Bilateral synchronous male breast cancer.

Bilateral synchronous breast cancer is extremely rare. A 75-year-old man presented with a right breast mass, which ulcerated and a lump in the left breast. Right breast examination revealed a breast ulcer 7x10cm with everted edges and complete nipple destruction. The left breast showed a hard lump measuring 4x5cm in the nipple-areolar area, unattached to skin, or underlying structure. There was no palpable axillary lymph node bilaterally. A wedge biopsy of right breast ulcer and excision of the left breast lump confirmed bilateral invasive ductal carcinoma - Grade 2 tumor in both breasts. He had bilateral simple mastectomy and chemotherapy; defaulted for 18 months during treatment, and re-presented with bilateral tumor recurrence. The importance of this case report is to create more awareness that breast cancer can occur in males just as in females, though the incidence is rare in males. Early presentation and compliance with treatment modality provide a better outcome.

Outcome of bronchoscopic biopsies in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

AIM: Our study was done to evaluate our bronchoscopic techniques, sizes and diagnostic yield. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study comprising all cases of bronchial biopsies done in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital from 2007 to 2011. All patients who had flexible bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia during the period under review where enrolled in the study. RESULTS: There were a total of 16 patients: Nine males and seven females, with a mean age of 46.9 years. The main indications were cough (87.5%), weight loss (62.5%), X-ray findings of a chest lesion (87.5%), chest pain (62.5%), difficulty with breathing (31.3%) and massive haemoptysis (25%). Histology results showed inadequate samples in six and Bronchogenic carcinoma in four patients. The histology was pivotal in eight patients. CONCLUSION: Bronchoscopic biopsies are fraught with problems and other clinical investigative tools would certainly be important in improving the results.

Outcome of Bronchoscopic Biopsies in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital

Our study was done to evaluate our bronchoscopic techniques; sizes and diagnostic yield. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study comprising all cases of bronchial biopsies done in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital from 2007 to 2011. All patients who had flexible bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia during the period under review where enrolled in the study. Results: There were a total of 16 patients: Nine males and seven females; with a mean age of 46.9 years. The main indications were cough (87.5); weight loss (62.5); X-ray findings of a chest lesion (87.5); chest pain (62.5); difficulty with breathing (31.3) and massive haemoptysis (25). Histology results showed inadequate samples in six and Bronchogenic carcinoma in four patients. The histology was pivotal in eight patients. Conclusion: Bronchoscopic biopsies are fraught with problems and other clinical investigative tools would certainly be important in improving the results

Postmortem examinations on deceased neonates: a rarely utilized procedure in an African referral center.

Postmortem examination remains the gold standard for the correct diagnosis of many diseases and for unraveling unexplained causes of death. This paper reports on the poor utilization of autopsy services and encourages parents/caregivers and practitioners to perform postmortem examinations on deceased neonates in sub-Saharan Africa. In a retrospective study, the records of 1093 neonates (653 males and 440 females, ratio 1.5∶1) who died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and who were brought to the mortuary between 2006 and 2010 were reviewed to determine the utilization of and factors influencing postmortem examination. Sixty-two percent of the neonates died within the 1st week of life, and only 9 (0.8%) underwent a postmortem examination. Findings in the 9 postmortem studies performed on 7 males and 2 females provided additional information on the causes of death. The religious beliefs that neonates should not be subjected to postmortem study and beliefs that dead neonates are taboo and a punishment by the gods for past wrongdoings influenced 511 (46.8%) parents/caregivers to refuse postmortem analysis. The practitioners did not request postmortem study in 281 (25.7%) of the cases. The utilization of postmortem examination was marginal in this setting. We advocate the need for public enlightenment campaigns to modify the attitudes of parents/caregivers toward the postmortem study of deceased neonates. Policies should be formulated to mandate postmortem examinations of deceased neonates to enhance insight into neonatal disease, unravel unexplained causes of death, and improve the standard of neonatal care in this subregion.