A study on the functional ability of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) indicates that the total lysosomal enzyme levels viz. Beta-glucuronidase, lysozyme, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase were not altered in diabetics, compared to that in control subjects. However, the findings also reveal that the release of these lysosomal enzymes in response to a particulate stimulus is impaired in diabetics. This suggests that the bactericidal capacity of these cells, which are involved in phagocytosis, is impaired in diabetics, making them more vulnerable to infections.

Pathogenicity of 19 isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis obtained from vaginal specimens were studied in the murine model by intraperitoneal inoculation. Sixteen isolates were recovered from the females with various clinical conditions and 3 isolates were from normal healthy females. Pathogenicity level of these isolates were studied by inoculating 5 mice per isolate through intraperitoneal route and the animals were sacrificed on the 10th day post-inoculation. In general, all the isolates recovered produced infection in mice. On comparison with the reference strain obtained from Hoechst India Ltd., seven isolates recovered from symptomatic cases and one strain from healthy females produced severe infection in mice. Though variation in the pathogenicity level was observed among the isolates, a definite correlation between the clinical picture in the natural host and pathogenicity in mice was not observed.

A prospective study of 76 consecutive patients over the age of 40 years, with exudative pleural effusion, was undertaken to determine the common causes of such a clinical condition. Malignant pleural effusions were the most common in this series, found in 49 patients (64.47%), all but one being metastatic from elsewhere. Forty were secondary to a carcinoma of the bronchus, 3 from carcinoma of the breast, 1 each from carcinoma of the ovary, oesophagus, and larynx; lymphoma accounted for the remaining 2. Infective causes accounted for 24 of the effusions (31.57%). Of the infections, tuberculosis was the most common, accounting for 17 of the 24. Other infective causes included bacterial empyemas in 4, ruptured amoebic liver abscess in 2, and actinomycosis in 1. Pancreatitis, pulmonary thromboembolism, and a post-cardiotomy syndrome were diagnosed in 1 patient each, while the diagnosis remained unknown in the remaining 5 patients. In 2 patients the diagnosis was made on autopsy.

This is a retrospective review of the internal iliac ligations (IAL) done over a period of 3 years. Both gynaecological and obstetric cases were considered. A total of 46 ligations were performed. The additional treatment required was hysterectomy to control haemorrhage. Intra-and post-operative complications were noted. A comparative review of the effectiveness of IAL in different situations is done and alternative modalities of treatment are considered.

The study was carried at two different centres. Only 9 cases of primary malignant tumours of the renal pelvis could be collected during the period of 7 years (1984-1990). Renal pelvis malignancies constituted 0.21% of all the malignancies and 12.16% of all the malignant growths of the kidney (9 out of 74 cases). The age of these patients ranged from 24 to 70 years; the mean being 41.7 years. Male/female ratio was 8:1. Common triad of complaints (pain, haematuria and lump) was noticed in 22.2% of patients. Individually they were noticed in 77.8%, 66.7% and 44.4% of patients respectively. Transitional cell carcinoma was the commonest, seen in 7 patients (77.8%) whereas squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were noticed in one patient (11.1%) each. Hydronephrosis, chronic pyelonephritis and nephrolithiasis were noticed in 66.7%, 44.4% and 22.2% of patients respectively. Ultrastructural study of urothelial tumours revealed tumour cells in various stages of differentiation with loss of intercellular junctions and dense collection of rough endopasmic reticulum fibrils around the nucleus.

334 consecutive cases of thyroid swellings operated by a single surgical unit over 9 years have been analysed prospectively. There was a female preponderence (4.39:1). The swellings were clinically differentiated into uninodular (39.52%), multinodular (47.31%) and diffuse (13.17%). Hyperthyroidism was manifested in 49 cases (14.67%). Pressure symptoms were present in only 1.5% cases. FNAC detected malignancy in 14 of 162 cases (8.64%). The initial 100 cases were operated upon by standard Lahey's technique and the latter 234 by modified technique described by Bapat et al for benign thyroid disease. Operations performed included nodulectomies (5.39%), hemithyroidectomies (41.92%), partial thyroidectomies (25.75%), subtotal (25.45%) and near total thyroidectomies (1.5%). Post-operative complications were higher in the first group and included unilateral cord palsies-5 (5%). hypocalcemia-4 (4%) hypoparathyroidism-1 (1%) haemorrhage-1 (1%) and mortality-1 (1%) vis a vis cord palsies-2 (0.85%), hypocalcemia-3 (1.28%), hypoparathyroidism-1 (0.43%) and there was no mortality. Histopathology revealed 83 (24.85%) colloid goiters, 193 (57.78%) nodular goiters, 21 (6.29%) follicular adenomas, 7 (2.10%) cases of thyroiditis and 30 (8.98%) malignancies. This study reveals the lower incidence of RLN palsy after modified thyroidectomies, and a low incidence of malignancy.

