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BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have been conducted on the level of knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices (KAP) towards leptospirosis, descriptively, analytically pertaining to its relationship and also associated factors such as sociodemographic and economic factors. Over the years, different community settings and sampling frames were applied. AIM: The goal of this review is to identify available literature evidence on the community's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours about leptospirosis, taking into account variations and similarities in techniques, tools, and data analysis. METHODS: A literature search was undertaken using the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Ovid. Open access articles produced between 2011 and 2021 were analysed, with an emphasis on community's KAP. RESULTS: Eight articles met the inclusion benchmarks. The relationship between knowledge, attitude and preventive practices is not congruent. However, most studies showed that good knowledge is attributed to good attitude, but attitude does not necessarily contribute to good practice. Socio-demographic factors such as educational level, ethnicity, age, income and geographical location (distance to the river) have an influence on knowledge, attitude and practice. CONCLUSION: More KAP studies with standardised methodology and questionnaires regarding leptospirosis are required in order to formulate effective, sustainable and replicable health program interventions to prevent the community from leptospirosis infection and fatality. In the future, more qualitative studies should be done to further investigate and combine with quantitative studies to form prediction modelling.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) commonly presented with neurological and respiratory disorders. Among the neurological symptoms, headache, myalgia, dizziness, impaired consciousness, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), olfactory dysfunction (OD), and gustatory dysfunction (GD) are typical. GD and OD have been included as new symptoms of COVID-19 infection by the World Health Organization (WHO). Taste disorders variedfrom dysgeusia to ageusia. Similarly, OD or smell disorder severity went from microsomia or hyposmia to anosmia. The merit of theseneurological disorders is an early screening criterion for a COVID-19 patient, especially where the diagnostic resources are limited. Most of the published articles demonstrate these two dysfunctions together. Our concise review aimed to determine whether GD in COVID-19 is a solitary (independent) symptom or a secondary (associated) symptom of OD. Besides, we were looking at the possible transmission pathways of SARS-CoV-2, if it can be an early diagnostic symptom, a predictor of severity, and a prognostic factor for impaired outcome. We have limited our study to publishing articles in English only. Therefore, further evaluation might be recommended to include studies published in other languages.

BACKGROUND: Acute arterial thromboembolism among the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) patients is worrying as it can result in significant thrombotic events. AIM: The research aimed to determine the clinical results of COVID-19 infected patients who had ALI (acute limb ischaemia) during the COVID-19 epidemic. METHODS: ALI patients who had a positive COVID-19 were included in the observational cohort study, which was conducted at a single centre. The primary outcomes were 30 days mortality, limb salvage, and successful revascularization. RESULTS: From May to October 2021, data from 21 ALI subjects who had positive COVID-19 were analysed. Of the 21 included subjects, 10 were males (48%). Their mean age was 65±5 years. In nine subjects (42%), revascularization was done. Four (19%) of the 21 persons died while they were hospitalized. Twelve patients underwent major amputation and among them, one patient died after a month of hospitalization for COVID-19-related pneumonia. Among the 12 patients that underwent amputation, 10 of them presented with ALI during the first week of COVID-19 illness. Only one patient developed acute limb ischaemia despite being on heparin thromboprophylaxis. CONCLUSION: Despite attempts at revascularization, ALI-associated with COVID-19 has high mortality and high rates of limb loss. In our experience, major amputation is required in up to a third of patients. This poor result appears to confirm that these infected individuals have a marked hypercoagulable condition. However, adhering to the treatment protocol of heparin thromboprophylaxis confers a benefit in this patient group.

