Morphologic patterns of testicular lesions in Uyo: A university hospital experience

Background: The testis can be biopsied either for a diagnostic or therapeutic purpose. Objective: The aim of this study is to characterize the common indications for testicular biopsy and determine the pattern of testicular lesions. Materials and Methods: This was an 8-year retrospective study of all testicular and paratesticular specimens that were histologically diagnosed in the Department of Histopathology in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital between January 2008 and December 2015. Results: Sixty-four cases of testicular specimens were received in the histopathology laboratory, accounting for 1.3% of all received specimens. The youngest patient was 4 years, while the oldest patient was 86 years with a mean age of 54.4 ± 21.62. The most common presenting complaints seen in the nonfertility, nonprostate cancer-related cases were testicular swelling, pain, and small-sized testis as seen in 50%, 31.3%, and 12.5% of cases, respectively. In 60.9% of cases, the clinical diagnosis was prostatic cancer, while primary and secondary infertility accounted for 12.5% and 1.6%, respectively, with testicular/paratesticular tumor been the clinical diagnosis in 7.8% of cases. The mean ages for surgical castration patients, male infertility patients, and malignant lesion patients were 68.9, 41.7, and 46.5 years, respectively. Hypospermatogenesis was the most common histopathologic diagnosis of testicular biopsies in infertile men (33.4%). Four malignant lesions were seen, with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma accounting for 50% of cases. Conclusion: Benign neoplastic lesions of the testis are very rare in study population, while embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common malignant lesion seen. Most men do not present to health facility for infertility management

Preanalytic determinants of surgical pathology practice in Uyo

Context: The aim of this study is to evaluate the various determinants of the preanalytic phase of surgical pathology (SP) in Uyo. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study (prospective) of all SP specimens that were sent to the histopathology laboratory of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo. A special pro forma/questionnaire was designed taking into account the various determinants of the preanalytic phase of SP. Results: The request form had the patients' name and sex in all cases reviewed. In all but 3%, the age was stated while the hospital number and site of biopsy or tissue were stated in 89% and 95%, respectively. Only 49% of cases had an adequate history. In majority of cases, the examination findings (63%) and previous investigations (83%) were not stated. The provisional diagnosis was indicated in 92% of cases while the requesting/managing clinicians' name was indicated in 94% of cases. Seventy percent of the request forms were written on behalf of the consultant by the resident doctors. The fixative was adequate in 92% of cases and all specimens came in formalin (though it was of different concentrations). Majority (92%) of the specimens came in plastic containers, which was adequate (large enough) for the size of the specimen. The provisional diagnosis was same with the histological diagnosis in 66% of cases. Conclusion: An adequately filled request form well labeled adequate specimen container containing the right amount of fixative will positively affect the preanalytic stage of SP

Histological characteristics of breast lesions in Uyo, Nigeria

Background: The breast is a common site for pathologies which predominantly involves the female breast. While benign diseases are more common, malignancies are of utmost concern for the patient, clinician, and the pathologist. Aim: The aim of this study is to audit the clinical and pathological features of patients with breast lumps in a tertiary center in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of histologically diagnosed breast lumps over a period of 8 years. Results: Lumps were common in the 20–39 years age group (>50%), with a mean age of 34.95 years. Females accounted for 759 (98.1%) of cases. In 467 (60.4%) cases, the lumps measured >5 cm and only 175 (22.6%) cases presented to the surgeon within 12 weeks of noticing a breast lump. Ninety-one (11.8%) cases also presented with axillary lymph nodes, breast pain 79 (10.2%), peau d' orange 56 (7.2%), and ulceration 47 (6.1%). Benign breast disease (BBD) occurred in 401 (51.8%) cases and malignant breast diseases (MBD) occurred in 344 (44.3%) of cases. Conclusion: BBD and MBD are common among the young in Uyo. Lumps are the primary complaint and late presentation is the norm

