Relevance of Clinical Autopsy in Medical Practice in Sub-Saharan Africa

Autopsy is very important in medical practice and is being increasingly relegated both in the developed and developing countries. Though autopsy rate has been on the decline; the exact rates are difficult to determine because various reports are influenced by many factors. The danger of the decline in the developing countries is that equipment for proper diagnosis is not yet available; therefore; most diagnoses are not made and the cause of death would not have been known. This article reviews the benefits of autopsy in modern practice; the importance of perinatal autopsy and the shortcomings of modern technology in the diagnosis and determination of the cause of death. Electronic literature search combined with the review of both local publications and relevant texts were carried out. Clinicians should endeavor to request for postmortem examination as the benefits far outweigh the reasons proffered for the decline in the autopsy rate

A 20 year histopathological study of cancer of the cervix in Nigerians.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second commonest cancrin the world. OBJECTIVE: The study is to evaluate the prevalence and histopathological pattern of cervical cancer in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City. METHODS: All the tissue slides of specimen [cervix and hysterectomy] diagnosed as cervical carcinoma over a period of 20 years [1987-2006] were retrieved and reevaluated for confirmation of diagnosis and tumour typing in the Department of Pathology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City. Clinical data were obtained from histopathology registers, request forms as well as case notes of patients obtained from the Records Department. RESULTS: A total of 598 cases of cancer of the cervix constituting 63.7% of gynaecological cancers were seen during the 20 year study period. The age range for cervical cancer was 15-90 years with a mean age of 50.4 years (SD +/- 13.5) and a peak occurrence in the 5th decade. Squamous cell carcinoma (92.3%) was the most common histological type of cervical cancer, followed by adenocarcinoma (6.0%) and adenosquamous carcinoma (1.0%). Glassy cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma malignant mixed mullerian tumour and rhabdomyosarcoma were rare constituting 1 (0.2) case each. CONCLUSION: This study has shown a high incidence of carcinoma of cervix at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. It is necessary to establish effective screening centres and educate the populace in order to raise the level of awareness and increase the early detection of preinvasive lesions.