Blood group and rhesus antigens among blood donors attending the central blood bank, Sudan

It is well known that the Rhesus system remains the second most clinically important blood group system after the ABO. There is no published work regarding the frequency of various Rhesus antigens among Sudanese population. In order to minimize Rhesus allo-immunization among blood recipients a cross sectional study was conducted to determine the frequency of various Rhesus antigens among the blood donors attending the Central Blood Bank in Khartoum. Two hundred male blood donors were enrolled in the study. ABO and Rhesus typing were performed using the classical slide method and gel micro typing system. The frequency percentage of ABO blood phenotypes in the total samples were as follows: O[51.5%], A [29.5%], B [16%], and AB [6%]; whereas the frequency percentage of Rh antigens were D [93%], e [79.5%], c [68.5%], C, [27%], E [18.5%]. We concluded that the frequency of the Rh antigens can be shown in this order D > e > c > C > E. Special precautions need to be undertaken to minimize any possible allo-immunization by such antigens

Kartagener's syndrome

By means of in-vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer an epileptic married Qatar female with Kartagener's syndrome bore two sons, both of whom were haemophiliac. The nature of Kartagener's syndrome and its implications are explained and discussed

Urinary tract injuries during gaesarean section

A retrospective review of obstetric urinary tract injury in Hamad Medical Corporation [HMC] from January 1994 to December 2004 identified 16 cases from 21,337 Caesarean Sections. Diagnosis of bladder injury was immediate but of uretric injury was often delayed. Although the injury rates are lower than previously reported in the literature, Q.0016%-0.94% and 0.029%-0.09% for bladder and uretric injuries respectively compared to 0.07 and 0.01 for bladder and uretric injuries in Qatar, a previous caesarean section still represents the most common predisposing factor for infra-operative bladder injury [17 cases; 0.08%] while only one such injury occurred in a primary caesarean section [0.0047%]