Comparison of pregnant Turkish women and Syrian refugees: Does living as a refugee have an unfavorable effect on pregnancy outcomes?

OBJECTIVE: To compare pregnant Turkish women and Syrian refugee women in terms of demographic data and obstetric and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: In a retrospective study, the records of Turkish women and Syrian refugee women who gave birth at the Health Sciences University Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital, Kocaeli, Turkey, between January 1, 2016, and July 31, 2017 were examined. Maternal characteristics and obstetric and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The study, which included 7950 Turkish women and 620 Syrian refugee women, found significant differences in maternal age according to nationality. The rate of normal delivery was significantly lower for the Turkish women at 51.6% (P=0.001) compared to 61.3% for the Syrian refugee women. The rate of delivery prior to 37 weeks of gestation was 1.8% for the Turkish women and 3.2% for the Syrian refugee women, indicating earlier delivery for the Syrian refugees than the Turkish women (P=0.017). A significant difference was found between the birth weights of infants born in the two groups (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: According to the study results, Syrian refugees have a higher rate of adolescent birth and low-birth-weight neonates which could be attributed to poor care and insufficient nutrition during pregnancy while living as a refugee in Turkey.

Antienflamatuar and antiadhesive effect of clioquinol.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The aim of this study is to investigate the expected adhesion-modifying effect of clinoquinol which has metal-chelating feature that limits the inflammation and fibroblastic activity. METHODS: A total of 40 Wistar Albino rats were included, which were divided into 5 groups. Group-1 constituted the sham group. Other groups, adhesions were induced by performing cecal abrasion on the rats. For treatment, saline solution was added to Group-2, carboxymethylcellulose was added to Group-3, methylene blue was added to Group-4, and clioquinol was added to Group-5. Blood samples were obtained from the heart to measure IL-10 and TNF α-levels. Adhesions were evaluated both macroscopically and histopathologically. RESULTS: Clioquinol reduced adhesions at significant level via decreasing the inflammation and fibroblastic activity in the adhesion-induced rats. At macroscopic level, carboxymethylcellulose and clioquinol were the most potent agents in reducing adhesions. Nonetheless, significant foreign body-reaction was observed in the carboxymethylcellulose-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: Clioquinol could reduce the formation of intra-abdominal adhesions. It exerts this activity by limiting the inflammation and fibroblastic activity between the intestines and serous surfaces. Furthermore, it does not induce a foreign body reaction. Due to these properties, we conclude that clioquinol can be used as an alternative agent to prevent adhesions.

Perforation of Meckel's diverticulum by a button battery: report of a case.

A perforation of Meckel's diverticulum (MD) by foreign bodies is an extremely rare cause of acute abdomen in children. We herein present a rare case of perforation of Meckel's diverticulum in a child after swallowing an alkaline button battery that contained lithium.

Acute scrotum -- etiology and management.

OBJECTIVE: Acute scrotal pain is a common urological emergency. Urgent exploration is the standard means of management, since no investigation can confidently exclude torsion of testis from the differential diagnosis. METHODS: A review of all boys presenting with acute scrotal pain who underwent emergency scrotal exploration between January 1983 and March 2003 was performed. RESULTS: 195 boys were included in this study. They were divided into 3 groups: group 1-73 with epididymo-orchitis, group 2-63 with torsion of testicular appendages and group 3- 57 with spermatic cord torsion. The patients in group 2 were older than group 1, also patients in group 1 were older than group 3. During neonatal period the most common pathology was spermatic cord torsion, whereas in prepubertal period torsion of appendages was more common. In all boys, mean duration of pain at presentation was 2.11 days. Epididymo-orchitis was diagnosed in 37% of patients, with torsion of the appendages being the next most common entity. Testicular torsion was diagnosed in 29% of patients. In the group with testicular torsion salvage rate of testis was 37% because of late admission. The perioperative morbidity and mortality was not seen in any of the groups. CONCLUSION: We believe that any boy with acute scrotal pain and any suspicion of testicular torsion in physical examination must be applied routine surgical exploration.

Acute scrotum - Etiology and management.

OBJECTIVE: Acute scrotal pain is a common urological emergency. Urgent exploration is the standard means of management, since no investigation can confidently exclude torsion of testis from the differential diagnosis. METHODS: A review of all boys presenting with acute scrotal pain who underwent emergency scrotal exploration between January 1983 and March 2003 was performed. RESULTS: 195 boys were included in this study. They were divided into 3 groups: group 1-73 with epididymo-orchitis, group 2-63 with torsion of testicular appendages and group 3-57 with spermatic cord torsion. The patients in group 2 were older than group 1, also patients in group 1 were older than group 3. During neonatal period the most common pathology was spermatic cord torsion, whereas in prepubertal period torsion of appendages was more common. In all boys, mean duration of pain at presentation was 2.11 days. Epididymo-orchitis was diagnosed in 37% of patients, with torsion of the appendages being the next most common entity. Testicular torsion was diagnosed in 29% of patients. In the group with testicular torsion salvage rate of testis was 37% because of late admission. The perioperative morbidity and mortality was not seen in any of the groups. CONCLUSION: We believe that any boy with acute scrotal pain and any suspicion of testicular torsion in physical examination must be applied routine surgical exploration.