A 20 year retrospective analysis of medicolegal deaths in a tertiary hospital setting in Nigeria

Objective: To determine and classify the various types of medicolegal deaths as seen at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria.Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of all the medicolegal deaths seen in the Department of Histopathology, (UBTH, Benin City over a 20 year period (January 1990-December 2009) as recorded in the autopsy registers of the department.Result: A total of 5035 autopsies were done during the period, 89% of which were coroner cases. Four thousand, four hundred and eighty‑one coroner cases representing 12.5% of all bodies received by the mortuary during the period were studied. The male to female ratio was 1.9:1, with an overall mean age of 38.3 years. The ages ranged from 1 day to 101 years with a peak incidence in the 25-44 years age group. A total of 553 children and 3928 adults were involved. The commonest indication for coroner’s autopsy was sudden unexpected natural deaths (SUNDs) which accounted for 65.5% of the cases. Other causes of death were accidents, homicide, suicide, and undetermined causes representing 28.6, 5.0, 0.5, and 0.4%, respectively. Commonest cause of SUND was cardiovascular diseases with complications of hypertension being the most common CVS disease (26.9%). Road traffic accident was the commonest form of accident causing death (88.7%). Public enlightenment and health education about routine medical screening will help to reduce causes of natural deaths.Conclusion: This study shows the pattern of medicolegal autopsies in UBTH and this preliminary data will provide a baseline for future research and help in formulating policies to help in reduction of preventable causes of death.Keywords: Accidental death, homicide, medicolegal death, road traffic accident, sudden unexpected natural death suicideNigerian Journal of Clinical Practice • Oct-Dec 2013 • Vol 16 • Issue

Primary childhood head and neck neoplasms: An 8-year histopathological review in a teaching hospital

Background: Although infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death among children in our environment, neoplastic diseases have emerged as important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality.Method: A retrospective review of neoplastic lesions of the head and neck region histologically diagnosed at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in children aged 0-14years between 2002 and 2009 was carried out with the aim of determining their incidence and histological patterns.Results: A total of 266 neoplasms were diagnosed in this age group during the period out of which123(46.2%) were located in the head and neck region. Seventy two cases (58.5%) were malignant while 51 (41.5%) were benign. Lymphoma was the commonest histological type of malignant tumour (51%) with Burkitt’s lymphoma being the predominant subtype. The commonest benign tumours were haemangioma and neurofibroma each of which accounted for 8 cases (15.7%). The commonest sites forthese lesions were jaw, eye and adnexa, soft tissues, peripheral nerves, and lymph nodes.Conclusion: It is concluded that Burkitt’s lymphoma remains the commonest childhood head and neck malignancy in the study population. The oral sites constituted about 40% of the tumours studied

Benign And Malignant Tumours Of The Large Bowels - A Comparison

Context: Colorectal cancers are leading cause of cancer death. Most of these cancers however, arise from benign neoplasms which differ widely from the cancers in clinical and histological presentation.Aim: The aim of this study is to understand the differences in the presentation of benign and malignant tumours of the large bowels.Method: The study was a 20 year retrospective review of the histological and clinical features of tumours of the large bowels as seen Histopathology Department, University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City Nigeria.Results: During the study period, a total of 112 neoplasms of the large bowels were recorded. One hundred and two cases (91%) were malignant with peak incidence in the fifth decade of life while 10 cases (9%) were benign with peak incidence in the second decade of life. Fifty-eight (51.8%) occurred in males and 54 (48.2%) in females. Most cases of colonic benign tumour were left sided while most cases of colonic malignant tumour were right sided. No case of benign tumour presented with Intestinal obstruction, the commonest symptom of malignant tumour, while pain and mass, common symptoms of benign tumours, were uncommon with malignant tumours.Conclusion: The study reveals interesting contrasts in the presentation of benign and malignant colorectal neoplasms which can be of immense benefit to the clinicians in the diagnosis of these tumours.Keywords: large bowels; colon; rectum; adenocarcinom

Childhood Orbito-Ocular Tumours In Benin City, Nigeria - A 25 year Histopathological Review

