Long-term results of gill Vernet procedure for vesica-ureteric reflux

The authors reviewed nine children with 15 refluxing urters who had Gil Vernet procedure at Salmaniya Medical Complex between 1984 and 1987. The follow-up period ranged between 7.5 to 11 years with a mean of 9.3 years. All the ureters stopped refluxing. Three patients presented with dysuria and lower abdominal pain. These three patients had urinary bladder claculi over protruding non-absorbable sutures. Gil Vernet procedure stops vesico-ureteric reflux, but the non-absorbable sutures have the risk of urinary bladder claculus formation. It is recommended to replace the non-absorbable sutures by long lasting inverted buried absorbable sutures

incidence of correctable congenital anomalies in Bahrain

This prospective study was performed to examine the possible incidence of correctable congenital anomalies in Bahrain. The overall incidence of correctable surgical anomalies is 3.1% of live births excluding congenital heart diseases and congenital orthopaedic abnormalities. The most common urogenital anomalies are undescended testes with an incidence of 158 / 10,000 live births and hypospadias with an incidence of 15.3 / 10,000 live births. The most common gastrointestinal anomalies are gastrointestinal atresia with an incidence of 10.6 / 10,000 and Hirschsprung's disease of 2.9/10,000 live births. Anorectal malformation is very common, but biliary tract anomalies are extremely rare. Congenital inguinal hernia is very common with an incidence of 89 / 10,000 live births, but exomphalos, gastroschisis and exstrophic anomalies are also rare. The most common neurological anomalies are hydrocephalus and myelomeningocele with an incidence of 12.3 / 10,000.Cleft lip and palate are the commonest facial anomalies with an incidence of 11.5 / 10,000

Current experience with Boley's endorectal pullthrough

During the past eight years, thirty one patients with Hirshsprung's disease have been treated in our institution. Seventeen cases within this group have undergone a Boley's modification endorectal pull-through. There are 11 males and 6 females in the series. Fifteen patients with aganglionosis involve the rectosigmoid colon, one involves the rectum and one extends to splenic flexure. None of the patients have urinary tract anomalies. There has been no post operative deaths. Two minor complications have occured. The average follow up period is 9.6 months. The functional results post-operatively have been excellent. The thirteen patients over the age of 3 years are completely toilet trained. The remaining patients are too young to be toilet-trained, but they are continent in the sense that they do not soil between bowel movements

Priapism in sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease is one of the commonest genetic disorders in Bahrain. One of the rare complications of this haemoglobinopathy is priapism. Since little is known about this important complication and its sequelae in Bahrain, this prospective study is conducted on Bahraini patients with sickle cell disease and the results compared with those of Saudi Arabian and Jamaican patients with regard to its frequency and possible relationship to other haematological parameters

Intussusception: seven years experience in Bahrain

A review of the clinical features and the management of 79 cases of paediatric intussusception treated at Salmaniya Medical Centre, Bahrain between 1980-1986 is presented. The classical triad of vomiting, rectal bleeding and abdominal pain were present in 45 patients [57%]. Barium enema examination was used in 72 patients [91%] but successful reduction was achieved in 26 [33%] patients. Laparotomy was performed in 53 patients [67%] with no operative deaths. Intestinal resection was performed in 3 patients [3.8%] for gangrenous bowel. The low rate of barium reduction appears to be related to our reluctance to overutilise hydrostatic reduction

Fetus-in-fetu in a Bahraini infant

Fetus-in-fetu, is a rare abnormality of embryonic development, is distinguished from the more common teratoma by the presence of an axial skeleton and the existence of a separate amniotic membrane. In this paper, a case of fetus-in-fetu in a Bahraini male infant is described, the first such case known to have occurred in the Arabian peninsula