Familial outbreak of psittacosis as the first Chlamydia psittaci infection reported from Turkey.

Psittacosis, also known as parrot disease, parrot fever and ornithosis, can be transmitted to humans by inhaling dried excreta of infected birds like canaries, parakeets, parrots, pigeons and turkeys. Unless it is specifically thought of and investigated, the diagnosis of psittacosis can easily be missed and without identifying the exact etiology, the disease is usually treated as atypical pneumonia. We diagnosed psittacosis in a mother and her son with Friedreich ataxia, who took care of two parrots in their house.

The expression of MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 in chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis.

Objectives: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 in patients with nasal polyposis (NP) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Study Design: Prospective study.

Subjects And Methods: This study involved 54 patients.

Ulcerative colitis presenting as leukocytoclastic vasculitis of skin.

A number of cutaneous changes are known to occur in the course of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema nodosum, perianal disease, erythematous eruptions, urticaria, and purpura. However, occurrence of skin manifestations prior to the development of ulcerative colitis is a rare occasion. Here, we report a case of ulcerative colitis associated with leukocytoclastic vasculitis in which the intestinal symptoms became overt 8 mo after the development of skin lesions.

Detection of an aortoenteric fistula in a patient with intermittent bleeding.

Background: A 57-year-old male with an aortobifemoral bypass graft presented to a gastroenterology clinic with a 3-month history of intermittent hematemesis, melena and fever. The patient had received antibiotic therapy 2 months before for the same symptoms; however, following brief regression ( approximately 3 weeks) the symptoms had returned.

Investigations: Physical examination; analysis of full blood count; measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein levels, liver enzymes, electrolytes, renal function, serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride; HIV serology; blood, sputum, urine and stool culture analysis; performance of esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, abdominal ultrasonography and multidetector CT scanning.

Early electrocardiographic diagnosis of acute coronary ischemia on the paced electrocardiogram.

Background: Twelve-lead electrocardiography (ECG) is the most important source for the early diagnosis of an acute myocardial ischemia. However, its diagnostic value when the sequence of ventricular activation is altered by ventricular pacing is unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ECG changes on the paced ECG during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by doing temporary pacing.

Aplasia cutis congenita: a rare cutaneous sign of split cord malformations.

Background: Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is characterized by the absence of a portion of skin in a localized or widespread area at birth. It manifests usually as a solitary defect on the scalp, but sometimes may occur on the face, trunk, or limbs. ACC is most often a benign isolated defect, but can be associated with other physical anomalies or malformation syndromes.

Competitive analysis of intraoperative adjustable suture with conventional suture technique in strabismus surgery.

We compared the effectiveness of fixed conventional strabismus surgery (CSG) with a one-stage intraoperative adjustable suture technique in 88 patients undergoing strabismus surgery (ASG) either with fixed conventional (38) or intraoperative adjustable suture (50) technique. The mean correction of deviation with both near-fixation and distant-fixation for the ASG and CSG were not different. One-stage intraoperative adjustable suture technique is safe and effective method for strabismus surgery for cooperative patients.

The diagnostic value of skin lesions in split cord malformations.

Split cord malformations (SCMs) are rare congenital anomalies of the spine which are usually diagnosed and treated in early childhood. Asymptomatic patient can appear in adult life without diagnosis. Cutaneous signs are often the initial marker of congenital spine abnormalities, especially SCMs.

Hepatolithiasis: a Turkey experience.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to report our experience of hepatolithiasis, diagnosed in 55 patients between June 1995 and March 2003.

Methods: Fifty-five patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for hepatolithiasis between June 1995 and March 2003 at our institution were evaluated. Diagnosis of hepatolithiasis was based on cholangiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography.

Prevalence of silent celiac disease in patients with dyspepsia.

Celiac disease (CD) has become more common than in the past, although it frequently remains undetected for long periods of time. One reason for this is failure by health care professionals to recognize the variable clinical manifestations of CD and to perform the appropriate tests to make the diagnosis. Although dyspepsia may be part of a clinical spectrum in CD patients, there are scarce data about its prevalence in silent CD.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum in 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

A 25-year-old primiparous woman in her third trimester (36. week) of pregnancy presented with spontaneous pneumomediastinum and cervical subcutaneous emphysema. The patient's symptoms were completely resolved after 2 weeks of supportive management.

