Penetrating injuries other than gunshot wounds or low-velocity wounds to the head are extremely rare. We report the case of a 19 year old male who sustained a penetrating craniocerebral trauma following a road traffic accident. Noncontrast CT scan revealed three foreign bodies embedded in left frontal lobe, which on surgery turned out to be human teeth. Mechanism of injury seems to share characteristics of low velocity projectiles. The survey of management pattern of these injuries showed a general agreement about CT scan, antibiotics and anticonvulsants. The prompt management resulted in an excellent outcome. We discuss the management of this unusual case reviewing the current literature on craniocerebral injuries caused by similar objects.

PURPOSE: The cardiovascular disease risk profile and exercise capacity of coronary heart disease patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were measured and compared with those of nondiabetic (NDM) patients before and after a 6-week multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation program. METHODS: Subjects included 413 patients with DM (56.9 +/- 7.9 years) and 614 patients with NDM (56.8 +/- 10.3 years). RESULTS: At program entry, DM patients had a higher prevalence of risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, obesity, excess abdominal fat, and depression), had a lower peak oxygen uptake (14.3 +/- 4.4 vs 16.6 +/- 5.4 mL . kg . min; P <.001), and covered a shorter distance in the 6-minute walk test (404 +/- 117 m vs 445 +/- 116 m; P <.001) than NDM patients. At the end of the exercise program, all patients achieved significant improvements in physical capacity, which were similar in DM and NDM patients (+27.6 +/- 28.2% vs +30.5 +/- 27.7% for peak oxygen uptake and +21.0 +/- 31.5% vs +21.3 +/- 53.2% for the 6-minute distance test). CONCLUSION: DM patients with coronary heart disease had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors as well as lower physical capacity than NDM patients at the beginning of rehabilitation. All patients demonstrated improvement in exercise capacity after rehabilitation. More importantly, the extent of the improvement was similar in DM and NDM patients. This study, which involved a large population, emphasizes the capacity of DM patients to fully benefit from a multidisciplinary risk factor management program, including exercise training and educational programs.

Maternal and fetal morbidity of two different methods of delivering the baby during cesarean section performed in advanced labor when the fetal head is deeply engaged was assessed retrospectively, i.e. delivering as 'cephalic' with or without assistance to push up the fetal head from the vagina (head first or push method) and 'reverse breech extraction'(feet first or pull method). Records of 182 women with a single fetus in cephalic presentation, who had undergone cesarean section at cervical dilatation at >/=7 cm, with the vertex at or below zero station, were reviewed. Extension of the uterine incision occurred in significantly more women during 'cephalic' delivery as compared to 'reverse breech extraction'(22.8% versus 2.2%; p=0.001). Use of 'reverse breech extraction' is an attractive and safe alternative to the standard methods for intra-operative disengagement of a deeply impacted fetal head in order to reduce maternal and fetal morbidity.

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a lifestyle disease that begins when the child's teeth erupt in the oral cavity. The distinctive pattern of decay rapidly spreads from one tooth to another and involves the surfaces of teeth that are usually not at risk. Detection of disease is crucial to control the oral condition using preventive and therapeutic regimes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of caries in children of age 3-6 years in Ludhiana and to examine the relationship between age and caries experience. A total of 609 children in the age group of 3-6 years were examined using def index. To determine dental care seeking attitude, 105 caregivers were interviewed. Results revealed that 52.87% of children in the age group of 3-3.11 years, 45.1% of children in the age group of 4-4.11 years and 58.55% of children in 5-5.11 age groups suffered from caries. The mean def index was 1.82, 1.57 and 2.21, respectively. Interview of caregivers of children revealed that out of 105 only 12 (11.4%) children had previously been to a general dentist. None of them knew about Pedodontics as a specialty. The results of the present study can be used mainly for screening child populations in need of treatment, helping public workers and planners to develop dental health programs to aid early intervention and prevention.

