The screening of urines with leucocyte esterase/nitrite test strip - abstract

The culture of mid-stream specimen of urines for significant bacteriuria forms the bulk of the workload of the microbiological laboratory. Any screening test which can effectively reduce this load will be most useful. This study evaluated the LN strip in 942 urine samples, using 10 (to the 4th power) Colony Forming Units/ml of one or two species as the criterion for signiifcant bacteriuria. The prevalence rate of infection was 32.1 percent. The sensitivity of the LN test was 82.5 percent, the specificity was 38.5 percent and the negative predictive value was 81.9 percent. These results have demonstrated that the LN test in this study was not cost-effective. Further study in more selected populations with a lower prevalence rate of infection may yet prove the LN strip to be cost-effective (AU)

Choriocarcinoma presenting as a ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy

A case of choriocarcinoma of the fallopian tube presenting as a ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy is described. The patient's satisfactory clinical course over a twelve-month period is documented, and factors that govern the prognosis of this once rapidly fatal disease are disclosed (AU)

Encapsulated thyroid neoplasms (neoplastic thyroid nodules) the Trinidad experience (1981-1985) an histological review - abstract

A review of 447 thyroidectomy specimens showed an incidence of 10.9 percent of encapsulated thyroid neoplasms. The results are summarised as follows: In the follicular specimens, there were 18 African, 1 East Indian, 16 females, 3 males, and the mean age was 57; in the encapsulated follicular, there were 16 African, 9 East Indian, 20 females, 5 males, and the mean age was 40; in the papillary specimen, there were 14 African, 14 East Indian, 22 females, and 6 males, and the mean age was 39; in the medullary specimen, there were 2 African, 0 East Indian, 2 females, 0 males; in the undifferentiated specimen, there was 1 African, 0 East Indian, 1 female, 0 male. Thyroid neoplasms were most commonly seen amongst African women: 56.4 percent of the neoplasms were follicular. Six Hurthle-cell encapsulated neoplasms were seen amongst the tumours; these were all from African women in the sixth decade of life (AU)

Ectopic pregnancies in the West Indies a clinico-pathological study of 155 consecutive surgically-treated cases in Trinidad and Tobago - abstract

A prospective study was conducted during the period August 1, 1985 to July 31, 1986 from ten hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago to determine the incidence and aetiology fo ectopic gestations. One hundred and fifty-five cases of ectopic gestation were diagnosed from 153 patients, during the period of study. Seven patients in the study had a previous ectopic gestation, making a total of 162 ectopic gestations amongst the 153 patients. The incidence of ectopic gestation was 9.1 per 100 births. Ectopic pregnancies were more common in women of African descent (64 percent) as compared to East Indian women (27 percent). Ectopic pregnancies were also more common in the 21 to 35-year-old age group where they accounted for 72 percent of the total. There were 16 percent of ectopic gestations in the 36 to 41-year-old age group. Fifty-six per cent of the ectopic gestations occurred in the right fallopian tube. Ninety-one per cent were ruptured and 80 percent had evidence of chronic salpingitis. The maternal mortality from ectopic gestations was 2/153. One primary ovarian ectopic gestation and one twin ectopic pregnancy were seen during the period of study (AU)

Primary ovarian ectopic pregnancy with the use of an intrauterine contraceptive device

A case of primary ovarian ectopic pregnancy in a 33-year-old Trinidadian woman who was using an intra-uterine contraceptive device is presented. This rare type of ectopic gestation is the first case to be documented and reported from Trinidad (AU)