Methylprednisolone-induced toxic hepatitis.

Objective: To report the third published case, as of April 8, 2006, of methylprednisolone-induced toxic hepatitis.

Case Summary: A 47-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic with weakness, fatigue, pruritus, and scleral icterus that had developed 10 days prior to presentation. She had been taking topiramate for one year for treatment of chronic isolated central nervous system vasculitis.

Rat penis as a replantation model.

The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of rat penile replantation as a new microsurgical training model. The study was performed in 2 parts. ANATOMIC STUDIES: Fifteen Wistar albino rats were used to study and document the penile vascular anatomy.

Lengthening procedures of small bones of foot and foot stump.

Foot length discrepancy may result from congenital or acquired causes. If the absence of the foot is more proximal than the metatarsal level, push off and foot resilience will be disturbed and rapid walking and spring will be awkward. Those patients have to be fitted with a prosthesis extending above the ankle to the distal leg.

Coeliac crisis in adults: report of two cases.

Adult coeliac disease, in contrast to its childhood counterpart, almost always has an indolent course with a wider spectrum of clinical manifestations. Approximately half of the patients have no overt gastrointestinal symptoms and many are asymptomatic. A rare and life-threatening complication, affecting mainly children younger than 2 years of age, is the so-called coeliac crisis, a term that applies to profuse diarrhoea leading to dehydration, hypokalemia, and acidosis.

Office hysteroscopic evaluation of endometrium: can we hit the target?

Objectives: The objective was to determine the value of office hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia by comparing the patients who had hysteroscopic diagnosis of hyperplasia with the results of histopathologic examinations, and to try to describe the visual criteria.

Material And Methods: Two hundred and sixteen premenopausal and 114 postmenopausal patients who were admitted to the endoscopic surgery department between January 2000 and March 2001 were enrolled. Visual diagnoses of endometrial hyperplasia with office hysteroscopy were compared with the histopathological results of the endometrial specimen.

Fibular lengthening procedure: treatment for lateral instability of the ankle caused by fibular insufficiency in Melnick-Needles syndrome.

The Melnick-Needles syndrome (MNS) is a rare bone dysplasia with characteristic clinical and radiologic diagnostic findings. The diagnosis of MNS was made for the patient reported in this paper clinically and radiologic confirmation was done afterwards. Her left fibula was shorter than the right one.

Which is important in the evaluation of metastatic lymph nodes in head and neck cancer: palpation, ultrasonography, or computed tomography?

Objective: Evaluate palpation, ultrasonography (USG), and computed tomography (CT) with respect to their value for comparative determination of metastatic lymph nodes in head and neck cancer.

Study Design: A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary referral hospital. During September 1996 and April 1999, clinical investigation, USG, and CT were performed preoperatively on 48 patients who would undergo neck dissection for primary head and neck malignancy.

Surgical management of pediatric ranula.

Objective: Many surgical techniques have been described in the literature and their recurrence rates have been compared. Few studies have compared the results of the most popular techniques such as excision and marsupialization in pediatric population.

Methods: Sixteen children were operated for ranula.

Traumatic dislocation and fracture-dislocation of the hip: a long-term follow-up study.

Objective: Traumatic dislocation and fracture-dislocation of the hip is an absolute orthopedic emergency that is steadily increasing in incidence. Early recognition and prompt, stable reduction is the essence of successful management. A delay in recognition and reduction leads to preventable complications and morbidity.

Radiation-induced malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the neck in a patient with laryngeal carcinoma.

Fibrohistiocytomas are soft tissue tumors of histiocytic origin that have a variety of histological patterns. Although cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the head and neck have been reported with increasing frequency in recent years, they are considered rare. We report a case of the giant cell variant of MFH of the neck in which the patient had been given radiotherapy for T1 glottic cancer.