The association of paraneoplastic rheumatic disorder and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is rarely reported in the adolescent male. The clinical manifestations develop within two years before the diagnosis of associated malignancy. We report a case of an 18-year-old male, who presented with pyrexia of unknown origin, bicytopenia and autoantibodies that was consistent with the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus. The peripheral blood film was eventually consistent with pancytopenia, devoid of any dysplastic changes or abnormal cells. When his cytopenia persisted despite empirical steroid therapy, a trephine biopsy revealed a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. He was started on chemotherapy with UKALL regime and was well in his recent follow-up early this year where he was on maintenance therapy.

Introduction: Sexually transmitted Infections (STIs) are major public health concerns reaching an all-time high, globally. In Malaysia data on the prevalence of STIs remains scarce which limits the understanding of STI transmission dynamics and the role of interventions in the control of STIs. The aim of this study is to determine the epidemiology characteristics of STIs mainly from Malaysian private healthcare institutions. Method: A two years (2016 and 2017) retrospective review was conducted on 160 multiplex RT-PCR STI reports from KPJ hospitals, Malaysia. Results: There were 65 (40.6 %) patients positive STIs [male: 21/65 (32.3 %); female: 44/65 (67.7 %)]. The STIs was prevalent among young adults (56/65; 86.2 %) from the central region (46/65; 70.8 %). Females had 1.7 times greater risk to develop STI (20 per 100) and two times higher chance to have multiple STIs (10 per 100) in comparison to male. The single STIs was caused mainly by U. parvum (N=17). In males, U. urealyticum (N=3) and C. trachomatis (N=3) were prevalent, while U. parvum (N=15) was prevalent in females. There were 19 dual infections of STIs which were commonly caused by U. parvum and M. hominis (N=5). There were seven STIs cases caused by three pathogens concurrently including U. urealyticum, U. parvum and C. trachomatis (N=2) and U. urealyticum, M. genitalium and C. trachomatis (N=2). Females from urban communities have higher risk in comparison to males for developing multiple STIs. Conclusion: This study provides an imperative platform for temporal trends of STIs in Malaysia which reflects the health status of certain populations that warrant immediate public health interventions.

Minor amputation was performed as a salvage procedure because most of the patients were not able to ambulate and become dependent following major amputation. Minor amputation is defined as amputation at the level of ankle joint and below while major amputation is defines by amputation above the ankle joint. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life among diabetes patients following major and minor amputations.

Introduction: The understanding of the skin’s vascular anatomy has improved in the last decade. It has lead to technique modification such as the staged procedure in performing sural flaps and improvement in the flap survival rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute vascular complications (flap necrosis or congestion) of 29 patients who underwent distal base sural flap for coverage of wound around the ankle. Methods: Twenty-four males and five females with a mean age of 37.1 years old underwent sural flap surgery to cover wounds at around the ankle. There were 12 cases of open fracture, five infected fractures, four spoke injuries, four degloving injuries and four diabetic foot ulcers. Twentythree cases were done as a single stage procedure while six as a two-stage procedure. The flaps were tunnelled under the skin in three cases. Results: Twenty one flaps healed uneventfully, seven acute vascular complications occur in a single stage group: five developed partial necrosis, one had congestion with epidermolysis, and one had complete flap necrosis. Complications were treated by dressing or skin grafting and only one required a repeat flap surgery. Conclusions: Acute vascular complications may be minimised when sural flap is done in stages for elderly, diabetic, smokers and/or patients with large wound around the ankle. Even if the flap appears necrotic, the underlying structure may still be covered as the fasciosubcutaneous layer of the flap may still survive.

INTRODUCTIONDiabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common cause of amputations in Malaysia. This study aimed to identify the predictive factors for major lower limb amputation among patients with type 2 DM (T2DM) who were admitted to a hospital, in order to reduce its likelihood.

