Helicobacter pylori in gallbladder mucosa in patients with gallbladder disease

Background

Helicobacter species have been found to be associated with biliary tract diseases. This prospective study was done to determine the prevalence of H. pylori in the biliary tract of patients suffering from gallbladder disease.

Methods

Forty-nine patients undergoing laparoscopic/open cholecystectomy for benign biliary tract diseases were investigated with urea breath test for H. pylori infection of gastric antrum. Bile and gallbladder tissues were studied for presence of H. pylori by rapid urease test, histopathological examination, culture and PCR analysis. Gallbladder specimens from two patients who underwent Whipple??s operation and from 10 cadavers were studied as controls.

Results

The mean (SD) age of patients was 42.4 (11.1) years. Urea breath test was positive in 17 (34.6%) cases. Rapid urease test was negative in all the cases. There was no evidence of H. pylori infection of gallbladder on histopathological examination using H&;E, Giemsa and Warthin Starry stains. H. pylori DNA were detected in 16 patients (32.6%) and none of the 12 controls by PCR analysis (p?=?0.025). The presence of H. pylori DNA in bile and/or gallbladder was associated with positive urea breath test, (p?H. pylori infection of bile and gallbladder.

Conclusions

Nearly three quarters of patients with positive urea breath test have detectable H. pylori DNA in gallbladder tissue. The significance of these findings needs to be further evaluated.     

Comparison of Implant Stability Before Prosthetic Loading of Two Dental Implant Systems

Dental implantology is the state of the art technique to replace missing teeth. Implant stability of implant jeopardizes its longevity and success of treatment. This study evaluates the implant stability of implant before and after 4 months of the implant placement, but before prosthetically loading it. Ten two-stage implants of Life care and Nobel Biocare dental implants were placed in 20 patients. Digital OPG was taken on the day of implant placement. After 4 months, at the time of second stage surgery, the implant stability was evaluated by the Periotest instrument. Four months after the implant placement, Periotest evaluation showed a mean of 1.9, which indicated that implants were well osseointegrated and stable. Even before prosthetically loading the two-stage implant, crestal bone loss of 0.6–0.9 mm occurred around the implant. The smooth polished collar design of the implant may have contributed to crestal bone loss.     

Imaging the pediatric retina: An overview

Recent decade has seen a shift in the causes of childhood blinding diseases from anterior segment to retinal disease in both developed and developing countries. The common retinal disorders are retinopathy of prematurity and vitreoretinal infections in neonates, congenital anomalies in infants, and vascular retinopathies including type 1 diabetes, tumors, and inherited retinal diseases in children (up to 12 years). Retinal imaging helps in diagnosis, management, follow up and prognostication in all these disorders. These imaging modalities include fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, ultrasonography, retinal vascular and structural studies, and electrodiagnosis. Over the decades there has been tremendous advances both in design (compact, multifunctional, tele-consult capable) and technology (wide- and ultra-wide field and noninvasive retinal angiography). These new advances have application in most of the pediatric retinal diseases though at most times the designs of new devices have remained confined to use in adults. Poor patient cooperation and insufficient attention span in children demand careful crafting of the devices. The newer attempts of hand-held retinal diagnostic devices are welcome additions in this direction. While much has been done, there is still much to do in the coming years. One of the compelling and immediate needs is the pediatric version of optical coherence tomography angiography. These needs and demands would increase many folds in future. A sound policy could be the simultaneous development of adult and pediatric version of all ophthalmic diagnostic devices, coupled with capacity building of trained medical personnel.