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.

Anthropometric indices, cord length and placental weight in newborns.

A study on the anthropometric indices of 3835 singleton newborn babies was conducted over a four months period at Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital, Trivandrum. Of these, 1921 (50.1%) were male babies and 1914 (49.9%) were female babies. The majority of infants (43%) were born to the middle socio-economic groups and the mean birth weight of babies was high among the high-income groups. Five hundred and ninety six (15.5%) babies weighed less than 2500 g; of these 121 (20.2%) were preterm and 477 (79.8%) were full term. The prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) was high (22.0%) among the mothers aged between 15 and 19 years. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the mean birth weight (BW) of term male and female babies but there was no significant differences in their body length, head circumference and cord length. The mean ponderal index of term newborn babies was 2.3 g/cm3. The mean placental weight of LBW term and preterm babies was less than that of the corresponding normal weight babies. The birth weight of babies was directly proportional to their placental weight.

A study on the health status of twin babies.

A study on twin births was conducted from May 1993 to April 1994 at S.A.T. Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. The twinning rate in this period was found as 17.33 per 1000 births. 79.6% babies in the twin pairs were of like sex and 20.4% were of unlike sex. The incidence of low birth weight twin babies in this study was 68.9%. There was no significant difference in the physical parameters (birth weight, body length and head circumference) of twin babies in relation to sex. The incidence of twin birth was higher among primipara mothers and in the mothers of age group 21 to 25 years. The first born baby (twin A) was found to be heavier than the second born baby (twin B) in 44.78% twin pairs and their mean birth weight difference was 438 g, while the second born baby (twin B) was found to be heavier than the first born (twin A) in 38.31% twin pairs and their mean birth weight difference was 291 g. Statistical analysis showed that the difference between the mean birth weight difference in the case of twin A > B was significantly greater when compared to that of twin A < B.