Sanat Kumar Khanna; Saurabh Maheshwari; Sai Vishal Goud Vaggu; Himanshu Chhagan Bayad; Shruti Samyal
Abstract
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in the diversion of all the resources, attention, and energy of the medical personnel and administration towards the management of COVID-19 patients. This resulted in unforeseen difficulties and hazards for non-COVID-19 patients in ...
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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in the diversion of all the resources, attention, and energy of the medical personnel and administration towards the management of COVID-19 patients. This resulted in unforeseen difficulties and hazards for non-COVID-19 patients in accessing healthcare professionals and facilities.Objectives: The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and repeated lockdowns on the non-COVID patients; to understand the social, psychological, and medical issues faced by them; and propose solutions for difficulties faced by this specific cohort of patients.Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study on all non-COVID patients reporting for non-COVID-19 illnesses. We conducted the data analysis by comparing the trends for 15 months each in the pre-pandemic (1 January 2019 to 31 March 2020) and pandemic periods (1 April 2020 to 30 June 2021).Results: There was a 65.92% decrease in Out Patient Department (OPD) attendance, a 56.05% decrease in admissions, and a 90.33 % decrease in elective surgical procedures in non-COVID-19 patients. However, there was a significant increase in emergency surgeries by 62.16%.Conclusion: There has been a significant albeit much-needed diversion of time, energy, and resources to manage COVID-19 patients in recent times. This has led to a paucity of care opportunities for non-COVID-19 patients, which has been further compounded by the frequent lockdowns. We attempted to understand the impact of the pandemic on non-COVID-19 patients, particularly in peripheral hospitals in Hilly Terrains. We propose the solutions to tackle these issues and describe our experience with them.
Brikshya Gurung; Saurabh Maheshwari; Darshan Singh Grewal; Pratik Regmi; Ajay Khadka
Abstract
Introduction: Hemochromatosis of the pituitary gland is a form of iron overload disease which occurs in different clinical conditions related to multiple blood transfusions.Case Presentation: We present a case of secondary hemochromatosis involving the pituitary gland and choroid plexus in an eight-year-old ...
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Introduction: Hemochromatosis of the pituitary gland is a form of iron overload disease which occurs in different clinical conditions related to multiple blood transfusions.Case Presentation: We present a case of secondary hemochromatosis involving the pituitary gland and choroid plexus in an eight-year-old female with imaging findings and a review of the relevant literature. Our patient has had a history of cessation of growth in height for the last 1 year. She was diagnosed with a thalassemia major at the age of 6 months. She has been on regular blood transfusions since then. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed evidence of iron deposition in the pituitary gland.Conclusion: This diagnosis should be suspected on clinical presentation and history of multiple blood transfusions. It can be confirmed based on characteristic imaging findings. The patient should be strictly monitored with serum iron levels, and a tailored iron chelation therapy should be initiated.