Hirschsprung's disease: a clinical and pathologic study in Iranian constipated children

Hirschsprung's disease [HD] is a complex disorder resulting from absence of ganglion cells in the bowel wall leading to functional obstruction and bowel dilatation proximal to the affected segment. The aim of our study was to evaluate rectal biopsies from constipated children in different age groups to see in which age it is more likely to encounter HD to avoid unnecessary rectal biopsy. Records of all children with chronic constipation undergoing a rectal biopsy to exclude HD were obtained from the files of Children's Medical Center in Tehran, Iran. A detailed retrospective demographic review, including age of beginning of signs and symptoms was made of all cases. Totally, 172 biopsies were taken from 168 children in a five year period, of which 127 cases [75%] had HD. The mean age of constipated patients at biopsy was 39 months and the mean age of patients with proven HD was 18 months. Males were affected more than females. Congenital anomalies associated with HD were found in 9.6%. In 85 [91%] cases constipation had begun in neonatal period. Our data supports previous studies that if constipation begins after the neonatal period, the child is unlikely to have HD. In neonates delay in meconium passage is the most important clinical sign of HD

Pathologic evaluation of appendectomy specimens in children: is routine histopatholgic examination indicated?

Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal surgery in children. Similarity between signs and symptoms of appendicitis and other common pediatric illnesses, atypical manifestations of appendicitis in young children, and children's inability to give precise explanation for their symptoms contribute to considerable delay in proper diagnosis and increased rate of perforation. Current study reports the surgical and pathological findings of appendectomies in the largest Children's Hospital in Iran. It also evaluates whether common protocol for pathologic evaluation following appendectomy is beneficial. Pathologic reports of 947 appendectomies, performed with the presumptive diagnosis of acute appendicitis, were gathered. Correlation between surgical and pathologic findings was assessed. Demographic characteristics of patients between surgical and pathological subgroups were also compared. The mean age of participants was 6.9 +/- 3.5 years. Eighty seven [25.5%] children had abnormal pathological findings and normal surgical report. None of miscellaneous findings including appendicular carcinoid tumor 3 [0.3%], oxyuriasis 2 [0.2%], and mycobacterial infection 4 [0.5%] were recognizable during the surgery. Of all pathologically confirmed cases with perforated appendicitis, 9.7% were not detected during the surgery. In current study, acute appendicitis was the most common pathological diagnosis, however, high normal appendectomy rate along with noticeable proportion of surgically missed perforated appendicitis and unusual histopathologies strongly supported routine histological examination

[Survey on results of information technology in administrative departments of Shiraz university of medical sciences]

Information technology is a collection of instruments, equipments and skills that apply for storage, gathering and transfering of information. According to researches, different countries have tendency to information technology because of its advantages; for example reduce of costs, rapid and easy transfer of information and economize to time. With attention to role of information technology in utilization and relieve of centeralization, this study has paid to results of information technology in administrative departments of central building of Shiraz university of medical sciences. It was a descriptive study; data were collected by questionnaire included identification data of sample, time and duration of utilization of information technology in job functions, and its advantages in accounting and administrative departments of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data were analysed by SPSS and excel softwares. Validity of questionnaire was based on content validity. The findings revealed that the most utilization of information technology was rapid performance of function [60.7%] and minimum advantages were access to goals of functions [18.5%]. Optimum application of software was about Word [56%] and minimum of it was online communications [5.3%]. Advantage of utilization of information technology in administrative units was reduction of cost, better quality, and rapid performance of function. Application of information technology in security of information was minimum, because there was not any suitable software