Thallium-201 scintigraphy in evaluation of breast masses

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate thallium-201 as a tumor seeking agent in patients with breast cancer. Forty-five female patients [20-67 years of age] with breast complaints were included in this study. After clinical examination, mammography and thallium-201 scintigraphy were performed and all cases were inspected pathologically to confirm the findings of both techniques. The results revealed that thallium-201 scintigraphy can reliably detect primary tumors of the breast with a high degree of sensitivity in group A which included 35 patients with no prior history of breast cancer. As 21 patients were found to have malignant breast lesions pathologically, the scintigraphic technique revealed only two false-negative cases out of them [sensitivity 90.4%, specificity 85.7% and accuracy 94.3%]

Ultrastructural changes in hepatocytes after repeated ketamine anesthesia to albino rats

This work was designed to study the effect of repeated ketamine anaesthesia on the fine structures of hepatocytes in albino rats. Fifty adult albino rats of both sexes were the subject of this study. The body weight of these rats ranged from 250 - 350 g. All animals were healthy and in normal condition. These rats were divided into two equal groups [A and B]. Group A rats [treated group] were given 5 mg/kg ketamine Hcl intraperitoneally every 3 days for 5 times. Group B rats were treated as group A except that they were given a comparable amount of saline [diluent of ketamine] and served as control group. Two days after the last injection all rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. And laparotomy was done and small pieces of their livers were taken and prepared for electron microscopic examination. Electron microscopy of the liver specimens of treated group [group A] revealed some pathological changes in the fine structures of the hepatocytes. These pathological changes were, relative increase in the nuclear euchromatin [dispersed or active chromatin], increased number and size of mitochondria some of them showed demolished ridges, degenerative changes and opaque matrices, decreased number of rough endoplasmic reticulum and some of them were fragmented, increased number of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, ribosomes and lysosomes. Also glycogen content was decreased while lipid droplets, pseudoinclusion bodies and electron dense bodies were increased in number. In conclusion, repeated ketamine anaesthesia in albino rats is toxic to the hepatic cell organelles

Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical findings in lymphocytic auto immune thyroiditis

Eighteen patients suffering from suspicious firm thyroid swelling, associated with pressure manifestations, were operated upon by subtotal or total thyroidectomy; 20 cases out of 80 showed lymphocytic infiltration, these cases were sub-classified according to the degree of lymphocytic and plasma cell infiltrate into 5 groups: Group I and II [focal lymphocytic thyroiditis], 8 cases, Group III and IV [Hashimoto's thyroiditis], 7 cases and Group V [Atrophic lymphocytic thyroiditis] 5 cases. These cases studied immunohisto chemically by using peroxidase anti peroxidase technique to find out a correlation between them. Between these three immunohistologically separable groups, there were many cases with features of all, considering the occurrence of such intermediate forms and some immunohistological similarities between them, and the positivity of thyroglobulin associated with thyroid, it is likely that these lesions are of different activities of the same immunological process starting by focal lymphocytic thyroiditis where as Hashimoto's thyroiditis lie in between

Effects of halothane, enflurane and fentanyl anesthesia and surgery on serum concentrations of free thyroxin and tri iodothyronine

The effects of halothane, enflurane and fentanyl anaesthesia on fT3 and fT4 measured by RIA, were studied on 30 patients submitted to minor surgical procedures of the extremities. Patients were divided into three equal groups of 10 patients each. The effect of surgery was also studied on another 10 patients submitted to abdominal surgery. Halothane, enflurane and surgical manipulations caused significant increase of fT4 while fentanyl caused a mild insignificant increase. On fT3 all anaesthetics caused insignificant decrease while with surgery the decrease was significant. Therefore, the effects of these anaesthetics and surgery should be considered in cases of suspected thyroid malfunction

Effect of some recent analgesics on labour pain and materno-fetal blood cases and pH

This studs attempts to determine the analgesic property of nalbuphine hydrochloride, pentazocine lactate and butorphanol tartarate during labour, and their potential effects on materno-fetal blood gases and pit. The analgesic efficacy of the tested drugs was assessed by Steinhouse scoring systern [1964]. Butorphanol analgesia was superior to either nalbuphine or pentazocine in relieving labour pains. The studied analgesics caused significant maternal respiratory acidosis and fetal metabolic acidosis. These acidotic changes were more marked in the pentazocine, moderate in the nalbupitine and minimal in the butorphanol group

Atracurium versus pancuronium in caesarean section

Atracurium has been shown to be a potent neuromuscular blocking agent with no cardiovascular side effects when used clinically effective doses, and to possess shorter duration of action. It was demonstrated that atracurium does not cross the placenta in clinically significant amounts. This work was carried out at the Saudi National Hospital on 40 patients presented for cesarean section. Patients were divided randomly into two groups to compare between atracurium and another conventional relaxant as pancuronium. It was revealed that atracurium in a dose of 0.2 mg/kg produced adequate surgical relaxation for a mean time of 21.4 minutes and incremental doses were needed in almost all cases. On the other hand, pancuronium mean time was 39.1 minutes and no incremental doses were required. Other criteria were mentioned in a comparative study

Hepatic functions after enflurane anesthesia

The effect of enflurane [Ethrane] anaesthesia on liver functions was studied on ten fit adult patients. There was a significant increase in serum enzymes [S.G.O.T. and S.G.P.T] and serum bilirubin, significant reduction in total serum proteins. However, inclination towards normal figures was noticed after 48 hours. It is concluded that hepatic dysfunction may follow enflurane anaesthesia in susceptible patients. When halothane and enflurane were introduced into clinical practice in 1956 and 1968 respectively it was assumed that they were inert substances eliminated from the body in an unchanged state[1]. It is now known, however, that some metabolic breakdown of these agents does occur and concern has been expressed that their biotransformation products may exert toxic effects on organs such as the liver and kidney[2]

Effect of sodium nitroprusside on some liver functions and portal pressure in bilharzial patients

The effect of small dose of Na nitroprusside [0.1-0.2 mg/kg] on some liver function tests, mean arterial blood pressure, and acid base has been studied in 20 bilharzial patients. Liver function tests were mildly affected and all figures returned to control values within 48 hours. Portal pressure was markedly reduced out of proportion to the drop in arterial pressure. Acid base and blood gases were not affected. The use of Na nitroprusside for reduction of portal pressure in the preoperative period and during operations for patients with portal hypertension needs to be further investigated as regards the effects of larger doses on liver function and acid base