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Gastroenteritis (Infectious Diarrhoea)

Overview Gastroenteritis continues to cause significant morbidity in developed and developing countries. The most common cause are viral and bacterial including: Norovirus Enteric adenoviruses E-coli Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. Campylobater jejuni Diarrhoea:  Loose, water like stools that occur with increased frequency and an increased volume of >200g per day Gastroenteritis:  >3 or more loose…

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anaemia

Overview Vitamin B 12 (cobalamin) deficiency is a common cause of megaloblastic anemia, a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms, and elevated serum homocysteine levels, especially in older persons. The recognition and treatment of vitamin B 12 deficiency is critical since it is a reversible cause of bone marrow failure and demyelinating nervous system disease. Anaemia (Anemia):  The…

Hydrocephalus

Overview Hydrocephalus is excessive accumulation of CSF in the cerebral ventricles. In children, look for increasing head circumference, increased intracranial pressure, a bulging fontanelle, scalp vein engorgement, and paralysis of upward gaze. The most common causes include: Congenital malformations Tumors Inflammation (i.e hemorrhage, meningitis). Treat the underlying cause, if possible; otherwise a surgical shunt is created…

Adult onset Still's Disease

Overview Adult Onset Still’s Disease (AOSD) is a complex multisystemic autoinflammatory disease characterised by recurrent episodes of spiking fever (> 39–40°C), pink–salmon transient skin rash, and the presence of arthralgia or polyarthritis. First described by Eric Bywaters in 1971 it closely resembles systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (Still’s disease). retrospective observational study in Japan found…

Paediatric Orthopaedics Overview

Osteochondroses Osteochondroses is a condition that affects the epiphysis of bones. Pathology consists of localised area of ischaemic bone necrosis and oedema of adjacent soft tissue. Osteochondroses result in avascular necrosis of the epiphyseal bone, similar to Perthes disease, but less common. In general osteochondroses is more troublesome than serious. Age effects usually 10-15 +/-…

Varicose Veins

Overview Varivose veins (VV) are long, torturous and dilated don't veins of the superficial venous system. There is a spectrum ranging from telangiectasias (dilated interdermal venules less than 1 mm), through to reticular veins (non-palpable subdermal veins 1–3 mm) to varicose veins (greater than 3 mm). 35% of the general population affected. The venous system of…

Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria +/- angioedema

Overview Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a mast-cell–driven skin disorder defined by recurrent wheals (hives), angioedema, or both for >6 weeks without a specific external trigger , with a point prevalence around 0.5–1% and a female predominance; median disease duration is ~2–5 years, but a subset persists longer and markedly impairs quality of life and…

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