BACKGROUND: We and others have reported mutations in the cardiac predominant sodium channel gene SCN5A in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We also have reported that SCN1B is associated with Brugada syndrome and isolated cardiac conduction disease. We tested the hypothesis that mutations in the 4 sodium channel beta-subunit genes SCN1B-SCN4B contribute to AF susceptibility. METHODS AND RESULTS: Screening for mutations in the 4 beta-subunit genes was performed in 480 patients with AF (118 patients with lone AF and 362 patients with AF and cardiovascular disease) and 548 control subjects (188 ethnically defined anonymized subjects and 360 subjects without AF). The effects of mutant beta-subunits on SCN5A mediated currents were studied using electrophysiological studies. We identified 2 nonsynonymous variants in SCN1B (resulting in R85H, D153N) and 2 in SCN2B (R28Q, R28W) in patients with AF. These occur at residues highly conserved across mammals and were absent in control subjects. In 3 of 4 mutation carriers, the ECGs showed saddleback-type ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads. Transcripts encoding both SCN1B and SCN2B were detected in human atrium and ventricle. In heterologous expression studies using Chinese hamster ovary cells, the mutant beta1- or beta2-subunits reduced SCN5A-mediated current and altered channel gating compared with coexpression of wild-type subunits. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of function mutations in sodium channel beta-subunits were identified in patients with AF and were associated with a distinctive ECG phenotype. These findings further support the hypothesis that decreased sodium current enhances AF susceptibility.

AIMS: To compare the quality of life of women with early breast cancer treated with either accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) or whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: After matching for the American Brachytherapy Society criteria, the general European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and the breast cancer-specific BR23 modules were given to 48 women (23 APBI and 25 WBRT) who attended the radiotherapy clinic between May 2006 and December 2006 at Tata Memorial Hospital. RESULTS: The median follow-up of patients in both groups was 3 years. The reliability and validity of the English and translated versions of the questionnaires were tested by Cronbach alpha (0.67-0.96) and Pearson's correlation for scale-scale correlation statistic (0.013-0.505). The scores for social functioning and financial difficulties in QLQ-C30 showed a trend towards a better outcome in the APBI group (P=0.025 and 0.019, respectively) and body image in BR23 was significantly better in the APBI group as compared with the WBRT group (P=0.005). When the analysis was restricted to women receiving chemotherapy in order to eliminate the confounding effect of the heterogeneous use of chemotherapy in the WBRT group, the difference in social functioning was not significant. However, financial difficulties and body image showed a trend towards a worse outcome in the WBRT group. CONCLUSION: Favourable long-term results of APBI in terms of superior body image perception and lesser financial difficulties compared with WBRT need to be confirmed in larger prospective studies investigating the effect of APBI on quality of life and health economics in different ethnic groups and health care set-ups.

OBJECTIVE: We prospectively evaluated the feasibility and technical features of MR-guided lumbosacral injection procedures in open high-field MRI at 1.0 T. METHODS: In a CuSO(4).5H(2)O phantom and five human cadaveric spines, fluoroscopy sequences (proton-density-weighted turbo spin-echo (PDw TSE), T1w TSE, T2w TSE; balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP), T1w gradient echo (GE), T2w GE) were evaluated using two MRI-compatible 20-G Chiba-type needles. Artefacts were analysed by varying needle orientation to B(0), frequency-encoding direction and slice orientation. Image quality was described using the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Subsequently, a total of 183 MR-guided nerve root (107), facet (53) and sacroiliac joint (23) injections were performed in 53 patients. RESULTS: In vitro, PDw TSE sequence yielded the best needle-tissue contrasts (CNR = 45, 18, 15, 9, and 8 for needle vs. fat, muscle, root, bone and sclerosis, respectively) and optimal artefact sizes (width and tip shift less than 5 mm). In vivo, PDw TSE sequence was sufficient in all cases. The acquisition time of 2 s facilitated near-real-time MRI guidance. Drug delivery was technically successful in 100%(107/107), 87%(46/53) and 87%(20/23) of nerve root, facet and sacroiliac joint injections, respectively. No major complications occurred. The mean procedure time was 29 min (range 19-67 min). CONCLUSION: MR-guided spinal injections in open high-field MRI are feasible and accurate using fast TSE sequence designs.

