Students' perspectives on research and assessment of a model template designed to guide beginners in research in a medical school in Cameroon.

Background: Research activities for medical students and residents (trainees) are expected to serve as a foundation for the acquisition of basic research skills. Some medical schools therefore recommend research work as partial requirement for certification. However medical trainees have many difficulties concerning research, for which reason potential remedial strategies need to be constantly developed and tested.

Conjoined twins in Cameroon: issues inherent in diagnosis and management in the African context.

Conjoined twins represent one of the rarest forms of congenital abnormalities. We present a case of conjoined twins delivered at born in the Yaounde Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital in Cameroon. They were joined at the chest and abdomen, and had one functional heart.

Isolated congenital fusion of the gums.

Isolated congenital fusion of the gums is a rare anomaly. Early surgical treatment is indicated, as longstanding cases will impair normal feeding leading to nutritional and growth problems. We report the first case in the Yaoundé Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital, which was successfully managed surgically.

[Burkitt lymphoma in Cameroon children: descriptive and clinico-anatomical aspects].

This retrospective study is armed to indicate the descriptive and pathological aspects of children Burkitt lymphoma in Cameroon. It was performed on a 4 year period between July 1988 and July 1992. Children from 0 to 15-year-old who were hospitalized and who had histologically provern Burkitt lymphoma were included.

[Benign sacro-coccygeal teratoma. A case report in Yaounde, Cameroon].

The authors describe a cases of sacrococcygeal teratoma observed in an infant after pregnancy without ultrasound surveillance. The mass was located in the buttock with a mainly exo-pelvic extension. There was no other malformation.

[Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by needle puncture--aspiration and cytological test. The experience in Cameroon].

The authors report their experience of the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using needle aspiration cytology over a four year period (1989-1992). In 116 of the 119 patients presenting with histologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma, the diagnosis was previously established by cytology. This method has a 97% sensitivity.

[Renal puncture biopsy in nephrotic syndrome in Cameroonian children, adolescent and adults: histopathologic profile according to age].

Eighty-six renal biopsies were under-taken in the Nephrology Service of the Yaounde Central Hospital (Cameroon, Central Africa) during a 4 year period (1st January 1986 to 31st of December 1989). Fifty of them (58%) were done in case of nephrotic syndrome associated or not with hypertension, renal failure. Only 42 of these 50 biopsies were valid and concerned 9 patients aged 8 to 15 years, 22 aged 16 to 30 years and 11 above 30 years.