Iodine Deficiency Disorders as a Predictor of Stunting among Primary School Children in the Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To investigate the present occurrence of stunting and explore the role of iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) as a predictor of stunting among primary school children in the Aseer Region.

Methods: In a cross-sectional investigation on school children in the Aseer region, thyroid enlargement was evaluated clinically. Urine was collected to evaluate iodine content.

Iodine-deficiency disorders in the Aseer region, south-western Saudi Arabia: 20 years after the national survey and universal salt iodization.

Objective: To study (i) the current prevalence of iodine-deficiency disorders among schoolchildren in south-western Saudi Arabia after universal salt iodization and (ii) the iodine content of table salts and water.

Design: Cross-sectional study on a stratified proportional allocation sample of children. Thyroid gland enlargement was assessed clinically and by ultrasound scanning.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among health students and health care workers in the Najran region, southwestern Saudi Arabia: the need for national guidelines for health students.

Background: The objectives of the study were to study the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among health college students (HS) and health care workers (HCWs) in the Najran Region of south-western Saudi Arabia and to study the students' knowledge of occupational exposure to blood-borne viral infections.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of a representative sample of 300 HS and 300 HCWs was conducted.

Results: An overall seroprevalence of HBV of 1.

Assessment of malignancy rate in thyroid nodules according to the Bethesda system of fine-needle aspiration. Report from a tertiary center in the Southwestern region of Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To determine the rates of malignancy of thyroid nodules in each standard cytologic diagnostic category of the Bethesda system.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort study from October 1998 to April 2007 at the Department of Pathology, Aseer Central Hospital, Southwestern region of Saudi Arabia, all cases of thyroid nodules that underwent preoperative cytologic examination by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and concurrent postoperative histopathologic examination were included. All FNA diagnoses were reclassified using the thyroid FNA Bethesda reporting system, including non-diagnostic (insufficient), benign, atypical follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AFLUS), neoplasm, suspicious of malignancy, and malignant groups.

Hurthle cell neoplasms of thyroid in south-western region of Saudi Arabia.

Background: Thyroid Hurthle cell neoplasm (THCN) is relatively rare.

Objective: To describe the presentation, diagnostic approach and management of THCN in our institution.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of all thyroid Hurthle cell neoplasms diagnosed at Aseer Central Hospital (ACH), Saudi Arabia during the period from October 1998 to April 2007.

Patterns of thyroid cancer in Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To examine the pattern of thyroid cancer, assess the magnitude of the problem, and evolve a management plan for such malignancies.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of all thyroid cases operated at Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between January 1998 and December 2007. Clinical presentations, management regimens, and recurrence were reviewed.

Fatal complication of percutaneous femoral vein catheterization in a hemodialysis patient.

Percutaneous femoral vein catheterization is a safe procedure to perform and major complications are rarely reported. WE present a case of death following such procedure in a chronic hemodialysis patient. This case is to emphasize the importance of taking utmost care during insertion of he catheter and not to underestimate the dangers of what may look like a minor tear in the vein when surgical exploration is needed.

Ranson's criteria for acute pancreatitis in high altitude: do they need to be modified?

Background/aim: To examine the validity of Ranson's criteria in the prediction of the severity of acute pancreatitis (as judged by the occurrence of complications) in a high-altitude area of Saudi Arabia with a predominant biliary pancreatitis.

Materials And Methods: All consecutive cases of acute pancreatitis (AP) admitted to a tertiary care hospital over a two-and-half-year period were included in this prospective study. Ranson's criteria (RC) were used to determine the severity of the attack of AP, which was then correlated with the occurrence of complications.

Prevalence and risk factors of gallstone disease in a high altitude Saudi population.

To study the prevalence of gallstone disease and related risk factors in a Saudi Arabian population a cross-sectional community-based study was made of 291 people from Abha district, Asir region. A structured interview collected background data and all participants had upper abdominal ultrasonography to detect gallstones. The overall prevalence of gallstone disease was 11.

Clinical characteristics, diagnosis and surgical management of hydatid cysts.

Echinococcosis was described by Hippocrates more than two thousand years as a "fluid-filled liver", followed by the famous Arabian physician "Al-Rahzes." It is endemic in the Middle East, India, Africa, South America, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey and Southern Europe. The disease has got different clinical presentations, depending on the organ(s) involved, and may present a clinical dilemma regarding diagnosis and treatment.

Adult extrarenal Wilms' tumour: A case report and review of literature.

