MHC IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: A STUDY ON A KUWAITI POPULATION

HLA alleles were studied in Kuwaiti patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although significant association of B5, B8, and DR3 has been reported in the literature, the most common phenotype for our patients is A3, DR2 as susceptible alleles and DQ1 as a protective gene.     

Dermatomyositis in a patient with high grade papillary urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder

Inflammatory myopathies like dermatomyositis are associated with increased incidence of malignancies. This association has been commonly reported with malignancies of ovaries, gastro‐intestinal tract, breast and non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas but occurrence of dermatomyositis with bladder cancer has been rarely reported. We report a patient with carcinoma bladder who developed dermatomyositis while being treated for the bladder cancer.     

Evidence of Immunosuppression by Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major respiratory pathogen in human infants and calves. Calves and lambs infected with bovine RSV show mild clinical signs but they are more susceptible to secondary infection with Pasteurella haemolytica. Lambs infected with P. haemolytica 6 days after experimental infection with bovine RSV had significantly greater magnitudes of fever, higher disease and lesion scores and higher mortality rates than those infected with P. haemolytica or bovine RSV alone ( P < 0.05).
Experimental infection with bovine RSV is characterized by alterations in lymphocyte subpopulation sand down-regulation of some of their functions. For example, the number of T helper cells is significantly reduced during the first week of infection and peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from bovine RSV-infected lambs were less responsive to the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin but more susceptible to P. haemolytica cytotoxin than those obtained from control lambs. Infection with bovine RSV does not significantly affect the humoral immune responses of lambs against P. haemolytica cytotoxin. Bovine RSV does not appear to affect the capacity of alveolar macrophages to present antigens in vitro.     

Progressive osseous heteroplasia in the face of a child

We describe a rare case of progressive osseous heteroplasia of the face in a child. Biopsy showed osteoma cutis superficially with ectopic bone formation in the deeper tissues including skeletal muscle. Analysis of DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes showed mutations in the gene encoding the alpha subunit of the stimulatory G protein of adenylyl cyclase (GNAS1), confirming the diagnosis of progressive osseous heteroplasia.     

CHOLECYSTECTOMY THROUGH A MINI-LAPAROTOMY A PRELIMINARY REPORT

Cholecystectomy through a small subcostal incision (mini-lap cholecystectomy), has recently been introduced as an alternative to conventional cholecystectomy in an effort to reduce its attendant morbidity. A trial was conducted to assess the morbidity of cholecystectomy performed through a small subcostal incision. Eighteen consecutive patients posted for elective cholecystectomy were operated through such an incision. In 2 [11%], the incision had to be extended. The records of these patients were retrospectively compared with an equal number of consecutive cholecystectomies previously performed by the same surgeon through a conventional incision. There was no significant difference in the average operating time, incidence of wound infection or the number of post-operative complications between the conventional and the mini-laparotomy group. However, the number of doses of post operative analgesic required, the duration of post-operative ileus, hospitalisation and convalescence needed was nearly halved. Thus mini-lap cholecystectomy has much lesser morbidity and is considered to be a safe and viable alternative to conventional cholecystectomy.KEY WORDS: Cholecystectomy, Mini-laparotomy, Post-operative morbidity     

IMPACTED RIGHT UPPER CENTRAL INCISOR AND TRANSPOSITION OF TWO OTHER ANTERIOR TEETH ON THE SAME SIDE (A Case Report)

A young boy presented with an uncommon finding of impaction of upper right central incisor and transposition of canine and lateral incisor on the same side. Esthetic management of his cosmetic problem which included fixed appliance therapy followed by light cure restorations is discussed.KEY WORDS: Impaction, Transposition     

CONTINUOUS MONOFILAMENT POLYAMIDE (LOOP) SUTURE IN THE REPAIR OF RECURRENT AND COMPLICATED INCISIONAL HERNIA

Surgery for recurrent incisional hernia is followed by further recurrence in nearly half the patients. Majority of these failures are due to wound complications and factors which give rise to an increased strain on the suture line. In an effort to counter the risk factors, continuous monofilament nylon loop suture was used in the anatomical repair of 15 patients with recurrent and complicated incisional hernia. After a median follow up of 14 months only one patient (6.6%) developed a recurrence, despite selecting only poor-risk patients. This technique for anatomical repair of incisional hernia seems safe and dependable.KEY WORDS: Incisional hernia, Monofilament nylon, Suture material