Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute acquired autoimmune inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves and roots. Respiratory insufficiency is an important predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with GBS. Phrenic nerve assessment is an area of interest in GBS with respiratory failure. We aimed to analyze the characteristics of the phrenic nerve conduction study (NCS) in GBS and assess its value in predicting respiratory failure requiring ventilatory support, along with outcome assessment at 6 months as per the Hughes score. Methods: A total of 135 patients with GBS admitted to our hospital over 3 years were thoroughly evaluated by clinical examination, blood laboratory tests, and phrenic NCS. Results: Phrenic NCS abnormality was observed in 48 patients (35.6%) with statistically significant increases in phrenic sum compound muscle action potential (CMAP) latency (18.91±7.82 ms) and sum CMAP duration (44.65±6.84 ms), along with reduced sum CMAP amplitude (0.3246±0.132 mV) and sum CMAP area (3.56±2.62 mV·ms) occurring in those requiring ventilatory assistance. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of the phrenic NCS for predicting respiratory failure in patients with GBS were 90.7%, 90.2%, 81.3%, 95.4%, 9.27, and 0.10, respectively. The results showed a statistically significant association between abnormal initial phrenic NCS scores and outcomes at 6 months. Conclusion Phrenic NCS can predict respiratory failure requiring ventilator assistance in patients with GBS. Phrenic NCS can be incorporated into routine NCS protocols to predict impending respiratory failure in patients with GBS.

Purpose: Due to COVID 19 pandemic, the treatment of cancer patients has become a dilemma for every oncologist. Cancer patients are at an increased risk of immunosuppression and have a higher risk to acquire any infection. There are individual experiences from some centers regarding the management of cancer patients during such a crisis. So we have developed our institutional strategy to balance between COVID and cancer management.Material & Methods: Radiation Oncology departmental meeting was held to prepare a consensus document on Radiotherapy schedules and department functioning during this pandemic. Results: Strategies were taken in form of following areas were steps need to be taken to decrease risk of infection, categorise treatment on the basis of priority, radiotherapy schedules modification, academic meetings and management of COVID positive patient/personnel in Radiation Oncology department. Conclusion We hope to strike the balance in overcoming both the battles and emerge as winners. Stringent long term follow up will be done for assessing the response or any unforeseen treatment related sequelae.

PURPOSE: The medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) acts as primary restraint to lateral patellar dislocation and its rupture has been reported in almost all cases of acute patellar dislocation. Various surgical techniques have been described for MPFL reconstruction, using many femoral and patellar fixation techniques and different grafts. This article details our technique for MPFL reconstruction using semitendinosus graft which avoids the use of implant at patellar end. METHODS: Twenty patients (8 males and 12 females) with complaints regarding acute and chronic lateral patellar instability were evaluated and treated by MPFL reconstruction procedure. The mean age of patients was 21 years (range 17-34 years). MPFL reconstruction was performed using semitendinosus graft passing through two parallel, obliquely directed tunnels created in patella. Fixation of graft was done with an interference screw only at the femoral end. Mean follow-up period after intervention was 26.4 months (range 23-30 months). Results were evaluated using Kujala score. RESULTS: All patients gained adequate patellar stability and full arc of motion. No incidence of patella fracture was noted. There were no postoperative complications related to the procedure. There was no recurrence of instability in patella at final follow-up. CONCLUSION Passing the graft through the tunnels in patella without use of any implant has given excellent functional outcome and moreover has the advantages of less implant-related complications and cost-effectiveness.

PURPOSEThe aim of present study is to evaluate the outcome of bone marrow instillation at the fracture site in fracture of intracapsular neck femur treated by head preserving surgery.

METHODSThis study included 32 patients of age group 18-50 years with closed fracture of intracapsular neck femur. Patients were randomized into two groups as per the plan generated via www.randomization.com. The two groups were Group A (control), in which the fracture of intracapsular neck femur was treated by closed reduction and cannulated cancellous screw fixation, and Group B (intervention), in which additional percutaneous autologous bone marrow aspirate instillation at fracture site was done along with cannulated cancellous screw fixation. Postoperatively the union at fracture site and avascular necrosis of the femoral head were assessed on serial plain radiographs at final follow-up. Functional outcome was evaluated by Harris hip score.

RESULTSThe average follow-up was 19.6 months. Twelve patients in each group had union and 4 patients had signs of nonunion. One patient from each group had avascular necrosis of the femoral head. The average Harris hip score at final follow-up in Group A was 80.50 and in Group B was 75.73, which was found to be not significant.

CONCLUSIONThere is no significant role of adding on bone marrow aspirate instillation at the fracture site in cases of fresh fracture of intracapsular neck femur treated by head preserving surgery in terms of accelerating the bone healing and reducing the incidence of femoral head necrosis.

Objective: Dengue associated hypokalemic paralysis (DHP) is an unusual neurological complication of dengue fever. This was a retrospective study of patients with DHP compared with idiopathic hypokalemic paralysis (IHP) seen in a tertiary centre in North India. Methods: Dengue was diagnosed by positive nonstructural protein (NS) 1 antigen and dengue-IgM antibody. Various clinical and laboratory parameters were compared between patients with DHP and IHP. Results: DHP was seen in 18 out of 489 (3.7%) dengue patients seen in the 4-years study period. Complications of bulbar weakness or respiratory failure developed in 6/18 (33.3%) of DHP patients. DHP patients with complications had higher hematocrit (p<0.001), lower platelet count (p=0.002), lower serum potassium (p=0.007) and higher creatinekinase (CK) (p<0.001) as compared to those without complications. When compared to IHP, DHP patients had fever at admission (p<0.001); myalgia (p<0.001); no past episodes (p=0.032); greater disability (p=0.02); lower serum potassium (p=0.0338); higher CK (p=0.001); and nerve conduction abnormalities (p=0.035). Conclusions: DHP should be suspected in patients who present with acute onset muscle weakness associated with fever. Predictors of complications in DHP include high hematocrit, low platelet count, low serum potassium and raised CK.
Dengue Virus ; Dengue

Moyamoya disease is a rare clinical disorder, characterized by chronic, progressive occlusion of supraclinoid internal carotid artery and proximal portions of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries, and consequent development of collateral vessels seen on imaging as puff of smoke appearance. Although the pathophysiology is unclear, various hematologic disorders have been associated with development of the moyamoya syndrome. We report a case of moyamoya syndrome in a 3 yr old girl who presented with recurrent ischemic strokes. The angiography was suggestive of moyamoya syndrome. The serum vitamin B12 level was remarkably low with bone marrow picture of megaloblastic anemia. There was also hyperhomocysteinemia. Moyamoya syndrome has not been previously reported to be associated with vitamin B12 defi ciency. We propose that vitamin B12 defi ciency with hyperhomocysteinemia could result in greater risk for arterial thrombosis and thus caused the moyamoya syndrome in our patient

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus commonly presents with vesicular eruptions of skin along a dermatome and post herpetic neuralgia. Viral invasion into the intracranial vessel and resultant arteritis is rare complication, reported mainly in elderly, children and immunocompromised individuals. We report a young immunocompetent male who reported to us with acute right sided hemiparesis following an episode of left sided herpes zoster ophthalmicus three months prior to stroke. Patient had a near complete recovery of his weakness without any treatment with persistent mild dysarthria. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain showed subacute infarct in left middle cerebral artery territory. Magnetic resonance angiogram demonstrated marked narrowing of the proximal segment of left middle cerebral artery. This case highlights herpes zoster ophthalmicus as one of the causes of stroke in young with good prognosis.