Completeness of low anterior resection pathology report: A hospital-based audit with recommendations on improving reporting.

Aims: To audit the information content of the pathology report on Low Anterior Resection (LAR) specimens and to provide recommendations in order to improve the existing standard of reporting. Materials and Methods : All the reports of LAR specimens during 2004 - 2005 were collected from the Hospital Information System (HIS). Individual items of information were compared with the minimum data sets provided by the Royal College of Pathologists (RCP). Results : Fifty-nine reports were audited. Nineteen percent of the reports were classified as satisfactory. Although many items were well reported, only 30.5% (18/59) of the reports contained a statement on the completeness of excision at the circumferential resected margin and only 25.4% of all reports mentioned the relation of tumors to the peritoneal reflection. Conclusion : The information content of the reports on colorectal cancer resection specimens is inadequate. The use of the standard proforma (template) for reporting rectal cancer is therefore recommended, along with improved education, review of laboratory practices in the light of current knowledge, and further motivation of pathologists through their involvement in multidisciplinary cancer management.

Metastatic carcinoma in hepatic hemangioma.

Metastasis into the hepatic hemangioma is a rare occurrence. We report a unique case of metastasis of intestinal carcinoma into hepatic hemangioma in a case of 65 year old male who presented with anorexia, weakness and headache. The postmortem examination revealed adenocarcinoma in the ileocaecal region. The liver showed a subcapsular hemangioma of 1.5 cms. diameter which on microscopic examination revealed metastasis of adenocarcinoma. The is the first documentation of metastasis in hepatic hemangioma. Such cases may pose problems of diagnostic difficulties and thus may result in mismanagement.

Pneumocystis carnii pneumonia in AIDS--an autopsy report.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), the most common presenting manifestation in patients with AIDS from western countries, holds the distinction for being the first opportunistic infection that was associated with AIDS. There is marked paucity of clinically diagnosed and pathologically confirmed cases of PCP in India. This case represents the first complete autopsy report of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia inpatient with AIDS from our country. A high index of clinical suspicion and microscopic confirmation is needed to avert mortality due to PCP in patients with AIDS.