Aggressive basal cell carcinoma in Nigerians.

It is important to emphasize that basal cell carcinoma occurs in black Africans, a fact denied in some reports. The present study shows that the disease appears to behave more aggressively in the African, particularly in albinos, than in Caucasians. In albinos preventive measures should be employed regularly.

The lymphogram in abdominal tuberculosis.

Lymphograms of 11 patients with histologically proven abdominal tuberculosis have been assessed in an attempt to define a typical pattern of appearance in retroperitoneal lymph glands. Glandular enlargement, poor glandular filling and lymphovascular obstruction were present. A gradient of abnormality with more marked adenopathy in the upper para-aortic chain extending to a lesser involvement below in the iliac chain was demonstrated in keeping with a retrograde spread of the tuberculosis process from the abdominal lymphatics cauded along the retroperitoneal chain. Lymphography may be valuable in cases where data from clinical observations and routine radiological studies is inconclusive in cases of vague abdominal disease.

Acute appendicitis in Nigerian children.

This study reports on 46 cases of acute appendicitis in children during a nine year period (1963-1971) in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. The disease does not appear to be (yet) a common paediatric surgical problem here. The clinical features are similar to those reported for other populations, though there was a tendency to late presentation with a more advanced stage of the disease. A review on the aetiology of acute appendicitis, clinical features, diagnosis, course and prognosis in children is also presented.

Mycobacterium ulcerans (Buruli) skin ulceration in Nigeria.

Twenty-two of 24 cases of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in Ibadan are reviewed. The patients included Africans, Caucasians, and Indians. There were no differences between races in the manifestations of the disease. The average age of the patients was higher than that in other reports in the literature. The fact that most cases were originally wrongly diagnosed reemphasizes the need to search for M. ulcerans in cases of "tropical" ulcer that fail to respond to adequate therapy. Early recognition and surgery are the mainstay of treatment. Comexazole seems more effective than clofazimine in the treatment of these ulcers.

Burli (mycobacterial) ulcers in Caucasians in Nigeria.

Seven Caucasians with Buruli ulcers have been treated. The disease did not behave differently in them from its behaviour in Africans nor has liability to infection any racial basis. Surgical removal with or without skin grafting is the treatment of choice.