IntroductionDesmoid tumours are rare benign tumours. The tumours may develop sporadically or they may be linked to familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) in Gardner’s syndrome.AimThis article highlights a young lady with an intra-abdominal desmoid tumour that manifested as an acute abdomen and we discuss our management strategy.Case studyA 24-year-old lady with a known FAP who had undergone a panproctocolectomy with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis and total thyroidectomy, later was complicated with acute abdomen for symptomatic desmoid tumour. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed a large intraperitoneal heterogenous mass with small bowel displacement and was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. An exploratory laparotomy and en-bloc resection of the tumour with an end ileostomy were performed.Results and discussionIntra-abdominal desmoid tumours usually present as a painless slow-growing mass, however, in severe form, it can cause bowel ischemia, intestinal obstruction, or deterioration of function in the ileoanal anastomosis, among post total colectomy. Surgery is indicated upfront in specific clinical scenarios namely complications (occlusion, perforation, or bleeding) or major cosmetic issues.ConclusionsDesmoid tumour, despite being benign, is challenging to manage due to its compressing nature. As a key point, the diagnosis of a desmoid tumour should be suspected and followed up closely in patients with a previous history of FAP in combination with extracolonic manifestation.

BACKGROUND: The respiratory tract often becomes the site of injury from occupational exposure. All construction sites generate high levels of dust, typically from concrete, silica, asbestos, cement, wood, and stone, sand, and therefore, the workers are exposed to this airborne dust and increased their risk of developing respiratory disorders. Limited studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between respiratory symptoms, lung function, and occupational dust exposure among construction workers in Sabah. AIM: The objectives of this study are to determine the occupational exposure to dust and the relationship with the respiratory symptoms as well as lung function among construction workers in UMS Teaching Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study consisted of construction workers working in all sections in the development of UMS Teaching Hospital. A standard respiratory questionnaire was distributed to construction workers and lung function measurement was performed using Spirometry and the results of their respiratory status were compared between workers who were exposed and unexposed to dust. Occupational dust exposure was determined by the gravimetric method using an air sampler. The total duration of the collection was 8 h and the filters with the dust samples were analyzed in the laboratory. RESULTS: The result showed three parameters that were significantly associated with respiratory symptoms, namely, age, marital status, and smoking status. Male workers had a higher prevalence (42.7%) of having respiratory symptoms compared to female workers (21.4%). Widow/widower/divorced (50.0%) had a higher prevalence of having respiratory symptoms compared to married (45.8%) or single workers (25.0%). Workers who smoke had a higher prevalence (51.2%) of having respiratory symptoms compared to non-smoker’s workers (22.7%). CONCLUSION: The highest dust exposure is the piping workstation, followed by the cement and plastering workstations. These warrant the compulsory use of personal protective equipment by construction workers during work, improving the quality of dust masks, and standardizing their usage. Effective engineering controls should also be promoted on construction sites.

Colorectal cancer is a major public health problem with significant number of cases and death in the population. This study aimed to determine the 5-year overall survival rate and the prognostic factors for colorectal cancer patients in Sabah.This was a retrospective cohort study conducted using secondary data from Malaysian National Cancer Registry (MNCR) database. A 5-year overall survival and the median survival time were determined with Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Cox regression analysis was done to determine the prognostic factors on survival.A total of 1,152 patients were included in this study. The majority of the patients had colon cancer and presented at late stage (stage III and IV) as compared to early stage (stage I and II). From the analysis, the 5-year overall survival for colorectal cancer was 23.2% (95% CI: 21.8, 24.6) and the median survival time was 16 months (95% CI: 14.3, 17.7). Higher survivals are seen in males (23.6%, 95% CI: 20.4, 24.7), aged 50-74 years old (24.2%, 95% CI: 22.4, 26.0), Chinese (25.5%, 95% CI: 23.0, 28.0), lived in Keningau (25.6%, 95% CI: 20.8, 30.4), colon as primary tumor site (24.5%, 95% CI: 22.5, 26.4), diagnosed with stage I (55.6%, 95% CI: 48.7, 62.5) and received surgery with chemotherapy or radiotherapy (31.3%, 95% CI: 27.8, 34.8). The significant prognostic factor was the stage at diagnosis. Patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (HR: 11.18; 95% CI: 3.48, 35.93) had eleven times risk of dying as compared to stage I.The survival rate for colorectal cancer patients in Sabah was comparatively lower than other states in Malaysia and in some Asian countries. Those patients who presented at later stage had poorer survival. Health promotion and community-based screening program should be emphasized in addition to encouraging early diagnosis to improve survival.

