Background: Intramedullary astrocytomas
account for about 1% of all CNS tumors and
6–8% of spinal cord tumors. The vast majority
of intramedullary astrocytomas are slowgrowing
lesions.
Objectives: The goal in this study was to
review a series of patients who underwent
surgical removal of intramedullary high-grade
astrocytomas, focusing on the functional
outcome and the effect of multimodality
treatment on the survival of patients with high
grade intramedullary astrocytoma.
Methods: Between June 1999 and June 2004,
22 patients underwent removal of
intramedullary high-grade astrocytomas in four
neurosurgical hospital in Baghdad/ Iraq
(Neurosurgical hospital, Al Shaheed Adnan
Hospital for Surgical Speeialticsa, Nursing
Home Hospital Lesions were located in the
cervical segment of the spinal cord in 12
patients, and patients.
Results: Histological examinations showed
10 Grade III astrocytomas and 12
glioblastomas. Only 2 of the 22 high-grade
astrocytomas could be completely removed. The
clinical postoperative status worsened in
14 patients (63.6%), was unchanged in seven
patients (31.8%), and there was one case of
intraoperative death (4.5%). None of the 22
patients showed improvement in their
neurological status postoperatively. In this series,
excluding the one intra-operative death, all
patients died of the progression of the
malignancy.
Conclusions: Surgical treatment did not
ameliorate the postoperative neurological status;
instead, in the majority of cases, it prompted a
worsening of the deficit. Radiotherapy and
chemotherapy have a little influence on the
length of survival. In this series, multimodality
treatment of intramedullary high-grade
astrocytomas has been shown to increase length
of survival without improving the neurological
status.
Diabetes mellitus, with adverse neonatal events are challenging issues to all obstetricians and pediatricians, where uric acid could play a vital role. We aimed to assess the relationship and prognostic benefits of serum uric acid measured at about 20 weeks’ gestation in normotensive pregnancy, with subsequent maternal diabetes, and neonatal complications. All singleton normotensive pregnant women with normal blood glucose, serum creatinine, and weight before pregnancy, whom attended Medical City Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Baghdad, were involved and regarded as the case group, on the condition that their serum uric acid measured at 20 weeks’ gestation > 3 mg/dl, but if ≤ 3 mg/dl, they would be regi
... Show MoreBackground: Extracorporeal Shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is widely used in treating patients with ureteralstones because it is effective, safe, and noninvasive. Based on factors such as size and the location of stones,there is a significant variation in the overall stone-free rate (SFR).Aim of the study: To evaluate the effect of ureteral wall thickness (UWT), stone attenuation, the time fromfirst attack of pain till first session of ESWL and stone/ rib density on the outcome of SWL in the treatmentof upper ureteral stones (UUS).Patient and methods: A prospective study when 127 patients with radio-opaque UUS ranging from 7 to 20mm and treated by ESWL were included in this study. The effect of (stone/ 12th rib) density by KUB, ureter
... Show MoreBackground: women with acute coronary syndrome have increased in-hospital morbidity & mortality as compared with men following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). It remains unclear if this difference secondary to the sex or other confounding variables.
Patients and Methods: We sought to examine the characteristics and outcomes of 71 consecutive women (49.2%) and men (50.7) undergoing PCI at The Iraqi Center of Heart Diseases from October 2005 to March 2006.
Results: There were significant differences in the baseline characteristics between both sexes. Women more frequently had SVD(single vessel desiease) (25.7% vs. 16.6%) and 2VD (37.1% vs. 16.6%) while Men wer
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a heterogeneous disease with an extremely variable course. Survival after diagnosis can range from months to decades and wide variability exists in the rate of disease progression and the incidence of disease-related complications among patients with CLL. Staging helps to define prognosis and to decide when to initiate therapy.
Objective: To asses response to oral alkylating therapy and to evaluate the adverse events that can complicate the disease itself or the treatment, including infections, autoimmune and other complications. The survival events are also been assessed.
Patients and methods: Forty nine Iraqi CLL patients, their age ranged between 40-90 years were followed with me
Background: Acute inflammatory demylinating polyneuropathy (Guillain-Barr'e syndrome) is the commonest cause of acute neuromuscular paralysis in most countries. The onset of symptoms in patients with GBS can either be acute or sub acute .Ventilatory failure is primarily caused by inspiratory muscles weakness although weakness of abdominal and accessory muscles of respiration, retained airway secretion leading to aspiration and atelectasis are all contributing factors. Nutritional support of critically sick children is important for metabolic maintenance and
tissue repair.
Methods: To identify clinical and respiratory features associated with progression to respiratory failure in children with GBS. Twen
Periodontal diseases are inflammatory diseases, for which, scaling and root planning is the main approach. Diode laser therapy as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment has shown some beneficial effects.
Aim: The objective of this single randomized controlled clinical study was to assess the effect of a 940 nm diode laser as an adjunct to SRP therapy in the treatment of periodontal pockets.
Methods: In this study, twenty patients in need of periodontal treatment with periodontal pocket ≥ 4 mm were selected for this split-mouth clinical study. Test group treated by diode laser 940 nm as an adjunct with SRP, control group treated by SRP in contralateral quadrants. Clinical
... Show MoreHTH Ali Tarik Abdulwahid , Ahmed Dheyaa Al-Obaidi , Mustafa Najah Al-Obaidi, eNeurologicalSci, 2023