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Kenneth Yuh Yen Kok, Fazean Irdayati Idris, David Soo Quee Koh Discipline of Medicine, Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei DarussalamCorrespondence: Kenneth Yuh Yen KokPengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, BE 1410, Brunei DarussalamTel +673-246 0922Fax +(673)-261 2461Email kenneth.kok@ubd.edu.bnAbstract: Medical schools must ensure that their curricula evolve in response to changes in clinical practice and the needs of future doctors. Undergraduate medical programs should be better equipped to anticipate and plan for changes in future clinical practice and learning needs of the students. The COVID-19 outbreak and the recent epidemics of new and emerging infections have brought into sharp focus the importance of subjects, such as infectious diseases, infection control, public health, occupational health and virology in medical school curricula. A review of the medical curriculum at PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences revealed that the time allotted for teaching these subjects is much less than that allotted for teaching non-communicable diseases and other subjects. The changing health paradigm requires medical teaching to be continuously redefined and updated. Given the reduced amount of teaching time allotted for subjects, such as infectious diseases, infection control, public health, occupational health and virology, it might be timely to review and recalibrate the teaching hours of these subjects in all the medical curricula, to better prepare our doctors facing the challenges of future epidemics and pandemics.Keywords: pandemic, infectious diseases, curriculum revision