This innovative health intervention aimed to reduce stress among university students through interaction with music and developing awareness of the effect of music in stressful situations such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. The setting for this intervention was an online Instagram community with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) students as participants. For research, a cross-sectional observational health promotion design was used for this online health intervention, in conjunction with the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. The Medical Tune Competition was open to students from all university faculties. Process evaluation was done using the RE-AIM framework, while impact evaluation was conducted via a non-experimental post-test only design. A Google feedback form was distributed to the participating students, and descriptive analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. In total, 21 contestants participated whereby 85% of the feedback responses indicated that the programme had been enjoyable. All respondents were made aware that music could make them happy, and they stated that they would advise their friends or relatives to sing or enjoy music when stressed, 90.5% of the respondents felt music helped them relieve stress (4.43 ± 0.67), 85.7% believed that the Instagram platform was appropriate for this contest, and 14.3% suggested using Facebook or YouTube as a platform. The conclusion was that an online music competition held during the COVID-19 pandemic could be adopted and likely to be effective in raising awareness of music for stress management. In the future, innovators could develop and grow their own innovative e-health intervention programmes modelled on the Medical Tune initiative.

Encounters between marine animals and humans can result in critical injury and fatal complications. We highlight a 20-y-old male who sustained a penetrating injury to the neck as a result of impalement by needlefish (Tylosurus sp) while snorkeling. He sustained a penetrating injury in the posterior triangle of the neck. On presentation, he was stabilized and received empirical antibiotics, analgesia, and antitetanus toxoid injection before being transferred to a tertiary center. On presentation to the tertiary hospital, the patient was hemodynamically stable with no clinical evidence of injury to surrounding neck structures, and this was confirmed using computed tomography. The patient underwent local wound exploration and retrieval of the needlefish beak under general anesthesia. The wound was left open to heal by secondary intention. The patient was discharged with oral antibiotics and went on to make a complete recovery.

Childhood obesity has become a major global health concern and has been increasing dramatically over the years. Previous study has shown that specific eating behaviours may have been associated with obesity especially under-responsiveness to internal satiety cues and over-responsiveness to external food cues such as the taste, smell, availability and emotions. However, there is still inadequate number of studies present to describe the association between the children's body mass index (BMI) and their eating behaviours, especially in Sabah, Malaysia. Therefore, the objective of this study is to established the association between the children's eating behaviours with their nutritional status based on their body mass index.A cross-sectional study involving 484 children aged 6-12 years old was conducted in Kota Kinabalu, which is a developing urban area in Sabah. The children were recruited from five primary schools that were selected based on multistage stratified and convenience sampling method. Sociodemographic details and anthropometric measures both parents and children, and eating behaviours of children were assessed using Children Eating Behaviour Questionnaires (CEBQ). Age-adjusted BMI z-scores were then calculated according to the World Health Organization recommendations to assess nutritional status.The prevalence of childhood obesity among children aged 6-12 years old is 13.2%. The mean scores of 'Food Approach' subscales from the CEBQ showed higher mean score in overweight and obese groups as compared to the mean score in normal weight group. The mean scores of 'Food Avoidance' subscales showed lower mean score in overweight and obese groups as compared to mean score in normal weight group.This study provides evidence that childhood obesity is yet to be a prevalent health problem in a developing urban area considering the "Food approach" subscales were positively associated with the excess weight in children.

