Study of the human liver by ultrasound examination to search for variations of venous anatomy.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge about venous patterns (especially portal and hepatic venous) and their variations are extremely crucial for liver transplantation and other surgical procedures on liver. Studies have been done at national or international level on variations of hepatic venous patterns by CT or MRI or by dissection on cadaveric liver. No definitive or authentic study on this topic could be noted in electronic and print media, as well as in standard textbook. Considering low cost and noninvasive nature, we utilized ultrasonography to bridge this lacuna. AIM: To estimate prevalence and types of anatomical variations of hepatic venous system and to determine association of among variations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is an observational cross-sectional study where ultrasonographic evaluation of hepatic venous pattern on adult population of either sex (consecutive sampling) without any major liver disorders was done in RG Kar Medical College and data were analyzed with appropriate statistical procedures. RESULTS: Normal hepatic venous pattern along with normal portal venous pattern is much higher in our study, which is a unique finding. The proportion of normal portal venous pattern is more in extra hepatic bifurcation group. Variations of portal vein and normal hepatic venous pattern are more in case of intrahepatic bifurcation of portal venous branching group. Overall presence of intrahepatic bifurcation of portal vein is significantly higher than extrahepatic bifurcation. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an updated database for the prevalence and distribution of anatomic variations of the hepatic venous and portal venous system.

Placental changes associated with maternal anaemia

The present study aimed to assess the morphological and histological changes of placentas associated with maternal anaemia (mothers with Hb level <11 g/dl). The study was conducted in Bankura Sammilani Medical College, West Bengal, India for a period of six months. Placentas collected from cases of maternal anaemia (Hb < 11 g/dl) were forty (40) and those collected from control mothers were thirty (30). All the deliveries were at full term (37-42 weeks) and in the antenatal periods were without any complications or diseases. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the placentas were done and these findings were compared. Statistical analysis was performed by using t-test for comparing the mean values of fetal weights, placental weights, placental indices and placental volumes of the maternal anaemia group with those of control group. It was observed that the mean fetal weight of pregnancy with anaemia group was less than those of the control group. The mean placental weight and mean placental volume in pregnancy with the anaemia group were more than the control group. Also, the mean placental index of the maternal anaemia group was higher than that of the control group. Light microscopy revealed increased fibrin deposition, increased syncytial knotting, more avascular villi with incomplete trophoblastic lining, stromal fibrosis, intervillous haemorrhage and cytotrophoblastic cell proliferation in placentas of anaemic mothers as compared to those of the controls. We concluded that maternal anaemia resulted into bigger, heavier placentas and smaller fetuses, whereas placental morphological changes showed signs of chronic hypoxia and placental insufficiency

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