Prevalence of adult paraumbilical hernia. Assessment by high-resolution sonography: a hospital-based study.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal wall hernias are a common imaging finding in the abdomen. Ultrasonography (US) is noninvasive and allows the examination of the patient in a physiological manner. High-frequency annular US probes have become an increasingly important diagnostic tool for detecting pathological lesions in superficial organs. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of paraumbilical hernias among adult patients by abdominal sonography in a tertiary care hospital and to describe the sonographic technique and findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the 2-year period between January 2008 and December 2009, we performed high-resolution US of the anterior abdominal wall on 302 patients who were referred for different reasons other than the examination of the anterior abdominal wall. The images were taken by a radiologist with 12 years of experience in US, and the images were reviewed by three consultant radiologists with expertise in body imaging. RESULTS: A total of 302 patients [169 females (56.0%) and 133 males (44.0%)], ranging in age from 17 to 85 years, with a mean age of 53.5 years, were enrolled in the study. The number of positive cases among females was 42 (24.9%) and that among males was 31 (23.3%). CONCLUSION: High-resolution US is an efficient tool for detecting the presence of paraumbilical hernias and accurately verifying not only their content, but also the possible associated complications.

The relative incidence of fractures at the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb in children.

There is disagreement in the literature about the most common fracture type at the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb in children below the age of adolescence. In this prospective study, 58 consecutive children aged 10 years or less with isolated fractures of the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb were included and their radiographs were reviewed. The study included 38 boys and 20 girls with a mean age of 8 (range 1-10) years. After excluding one patient, in whom the type of fracture could not be determined, the most common fracture in the remaining 57 cases was the Salter-Harris type II fracture (72%), followed by the juxta-epiphyseal type II fracture (18%).

The relative incidence of fractures at the base of the proximal phalanx of the fingers in children.

There is debate regarding the most common fracture type at the base of the proximal phalanx of the fingers in children prior to closure of the epiphysis. In total, 100 consecutive children presenting with 103 fractures were included in a prospective study and their X-rays were reviewed by a consultant musculoskeletal radiologist. The study included 61 boys and 39 girls with a mean age of 10 (range 4-14) years. The most common fracture observed was the juxta-epiphyseal type II fracture (53%), followed by the Salter-Harris type II fracture (26%). Other fractures observed included Salter-Harris type I (4%), Salter-Harris type IV (5%), juxta-epiphyseal type I (8%), transverse metaphyseal (2%) and oblique metaphyseal (2%).

Prevalence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis in Saudi Arabia.

In this cross-sectional study we looked at the radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in 300 randomly chosen patients attending 14 primary care facilities for different medical conditions. Radiographic OA was seen in 89 out of 167 males (53.3%) and in 81 out of 133 females (60.9%). The patella was involved with radiographic osteoarthritic changes in 80.7% and 87.8% of female and male OA patients, respectively. In most cases the medial compartment joint space was narrowed. Radiographic OA of the knee is very common in Saudi patients, especially in the patellofemoral compartment.

Invasive mucormycosis in benign gastric ulcer.

Fungal elements are frequently noted overlying the base of chronic peptic ulcers of the stomach and it has been suggested that the fungi enhance the degree of necrosis and that these cases have protracted disease and deeper ulcers with more perforations. It has also been postulated that the number of fungal elements might be increased in the stomach of patients who are receiving potent medications such as H2-receptor antagonists to reduce gastric acidity, but there have not been adequate control studies, and the deleterious effects from the presence of the fungi in these cases have not been substantiated. We present a very rare case of invasive mucormycosis (phycomycosis) occurring in the base of a chronic gastric ulcer in a 55 years old diabetic male. This case was clinically and radiologically been mistaken for a gastric carcinoma. In addition, the ulcer was complicated by perforation and fungal septicemia with subsequent fatal outcome. The clinical, radiological and histopathological features are described together with a literature review of other reported fungal gastric ulcers.

Intrathoracic fat. A new CT feature of intrathoracic rib. Case report.

A case of intrathoracic rib in a 55-year-old woman is described. A plain chest film showed a rib forking and a pleural based opacity. Computed tomography (CT) showed the lower arm of the rib fork to be "intrathoracic" and the pleural based opacity to be due to pleural tent and intrathoracic fat. Twenty cases have so far been reported, only few were studied by CT scan. The presence of intrathoracic fat has not previously been described in these cases. The types of intrathoracic rib including pseudo intrathoracic rib of newborn infants are discussed.

Camel bites: report of severe osteolysis as late bone complications.

Four cases of severe osteolysis of bones subsequent to camel bite are described. The first had osteolysis of the ribs with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia. Two cases had similar appearances of gross osteolysis of the shafts of the radius and ulna, whilst one had osteolysis of the humeral shaft. The similarities in the radiological appearances especially of the gross osteolysis at the site of trauma are noted. The complications following mammal bites are discussed.