Background This study aims to determine the most accurate appendicitis scoring system and optimal cutoff points for each scoring system. Methods This single-centred prospective cohort study was conducted from January-to-June 2021, involving all patients admitted on suspicion of appendicitis. All patients were scored according to the Alvarado score, Appendicitis Inflammatory Response (AIR) score, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPASA) score and Adult Appendicitis score (AAS). The final diagnosis for each patient was recorded. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each system. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed for each scoring system and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Optimal cutoff scores were calculated using Youden’s Index. Results A total of 245 patients were recruited with 198 (80.8%) patients underwent surgery. RIPASA score had the highest sensitivity (72.7%) and specificity (62.3%) at an optimal score of 8.5 with AUC 0.724, followed by the AAS (sensitivity 60.2%, specificity 75.4%, optimal score 14, AUC 0.719), AIR score (sensitivity 76.7%, specificity 52.2%, optimal score 5, AUC 0.688) and Alvarado score (sensitivity 69.9%, specificity 62.3%, optimal score 5, AUC 0.681). Multiple logistic regression revealed anorexia (p-value 0.018), right iliac fossa tenderness (p-value 0.005) and guarding (p-value 0.047) as significant clinical factors independently associated with appendicitis. Conclusion Appendicitis scoring systems have shown moderate sensitivity and specificity in our population. The RIPASA scoring system has shown to be the most sensitive, specific and easy-to-use scoring system in the Malaysian population whereas the AAS is most accurate in excluding low-risk patients.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The aim of this study is to determine two-year cumulative recurrence rates and survival rates and their influential factors among women with breast cancer after surgical treatment.The breast cancer registry with focus on patient's outcome after treatment was retrospectively review for relevant data. The study was started on 2019. All breast cancer patients who underwent surgical procedure between 2016 and 2019 were identified and recruited in this study and was follow up for two year. We performed Kaplan Meier method to determine 2-year recurrence rates and survival rates and compared unadjusted survival statistics using Log-rank test between baseline variables and outcomes.From 2016 to 2019, a total of 482 breast cancer patients underwent surgical procedure. The overall observed 2-year recurrence rate among breast cancer patients after surgical treatment was 11.8% (95%CI:8.5,16.4) while for the survival rate was 94.8% (95% CI:91.8,96.7). Log rank test showed that lymph node involvement (p 0.001) and high lymph node ratio (p 0.001) were associated with higher cumulative recurrence rates. Meanwhile, stage 4 breast cancer (p = 0.001), higher grade tumour (p = 0.011), larger tumour size (5 cm) (P = 0.005) and type of tumour (p = 0.018) were demonstrated to have lower survival rates.Recurrence rate were significant predictor among patient with lymph node involvement and higher lymph node ratio, while stages of tumour, tumour grade, size of tumour and type of tumour were all highly significant predictor for survival rate. Therefore, the aim for early diagnosis and management of breast cancer is crucial in improving the treatment outcome.

Empyema thoracis (ET) is defined as pus in the pleural space, either localized or involving the entire pleural cavity, due to diverse etiologies. In severe form, it may infiltrate the extrapulmonary region. Clinical guideline describes 3 stages of parapneumonic effusion before developing into an ET, namely the exudative stage, the fibrinopurulent stage, and the organizing/late stage. We highlight a 59-year-old gentleman who presented a back swelling masquerading as a deep-seated abscess, in which the diagnosis of ET had not been established early. The principles of treatment are treating the underlying condition such as pneumonia, pleural drainage and debridement, full re-expansion of the collapsed lung by performing chest physiotherapy, and improving nutrition. ET is a condition with a dynamic process due to diverse etiologies, either localized or involving the entire pleural cavity. The gold standard in diagnosing ET is the pleural aspiration of fluid from the pleural space, whereas the management of ET may include non-surgical and/or surgical treatments based on the basic principles of ET treatment.

Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU) are significant complications of diabetes mellitus. DFU will often heal in a shorter period if factors that inhibit wound healing are identified and managed. This review was to identify determining factors that are associated with wound healing in DFU patients. Glycaemic control, adequate nutrition, presence of infection, the use of modern dressing approach, provide sufficient offloading and avoid unhealthy lifestyle like smoking are the highlighted determining factors discussed in this review and found to have an association towards a timely manner of wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers.

