A Case Report of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome with Vascular Complications due to Cervical Rib.

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is recognized in approximately 8% of the population. Its manifestations may be neurologic or vascular or both, depending on the component of the neurovascular bundle predominantly compressed. The diagnosis is suspected from the clinical picture and investigations. Treatment is initially conservative but persistence of significant symptoms, which occurs in approximately 5% of patients with diagnosed TOS, is an indication for cervical rib and or first rib resection.1 We report the case of a young woman having a left sided cervical rib. She had presented with clinical features of both neurogenic and arterial TOS. Surgical resection of the cervical rib was performed uneventfully through a supraclavicular approach which resulted in complete relief of her symptoms.

Aorto-bi-Femoral Bypass for Juxtarenal Aortic Occlusion in a Patient with Multiple Co- Morbidities: Report of a Challenging Case.

Aorto-bi-femoral bypass for aorto-iliac occlusive disease is a fairly common procedure in vascular surgical practice. The procedure, despite its extensive nature, is generally well tolerated particularly by those having an infrarenal type of aortic occlusion. Patients having a juxtarenal aortic occlusion require a considerably more expeditious surgery necessitating maneuvers to protect the renal arteries. Surgical risk increases significantly in those having multiple co-morbid conditions. We report here a successful case of aorto-bi-femoral bypass for juxtarenal aortic occlusion in a patient having multiple co-morbid conditions like ischemic heart disease, occluded right renal artery with chronic kidney disease, severe malnutrition, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

A Case Report of Middle Aortic Syndrome: A Rare Vascular Disorder.

The middle aortic syndrome (MAS) is rare (about 0.5-2% of all the cases of aortic coarctation) vascular disorder characterized by severe narrowing in the descending thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, or both. It can be congenital or acquired due to several conditions.MAS may present clinically as uncontrolled hypertension, abdominal angina or lower limb claudication. Surgical treatment is effective in controlling symptom and improves life expectancy.

Overexpression of Her-2/neu oncogene in 51 cases of endometrial carcinoma

Endometrial cancer is a common malignancy of the female genital tract. Her-2 overexpression is strongly correlated with tumor grade, type, and stage and this association complicate the issue of response of Her-2 positive endometrial carcinoma to chemotherapy. The aims of the current study are; to estimate the overexpression of Her-2 in endometrial carcinoma in our patients, to correlate the results with other known clinicopathologic markers and to compare our results with others. This is a cross-sectional retrospective study of 51 cases of endometrial carcinoma collected with their clinical data from Al-Batool Teaching Hospital and Al-Khansa'a Maternity Teaching Hospital in Mosul-Iraq from January 2007 to January 2010. All cases were revised histologically. Forty-three cases were total abdominal hysterectomy and 8 were curetting material. Tumors were classified into two main types, endometroid and non-endometroid carcinomas. Immunoperoxidase stains for Her-2/neu were performed on representative formalin-fixed paraffin embedded blocks. Majority of the endometrial carcinoma were in the 6th decade [50.9%] with a mean of 56.5 year. Her-2/ neu overexpression was observed in 58.8% of cases. The most frequent association was with non-endometroid carcinoma [100%]. Expression of Her-2/neu increased with increasing grade reaching 89.47% in grade III tumors. The highest expression was detected in tumors invading deep into the myometrium [77.77%]. HER-2/neu appears to play an important role in the biologic behavior of endometrial cancers. It was overexpressed in non-endometroid carcinoma, especially papillary-serous type, high grade tumors, and among the higher stages. Therefore, targeted therapies directed against HER-2, could be effective in some patients with endometrial cancer

Bcl-2 expression in CagA strain H. pylori gastritis [immunohistochemical and insitu hybridization study]