INTRODUCTION: Liver tumors should be surgically treated whenever possible. In the case of bilobar disease or coexisting liver cirrhosis, surgical options are limited. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been successfully used for irresectable liver tumors. The combination of hepatic resection and RFA extends the feasibility of open surgical procedures in patients with liver metastases and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: RFA was performed with two different monopolar devices using ultrasound guidance. Intraoperative use of RFA for the treatment of liver metastases or HCC was limited to otherwise irresectable tumors during open surgical procedures including hepatic resections. Irresectability was considered if bilobar disease was treated, the functional hepatic reserve was impaired or appraised marginal for allowing further resection. RESULTS: Ten patients with both liver metastases and HCC, and two patients with cholangiocellular carcinoma were treated. Complete initial tumor clearance was achieved in all patients. Two patients of the metastases group and five patients of the HCC group suffered from local recurrence after a median of 12 months (1-26)(local recurrence rate 32%). Five patients of the metastases group and six patients of the HCC group developed recurrent tumors in different areas of the ablation site after a median time of 4 months (2-18)(distant intrahepatic recurrence in 55%). Survival at 31 months was 36%. CONCLUSION: RFA extends the scope of surgery in some candidates with intraoperatively found irresectability.

OBJECTIVE: To study maternal and perinatal outcome in congenital heart disease (CHD) and to compare outcome between cyanotic and acyanotic CHD. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of 196 cases of CHD was undertaken, and maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancy was compared in cyanotic and acyanotic cases and between surgically corrected and uncorrected cases. RESULTS: Maternal and perinatal outcome was better in the acyanotic group. Maternal complications included higher incidence of cardiac complications in cyanotic group,(33.3% vs 3.4% in acyanotic group, P = 0.001), abruption (12.5% vs nil) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (16.6% vs 5.2%). Rate of prematurity (25% vs 11.6%), intrauterine growth retardation (50% vs 15.1%, P = 0.003) and abortion (4.1% vs 2.1%) was higher in cyanotic group. Mean gestational age at delivery was better in corrected group, 37.13 vs 34.93 weeks in uncorrected group. There was no case of infective endocarditis. There were four cases of maternal mortality in cyanotic group, two of which were in women with Eisenmenger syndrome. In acyanotic heart disease one case died undelivered and one died on first postoperative day. CONCLUSION: Maternal and perinatal outcome is better in acyanotic CHD compared to cyanotic CHD. Surgical correction of cardiac lesions prior to conception improves outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of the magnification method for localisation of palatally placed canines. METHODS: Panoramic radiographs were taken of subjects, aged 10 to 12 years, with unerupted upper permanent canines. Two periapical radiographs (horizontal parallax method) were then used to identify 36 sublects with one palatally placed canine. Differences in the sizes of crowns of the canines on the panoramic radiographs were used to identify which tooth was palatally placed. The observer was blinded to the side with the palatally placed canine. The parallax and magnification results were tabulated, and the sensitivity and specificity of the magnification method calculated. RESULTS: The magnification method was found to have a sensitivity of 75 per cent; specificity of 100 per cent; positive predictive value of 100 per cent; negative predictive value of 80 per cent; and an accuracy of 87.5 per cent, in localising palatally placed canines. CONCLUSION: The magnification method, which uses the side-to-side difference in the magnification of the crowns of ectopic canines on panoramic radiographs, is adequate for initial assessment of canine position. The magnification method did, however, accurately identify canines that were not palatally placed. Additional radiographs may be required to accurately localise an ectopic canine.