Background Pancreatic tuberculosis is a rare clinical entity. It represents a diagnostic challenge as the clinical presentation may mimic pancreatic malignancy. Case presentation A 66-year-old gentleman presented with an incidental finding of a pancreatic tail mass on routine ultrasonography of the abdomen whilst working up on chronic kidney disease. He denied abdominal pain, fever, night sweats, constitutional symptoms or tuberculosis contact. On examination, there was no palpable mass per abdomen. The tumour marker of Ca 19-9 was normal. Ultrasonography revealed a lobulated heterogeneous hypovascular and hypoechoic mass at the tail of the pancreas. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the thorax and abdomen revealed a thickened right pleura, right pleural effusion with right lung collapsed consolidation and multiple mediastinal lymph nodes. There is an ill-defined hypodense mass seen in the tail and body of the pancreas measuring 3 × 7 × 3 cm with the presences of calcification within. The constellation of CT findings suggests a pancreatic malignancy with metastasis to the lungs. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) assessment showed an irregular hypoechoic mass measuring 3.0 × 2.7 cm at the tail of the pancreas. Multiple rounded hypoechoic lesions were also seen scattered within the body of the pancreas with multiple enlarged para-aortic lymph nodes. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the lesion was consistent with granulomatous inflammation. The diagnosis of disseminated tuberculosis was made. The patient was subsequently started on antitubercular medication and recovered well. Conclusion A high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose pancreatic tuberculosis, especially in patients whose radiological imaging shows a pancreatic mass with necrotic peripancreatic lymphadenopathy in endemic countries. EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration is the diagnostic modality of choice, and vigorous attempts should be made at obtaining a preoperative histological or bacteriological diagnosis to avoid unnecessary surgery.

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Rectal foreign bodies often constitute an arduous diagnosis and perplexing management. A 72-year-old gentleman who is mentally sound was brought to the emergency department for severe epigastric pain of a 1-week duration. On examination, he was pyrexial and in sepsis. The abdomen was guarded. A digital rectal examination was normal. Erect chest radiography revealed air under the diaphragm and abdominal radiography showed neither dilated bowel nor foreign body. A diagnostic laparoscopy was performed which revealed a yellow hard rod-shaped foreign body at the pelvis. Upon conversion to midline laparotomy, the foreign body was found to be a toothbrush with intraperitoneal rectal perforation of 1 cm in length. The brush was removed and the perforation was repaired primarily. A diverting transverse loop colostomy was created. Rectal foreign bodies may cause life-threatening rectal injuries including lacerations, bleeding, perforation, and obstruction. It is deemed crucial that any patient with rectal foreign body demands an orderly approach with the intention of diagnosis, management, and post-extraction evaluation.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the commonest among the specific dermatoses of pregnancy. The disease is characterised by intense pruritus and specifically by elevated bile acid levels and owing to the rarity of data published in this context, the disease carries a great challenge in both diagnosis and management. The disease is associated with significant maternal as well as perinatal adverse effects, hence, this article aims at improving the knowledge of the women's health carers with the up-to-date and evidence-based, whenever possible, recommendations while managing patients with ICP.

Background: Obesity is at a rising trend among the childhood age group and is a WHO priority on classification of non-communicable diseases. High income group countries once had a statistically higher percent of obesity problems which has been extended both to the developing and low- income countries. Prevalence rate of obesity in India vary between 11.8% to 31.3% and is higher among the women than men. Obesity also affects the physical and cardio-respiratory fitness thereby leading to a group of metabolic, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders. An association between BMI, musculo-skeletal and cardio-respiratory fitness is less reported among the young adult girl population in the context of Indian professional students. Aim & Objectives: To assess few of the musculo-skeletal, cardio-respiratory parameters in relation to BMI among the young adult girl students of medical and dental colleges. Material & Methods: One hundred and seventy-one girl students in the range of 19 to 21 years were randomly selected from the educational institute of Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka and were assessed for BMI, muscular strength, handgrip strength, flexibility test, cardio-respiratory test and pulmonary function test by standard methods. Data was analysed. Results: Musculo-skeletal flexibility, strength, cardiorespiratory fitness and pulmonary functions have an inverse association when compared to the BMI and weight of the girl students. Conclusion: Obesity and overweight reduces the flexibility, musculoskeletal and cardio-respiratory fitness in addition to the pulmonary functions among the young adult girl population as confirmed by the battery of tests. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.20(2) 2021 p.384-389