Whilst only fifteen cases of extrarenal Wilms' tumour (EWT) have been documented in adults, only two previous cases were located in the retroperitoneal space. We report a case of a 21-year-old Saudi female who presented with severe abdominal pain associated with a large solid tumour filling most of the left side of the abdomen and extending across the midline to the right side. Following surgical removal of this retroperitoneal mass, histopathological examination showed the classical features of Wilms' tumour.

An unusual cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a case report and a review of literature.

This is an unusual case report of a 60-year-old man who presented with massive rectal bleeding due to angiomatous formation. He was also found to be cirrhosis and to have an ectopic left kidney in the midline over the roof of the mesenteric vessel. He was treated successfully by performing a right hemicolectomy.

Drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts. The importance of cyst wall biopsy in the recent era.

Objective: While open internal drainage has been the standard treatment for pancreatic pseudocysts, less invasive techniques which pay little attention to cyst wall biopsy, are becoming popular. The aim of this study is to report on our experience in draining pancreatic pseudocysts and probe the necessity or otherwise of obtaining a wall biopsy at drainage.

Methods: Operation theatre registry, operation log books and medical records at Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were reviewed to retrieve the clinical details of patients with pancreatic pseudocyst who required a drainage procedure in a 13 years period from August 1989 to November 2002.

Proinflammatory cytokines in open versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Objective: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a minimal access surgery, is fast replacing open cholecystectomy and is being associated with less trauma. The objective of this study was to compare the proinflammatory cytokine levels in both laparoscopic cholecystectomy and open cholecystectomy.

Methods: This study was carried out at Aseer Central Hospital, Aseer region, Abha Private Hospital and the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the time period October 1998 through to November 2000.

Pattern of acute pancreatitis.

Objective: The aim of this communication was to study the clinical pattern of acute pancreatitis with special reference to aetiology, severity, seasonal variation and outcome in the high altitude region of Asir.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study. All consecutive cases of acute pancreatitis admitted to Asir Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia over a two and half-year period (May 1996 - October 1998) were included.

Endemic goitre in schoolchildren in high and low altitude areas of Asir region, Saudi Arabia.

Objective: A deficiency of iodine is characteristic of mountainous regions of the world, and the frequency of goitre in such areas has been recognized for centuries. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of goitre among schoolchildren in high and low altitude areas of Asir Region.

Methods: The study was carried out upon 940 male students randomly selected from 12 schools at 2 high altitude areas (Tamnia and Al-Soda) 3150 meters above sea level and one low altitude area (Marabah) 500 meters above sea level.

Pathology of the appendix.

An audit of 3374 appendectomy specimens in 2578 Saudi and 796 non-Saudi nationals revealed a diagnosis rate of 74.7% of inflamed appendix, a normal appendix range of 7.8% to 22.

Some rare presentations of hydatid cyst (Echinococcus granulosus).

Among all the cases of hydatid disease seen in an 8-year period at Asir Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia, seven cases are reported here because of their unusual presentations. One patient had a brain hydatid cyst which presented as a space-occupying lesion. The second patient presented with symptoms and signs of cardiac tamponade due to pericardial hydatidosis.

Acute abdomen in pregnancy.

Objective: To calculate the frequency of acute abdomen in pregnancy due to non-obstetric causes in a Saudi population, to discuss the etiology of the high incidence, to discuss how pregnancy altered the symptomatology of acute abdomen and to evaluate the result of early surgical intervention and use of tocolytics on maternal and fetal health.

Design: Retrospective analytic study of all cases of acute abdomen in pregnancy admitted between 1/1/1991 and 31/12/1993 to evaluate the result of early surgical intervention and use of tocolytics.

Setting: The surgical wards of Asir Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia.

Prevention of herniation at the site of cannula insertion after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

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Variants of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: experience at Asir Central Hospital.

Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid is now further subclassifiable into its different variants. We report incidence, clinical behaviour and outcome of rare variants of papillary thyroid cancers at Asir Central Hospital, Saudi Arabia. These variants differ from each other not only on a morphometric basis, but also in clinical behaviour.

Regulation of interleukin-4 production and cytokine-induced growth potential in peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

The malignant cells in tumour tissues produce cytokines/growth factors that may influence tumour growth, tumour immunogenicity and host immune response. We demonstrate that lymph node cell (LNC) purified neoplastic T cells from CD4+ peripheral T-cell lymphoma (CD4+ PTCL) and CD8+ PTCL spontaneously, and after stimulation with anti-CD3, secreted high amounts of interleukin-4 (IL-4) as compared to LNC-purified CD4+ and CD8+ non-malignant T cells. Furthermore, IL-4 was observed to be the most potent cytokine that induced in vitro proliferation and growth of the malignant T cells.