Primary tuberculosis of the maxillary sinus: a case report

Tuberculosis is up-to-date a leading cause of human suffering and loss of life. Although tuberculosis is a systemic disease, primary tuberculosis of the paranasal sinuses is rare. It should be kept in mind in any undiagnosed or atypical clinical infection or inflammation in this region. We present here a case of primary paranasal sinuses tuberculosis in an elderly Sudanese woman. Although Sudan is one of the highest three counties in the incidence of tuberculosis, this is the first case to be reported in Sudan

She wants it done

To compare ear piercing practices and complications arising there from in British and Sudanese children and to seek possible ethnic, cultural and environmental differences. Settings: Maelor, General Hospital, Wrexham, UK and Wad Medani Children Hospital, Wad Medani, Sudan. Parents of a hundred British children and an equal number of Sudanese parents were requested to fill a questionnaire on ear piercing. All children were examined for possible local or systemic complications. All parents answered the questionnaire. Eighty-eight [88%] of the British children were girls while all Sudanese children [100%] were girls. Eighty [80%,] of the British children had had their ears pierced before they were 6 years old while 90% of Sudanese children had had their ears pierced below that age. The procedure was performed in both groups by non-medical staff. Local inflammation and allergic contact reactions were the commonest complications in both groups. Keloids were only encountered in the Sudanese children. A case of tetanus was encountered in the Sudanese group. Conclusion and recommendations: Ear piercing in both communities is performed at a very early age. This procedure is not without complications and the medical profession should advise safety in this practice. Earrings selected should be of non- allergenic material. Regular application of an antiseptic to the site should be encouraged. The community should be made aware of the hazards and complications of ear piercing. With the awareness of these complications and guided with a set of rules, people may continue the practice [she may have it done]. Health authorities in Sudan should formulate guidelines that will ensure hygienic measures and reduce complications

Psychiatric manifestations in hair dye poisoning

To study the psychiatric manifestations in patients attempting suicide using paraphenylenediamine, a component of locally used hair dye. A prospective study of 50 successive patients who presented with acute hair dye poisoning was carried out after their recovery from the acute toxic phase. About 58% of the cases were attempted suicide as compared to 12% who completed suicide and 30% in whom the ingestion was accidental. Seventy per cent of the patients showed significant psychiatric manifestations. Psychiatric assessment and treatment is vital in these cases

case of Waardenburg syndrome type II observed at Gezira, Sudan

A seven years old Sudanese girl presented with heterochromia irides and bilateral profound symmetrical sensorineural deafhess. The clinical features were consistent with Waardenburg syndrome type II