Singap Med J
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We present a case of a man who developed gynaecomastia after ingestion of "Dong Quai" pills. "Dong Quai" is the Chinese name for the herb Angelica polymorpha var. sinensis which is widely used as a panacea for gynaecological problems, and it is also proclaimed as an invigorating tonic for both women and men. The pharmacological effects of "Dong Quai" are likely related to the phytoestrogen that it contains. This report highlights the potential adverse effects associated with its consumption in the male, especially for the processed "Dong Quai" pills which may contain significantly higher levels of phytoestrogen than its original herbal product.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of a 6-hour and 9-hour protocol for evaluation of moderate-to-low risk chest pain patients in an emergency department diagnostic unit.
To compare the 30-day outcomes of patients enrolled in a 6-hour and 9-hour emergency department (ED)-based chest pain centre (CPC) protocol. ⋯ The 6-hour CPC strategy is an effective and safe evaluation method for patients at low to moderate risk for acute coronary syndromes.
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Case Reports
Perioperative management of a patient with congenital myasthenia gravis for elective caesarean section.
Congenital disorders of neuromuscular transmission are commonly referred to as congenital myasthenia gravis because of their clinical similarity to the immune-mediated disease. Differentiation between the immune-mediated and congenital forms of the disease is important, because therapy established for the former may not be appropriate for patients with the latter presentation. ⋯ The perioperative management of this patient who underwent the operation under spinal anaesthesia was reviewed. The effects of anaesthetic agents and techniques on the course of congenital myasthenic patients may need further review in the light of latest findings in the electrophysiology, genetic and therapeutic studies of this syndrome.
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Fracture-dislocation of the lumbo-sacral spine was an unusual injury and was divided into anterior, posterior and lateral types depending on the displacement of the cephalad portion of the spine over the caudal portion. According to the authors' knowledge, only 31 cases of traumatic fracture-dislocation of the lumbo-sacral spine were reported in the English literature. Only 3 previous reports referred to this injury with a posterior displacement, which was an even rarer injury. This was the fourth report of this type of injury.