Cancer patterns in Jordan 1975-1979

A total of 3,604 primary malignant tumours diagnosed histologically at the Departments of Pathology in Jordan during the period 1975-1979 were analysed. The relative frequency by age, sex and site of these tumours and age-standardised incidence rate are presented. Truncated standardised incidence rates for selected tumours were compared in Jordan and other countries. Except for the urinary bladder tumours, there is a striking resemblance between Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries in the pattern of tumour-occurrence in most sites. Skin malignancies are the dominant tumours in the general and male population, breast in female population and lymphomas in children. Noteworthy are the histologically advanced bladder cancers and the relatively young females affected by breast cancer at first diagnosis. Childhood tumours comprised 7.4% of the total cancers in the present study.     

Quality in Clinical Practice

This paper reports the proceedings of the discussion panel assigned to look at clinical aspects of quality in emergency medicine. One of the seven stated objectives of the Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference on quality in emergency medicine was to educate emergency physicians regarding quality measures and quality improvement as essential aspects of the practice of emergency medicine. Another topic of interest was a discussion of the value of information technology in facilitating quality care in the clinical practice of emergency medicine. It is important to note that this is not intended to be a comprehensive review of this extensive topic, but instead is designed to report the discussion that occurred at this session of the consensus conference.     

The effect of optical design on micromanipulator spot size using CO2 laser irradiation

Objective: The study goal was to compare the laser spot size created using reflective and refractive micromanipulators with a CO₂ laser and to determine the sensitivity of spot size to laser power. Study Design and Setting: A CO₂ laser and operating microscope (400-mm focal length) was coupled to either a reflective (Cassegrain-like) or refractive micromanipulator. Laser spot size was determined by measuring the region of ablation created by laser irradiation of wood (dry tongue depressors), exposed photographic film, and agar gel using optical micrometry. Laser power varied from 0.5 to 20 W with pulse durations of 0.1 and 0.5 second. Results: The reflective micromanipulator demonstrated overall smaller spot sizes for a given laser power and lower incremental change in spot size with increasing power. The reflective design demonstrated less sensitivity to increases in laser power. Conclusions: Micromanipulator optical design can result in significant differences in laser spot size. The reflective device used in this study demonstrated less sensitivity to increasing laser power. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;126:593-597.)