Choledochal cyst: a 10-year experience.

A retrospective study of 11 cases of choledochal cyst over a period of 10 years is presented. There were 8 females and 3 males in a ratio of 2.67:1.

The dilemma of nosocomial pneumonia: what primary care physicians should know.

Because nosocomial pneumonia is difficult to diagnose and the need to treat it is often urgent, particularly in patients on mechanical ventilation, therapy is often empiric. We review the pathogenesis, risk factors, microbiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease.

Actinomycosis of the vallecula: report of a case and review of the literature.

A rare case of actinomycosis presenting primarily as a mass in the vallecula is described. The patient was a healthy, 65-year-old Saudi, lady who was not immunocompromised and had no other primary pathology in the oral cavity. The clinical presentation and management of the case are discussed and the relevant literature reviewed.

Reaction of human lungs to aspirated animal fat (ghee): a clinicopathological study.

We report the clinical findings and pathological lung changes in four children following a cultural practice of forced feeding with animal fat (ghee) during infancy. The clinical presentation was of acute or chronic chest infection which failed to respond to antimicrobial therapy. The radiographic features ranged from extensive bronchopneumonia to collapse/consolidation and bronchiectasis.

Head and neck cancer in a referral center in Asir region.

This study looks at the incidence of head and neck cancer in the Southwest Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Asir Region). There were a total of 204 newly diagnosed patients seen at Asir Central Hospital between 1987 and 1992; 113 males and 91 females. All were Saudi patients.

Bilharzial and nonbilharzial bladder cancer in Asir: A comparative clinicopathological study.

A total of 48 bladder cancer patients out of 96 consecutive genitourinary cancer cases were divided into bilharzial and nonbilharzial groups on a histological basis in order to investigate the impact of bilharziasis on tumor behavior. Despite being a bilharzial endemic area, only 10/48 (21%) of our patients had bilharzial cancer (BC) of whom 8 (80%) had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 2 (20%) had adenocarcinoma. Out of 38 patients with nonbilharzial cancer (NBC), 35 (92%) had transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), and 3 (8%) had SCC.

Rhinocerebral aspergillosis.

Aspergillosis is increasingly being recognised as a common fungal infection of the paranasal sinuses. Although the disease is almost endemic in neighbouring Sudan, there are few reported cases from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We report four cases of sinus aspergillosis with involvement of the skull bases and/or intracranial spread; a condition we have termed rhinocerebral aspergillosis.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma within a choledochal cyst.

The authors describe a 6-year-old girl in whom they found an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a choledochal cyst; they found no previous reports of such an association. The patient presented with recurrent jaundice and loss of weight and appetite. A large abdominal mass was palpable.

Impact of schistosomiasis on urinary bladder cancer in the southern province of Saudi Arabia: review of 60 cases.

The histopathologic findings reported in 254 consecutive urinary bladder biopsies were reviewed. Evidence of urinary schistosomiasis was identified in 88 biopsies (35%) and malignant neoplasms were diagnosed in 60 cases (24%). Nine out of 60 (15%) cases of bladder cancer had urinary bladder schistosomiasis and the remaining 51 cases (85%) had no clinical evidence of schistosomiasis.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in breast tumours.

Total serum LDH and its isoenzymes were estimated in 10 female controls and 30 cases of breast lump (22 malignant, 6 benign and 2 breast abscess). In breast malignancy, there was a significant elevation of total LDH and LDH-3, LDH-4 and LDH-5 isoenzymes with a significant fall in LDH-1 and LDH-2 percentage value. Following therapy, there was a significant elevation in LDH-1 and LDH-2 towards normal with a significant fall in total serum LDH and LDH-4 and LDH-5 isoenzymes.