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Catheter-associated urinary tract infections account for 80% of hospital-related urinary tract infections. Attempts are being made to improvise catheters to reduce the infective burden. A non-randomized clinical trial was conducted on two hundred and forty patients who required catheterization. The aim was to assess the efficacy of silver ion–impregnated Foley catheters in reducing urinary tract infections. They were divided equally with 120 patients in each group. The control group received standard Foley catheter insertion and patients in the study group received in-house-prepared silver ion–impregnated catheters. Urine was examined for the presence of pus cells on days 1, 3, and 7. Culture and sensitivity were carried out on days 1, 3, and 7. Though the initial results were similar in both groups, there was a significant reduction in the number of pus cells in urine and a decrease in positive cultures on day 7 (P = 0.0277 and P = 0.0497), respectively suggesting the efficacy of silver ion impregnation. This is a simple and easy-to-perform technique with potential for routine use in the future with adequate validation. Routine use minimizes antibiotic usage due to reduced incidence of urinary tract infections and hospital expenses.

One of the major components of medical education is training individuals in various skills related to health care. Training directly on patients has its challenges due to limited opportunities, concerns for patient safety and reluctance of patients. Clinical Skills Laboratory provides a stress-free environment for learning and honing skills under direct supervision. Surgery is predominantly a craft-based branch of medicine and undergraduate medical students have very little exposure to it. With an objective of improving basic surgical skills and improving the competency, a short-term training programme in the form of a workshop was planned, executed in a dedicated Clinical Skills Laboratory for interns posted in the surgical branches. The core areas of training were basic surgical skills required in day-to-day practice in the surgical specialties. Five broad categories of skills, gowning and gloving, instrument handling, knot tying, suturing techniques and universal precautions, were dealt with demonstration and hands-on practice sessions. A total of 14 skills lab training sessions over a period of 3 years from February 2014–March 2017 were conducted where a total of 264 interns participated. Analysis of the feedback showed 62.87% of the participants felt that the content was excellent, 63.63% opined that the presentations were excellent, 76.13% appreciated the demonstration and 60.6% were satisfied with the time allotted for practice sessions. This short-term training in basic surgical skills in a controlled environment helped in improving the interns’ skills and confidence. Implementation of basic surgical skills training provided a complementary experience that facilitates the shortening of the learning curve and enhances the ability of the new doctors to perform various procedures. This model of training in skills laboratories could be inculcated in the curriculum as practical training for effective delivery of health care.

In a tropical country like India, it is not rare to see patients with parasitic cysts. Hydatid cysts most often caused by the parasite Ecchinococcus granulosus present as space occupying lesions of the lung or liver. Isolated musculoskeletal and subcutaneous Hydatid cysts in the absence of any involvement of the lungs and liver are very rare and only a handful of cases have been reported in literature. We report an interesting case of an isolated subcutaneous Hydatid cyst of the gluteal region presenting as a gluteal abscess in a 45 year old lady. This report aims to highlight the unique presentation of the spectrum of Hydatid disease.

Background: Geriatric population is a special subgroup of population undergoing emergency abdominal surgeries. Both higher age group and emergency surgical procedure are considered as high risk factors. In this study, we study the most common cause for geriatric population to undergo an emergency abdominal surgery and the therapeutic outcomes. Methods: All the patients aged more than 60 years coming to surgical department, BLDEU’s hospital with acute abdominal conditions. Study period was from Jan 2010 to Jan 2013. All patients aged more than 60 years old admitted with abdominal emergency conditions in department of surgery. Geriatric patients coming with blunt trauma of abdomen also included. Exclusion criteria were immunocompromised patients. Results: 128 patients aged 60 years or more who presented with abdominal emergency surgical conditions were studied. Most common cause for emergency abdominal surgery was perforated peptic ulcer (38%) followed by intestinal obstruction (17%). The most common post-operative complication was surgical site infection (29%). Mortality rate was 17%. Most common cause of death was septic shock with multi organ dysfunction. Conclusion: Geriatric population is an important subgroup of population undergoing emergency abdominal surgeries. Most common cause is peptic ulcer perforation followed by intestinal obstruction due to adhesions. More than the age per say, the delay in presentation may be the cause for mortality in this age group. The therapeutic outcome in patients with co morbid factors like hypertension and diabetes mellitus in control, were similar to other patients.