Carriage of Helicobacter Pylori in the human stomach is associated with increased risk of peptic ulcer disease, distal gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric B-cell mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. To study the immunohistochemical expression of bcl-2, as apoptosis makers in the gastric mucosa of patients infected with cagA Helicobacter Pylori demonstrated by insitu hybridization method. Gastric antrum biopsies from 99 patients presented with dyspeptic symptoms [50 men, 49 women, median age 40] were analysed for the presence of H. pylori, and were classified according to updated Sydney system. Insitu hybridization technique was done to detect cagA H. pylori. Immunohistochemical expression of bcl-2 using [Avidin-Biotin method] was performed on paraffin embedded biopsy specimens. Forty four patients [44.44%] had H. pylori cagA positive starin. Atrophy of gastric mucosa was present in 14 [14.14%] patients. Intestinal metaplasia was present in 8 [8.08%] patients. The frequency of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia were significantly higher in cagA H. pylori gastritis than non-cagA H. pylori gastritis [p=0.023 and 0.041 respectively]. Bcl2 expression was not significantly higher in H. pylori gastritis than non-H. pylori gastritis [p=0.101]. Bcl2 expression was significantly higher in the presence of atrophy [p<0.001]. Bcl2 expression was significantly higher in the presence of intestinal metaplasia [p<0.001]. The rate of apoptosis decreases when lesions [gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia] are present

Aorto-bi-Femoral Bypass for Aorto-Iliac Occlusive Disease: Recent Experience at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).

Background & Objectives: Aorto-bi-femoral bypass is one of the most important surgical strategies in vascular surgical practice. The procedure is employed in surgical revascularization for both stenotic and aneurysmal diseases involving the aorto-iliac segment. The present study was carried out to analyze our recent experiences with this procedure for aorto-iliac occlusive diseases (AIOD) at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). Materials and Methods: Over a period of 3 years (April 2008 to March 2011), a total of 47 patients underwent aorto-bi-femoral or aorto-bisiliac bypass grafting for AIOD using a Y-graft prosthesis. The mean age of the patients was 46.4 years (range 25-75 years). Thirty eight of the patients were male and the remaining 9 were female. A retroperitoneal approach was used in 27 patients. In the remaining 20 patients, the operation was done using a transperitoneal approach. A Gelatin-coated Dacron Y-graft prosthesis was used in 43 (5 of which were silver-coated prosthesis) patients while PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) prosthesis was used in the remaining 4 patients. The operation was carried out under epidural anesthesia with sedation in most cases. Results: The operation was well-tolerated in all patients. There was no intraoperative mortality in this series. Two patients died in the immediate post-operative period- one due to myocardial infarction and the other due to acute renal shut-down leading to renal failure accounting for a mortality rate of 4.3%. Wound infection and lymphorrhoea at the groin incision site were the two main immediate post-operative complications. There was no incidence of graft infection in this series. Twelve patients were available for post-operative follow-up up to 2 years. Out of them, 5 patients returned with occluded grafts 8-23 months after the operation. Three of these patients underwent graft excision with re-do Y-graft bypass. The remaining two were treated with extra-anatomic bypass (Axillobifemoral). Conclusions: Aorto-bi-femoral bypass is an effective surgical strategy for occlusive diseases involving the abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries. The procedure is well-tolerated with a low incidence of early post-procedural complications and graft failure. However, poor adherence of the patients to follow-up remains a significant obstacle for evaluating the long-term outcome of this procedure.