Transplantation is already the optimum treatment for terminal renal failure. Donor organ shortage means that there are large number of patients on dialysis awaiting this treatment. This has in some countries led to unacceptable unscrupulous practices of live non-related graft donation. The outcome of graft and patient after transplantation has improved significantly based on a better understanding of immunopathology, immunosuppression and tissue typing. The future is promising and xenografting may well solve the organ shortage but undoubtedly will raise other issues.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma constitute around 0.4 to 1.7% of all carcinomas of cervix. It generally presents in elderly age group, however few cases in younger age have also been reported. Majority of cases present in early stage. Though concluding statement regarding the results cannot be made from the cases accumulated from the various reported series, nonetheless this review shows that radiotherapy too is effective in early stage and even in stage I results with radiotherapy appear better than surgery. In advanced stage outcome is invariably poor. In early stage main pattern of failure is distant metastasis. Both local and distant failure are observed in stage III and IV. Though lung is the commonest site of metastases (51%), abdominal cavity and brain are also found to be involved in some cases. Limited experience shows effectiveness of high doses of cisplatin and multiagent chemotherapy. Cases of early stage disease having risk for metastases and local failure should be identified and managed with multimodality treatment using surgery for bulky disease with post-operative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In advanced stages combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is required. Exenterative surgery for central failure has been used effectively. Overall no evidence of disease rate is found to be about 48%, with mean follow-up of 39 months.

Congenital tracheo-esophageal fistula without esophageal atresia was diagnosed on barium swallow radiography and esophagoscopy findings in an adult patient presenting with difficult in swallowing. The fistulous opening seen on the anterior wall of the esophagus led to the trachea. On bronchoscopy, the tracheal opening was located posteriorly 5 cm below the vocal cords. Successful repair was undertaken via a left cervical approach. The anatomical and developmental basis for the preferred approach is discussed with a brief literature review on the subject.

The rarity of rectal carcinoma in children has prompted us to report this patient who presented with bleeding per rectum and constipation. Histopathological examination of biopsy revealed the growth to be a colloid carcinoma of rectum and it was inoperable on exploratory laparotomy. There are three factors which contribute to an overall poor prognosis of rectal carcinoma in children viz. delay in diagnosis, advanced stage of disease and poorly differentiated histology.

A race case of Proteus syndrome is presented. The main features of this hamartomatous condition are partial gigantism of hands and feet, hemihypertrophy, subcutaneous masses, epidermal nevi and bony abnormalities. The condition is extremely rare. Though the child had severe cosmetic disability, motor intellectual and language development was found to be normal.

A rare case of extracerebral dural cavernous angioma sited near the sigmoid sinus is reported. This 60 yr old male patient gave history of episodic ataxia of left sided limbs experienced twice on same day and occasional giddiness. Examination did not reveal any findings. A mass was diagnosed on CT Scan following which angiography was carried out. The features matched with those of a meningioma. Retro-sigmoid craniectomy was performed. Occipital artery was coagulated. Tumor was dissected out. Post-operative course of the patient was uneventful. Histopathology revealed that the mass was a cavernous haemangioma.

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) and lung cyst--congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) are rare conditions in the neonatal period. Lobectomy is the only treatment for these conditions. We had 4 neonates, seen over a period of two years, who had congenital lobar emphysema and one neonate who had lung cyst. All babies had undergone lobectomy. Their anaesthetic management is discussed here.

Fraser Syndrome is a rare disorder with only a few cases having been described in Indian literature. We report here a case of a patient aged 16 yr present with primary amenorrhea which is a very unusual mode of presentation. Multiple associated anomalies were present including those of eyelids, eyebrow, face, fingers and genitalia. Chromosome analysis revealed a normal female karyotype. Pituitary gonadotropins were within normal range.