Background Gastric trichobezoar happens when there is an indigestible substance or food found in the gastrointestinal tract. It is a rare presentation which is usually associated with trichotillomania and trichopagia. The presentation may not be specific and is usually related to dyspepsia-like symptoms. In the worst-case scenario, this may cause gastric outlet or intestinal obstruction which eventually requires surgery. Case presentation We present a 36-year-old lady with underlying end-stage renal failure (ESRF) and undiagnosed mental health issues who was treated for recurrent episodes of gastritis. Imaging modalities revealed intragastric foreign body ingestion which is consistent with gastric trichobezoar. She eventually underwent laparotomy and gastrotomy to remove the foreign body. Postoperatively, she was referred and followed-up by the psychiatric team. Conclusion Gastric trichobezoar has strong associations with psychiatric disorders. With the co-existence of an ESRF, uraemia might contribute to the aetiology of the trichotillomania and trichophagia. Open surgery is the choice of definitive management especially if bezoars are larger. Should the recurrence be remitted, a biopsychosocial modality and regular haemodialysis is the most sustainable approach to ensure the behaviour does not persist., Highlights • Depressive symptoms with concomitant end-stage renal failure might contribute to the occurrence of the trichotillomania and trichophagia, leading to gastric trichobezoar. • Surgery is the mainstay of treatment in trichobezoar with complications. • Referral to psychiatry is mandatory in addition to continuous medical treatment in patients with trichobezoar.

Higher education institutions face major challenges in managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic The risk of exposure from the community poses a threat to campus staff and students This study describes epidemiological characteristics of suspected COVID-19 cases among a public university’s students and staff This is a retrospective review on data collected from the institute’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Respond Centre, located at the main campus in Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Sabah from mid-January to April 2020 Incidence rate was calculated, and epidemiological information retrieved from interviews and relevant documents The majority of suspected COVID-19 cases were staff (57 1%) with incidence rates higher among males (IR=40 2/1,000 population) and those working in the frontline (IR=39 6/1,000 population) Suspected COVID-19 cases were mostly related to occupation (37 3%) and social contacts (27 3%) Student cases were largely related to household (38 1%) and during travel (33 3%) One positive COVID-19 case was reported of out of the 161 suspected cases (0 6%) in the institution An operational team must be set up to conduct situational analysis and integrate management with other departments Suspected COVID-19 cases must be quarantined and monitored on a daily basis A high index of suspicion and effective containment of suspected cases will prevent spread of the virus among students and staff © 2020 All rights reserved

Introduction Worldwide, the gap between organ supply and demand has widened over the years. Malaysia has one of the lowest deceased organ donation rates. Success rate of organ or tissue procurement depends on not only the approach rate by health care providers but also the awareness among the public, whereby it can be a platform for family initiation of organ donation. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge of and determine the factors influencing attitude toward organ and tissue donation among patients in a primary clinic. Methods A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out. Self-administered questionnaires were given to 400 patients who registered at an outpatient clinic in April 2018. Convenience sampling was applied. Results Monthly income, education level, occupation, and knowledge level are significantly associated with attitude of the respondents toward organ and tissue donation. Occupation influenced attitude toward organ donation. Knowledge of organ donation and brain death both significantly affected attitude toward organ donation. Conclusion The greater the knowledge of organ donation and brain death, the more positive impression or attitude toward organ donation. Education level and income are the main predictors that influence attitude toward organ donation. Hence, it is important for public health units to promote and deliver public education on organ donation, change public misconceptions, and work parallel with hospitals to increase organ donation rates in Sabah.

