Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcers are associated with 25% of patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM). These diabetic foot ulcers if not given appropriate care at the right time can lead to amputations and poor quality of life. Alginate dressings are newer and help in faster healing of cavity wounds in diabetic foot ulcer. Aim: To compare the advantages of alginate dressings over conventional saline dressings in cavity wounds of diabetic foot ulcer patients. Materials and Methods: A single centre prospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted on 88 patients with diabetic foot ulcers randomising equally into two groups containing 44 patients in each group in a tertiary care hospital. The wounds of all patients included in the study were thoroughly debrided and initial assessment was done using the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) scoring system. The patients were started on alginate dressings in one group and saline dressings in other group and were assessed after two and four weeks. The reduction in the surface area of the wound, reduction in the exudate amount, type of the tissue over the ulcer and reduction in the bacterial load (wound cultures) of the ulcers were studied. The statistical analysis were done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 21. The statistics were done using independent sample tests (Levene’s test for equality of variances and t-test for equality of means), Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon test. Results: The results of wound assessment before dressings, at two weeks and at the end of four weeks are as follows: The mean (SD) reduction in wound surface area was 9.07 (1.634) to 6.89 (1.434) to 4.68 (1.272) for alginate group and 9.25 (2.059) to 8.00 (1.905) to 6.50 (1.650) for saline group. The mean (SD) reduction of the exudate amount was 2.02 (0.505) to 1.09 (0.473) to 0.14 (0.347) for alginate group and 1.98 (0.590) to 1.43 (0.625) to 0.75 (0.615) for the saline group. The mean (SD) for tissue type of cavity wounds assessed via PUSH scoring was reduced from 2.30 (0.701) to 0.16 (0.370) for the alginate group in comparison to 2.32 (0.740) to 0.77 (0.743) for the saline group at the end of four weeks. On evaluation of the wound cultures; 6 out of 44 patients (13.6%) were culture positive in the alginate group while 30 out of 44 patients (68.2%) were culture positive from the saline group at the end of four weeks. All the above results were statistically significant with a p-value of 0.001. Conclusion: Alginates dressings are superior to saline dressings in terms of reduction in the size of the ulcer and control of microbial activity in diabetic foot. Alginate absorbs large amount of exudates and fill in irregular shaped cavities which are ideal in treating cavity wounds in diabetic foot syndrome.

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Hydatid cyst is an anthropozoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus for which man is an accidental intermediate host. The hydatid disease commonly involves the liver and lungs. Involvement of extrahepaticopulmonary sites is extremely rare and only a few isolated cases have been reported. In 2022, a 49 year old female from the southern part of Indian subcontinent presented to us with recurrent hydatid cyst of liver co-existing with hydatid cyst of the left broad ligament, twenty years following the initial procedure. She underwent exploratorylaparotomy and cystectomy and was then managed by ERCP and stenting following which she is asymptomatic till date. Though there are no hard and fast rules, the management of such cases mandate proper exploration to avoid any recurrence. Tailored surgical approaches maybe required according to the patient condition for effective, safe and recurrence free treatment of hepatic hydatidosis.

Introduction: Acute Pancreatitis (AP) can present from a mild self-limiting process that requires only supportive care to severe disease that can cause multiple Organ Failure (OF) and high mortality. It is therefore important to identify such patients at increased risk of OF and mortality at the earliest. Aim: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of three prognostic markers namely Haematocrit, Glasgow scoring and Computed Tomography (CT) abdomen in assessing the severity of AP. Materials and Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was done on 120 patients diagnosed with AP, over a period of 18 months. Haematocrit was done at admission and at 48 hours. A fall in haematocrit of more than 10% was considered sensitive. Modified Glasgow score was assessed at admission and after 48 hours. Other variables include blood glucose level, white blood count, blood urea nitrogen, serum calcium, partial oxygen pressure (PaO2), decrease in haematocrit, serum Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum albumin. A score of ≥3 was considered sensitive. CT of abdomen was done at 72 hours and a Computed Tomography Severity Index (CTSI) score of ≥4 was considered sensitive. The results of each prognostic marker were graphed and compared to assess Length of Hospital Stay (LOHS), need for Intensive Care Unit Admission (ICUA), OF and mortality. Results: The mean LOHS was six days. Haematocrit was sensitive in 23 of 79 patients that stayed in hospital for >6 days. Modified Glasgow scores were sensitive in 35 of 79 patients. CT of abdomen was sensitive in 59 out of 79 patients. Total 29 of 120 patients were admitted in the ICU, out of which difference in haematocrit was sensitive in 14 patients, Modified Glasgow coma score of ≥3 was seen in 14 patients and CTSI scores were sensitive in 22 patients. Twelve out of 120 patients developed OF. All 12 patients showed a sensitive Modified Glasgow scores of ≥3 and CTSI ≥4, whereas only five patients were sensitive for fall in haematocrit. Five patients died during the study. All five patients were sensitive for fall in haematocrit Glasgow coma scores and CT abdomen. Among the prognostic markers, haematocrit showed 100% sensitivity, specificity and Positive Predictive Value (PPV) than the other prognostic markers making haematocrit the better prognostic marker. Conclusion: CT of abdomen is a reliable prognostic marker in terms of assessment of LOHS, need for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) care and mortality. Modified Glasgow score is accurate in assessing OF. Haematocrit is specific in assessing the need for ICU care and mortality.

The kidney is an organ prone to congenital anomalies owing to its complex and sequential development. Ectopia of the kidney is a rare entity with intrathoracic ectopia being an exceptionally uncommon occurrence. Intrathoracic kidneys represent less than 5% of all renal ectopias with a prevalence rate of less than 0.01%. The concurrent association of an intrathoracic kidney with a Bochdalek hernia is extremely infrequent with an incidence of 0.25%. Most of the patients are asymptomatic and have an uneventful clinical course. It is often incidentally detected simulating a posterior mediastinal mass. Thoracic kidney is a condition that shows male predominance. Here, present case is of a 43-year-old female patient who presented to the institution with breathlessness and associated chest pain. Computed Tomography (CT) scan revealed left-sided Bochdalek hernia with the left kidney, adrenal gland, transverse colon, splenic flexure and proximal descending colon within the thorax. The patient underwent elective diagnostic laparoscopy followed by reduction of the contents and mesh repair of the diaphragmatic defect. The patient was discharged and remained asymptomatic on a periodic follow-up of over a year. Awareness regarding this rare entity can obviate the need for a battery of unnecessary investigations and operative procedures.