Significance of tumour markers in colorectal carcinoma associated with Schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis as well as Colorectal Carcinoma are equally prevalent in Egypt. However, the role of Schistosomiasis as a risk factor for Colorectal Carcinoma is not well established. Three tumour markers have been assessed in 69 patients with large bowel disease. They were classified into five groups. Group 1 (A) included 21 cases with Schistosomal hepatic fibrosis. Group 2 (B) included 6 cases of ulcerative colitis. Group 3 (C) included 10 cases of adenomatous polypi of which 12 cases had Schistosomiasis. Group 4 (D) consisted of 21 cases of colorectal carcinoma, 12 cases had schistosomiasis in association with colorectal carcinoma constituting group 5 (E). Elevated CEA was observed in benign tumours but showed non significant difference in G4 and G5. Significantly increased AFP levels were evident in G1, G4, and G5. Significant increase of B-HCG was observed only in G4 and G5 indicating its significance as diagnostic index in case of malignancy. It has been observed that Schistosomal hepatic fibrosis induced increased levels of some of the tumour markers. Therefore, the factor of Schistosomal hepatic fibrosis should be considered during the assessment of tumour markers in colorectal carcinoma cases.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumours [cerebral neuroblastoma]: a clinicopathologic and immunocytologic study of nine cases

Nine cases of cerebral neuroblastoma were studied clinicopathologically and immunocytologically. The study proved the bipotentiality of tumor origin. Surgical resection followed by radiotherapy is the line of treatment despite the size and the site of the tumor

Prognostic factors in the management of traumatic intracranial hematomas

Twenty-five consecutive patients having traumatic intracranial hematomas in their CT scans were studied to evaluate the clinical radiological parameters which affected their outcome. The type of hematoma was the most important factor found to affect prognosis of such patient. Age, level of consciousness, motor response and reactivity of pupils had an influence on the outcome. Plain radiological findings did not affect the prognosis, where CT findings had an important bearing on the management of these patients and on predicting their outcome. Mortality correlated with the size of the hematoma, especially in intracerebral and acute subdural hematomas. Multiplicity of hematomas, punctate hemorrhages, or intraventricular bleeding were associated with a poor outcome. Mortality correlated with the amount of midline shift in CT, but the extent of brain edema had little effect on it. Surgical evacuation of traumatic intracranial hematomas remains the best line of management for such lesions; however, there is a place for conservative treatment in selected cases

Microlumbar diskectomy

Thirty-five young patients were properly selected for this study. They were presented with single discogenic lumbosacral root syndromes with no evidences of lumbar canal stenosis. They were operated upon through interlaminar approach using the operating microscope in the nerve root dissection and discectomy. Surgical cure was achieved in 91.5% of cases

Surgical management of spinal tuberculosis associated with neural compression

Twenty patients with spinal tuberculosis with neural compression were treated surgically. Two groups of patients were compared: those treated by a modified anterolateral decompression, and those treated by laminectomy. Results suggest that the anterolateral approach is an adequate method for the treatment of dorsal and dorsolumbar tuberculosis. Chemotherapy and external fixation followed the surgical treatment for a duration of 18 months following surgery. Spontaneous fusion was achieved in 50% of these cases at the end of a two-year follow-up

Some haemodynamic effects of diatrizoate, [Urografin], in anaesthetised dogs

The effect of urografin, a contrast medium commonly used for intravenous urography, on the arterial blood pressure and ECG of anaesthetised dogs was studied. In addition the interaction of this agent with some drugs was also investigated. Urografin given i.v as a single shot injection of 1.0 ml/kg produced significant reduction in the systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure. These changes reached the maximum level 5 minutes after the injection and gradually returned to became completely normal 10 minutes after administration of the agent. However, no changes in the heart rate or any other ECG abnormality could be demonstrated. The hypotensive effect of urografin did not change if the agent was given 15 minutes after prior treatment of the animals with atropine, propranolol, pheneramine salicylate, cimetidine, dexamethasone or combination of pheneramine salicylate and cimetidine. The present study could demonstrate that the hypotension induced by urografin was most probably mediate through a direct action rather than an effect on the muscarinic, beta-adrenergic or histamine receptors or the release of leukotriens