Background Primary signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) of the prostate is a rare and aggressive subtype of prostate adenocarcinoma with a poor prognosis, with only approximately 60 cases reported worldwide. Case presentation A 62-year-old man presented with acute urinary retention and hematuria, after a year’s history of lower urinary tract symptoms. Digital rectal examination revealed an irregular and hard prostate. Flexible cystoscopy showed bladder base infiltration by the enlarged prostate obscuring both ureteric orifices, necessitating nephrostomy and subsequent bilateral antegrade stenting to relieve the obstruction and improve his renal function. Transrectal ultrasonography biopsy of the prostate was performed revealing histological features of SRCC. Due to its rarity, there is currently no standardized treatment approach and it is often similarly treated according to the traditional management of prostate adenocarcinoma. Conclusions SRCC of the prostate is a rare and aggressive subtype of acinar adenocarcinoma with no established guidelines. Histological criteria for SRCC of the prostate are highly variable in the available literature. It is important to differentiate between the primary and metastatic SRCC of the prostate as both are managed differently. However, the overall prognosis remains poor in general.

Metaplastic Breast Cancer (MBC) of the breast is a rare entity of breast cancer, with a very poor prognosis, and whose pathophysiology is still unwell established. Therapeutic management is very heterogeneous due to its incomplete understanding. The aim of this study is to describe the demographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of our MBC patient.A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the demographic and clinicopathological features of these patients. Data of patients diagnosed with metaplastic breast cancer were retrieved from our breast cancer database in Queen Elizabeth Hospital II from January 2015 to May 2021.14 patients were diagnosed with metaplastic breast cancer during this period of study. All of them were female, with the average age of 52 years old. The patients were predominantly Bajau and Kadazan Dusun, each comprising of 35%(n = 5). 57% (n = 8) of patients were postmenopausal. 85% (n = 12) of patients were presented with breast lump of an average largest diameter of 69.23 mm. BIRADS staging of the affected breast revealed that most of the patients were BIRADS 5.57% (n = 8) patients underwent mastectomy, 4 went for either breast conserving surgery of the breast. The most common histopathological type is squamous cell carcinoma, which accounts for 42% (n = 6) of the patients. 71% (n = 10) were pathologically triple negative. 7 patients were pathologically node positive. 35% (n = 5) had lung metastasis, and one of the patients had concurrent lung and liver metastasis.The prognosis of patients with Metaplastic carcinoma of breast remains poor because most of it detected late and histologically triple negative type. Till date, there is no specific management guideline which warrant a multi institutional studies evaluating role of new therapies such as Anti-PD-1 Therapy in combination with chemotherapy to improve patient outcome.

Abdominal apoplexy, or idiopathic spontaneous intraperitoneal hemorrhage (ISIH), is a rare but often fatal condition resulting from a variety of disease processes affecting abdominal vasculature. A 30-year-old woman presented with acute abdominal pain and breathlessness and was in class II hypovolemic shock. She had a history of multiple episodes of retching with non-bilious vomiting prior to that. Computed tomography (CT) reported a non-rotation of the gut, gross intraperitoneal free fluid with debris, and possible perforated appendicitis. Laparoscopy revealed a gross hemoperitoneum of 2.5 L, with bowel findings consistent with non-rotation of the gut, but technical difficulty in identifying the source of bleeding led to conversion to laparotomy. A ruptured short gastric artery was ascertained to be the source of bleeding and was successfully ligated. A retrospective review of the preoperative CT showed intraperitoneal free fluid with Hounsfield unit measurements of 48 and 52, suggestive of acute hemoperitoneum. ISIH is often a delayed diagnosis or missed diagnosis due to its low incidence. The presence of vomiting and abdominal pain with hypovolemic shock, especially in a young individual, should raise the suspicion of ISIH, which can be confirmed via early CT imaging to facilitate achieving hemostasis during surgery.

Globally, everyone has gone through an unusual and remarkable period during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has affected various sectors in the country and implicated society. Important services including the health care system, particularly in surgery, have raised challenges and issues that need to be sorted out. This action is prudent to justify the balance in between care on preventing the spread of COVID-19 infection and at the same time providing surgical services. In this article are the perspectives on how we elicit the issues and the solutions in providing surgical services during the COVID-19 pandemic in our state, Sabah.

