ABSTRACT
There is a shortage of information on the epidemiology of digestive disease in developing countries. In the belief that such information will inform public health priorities and epidemiological comparisons between different geographical regions, we analysed 2132 diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy records from 1999 to 2005 in the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. In order to clarify unexpected impressions about the age distribution of cancers, a retrospective analysis of pathology records was also undertaken. No abnormality was found in 31% of procedures, and in 42% of procedures in children. In patients with gastrointestinal haemorrhage, the common findings were oesophageal varices (26%), duodenal ulcer (17%) and gastric ulcer (12%). Gastrointestinal malignancy was found in 8.8% of all diagnostic procedures, in descending order of frequency: gastric adenocarcinoma, oesophageal squamous carcinoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Data from endoscopy records and pathology records strongly suggest that the incidence in adults under the age of 45 years is higher than in the USA or UK, and pathology records suggest that this effect is particularly marked for colorectal carcinoma.
Subject(s)
Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/standards , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/epidemiology , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Child , Developing Countries/statistics & numerical data , Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/statistics & numerical data , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/classification , Hospitals, Teaching , Humans , Medical Records , Middle Aged , Peptic Ulcer/epidemiology , Peptic Ulcer/microbiology , Retrospective Studies , Zambia/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Dissection of a male cadaver revealed several vascular abnormalities in the abdominal cavity, notably of the renal circulation. In particular, three renal arteries were observed on the right side and two on the left. On the right side, one accessory renal artery originated as a common trunk with the inferior mesenteric artery. Additional variations included a left inferior phrenic artery originating from the celiac trunk, bilateral testicular veins emptying into renal veins, and the left testicular artery arising from the left renal artery. The possible embryonic development of these branching patterns and their clinical significance are discussed briefly.
