upper abdominal pain, pneumonitis and tender hepatomegaly. The left lobe of the liver was always enlarged in patients with multiple abscesses and 86% of patients required drainage of an abscess cavity. The presence of more severe clinical course, jaundice and left lobe hepatomegaly should raise the suspicion of multiple abscesses. After confirmation of the diagnosis by imaging technique, the abscess cavity should be aspirated for quick relief and cure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Needle aspiration of amoebic liver abscess.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of needle aspiration in uncomplicated amoebic liver abscess. DESIGN: Randomised case-control study with a minimum follow up of one year, comparing patients treated with drugs alone with those treated with additional needle aspiration. SETTING: Referral based gastroenterology clinic. PATIENTS: 39 Consecutive patients with amoebic liver abscess in the right lobe, of whom 37 completed the study. INTERVENTION: Metronidazole 2.4 g/day was given to all patients for 10 days. Needle aspiration of the abscess was performed in 19 patients on the day of admission to hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Abdominal pain, fever, anorexia, and hepatomegaly were measured. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum aspartate, and alanine aminotransferase activities, and alkaline phosphatase activity were also measured. RESULTS: Clinical improvement was similar in both groups of patients. Improvement in haematological and biochemical variables and rates of healing of cavities were also similar. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy with potent tissue amoebicidal drugs such as metronidazole is optimally effective in treating amoebic liver abscess, and in uncomplicated cases routine aspiration is not required.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Accuracy of abdominal ultrasonography and the role of a second investigation in surgical obstructive jaundice.

The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (US) was evaluated in delineating the site and cause of biliary obstruction in 59 patients of surgical obstructive jaundice (SOJ). A final analysis of the ultrasonographic data was carried out in 42 patients on whom laparotomy or endoscopic papillotomy with removal of common bile duct stones, confirmed the diagnosis. Evaluation of the role of second investigation following ultrasound in 28 patients (side-viewing endoscopy in 13, ERCP in 12 and PTC in 3) was also done to determine whether they provide any additional information over ultrasonography in delineating the exact level and etiology of biliary obstruction. US was done by the clinician who interpreted the findings in conjunction with the clinical profile of the patient. US correctly diagnosed SOJ in all 42 patients. In 26 of the 28 patients with distal CBD block (specificity 87.5%; sensitivity 100%) and in 14 out of 16 patients with proximal CBD block (specificity 100%; sensitivity 87.5%) US provided and accurate diagnosis of the site of obstruction. US was correct in diagnosing a malignant etiology in 26 out of 27 malignant cases whereas it accurately indentified the benign nature of biliary obstruction in 14 of the 15 patients of SOJ due to benign obstruction (specificity and sensitivity range 93.3% to 96.3%). A second investigation could correctly change the etiology and site of biliary obstruction in only 5 patients (17.9%) whereas in the remaining 23 patients (82.1%) it did not add any additional information over the US findings. Six out of fifteen patients (40%) who underwent cholangiography had cholangitis and in one severe septicemia led to death.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdomen↗
PubMed1989

Ultrasonography in portal hypertension: a sensitive noninvasive test to demonstrate portal-vascular anatomy.

The accuracy of ultrasonography (US) in delineating the portal vascular anatomy was assessed clinically by the clinician in 30 cases of portal hypertension due to noncirrhotic portal fibrosis and extra hepatic portal venous obstruction. Ultrasonography detected portal vein block in 19 and in 11 patients it was found to be patent. These ultrasonic diagnoses were confirmed by spleno-portovenography (SPV) in all, except in 2 cases due to technical failure. Ultrasononic assessment of the splenic vein was found to be accurate in 93.3% (28/30) of cases. SPV also had similar accuracy of splenic vein assessment when compared with the surgical findings. In one patient, intraperitoneal haemorrhage was encounted following SPV, necessitating emergency surgery. Thus, US was found to be as accurate as splenoportovenography in the assessment of portal vascular anatomy. The imaging technique is cheap, easy, safe, and can be repeated as often as necessary. It should be the procedure of choice in assessing the anatomy of portal vascular system.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Primary sclerosing cholangitis in India.

Six patients with PSC have been diagnosed and followed up at a centre in Northern India for periods up to 4 years. They all presented with cholestatic jaundice and cholangitis, but one of them subsequently presented with variceal haemorrhage. Cholangiographic features were the most characteristic and included irregular narrowing and segmental dilatation of the biliary radicles giving them a beaded appearance. Treating them was most frustrating. Two of them died of hepatic encephalopathy, others have also continued to be sick during the follow-up.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1989

Fibronectin in acute and subacute hepatic failure.

