[Buccoepithelial cytologic lesions in workers exposed to chemical products].

Objectives: Our aim was to describe the genetic and cytologic lesions induced by occupational exposition to chemicals (barley powder, carbon dioxide, ammonia, organic solvents, and welding vapors) and to correlate frequencies of appearance of buccoepithelial cytologic disorders with age and toxic habits.

Materials And Methods: This descriptive, transverse observational study was comprised of 77 male workers to obtain information concerning age, on-the-job seniority, time of exposure, direct and indirect exposure, use of breathing protection, and toxic habits. We used exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa to estimate presence of chromosomal aberrations (micronuclei) and nuclear abnormalities (binucleation, pyknosis, condensed chromatin, and karyolysis).

[Myasthenia gravis in patients over 50 years of age].

Introduction: A study was made in the Clinical Provincial Hospital for Surgical Teaching Saturnino Lora in Santiago de Cuba. A group of 23 patients over 50 years of age attended this centre and were treated for the onset of myasthenia gravis between January 1983 and December 1997.

Objective And Methods: To determine some of the clinical and evolutive characteristics of the disease such as: sex, age of onset, initial symptoms of the illness, clinical forms and also the different types of treatment used, evolution and mortality.

[Results of preoperative preparation with mannitol in colorectal surgery. January-December 1995].

A study on the results obtained in 20 patients selected by the simple randomized method, who were preoperatively prepared for colorectal surgery with the oral administration of manitol and complementary antimicrobial therapeutics at the ASaturnino Lora@ Provincial Teaching Hospital, in Santiago de Cuba, from January to December, 1995, was conducted aimed at evaluating the results attained with the use of manitol in the preoperative preparation for colorectal surgery, determining its complications, analyzing its advantages, and assessing the patient, nurse and surgeon's opinion about the new procedure. The following variables were taken into account: age, preoperative diagnosis and previous operations. The percentage statistical method was used.