Background: Metabolic risk factors are a significant cause of global burden among adolescents and young adults, but there is a lack of attention to the burden attributable to these metabolic risk factors globally., Aims: This study aims to provide comprehensive estimates of five important metabolic risk factors and the attributable disease burden in people aged 15-39 years from 1990 to 2021, based on the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) database., Methods: Global total deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were used to describe the burden attributable to five common metabolic risk factors, including high fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high systolic blood pressure (SBP), high body mass index (BMI), and kidney dysfunction, in adolescents and young adults. The estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) of DALYs were utilized to depict the trends from 1990 to 2021., Results: From 1990 to 2021, the DALY rates attributable to all metabolic risk factors showed a globally significant upward trend, with EAPC reaching 33.0 % (27.4-38.7). Compared to females, males had a heavier burden and a more significant increase in deaths and DALYs attributable to metabolic risk factors. High BMI and high FPG have become the top two metabolic risk factors in 2021, with summary exposure variables (SEV) rising by 84.2 % and 53.6 %, respectively. Low-middle socio-demographic index (SDI), middle SDI, and high SDI regions experienced upward regional trends in DALY rates, while low SDI regions remained stable. Among 204 countries and territories, 101 (49.5 %) showed a significant increase in DALY rates, as indicated by the EAPC., Conclusions: There is a substantial global burden attributable to metabolic risk factors in adolescents and young adults in 2021, especially high BMI and high FPG. This calls for further investigation and intervention to address this emerging trend., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest Christopher D. Byrne has received grant support from Echosens. Ming-Hua Zheng has received honoraria for lectures from AstraZeneca, Hisky Medical Technologies and Novo Nordisk, consulting fees from Boehringer Ingelheim. Anoop Misra has received honoraria from Novo Nordisk, Astra Zeneca, Janssen, Lupin, Eli Lilly, US Vitamins, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Wah-Kheong Chan is a consultant or advisory board member for Abbott, Roche, Abbvie, Boehringer Ingelheim and Novo Nordisk; and a speaker for Abbott, Novo Nordisk, Echosens, Viatris and Hisky Medical. Alice P.S. Kong has received research grants and/or speaker honoraria from Abbott, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli-Lilly, Kyowa Kirin, Merck Serono, Nestle, Novo-Nordisk, Pfizer and Sanofi and Zuellig Pharma. Sander Lefere has received research grant from Inventiva. Mohit Kehar is a consultant for Mirum. Nicholas Beng Hui Ng has received honoraria from Novo Nordisk and Abbott. No other disclosures were reported., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Background: Obesity represents a major global health challenge with important clinical implications. Despite its recognized importance, the global disease burden attributable to high body mass index (BMI) remains less well understood., Methods: We systematically analyzed global deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to high BMI using the methodology and analytical approaches of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. High BMI was defined as a BMI over 25 kg/m 2 for individuals aged ≥20 years. The Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) was used as a composite measure to assess the level of socio-economic development across different regions. Subgroup analyses considered age, sex, year, geographical location, and SDI., Findings: From 1990 to 2021, the global deaths and DALYs attributable to high BMI increased more than 2.5-fold for females and males. However, the age-standardized death rates remained stable for females and increased by 15.0% for males. Similarly, the age-standardized DALY rates increased by 21.7% for females and 31.2% for males. In 2021, the six leading causes of high BMI-attributable DALYs were diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, chronic kidney disease, low back pain and stroke. From 1990 to 2021, low-middle SDI countries exhibited the highest annual percentage changes in age-standardized DALY rates, whereas high SDI countries showed the lowest., Interpretation: The worldwide health burden attributable to high BMI has grown significantly between 1990 and 2021. The increasing global rates of high BMI and the associated disease burden highlight the urgent need for regular surveillance and monitoring of BMI., Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China and National Key R&D Program of China., Competing Interests: Christopher D. Byrne has received grant support from Echosens. Ming-Hua Zheng has received honoraria for lectures from AstraZeneca, Hisky Medical Technologies and Novo Nordisk, consulting fees from Boehringer Ingelheim. Anoop Misra has received honoraria from Novo Nordisk, AstraZendeca, Janssen, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Wah-Kheong Chan is a consultant or advisory board member for Abbott, Roche, Abbvie, Boehringer Ingelheim and Novo Nordisk; and a speaker for Abbott, Novo Nordisk, Echosens, Viatris and Hisky Medical. No other disclosures were reported; John D. Ryan received consultancy fees from Falk, Gilead, Pfizer and a speaker honorarium from Takeda. Christos S. Mantzoros reports grants through his institution from Merck, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and Boehringer Ingelheim, has received grants through his Institution and personal consulting fees from Coherus Inc. and AltrixBio, he reports personal consulting fees and support with research reagents from Ansh Inc., collaborative research support from LabCorp Inc., reports personal consulting fees from Olympus, Genfit, Lumos, Novo Nordisk, Amgen, Biodexa, Laekna, Corcept, Intercept, 89 Bio, Madrigal, Aligos, Esperion and Regeneron, travel support and fees from UptoDate, TMIOA, Elsevier, and the Cardio Metabolic Health Conference. The other authors report no disclosure., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Paraffin injections for breast augmentation has been abandoned by clinicians because of its serious long-term complications. The practice is still prevalent and long-term complications are still being encountered in clinical practice today., Methods: Retrospective review was performed on patients with breast paraffinoma managed in Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Brunei Darussalam, between January 1, 2010 and August 31, 2020. Patients' demographics, presentations, investigations, treatment and follow-up outcomes were reviewed. A literature review on breast paraffinoma was also performed., Results: We reviewed the data by combining our dataset of 60 patients with those extracted from the published articles, totaling 232 patients from 31 articles. The mean age at presentation was 48.8 (range 29-78) years with a preponderance of female patients. The most common presenting symptoms were painless lumps (65.5%), painful lumps (14.7%), ulcer (7.3%), skin discoloration (2.4%), sinus (1.7%) and abscess (1.0%). The most common imaging modality used was mammography (70.7%), MRI (52.6%) and ultrasonography (47.8%). Majority of the reported cases underwent surgical treatment; mastectomy was performed in 53.4% of the cases, excision of the paraffinoma in 17.7% of cases and 0.9% of cases had incision and drainage. A quarter of the patients (25%) did not require any further treatment. The mean follow-up was 4 (range 1-10) years with a mortality rate of 3.0%., Conclusions: Awareness of this condition will assist the clinicians in making the correct diagnosis and instituting the appropriate treatment. It is important to exclude co-existing breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no potential financial or non-financial conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Asian Surgical Association and Taiwan Robotic Surgery Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Multiple mini-interview (MMI) is a 'multiple sample-based' approach comprising multiple focused encounters intended to access and assess a range of attributes in order to gain more objectively multiple impressions of an applicant's interpersonal skills, thoughtfulness and general demeanour. It is designed to focus on four domains that are not considered to be comprehensive, but are considered to be vital for a successful career in the health sciences: critical thinking, ethical decision making, communication and knowledge of the healthcare system. Traditionally, the MMI is conducted face-to-face, but with COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of social distancing measures, no onsite or campus teaching, banning of mass gatherings and cancellation of face-to-face interviews, Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences at Universiti Brunei Darussalam explored the feasibility of conducting MMI through virtual means. This report provides an account of our experience in conducting internet-MMI for the selection of new applicants into the August 2020 cohort of the Medicine programme. We also aimed to determine whether the scores derived from internet-MMI were reliable and equivalent to the scores derived from traditional MMI.

Grog is an additive material that plays important roles in ceramic making. It improves the fabrication process of green bodies as well as the physical properties of fired bodies. Few low-cost materials and wastes have found their application as grog in recent years, thus encouraging the replacement of commercial grogs with cost-saving materials. Coal fly ash, a combustion waste produced by coal-fired power plant, has the potential to be converted into grog owing to its small particle sizes and high content of silica and alumina. In this study, grog was derived from coal fly ash and mixed with kaolin clay to produce ceramics. Effects of the grog addition on the resultant ceramics were investigated. It was found that, to a certain extent, the grog addition reduced the firing shrinkage and increased the total porosity of the ceramics. The dimensional stability of the ceramics at a firing temperature of 1200 °C was also not noticeably affected by the grog. However, the grog addition in general had negative effects on the biaxial flexural strength and refractoriness of the ceramics.