The mean plasma fibronectin (FN) concentrations in 30 patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and in 10 patients with subacute hepatic failure (SAHF) were 111.2 +/- 70 and 123.5 +/- 46.5 micrograms/ml, respectively, significantly lower than that of normal controls (362.0 +/- 69.2 micrograms/ml) and patients with uncomplicated viral hepatitis (320 +/- 58.5 micrograms/ml) (p less than 0.001). Plasma FN levels showed significant negative correlation with serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase values in the FHF group (p less than 0.02) and with prothrombin time in the SAHF group (p less than 0.02). Serial estimation of plasma FN showed that failure of FN levels to rise despite fresh plasma infusions indicates poor prognosis in these patients. The reduced availability of FN may be responsible for the impaired Kupffer cell function and consequent increased susceptibility to endotoxemia and the bacterial infections seen in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

A simple spot-test for circulating Entamoeba histolytica antigen-antibody complexes in patients with amoebic liver abscess.

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is described for the detection of E. histolytica immune complexes in serum. Antiamoebic antibody purified by affinity chromatography was used both to precoat strips of nitrocellulose membrane and as an enzyme carrier. These strips were incubated with samples of concentrated test serum and the enzyme conjugate. Following treatment with the peroxidase substrate 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole the presence of E. histolytica antigens was visualized as red spots. Blocking of positive test sera with excess antibodies inhibited this reaction. Serum samples from 47 patients with amoebic liver abscess, 43 patients with other enteric diseases and 35 healthy controls were investigated. The spot test was positive in 75 per cent of patients with amoebic liver abscess, and in 12 per cent diseased controls whereas all the healthy controls were negative. The spot test is simple and sensitive and does not require prior separation of the immune complexes. The test is recommended as an aid to the diagnosis in patients suspected to have amoebic liver abscess.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The ultrasonographic "common channel" sign: a characteristic feature of malignant obstruction of the lower end of common bile duct.

We describe an ultrasonographic "common channel" sign as the characteristic sonographic feature of malignant distal common bile duct (CBD) obstruction. Of 24 patients with obstructive jaundice due to distal CBD obstruction (pancreatic carcinoma 8, periampullary cancer 5, choledocholethiasis 10, CBD stricture due to pancreatitis 1) in whom the final diagnosis was proven at laparotomy, ultrasonography revealed 11 patients to have a thin-walled distended gallbladder continuous with a dilated CBD, which was termed the "common channel" sign. In all 11 patients, the cause of obstruction of the lower end of CBD proved to be malignant (pancreatic carcinoma 6, periampullary 5). In contrast, only 2 of the other 13 patients with obstructive jaundice with distal CBD obstruction, but without the "common channel" sign, had a malignant lesion at the lower end of CBD. The positive and the negative predictive values of the common channel sign were 100% and 85%, respectively. Thus, the ultrasonographic common channel sign is a reliable and characteristic feature of distal CBD obstruction due to malignant pathology.

Cholestasis↗
PubMed1989

Role of immune serum globulin in post transfusion virus B infection.

Fifty four blood recipients were administered prophylactic immune serum globulin (31) or hepatitis B immune globulin (23) and followed up for six months. None of the patients developed either acute hepatitis B or HBsAg carrier state. However, 7 (14%) had anicteric self limiting non-B post-transfusion hepatitis. Twenty (40%) of the blood recipients developed anti-HBs during the follow up period suggesting either HBV exposure by subdetectable levels of HBsAg present either in blood or immunoglobulin preparation or due to passive transfer by administration of immunoglobulins.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Chronic calcific pancreatitis: clinical profile in northern India.

Twenty three patients with chronic calcific pancreatitis of the tropics in Northern India were prospectively studied. All had pancreatic calcification and ERCP changes typical of chronic pancreatitis, the most predominant being ductal dilatation which was detected in all patients by both ERCP and by ultrasonography. Pain was present in 19 (83%) patients and diabetes in 11 (48%) patients. Exocrine pancreatic dysfunction was uncommon, steatorrhoea being present in only 9% of patients. Ten of the 11 patients with diabetes required insulin for control and one case was able to be controlled by an oral antidiabetic agent. Two patients developed ketoacidosis during acute episodes of pancreatitis, 3 patients had peripheral neuropathy and one patient had visual changes. Recurrent severe pain was the reason for operation in 7 patients. All had a lateral pancreaticojejunostomy. In order to obtain an objective assessment of pain, a scoring system was developed to grade its severity according to its intensity, frequency and consequences. Six patients who preoperatively had a pain score of 15 or more (out of a maximum score of 24) attained significant relief after the surgery. We feel this scoring system may provide an easy objective assessment of pain in the subsequent follow-up of these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Amebic liver abscess and circulating immune complexes of Entamoeba histolytica proteins.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed to detect amebic antigen in polyethylene-glycol-precipitable circulating immune complexes. Seventy-nine percent of 191 patients with amebic liver abscesses and 46% of 26 Entamoeba histolytica cyst passers had positive tests. None of the samples from 43 apparently healthy controls, 8 patients with past amebic liver abscesses or 31 patients with Giardia lamblia infections were positive. One patient out of 32 with viral hepatitis and 1 patient out of 27 with intestinal tuberculosis had positive tests.

Animals↗