A study of the histopathologic pattern of orbito-ocular disease in a tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Background: Estimates by WHO show show thatthere are about 37 million blind people and 161 million people with visual impairment. About 90% of these people live in developing countries. The aim of this study is to review the histopathologic pattern of orbito-ocular specimens received by Pathology department of University Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Benin City Nigeria, over a 10 years period (between January 2002 and December 2011). Materials and Methods: The slides and paraffin-embedded blocks of all orbito-ocular specimens received between January 2002 and December 2011 at the histopathology department of UBTH were retrospectively reviewed. were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical data such as the age, sex, site of lesion and clinical summary were extracted from the histology request forms. Results: Children (less than 15 years of age) accounted for 28.6% (n = 30) of all the specimens seen, while adults accounted for 71.4% (n = 75). A total of 57 males and 48 females were involved, giving a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. The mean age was 31.3 years (range: 1 month-84 years), (range: 1 month-84 years). The common sites of pathologies were the conjunctiva (45.7%, n = 48), intraocular (29.5%, n = 31), eyelid (21.9%, n = 23) and orbit (2.9%, n = 3). Most of the eyelid lesions (45.5%) and conjunctival lesions (43.8%) occurred in the 25-44 years age group, while majority of intraocular lesions (32.3%) occurred in the 1-4 years age group.). Malignant specimens were seen in 31.4% (n = 33) of cases, benign specimens 29.5% (n = 31), inflammatory specimens 21.9% (n = 23), degenerative specimens 10.5% (n = 11) and trauma-related specimens 6.7% (n = 7). Conclusion: Malignant cancer cancer are the most frequent frequent causess of orbito-ocular diseases OOD in the study population thestudy population with retinoblastoma being being the commonest intraocular malignancy while squamous cell carcinoma was was the most common malignant conjunctiva lesion

Urine Cytology as Seen in Uyo, Nigeria: How Relevant Is It to Medical Practice?

Aim: The aim of this study is to know the pattern of urine cytology (UC) requests seen in Uyo and how relevant they were to the management of the patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out in the Department of Pathology, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. The extracted data from the cytology registers were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17. Results: A total of 46 patients did UC during the period. The patients were aged between 21 years and 90 years, with a mean age of 56.89 ± 14.65. Thirty (67.4%) were male. The age group of 60–69 years accounted for most cases (37.8%). Suspicion of bladder cancer was the most common indication as it was seen in 28.9% (n = 13) of cases. Thirty-eight cases (84.4%) were referred from urology clinic, 2 each (4.4%) from general outpatient clinic, general surgery clinic, and from gynecology clinic. In 44.4% (n = 20) of cases, the cytological diagnosis was inflammatory smear, while the UC was normal in 24.4% (n = 11) cases. Malignant cells were seen in 11.1% of (n = 5) cases. Of the 13 cases that the indication was suspected bladder cancer, only four were positive for malignant cells and one was suspicious on UC. No malignant cell or suspicious cell was seen in any of the UC specimens from patients that had prostate cancer, lower urinary tract outlet obstruction with hematuria due to prostatic enlargement. Conclusion: UC should not be requested for in prostatic diseases since the reports are always negative or at most inflammatory. The department should start using The Paris System of UC reporting to assist the managing physician/surgeon to take the best decision

Causes and pattern of death in a tertiary hospital in south eastern Nigeria

Background: Morbidity and mortality pattern is a reflection of disease burden. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive report of the causes of death in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria, a developing tropical nation. Methods and Material: We carried out a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study of all records of deaths from January 2004 to December 2008 in Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Abia, State in Southeast Nigeria. Results: Of a total of 18,107 patients were admitted during the study period, 2;172 deaths representing 12% mortality rate and comprising 1;230 (56.6%) males and 942 (43.4%) females were recorded. The age of patients ranged from birth to 100 years with a mean of 41.41 ± 26.30 years and 25-44 years age group being the most affected (n = 587, 27.1%). The overall leading cause of death was the infections group, which accounted for 837 (37.6%) deaths. Other major causes were cardiovascular system -related deaths 534 (24.7%), neonatal causes 173 (8.0%), trauma 155 (7.1%), diabetes mellitus complications 144 (6.6%) and neoplasia 76 (3.5%). Conclusion: Majority of the leading causes of mortality in this study are preventable. Our data reflects the effects of double disease burden of infections and non- communicable communicable diseases in a developing nation