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Showing posts from February, 2016

Localisation of Brainstem lesions : Rule of Four

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Ugh got destroyed by another brainstem lesion question on Qbank? Having hard time with neurology? then you are at right place.. a simplified method for answering the question ‘Where is the lesion?’   Below I have summarized RULE OF 4.  In the rule of 4 there are 4 rules: There are 4 structures in the ‘midline‘ beginning with M There are 4 structures to the ‘side‘ (lateral) beginning with S There are 4 cranial nerves below the pons, 4 in the pons and 4 above the pons. The 4 motor nuclei that are in the mid line are those that divide equally into 12 except for 1 and 2, that is 3, 4, 6 and 12 (5, 7, 9 and 11 are in the lateral brainstem).   The 4  Medial structures and the associated deficits are: M otor pathway (or corticospinal tract): CL weakness of the arm and leg   M edial Lemniscus: CL loss of vibration and proprioception in the arm and leg   M LF: IPSI inter-nuclear ophthalmoplegia (failure of adduction of the IPSI eye +nystagmus in the opposite eye as it lo

Book Review: "Principles of Pharmacology" by H. L. Sharma and K. K. Sharma

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It is always a difficult decision to read different book than your colleagues. I made one and read "Principles of Pharmacology" by H. L. Sharma and K. K. Sharma as my pharmacology textbook. Here i am sharing my review about this book so that it can help juniors to decide. A lucid, well-organized presentation easy to understand and remember emphasis on the understanding of concepts rather than a statement of facts (Time Saving!!) Clear and apt illustrations that make complex topics easy to understand. Exclusion of complex classifications and terminologies that are not of practical value and also "vaporize" rapidly from memory. Up-to-date with respect to the current trends in pharmacotherapeutics. Special topics such as pediatrics and geriatric pharmacology and pharmacology of radiocontrast media and drug schedules have been included. The strength of this book lies in the detailed yet simple manner in which the topics in General Pharmacology have been

Indications for Bone Marrow biopsy

Common indications for aspiration and trephine biopsy: Anaemias,  suspected leukaemias,  Neutropenia Thrombocytopenia,  Polycythaemia,  lymphomas,  carcinomatosis,  diseases,  granulomatous conditions, parasites, fungi, and  unexplained enlargements of liver,spleen or lymph nodes.  Additional indications for Trephine biopsy: Myelosclerosis,  Aplastic anaemia and  in cases with ‘dry tap’ on aspiration

Crystals in Urine: Alkaline Urine

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Crystals in Alkaline Urine These are as under : i. Amorphous phosphate ii. Triple phosphate iii. Calcium carbonate iv. Ammonium biurate i) Amorphous Phosphate They are seen as colourless granules in the form of clumps or irregular aggregates .They dissolve when urine is made acidic. ii) Triple Phosphate They are in the form of prisms and sometimes in fern leaf pattern .They dissolve when urine is made acidic. iii) Calcium Carbonate They are in the form of granules, spheres or rarely dumbbell-shaped. They again dissolve in acidic urine. iv) Ammonium Biurate They are round or oval yellowish-brown spheres with thorns on their surface giving ‘thorn apple’ appearance . They dissolve on heating the urine or by making it acidic.

Crystals in Urine: Acidic Urine

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Crystals Formation and appearance of crystals in urine depends upon pH of the urine, i.e. acidic or alkaline. Crystals in Acidic Urine  These are as under : i. Calcium oxalate ii. Uric acid iii. Amorphous urate iv. Tyrosine v. Cystine vi. Cholesterol crystals vii. Sulphonamide i) Calcium Oxalate These are colourless refractile and have octahedral envelope-like structure. They can also be dumb-bell shaped ii) Uric Acid They are yellow or brown rhomboid-shaped seen singly or in rosettes. They can also be in the form of prism, plates and sheaves iii ) Amorphous Urate They appear as yellowish brown granules in the form of clumps. They dissolve on heating. When they are made of sodium urate, they are needle-like in the form of thorn-apple. They are passed more often in patients having gout. iv ) Tyrosine They are yellowish in the form of silky needles or sheaves .They are passed in urine in jaundice. v) Cyst