Role of surgery and laparoscopy in management of abdominal tuberculosis

Tuberculosis [TB] considered as the most communicable disease world wid. Among extra pulmonary TB the prevalence of abdominal TB shows rising tendency. Abdominal TB is defined as an infection of one or more common of two or more of the following sites; peritoneum, mesentery, gastrointestinal tract and or solid organs. Reported incidence of abdominal TB varies from country to country. The most common clinical features are abdominal pain, fever and weight loss. To evaluate the role of surgery in the management of abdominal TB especially with the advent of minimal access surgery [laparoscopy] in the diagnosis of this disease. Prospective study was conducted in Al-Kadhymia Teaching Hospital over three years [2007-2010], fifty six patients with abdominal TB were included, the patients were managed by full surgical and or medical teams, results was analyzed by appropriate statistical measures. Most patients were in the 2[nd], 3[rd] and 4[th] decades of life. Female to male ratio was 1.5:1. Most of the patients [82%] considered to have primary abdominal TB. Diagnostic laparoscopy was done for 21 patients and proved TB in 19 patients. Explorative laparotomy was done in 19 patients, the commonest operative finding was ascites and peritoneal tubercles. Abdominal TB should be considered in all patients who presented with unexplained abdominal symptoms and signs. Laparoscopy is an effective modality for diagnosis of abdominal TB

Surgical Management of Vascular Complications in Intravenous Drug Abusers: Experience at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Bangladesh.

Background: Intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) is a global health care problem that has tremendous socio-economic implications. Vascular complications following IVDA are not uncommon and may have serious consequences. At the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Dhaka, Bangladesh, there has been a steady increase in the number of cases with vascular complications of IVDA in the recent years. Objectives: The present study was undertaken to evaluate our surgical strategy for the management of various vascular complications following IVDA. Materials and Methods: Over the last 5 years, a total of 45 patients presented at the NICVD with various complications of IVDA. Thirty seven patients presented at the emergency department with bleeding from ruptured aneurysm or with impending aneurysm rupture. The remaining 8 patients presented at the vascular outpatient with deep venous thrombosis, superficial thrombophlebitis and chronic venous insufficiency. After resuscitation when necessary, excision of aneurysm was done either with simple ligation of the artery (Group A) or with restoration of arterial continuity (Group B). Outcome in the two groups were compared against the following parameters; acute limb ischemia, chronic limb ischemia, wound infection and lymphorrhoea. Results: There was no in-hospital mortality in this series. Both ligation and restoration of arterial continuity following aneurysmectomy were effective in treating the bleeding aneurysm. However, statistically significant differences were seen between the two groups in terms of acute and chronic limb ischemia. Restoration of arterial continuity was more effective in preventing acute and chronic limb ischemia. Conclusions: In Bangladesh, the incidence of IVDA with vascular complications is increasing at an alarming rate. In patients presenting with arterial pseudoaneurysms, surgical management should be aimed at restoration of arterial continuity whenever feasible.

Cost- Effective Management of Venous Ulcer.

Background: Venous disorders are very common. About 20% of the population suffer from varicose veins, 2% have skin changes which may precede venous ulceration1. Venous ulcers represent a common and debilitating condition associated with significant financial loss for the patients as well as the society. Treatment options for these patients are costly and time consuming. In this study we tried to find out cost -effective measures for treating this group of patients. Method: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of superficial and perforating leg venous surgery along with pharmacotherapy 66 patients with chronic venous leg ulcers are prospectively studied. After proper history taking and clinical examination all patients underwent venous duplex ultrasonography. Patients were divided into two groups. Group I (n=30) includes patients undergoing saphenofemoral ligation and stripping of the great saphenous vein (GSV). In group II (n=36) patients underwent saphenofemoral and incompetent leg perforator ligation along with stripping of the GSV. Conservative measures, local ulcer care and pharmacotherapy were common in both groups. Result: Postoperative complications, total hospital stay and ulcer healing were studied. Ulcer healing was earlier in group II. Remarkable complications were similar in both the groups. Conclusion: For effective and economic care of venous leg ulcers, combination of standard surgical procedures including incompetent perforator and saphenofemoral ligation with great saphenous vein stripping and standard physio-pharmacotherapeutic care is essential. This combined modality of treatment is highly effective in early and complete ulcer healing in patients suffering from venous ulcers.

