Morphological Patterns of Traumatic Head Injury in Medicolegal Autopsies at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar ESSalaam Tanzania

Introduction: Head injury is predicted to surpass many diseases as a major cause of death and disability by the year 2020. There is a limited documentations on morphological patterns of traumatic Head Injury and its prevalence specifically in Medical legal Autopsy in Tanzania population. The aim of this study was to determine the morphological patterns of Traumatic Head Injury (TBI) in Medical legal autopsies seen at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH). Subjects and Methods : This was a hospital based cross -sectional study conducted at MNH mortuary. The postmortem examination was performed under Virchow method on 170 cases of TBI in which morphological patterns of TBI was recorded. Proportional of TBI frequencies on various morphological patterns in medical legal autopsies were recorded. Association between cause of death and etiology of TBI were established by Fisher - exact test.Results:The proportion of TBI among the medico - legal autopsy at MNH was 38.5%. All cases of TBI had scalp abrasion, and the majority had linear fra cture 67(39.3%) and the commonest the parietal bone was commonly affected 85(55.6%). In closed TBI, majority had subarachnoid hemorrhage130 (84.9%). All cases of T BI had brain edema, with one coincidental finding of metastatic adenocarcinoma. A total of 42 cases of TBI had brain herniation, 51 brain laceration and 52, had brain contusion. The association between etiology of injury, wearing helmets among motor cycle user and cause of death was statistically significance (p<0.05). Conclusion:The higher pro portion of TBI among medicolegal autopsies at MNH reflects the burden of head injury in our settings.

Dermatological Malignancies at a University Teaching Hospital in North-Western Tanzania: A Retrospective Review of 154 Cases

"Abstract:Dermatological malignancies are among the most common form of cancers and the global incidence has been increasing at an alarming rate. A retrospective study was conducted to determine the prevalence; histopathological pattern; anatomical distribution and treatment outcome of dermatological malignancies at Bugando Medical Centre in North-western Tanzania. Data were collected from patients' files kept in the Medical record department; the surgical wards; operating theatre and histopathology laboratory and analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences system. A total of 154 patients with a histopathological diagnosis of dermatological malignancy were studied. Generally; males outnumbered females by a ratio of 1.4:1. The majority of patients were in the 5th and 6th decades of life. Malignant melanoma was the most common dermatological malignancy (67.5) followed by Kaposi's sarcoma (10.4); Squamous cell carcinoma (8.4) and Basal cell carcinoma(7.8). The lower limbs were the most frequent site accounting for 55.8. Wide local excision was the most common surgical procedure performed in 79.2 of cases. Post-operative wound infection was the most common complication in 58.3 of patients. Mortality rate was 3.8. Dermatological malignancies are more prevalent in our setting. A high index of suspicion is needed to avoid labelling malignancies ""chronic ulcers"" and all suspected lesions should be biopsed."

Schistosomal peritonitis secondary to perforated appendicitis

In Tanzania, Schistosoma mansoni is endemic and causes intestinal schistosomiasis which affects various internal organs. However, worldwide there have been very few reports of cases of peritonitis due to schistosomal appendicitis. Here we report a rare case of schistosomal appendicitis with peritonitis in a 33 year-old male patient who recovered quickly after surgery.