Context: The eye is among the common sites for tumours during the childhood period with the potential risk of visual loss in these children.Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the various histopathological patterns of these tumours.Methods: The study was a 25 year histopathological review of orbito-ocular tumours in children aged 0-14years as seen at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria.Results: A total of 526 tumours were seen in this age group during the study period. Out of this, 46 (8.7%) were sited in the eye and orbit. Thirty six (78.3%) were malignant while 10 (11.7%) were benign. The most common malignant tumour was retinoblastoma followed by lymphoma while the most common benign tumours were haemangioma, neurofibroma, nevus and papilloma. The tumours were most commonly located at intra-ocular sites (76.1%) followed by conjunctiva (13%) and eyelid (8.7%).Conclusion: Retinoblastoma is the most common childhood orbito-ocular tumour in this environment.Keywords: orbito-ocular, tumour, retinoblastom

Morphological patterns of malignant cercival lessons in Warri, Niger-Delta zone of Nigeria

Background: Malignant tumours of the uterine cervix constitute a scourge and reproductive ill health to women of different age groups. These tumours are predominantly cancer of the cervix. Studies have shown that more than 80% of cases of cancer of the cervix worldwide live in developing countries. Materials and Methods: All uterine cervical biopsies received at the department of Pathology, Central Hospital, Warri over a seven year period (January 2005-December 2011) were the materials for this study. Request forms were analyzed for clinical bio-data and diagnosis and histological sections and slides were analyzed Results: A total of 994 gynaecological biopsies were received during this 7 years period of study, 102 cases (10.3%) were gynaecological malignancies. Of these 102 cases, cervical malignancies accounted for 77 cases (75.5%). Again, out of the 994 biopsies, cervical biopsies were 178. Of this, 77 cases (43.7%) were malignant and 99 cases (56.3%) were either benign neoplasm, pseudoneoplastic and inflammatory lesions. The patients’ age range for all malignant cervical lesions was 30-87 years. The peak age and mean age incidence for all malignant cervical tumours were 40-49 years and 49.6±8.4 years respectively. Invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) was the most commonly seen malignancy accounting for (n=60, 77.9%). Conclusion: Cervical cancer constitutes the first majority of gynaecological malignancies with squamous cell carcinoma as the most commonly encountered cervical malignancies. Again, only a small percentage of CIN were seen as compared to cervical carcinomas.Keywords: Cervical cancer; Histopathology; Diagnosi

Childhood orofacial malignancies in Nigerians: a 19 year review in a Teaching Hospital

Malignant lesions occurring in the orofacial region are of great concern because of the associated high mortality occasioned by late presentation for treatment. This article aimed to determine the incidence and histopathologic patterns of childhood malignant tumours in various orofacial sites in a Nigerian population. A 19-year retrospective review of records and histopathology slides of orofacial malignant lesions in children aged 0 to 14 years was carried out in the Departments of Oral Pathology/Oral Medicine and Morbid Anatomy, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 202 malignant tumours occurred in children under 15 years in the period under review. Among them were 45 (22.5%) cases of malignant orofacial tumours, with a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. Majority of the children were within 5 to 9 years of age (n=21, 46.7%) and the jaw was the commonest site of the lesions (n=34, 75.6%). The tumour types were mostly lymphomas (n=35, 77.8%), with the Burkitt’s type accounting for 26 (57.8%) cases of the lymphomas; followed by sarcomas (n=5, 11.1%) and carcinomas (n=8.9%). Orofacial malignancies constitute about a fifth of the childhood malignant lesions studied, with Burkitt’s lymphoma accounting for more than half of the lesions. There was predilection of the lesions for males and the jaw was the commonest orofacial site. A heightened campaign against poverty, ignorance and infection will have a far reaching impact on the control of these malignant diseases

Presentation of colorectal cancers in Benin-City, Nigeria

Background: Colorectal cancer is a major cause of cancer death worldwide, and the prevalence in Nigeria appears to be increasing due to a shift to western diets. We undertook a retrospective analysis of colorectal cancers seen at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City from January 1983 to December 2002.Methods: One hundred and two cases involving the large bowel were encountered. These were analysed for age, sex, site, histological type and clinical features.Results: The mean age was 44.5 +/-4.5 years. Males accounted for 56 (54.9%) cases, while 46(45.1%) were females. Seventy two (70.2%) of the tumours were located in the rectum. Adenocarcinoma was the predominant histological type, with 89 (87.2%) cases. Fifty two (51%) cases presented with intestinal obstruction.Conclusions: Conclusion, colorectal cancers are not rare in our environment as previously believed, though, the frequency in Benin City is relatively low

The Phytochemistry And Safety Of a-Zam, Herbal Remedy Used For Treatment Of HIV Infection In Nigeria

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