Background Intestinal obstruction is a common surgical emergency that is presented to the hospital with various aetiologies. Among all, mesenteric lipoma is one of the uncommon extraluminal causes of intestinal obstruction. In such conditions, bowel volvulus, compression or even adhesion are the underlying pathologies. Case presentation We report a 69-year-old gentleman who presented with a triad of intestinal obstruction which required exploratory laparotomy. Preoperative computed tomography revealed multiple coalescing lobulated hypoattenuating lesions encircling part of a small bowel forming transitional zone. These lesions are comparatively more hypoattenuating in comparison with the surrounding mesenteric fat. Intraoperatively, a giant ileal mesenteric lipoma was identified causing compression and folding to the adjacent small bowel, leading to proximal bowel dilatation. Excision of the lipoma with a few mesenteric lymphadenectomy was done, revealing a benign mesenteric lipoma and reactive lymph nodes. Despite ileus, he made a good postoperative recovery and was discharged well. Conclusions Patients with recurrent abdominal pain must have a thorough endoscopic and imaging assessment. Besides common or malignant aetiology, rarities should be considered and actively sought. Mesenteric lipoma is a relatively indolent tumour for which early detection can alter clinical presentation.

Patient: Female, 83-year-old Final Diagnosis: Gastrointestinal stromal tumour Symptoms: Abdominal discomfort • abdominal distension Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Colectomy • distal subtotal gastrectomy Specialty: Surgery Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and mostly affect the stomach. The size of the tumors vary, ranging from 0.6 cm to 25.5 cm, with a median size of 6.8 cm. Case Report: We report a case of a giant GIST (25×18×8.5 cm) in an 83-year-old woman, which we believe is the largest reported GIST, in Borneo, Malaysia. She presented with gradually increasing abdominal distension with occasional discomfort on movement for 1 month. Computed tomography revealed a large multilobulated enhancing mass measuring 10×20×22 cm with no clear plane with the posterior gastric wall, duodenum, and pancreas. We performed a distal gastrectomy and transverse colon segmentectomy, as the tumor was plastered to the mesentery of the transverse colon. Despite extensive surgery, she recovered well after surgery. Due to her advanced age and the tumor size, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor was not given owing to the possibility of adverse effects. Conclusions: The management of GIST is complicated, especially for a huge GIST with local invasion. Despite the benefits of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, the role of surgery in managing GIST is crucial, especially for patients with huge tumor size, advanced age, and local complications from the tumor.

The severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) pandemic impacts the health of women at reproductive age in different ways, starting from pregnancy planning to post-delivery. This narrative review summarises the challenges to obstetric practice posed by the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this paper, we highlight the impacts of COVID-19 to obstetric practice globally and the efforts taken to address these challenges. Further study is critical to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy, the outcome of COVID-19 positive pregnant women, and the safety of vaccination during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Background Occupational injuries are among the most important workplace issues. This study aims to determine the safety climate and prevalence of occupational injuries in the small-scale manufacturing industry. Methods A cross-sectional study with ten small scale manufacturers participated accounting for a total of 300 respondents. Data were collected from July to August 2020 using the NOSACQ-50 questionnaire. Results The prevalence of occupational injury for the past 12 months was at 18%. The most often injured body parts were hands and legs while among the most common injury types were open wound, burns and bleeding. The mean NOSACQ-50 scores for all dimensions are good. The associated factors are working hours per week, and compliance to SOP. There are differences in the mean scores of NOSACQ-50 between injured and non-injured workers across all dimensions. Conclusion The safety climate among manufacturing industry employees is at a good level, while the prevalence of occupational injury is relatively low., Highlights • Occupational injury is a global issue causing permanent disabilities as well as mortality including in Malaysia. • The prevalence of occupational injury in a small scale manufacturing industry is relatively low. • Safe behaviour in the work practice, and following designed SOP to prevent accident, can reduce the possibility of injury.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) going for surgery have put challenges to the treating surgeon, anaesthetist and physician as the patients can present with various medical complications perioperatively. It can be associated with polyarticular involvement especially avascular necrosis of the head of femur. The patients may present young with severe clinical findings and abnormal radiological features. The surgery in young SLE patients revolves on the longevity of the prosthesis used.We report a case of a 26-year-old lady with SLE going for right total hip replacement for her avascular necrosis of right hip. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(2) 2020 p.322-325