Investigation of drug polymer interaction: evaluation and characterization of diclofenac-chitosan co-precipitate

Investigating the interaction between Diclofenac and Chitosan and its effect on the dissolution in water and in Phosphate buffer system was the objective of this study. Complex formation was attempted between diclofenac and chitosan utilizing optimal condition for their simultaneous ionization in solution form. A co-precipitate was obtained upon mixing the drug and polymer solutions and the co-precipitate was characterized for drug content, differential scanning calorimetiy [DSC], X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy [FTIR] analysis in comparison to diclofenac sodium, diclofenac free acid and their physical mixtures with chitosan. The overall evidence of these comparisons indicated that a physical co-precipitation of chitosan and diclofenac acid was formed with no electrostatic complexation. Having diclofenac acid as a reference for comparison was the key for this conclusion, and comparing the results of the precipitate to only those of diclofenac sodium would have led to false conclusions. The no complexation between the drug and polymer could not be explained based on lack of ionization of either molecule and was explained based on the instability of the complex

A study on FlexMaster : a Ni-Ti rotary engine driven system for root canal preparation.

In the present study, the effectiveness of recently introduced rotary Nickel Titanium FlexMaster engine driven system was evaluated for cleaning and shaping of root canals in extracted human teeth and compared with that done by the Nickel Titanium Flexofile hand instruments. A total of 40 root canals from 36 extracted mandibular and maxillary teeth with curvature ranging between 20 and 30 degree were divided into two groups, consisting 20 canals in each. FlexMaster instrumentation was done in 20 canals, using crown-down technique and manual filing with Flexofile was done in other 20 canals, using conventional and step-back techniques. 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution and 17% ethelene di-amine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) were used alternatively for irrigation after canal preparation by each instrument size. Time needed for canal preparation of individual canal was recorded. A procedural error such as instrument breakage was also noted. After preparation, all the roots were cut longitudinally by using diamond burs in turbine handpiece and examined under scanning electron microscope. Apical region was quantified for debris and smear layer based on a 5-score numerical evaluation scale. The data established for scoring the debris and smear layer and preparation time of individual canal were analyzed statistically using the Mann-Whitney U test. Completely cleaned root canals were not found with any of the two instruments and none of the instruments maintained the original canal uniformity and regular dentine surface. Because significantly less debris was found in the apical region using the manual filing technique (p< 0.05). Thus the flexmaster system was found to produce less cleaner root canal walls than manual technique. Only one FlexMaster finishing file sized 30 was separated in the apical region during preparation of 30 degree curved canal. The time taken by FlexMaster was significantly better (p< 0.01) than that of hand instruments.

An in vitro microleakage study of different filling materials using dye penetration method.

In the present study, the marginal integrity of different filling materials was evaluated in invitro. Furthermore, the effect of manipulation technique on their microleakage was also investigated. A total of sixty standard prepared class V cavities were filled with glass ionomer cement (both auto-cured and light-cured), light cured packable variety composite resin pretreated with echant and bonding agent and dental amalgam (both mechanically and conventional hand mixed) with or without pretreatment by cavity varnish. Cavities were then subjected to microleakage test following thermocycling. Statistical analysis was performed by One way ANOVA and Sheffe's multiple comparison tests. The results showed that mechanically mixed Silver Amalgam pretreated with cavity varnish showed the least microleakage, whereas, autocured glass ionomer showed highest marginal leakage. Light-cured packable composite was superior in resisting microleakage than both types of glass ionomer but was inferior to dental amalgam in the same respect. From this study, it can be concluded that composite resin can be used to fill class V cavities for esthetic reason but their properties should be improved.

Bilateral giant angiomyolipoma of kidneys: a case report and review of literature.

Angiomyolipoma is uncommon benign tumor of the kidney. Bilateral and multiple lesions are associated with tuberous sclerosis. We report a case with bilateral giant angiomyolipomas in a patient who had no other features of tuberous sclerosis. In this case, the involvement of the kidneys was diffuse rather than usual well-circumscribed lesions.