METHODSThis cross-sectional study involved 218 patients with T2DM who were admitted to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Malaysia, for diabetic foot problems from June 2011 to July 2012. A form was developed to document the patients' profiles, comorbidities, complications, investigations, treatment and clinical outcomes. The predictors for major lower limb amputations were determined using univariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSA total of 31 patients underwent major lower limb amputations (25 transtibial, 6 transfemoral). The following factors were found to be associated with the incidence of major lower limb amputations: T2DM duration ≥ 10 years, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, presentation with gangrene, diabetic foot conditions of Wagner grade 4 or 5, and necrotising fasciitis. Patients who underwent major amputations had significantly lower haemoglobin and albumin levels, and higher total white blood cell counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and C-reactive protein, urea and creatinine levels. However, only T2DM duration ≥ 10 years, positive bacterial culture and albumin levels were significant on stepwise logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONT2DM duration ≥ 10 years, positive bacterial culture and low albumin levels were found to be significant predictive factors for major lower limb amputation among patients with T2DM admitted for diabetic foot problems.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amputation ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Diabetic Foot ; epidemiology ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; surgery ; Malaysia ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

Aims: Accurate diagnosis and proper treatments of osteomyelitis are often difficult and ineffective due to several reasons such as less sensitive sample collected and the formation of biofilm following prosthetic use. Thus, our goal of this study is to identify suitable sample for laboratory diagnosis and also microbial species that cause osteomyelitic infection and discriminate between biofilm and non-biofilm producing strains in patients at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan. Methodology and results: Samples of bone, prosthetic material, tissue and swab were collected from patient with suspected osteomyelitis at the hospital. Bacteria were isolated from sample using methods such as homogenization, direct transfer, and sonication. Then, species identification was done by colony characterization, biochemical test and the API identification system. Once species identified, tissue culture plate method was performed to discriminate the biofilm-producing strain from the non-biofilm-producing strain. The total number of 57 samples were collected from 17 cases of suspected osteomyelitis with 34 samples were found positive bacterial growth. Prosthetic samples produced highest positive growth with 81.3%, following by bone samples with 66.7% while swab and tissue samples with 46.2% and 43.8% respectively. We found that 14 from total 16 pathogens identified were biofilm producing-strains. Conclusion, significance, and impact of study: Prosthetic and bone samples produced higher bacterial growth, in contrast to other type of samples. Sonication method improves bacterial detection. Biofilm producing-bacteria were also the most common isolated strains from osteomyelitic infection. These have underscored the need to revise current clinical and laboratory practice as proper identification biofilm bacteria may influences management an outcome.
Biofilms ; Osteomyelitis

INTRODUCTIONInfection following grade IIIB open tibial fracture is common. The primary aim of managing this condition is to achieve control of infection before the bone reconstruction procedure is performed. The outcomes for such patients have not been evaluated in the literature. This study was conducted to examine the outcome of a multi-stage procedure for the treatment of infected grade IIIB open tibial fractures.

METHODSBetween 2004 and 2008, we treated 11 patients with infected grade IIIB open tibial fractures in our unit. The management of infected grade IIIB open tibial fracture comprised three stages, which included serial debridement, wound closure by local flap surgery and bone reconstruction. The margin of resection and the type of bone reconstruction depended on the anatomical location of the disease, the extent of osteomyelitis and patient preference regarding treatment options. Bone reconstruction procedures included bone grafting, plating, interlocking nail, hybrid and monolateral external fixator, and Ilizarov bone transport.

RESULTSGram-negative organisms were isolated from all patients. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) (44%) was the most common organism cultured. Infection was resolved in all patients. Nine fractures achieved union, with a mean union time of 15 months. Two patients with P. aeruginosa infection developed non-union of the fracture and refused additional surgery after three years of treatment.

CONCLUSIONThe multi-stage management approach is well-accepted and effective in controlling infection in infected grade IIIB open tibial fractures.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Debridement ; methods ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; methods ; Fractures, Open ; complications ; surgery ; Fractures, Ununited ; surgery ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique ; Malaysia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteomyelitis ; etiology ; microbiology ; surgery ; therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Tibial Fractures ; complications ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Infection ; etiology ; microbiology ; surgery ; therapy