role of mediastinotomy in the diagnosis of intrathoracic disease [a clinicopathologic study]

Twenty patients with mediastinal, pulmonary and pleural disease were submitted to anterior mediastinotomy as an investigative tool. Diagnostic anterior mediastinotomy yielded positive results in 100 percent of cases and is believed to be far superior to the other diagnostic procedures such as radiography, bronchoscopy and scalene lymph node biopsy. Although the procedure was attended with some complications, yet they were easily managed and no mortality was incurred in the series presented. The indications, operative technique, complications and pathologic findings are discussed

Needle puch biopsy in the pathologic diagnosis of chest diseases: an evaluation

Abrams needle was used to obtain a punch biopsy specimen from 14 patients with diffuse and localized lung diseases, 27 patients with pleural disease and seven patients with tumours of the chest wall with the aim to evaluate our experience with this procedure. The indications, technique, limitations and complications of the procedure were discussed and the results were analysed and compared with those reported by the different authors in the literature. It was found that Abrams needle punch biopsy of the lung, pleura and rib swellings is a simple and safe procedure that has a low complication rate and a high diagnostic yield. It is justifiable to recommend its use as an investigative tool in the diagnosis of parietal and visceral diseases of the chest

Histopathologic changes in rabbits chronically exposed to hashish smoke

The effect of chronic exposure to hashish smoke on the brain, lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys of 30 rabbits was investigated and compared with ten animals exposed to placebo smoke and five untreated controls. Compared with the untreated controls, histopathologic changes were observed in the brain and lungs in the hashish and placebo smoke-exposed animals. Hashish smoke-exposed rabbits showed hepatic, splenic and renal histopathologic changes when compared with untreated controls or animals exposed to placebo smoke. The results are discussed and compared with those in the literature. It is believed that the pathologic changes in the brain and lungs, being present with equal frequency in hashish and placebo smoke exposed animals, are not directly related to cannabis and may be caused by the other ingredients in the smoke. However, the hepatic, splenic and renal changes are believed to be a cannabis effect

Vascular changes induced by chronic cannabis consumption [an experimental study]

The effect of chronic cannabis administration on the histopathology of the arterial tree of rabbits was experimentally studied. About 60% of the cannabis-treated animals showed vascular changes in the branches of the coronary, renal and splenic arteries. These lesions were mainly in the form of intimal proliferation, medial necrosis and arterial scarring. The results were analysed, the possible pathogenetic factors involved were discussed and the hazards of this vascular patho-toxicologic effects were mentioned

Pathologic effects of cadmium toxicity in mice

Cadmium has been associated with a variety of pathological changes in humans and it was determined that the metal played an aetiologic role in the Japanese Itai-itai disease. The effect of chronic oral administration of cadmium chloride on the histology of the testicles, lungs and kidneys of 30 adult male albino mice was studied. Six animals were used as controls and for comparative purposes. Histopathologic alterations were demonstrated in cadmium-treated mice in the form of testicular necrosis, lung fibrosis and emphysema and renal tubular degeneration. The results are discussed and the hazards to health resulting from exposure to cadmium are mentioned

Corrosive injury of the stomach in potash poisoning: a histopathologic study

Twenty patients with complete oesophageal obstruction consequent upon the ingestion of caustic potash were studied. Biopsies were obtained from the fundus of the stomach as well as from the pyloric antrum, during the procedure of a feeding gastrostomy, with the aim to study the incidence and nature of gastric affection in potash poisoning. Histopathologic changes were demonstrated in 65% of the pyloric biopsies and in 16.6% of biopsies obtained from the fundus of the stomach. The results are discussed and the possible clinical implications of these histopathologic alterations are mentioned

Impairment of spermatogenesis by organophosphorus pesticides

Impairment of spermatogenesis was observed following the administration of organophosphorus pesticides [Gusathion A and Tamaron, Bayer] to sexually-mature male rabbits, as demonstrated by semen analyses and testicular histopathology. The possible implications of these findings are discussed and the potential hazards of the use of pesticides on male fertility are mentioned

Histopathologic changes induced by chronic exposure to a household insecticide: an experimental study

The effect of chronic exposure to a household insecticide on the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart and spleen of albino mice was studied. Histopathologic liver changes; in the form of sinusoidal dilatation, hepatocellular atrophy and centrilobular necrosis, were observed. About 10% of the exposed animals showed hyperplasia of the epithelial lining of the bile ductules with occasional papillomatous formation. The kidneys showed parenchymatous degeneration and necrotic changes in the proximal convoluted tubules. Congestion of the capillary bed of the lung and emphysematous changes were noticed. However, there was no obvious histopathologic changes in the various other organs of the present study. The results were analysed, and compared with those of the literature; and, the possible hazards of human exposure to household insecticides were discussed

Effect of chronic maternal exposure to low carbon monoxide concentrations on the foetus

The effect of maternal exposure to low carbon monoxide concentrations, throughout gestation, was studied in 21 pregnant Buscat rabbits and was compared with seven pregnant controls. Exposure of pregnant rabbits to 100 p.p.m. CO [parts per million by volume] in atmospheric air resulted in a mean maternal carboxyhaemoglobin level of 10.6% and a mean foetal level of 15.4% compared to control values of 1.1 and 1.3% maternal and foetal carboxyhaemoglobin in non-exposed animals. A significant increase in resorption sites and intrauterine foetal deaths and a significant reduction in the litter size and in foetal birth weght was demostrated in carbon monoxide-exposed animals when compared with controls. Neuropathological changes were observed in the foetal brain in 7% of co-exposed foetuses

"Effect of organophosphorus insecticides on pregnant rabbits"

The effect of chronic maternal exposure to the organophosphorus insecticide [Tamaron, Bayer], throughout gestation, was studied in 20 pregnant Buscat rabbits and was compared with 10 pregnant controls. A significant reduction in the litter size and in the foetal birth weight was observed in Tamaron-exposed animals. In pregnant rabbits exposed to the insecticide, 10% of the mothers and 9% of their foetuses showed pathologic changes in the liver in the form of zonal necrosis, associated fatty changes and lymphocytic infiltration