[ case report of anterior cervical mass of thymus]

Ectopic cervical thymus is a rare cause of neck masses and can be found anywhere along its embryologic tract of descent from the angle of the mandible to the superior mediastinum, and it should be included in the differential diagnosis of neck masses, especially in children. Because most cases are not symptomatic, usually remains without diagnosis. Such anomalies are rarely diagnosed pre-operatively and often revealed by pathologic examination after operation. We introduced a 12-years-old girl with a soft left cervical mass anterior to Sternocleidomastoid muscle, from four months prior to refer, with firm consistency in touch and mild pain. With the initial diagnosis of lymphadenopathy was treated with antibiotics but did not respond to treatment. The patient underwent complete excision of the lesion and histological examination that showed an ectopic thymic cyst. This anomaly rarely diagnosed before surgery and can be mistaken easily with other cervical masses. Surgery is curative and the disease has excellent prognosis

Human subcutaneous dirofilariasis due to dirofllaria [Nochtiella] repens: clinically suspected as cutaneous fascioliasis

The significant increase in the number of human subcutaneous dirofilariasis in recent years, suggests the appearance of a new health problem in the old world with most cases reported from Mediterranean countries. Besides the present case, eleven cases of human subcutaneous dirofilariasis have been detected in Iran, three of which belong to Gilan Province, northern Iran. We present an autochthonous case of subcutaneous Dirofllaria repens infection in a 39-year-old woman from Kouchesfahan district of Gilan Province, manifest as an itching and highly erythmatous subcutaneous tender nodule on her right thigh. The nodule was excised by a dermatologist as a suspected case of cutaneous fascioliasis. Microscopic examination of the excised nodule revealed the presence of D. repens. Since Gilan Province is the endemic region for human fascioliasis and several cases of cutaneous fascioliasis have been detected in the province during last two decades, we propose the physicians and pathologists to take in to account subcutaneous dirofilariasis as an emergent zoonosis causing dermal and visceral lesions which may sometimes misdiagnose as malignant tumors, and also as differential diagnosis of cutaneous fascioliasis

Cystic lymphangioma of the small intestine in a young girl

We describe a case of a 12-year old girl who presented with abdominal pain. A large abdominal mass was discovered on physical examination. Preoperative studies including abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan were performed, but they could not accurately determine the nature of the tumor. At laparotomy, a large cystic tumor of the small bowel was found. Histopathologic examination revealed a tumor of cystic lymphangioma. Although lymphangiomas are rare, especially in the abdomen, they may sometimes present as abdominal pain and acute abdomen, causing complications that require emergent surgery

[Isolation of helicobacterpylori with PCR method from oral aphthous of patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis in Rasht in 2002]

Introduction: recurrent aphthous stomatitis [RAS] is a disorder, which is characterized by ulcers restricted to oral mucousa. Regarding the inspection of histological similarities between peptic ulcers and recurrent oral aphthous and the response of RAS to the broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment such as tetracycline and the identified role of H.pylori in peptic ulcers, the possibility of bacterial involvement in the progression of oral aphtous ulcers has been suggested. Hence, there are limited evidence available for colonization of H. pylori and its probable role in induction of oral aphthouse ulcers

Objective: we aimed to distinguish the probable presence of H.pylori in brushed sample of oral aphthous ulcers by PCR method

Materials and Methods: in this study, we sampled the oral aphtous ulcers with the toothbrush in patients with RAS. PCR which is a very precise and sensitive technique for isolation of H. pylori in ulcer samples of recurrent aphthous stomatitis and in samples from other parts of the oral cavity. Serologic tests such as ELISA were also done in all patients for determination of IgG antibody. Both PCR and ELISA were done in all patients. Evaluated patients were people presenting to the laboratory with the diagnosis of RAS, from the beginning of 2001 till the end of 2002

Results: study patients were between 18 to 60 years old and the average age among them was 32/38 +/- 11/30. 26 patients [52%] had positive ELISA test and we obtained H.pylori DNA in one patient [2%] in a total of 50 evaluated patients

Conclusion: according to the results of this study, H. Pylori DNA can't be found in aphthous ulcers of these patients, even in those with positive anti H. Pylori, anti body [IgG] results. And it is probable that these bacteria aren't involved in oral recurrent aphthous ulcers