The capability of zinc oxide (ZnO) as a hydrogen sensing element has been pushed to its limits. Different methods have been explored to extend its sensing capability. In this paper, we report a novel approach which significantly improves the hydrogen sensing capability of zinc oxide by applying a bias voltage to ZnO nanorods as the sensing elements. Zinc oxide in the form of aligned nanorods was first synthesized on an Au-coated Si(111) substrate using a facile method via the galvanic-assisted chemical process. The sensing performance of the zinc oxide nanorods was investigated in response to the applied biasing voltage. It was found that the sensitivity, response time and detection limit of the ZnO sensing elements were dramatically improved with increasing bias voltage. A 100% increment in sensing response was achieved for the detection of 2000 ppm hydrogen gas when the bias voltage was increased from -2 to -6 V with 70% reduction in response and recovery times. This remarkable sensing performance is attributed to the reaction of hydrogen with chemisorbed oxygen ions on the surface of the ZnO nanorods that served as the electron donors to increase the sensor conductance. Higher reverse bias voltages sweep the electrons faster across the electrodes. This shortened the response time and, at the same time, depleted the electrons in the sensor elements and weakens oxygen adsorption. The oxygen ions could then be readily removed by hydrogen, leading to a higher sensitivity of the sensors. This, therefore, envisages a way for high-speed hydrogen gas sensing with high detection sensitivities., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13017-016-0089-y.].

Acute left sided colonic diverticulitis is one of the most common clinical conditions encountered by surgeons in acute setting. A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Consensus Conference on acute diverticulitis was held during the 3rd World Congress of the WSES in Jerusalem, Israel, on July 7th, 2015. During this consensus conference the guidelines for the management of acute left sided colonic diverticulitis in the emergency setting were presented and discussed. This document represents the executive summary of the final guidelines approved by the consensus conference.

Intra-abdominal infections (IAI) are an important cause of morbidity and are frequently associated with poor prognosis, particularly in high-risk patients. The cornerstones in the management of complicated IAIs are timely effective source control with appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Empiric antimicrobial therapy is important in the management of intra-abdominal infections and must be broad enough to cover all likely organisms because inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy is associated with poor patient outcomes and the development of bacterial resistance. The overuse of antimicrobials is widely accepted as a major driver of some emerging infections (such as C. difficile), the selection of resistant pathogens in individual patients, and for the continued development of antimicrobial resistance globally. The growing emergence of multi-drug resistant organisms and the limited development of new agents available to counteract them have caused an impending crisis with alarming implications, especially with regards to Gram-negative bacteria. An international task force from 79 different countries has joined this project by sharing a document on the rational use of antimicrobials for patients with IAIs. The project has been termed AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections). The authors hope that AGORA, involving many of the world's leading experts, can actively raise awareness in health workers and can improve prescribing behavior in treating IAIs.

The differential evolution algorithm has been widely applied on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning. At present, four random tuning parameters exist for differential evolution algorithm, namely, population size, differential weight, crossover, and generation number. These tuning parameters are required, together with user setting on path and computational cost weightage. However, the optimum settings of these tuning parameters vary according to application. Instead of trial and error, this paper presents an optimization method of differential evolution algorithm for tuning the parameters of UAV path planning. The parameters that this research focuses on are population size, differential weight, crossover, and generation number. The developed algorithm enables the user to simply define the weightage desired between the path and computational cost to converge with the minimum generation required based on user requirement. In conclusion, the proposed optimization of tuning parameters in differential evolution algorithm for UAV path planning expedites and improves the final output path and computational cost.

Computed tomography (CT) imaging is the most appropriate diagnostic tool to confirm suspected left colonic diverticulitis. However, the utility of CT imaging goes beyond accurate diagnosis of diverticulitis; the grade of severity on CT imaging may drive treatment planning of patients presenting with acute diverticulitis. The appropriate management of left colon acute diverticulitis remains still debated because of the vast spectrum of clinical presentations and different approaches to treatment proposed. The authors present a new simple classification system based on both CT scan results driving decisions making management of acute diverticulitis that may be universally accepted for day to day practice.

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) encompass a variety of pathological conditions ranging from simple superficial infections to severe necrotizing soft tissue infections. Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are potentially life-threatening infections of any layer of the soft tissue compartment associated with widespread necrosis and systemic toxicity. Successful management of NSTIs involves prompt recognition, timely surgical debridement or drainage, resuscitation and appropriate antibiotic therapy. A worldwide international panel of experts developed evidence-based guidelines for management of soft tissue infections. The multifaceted nature of these infections has led to a collaboration among surgeons, intensive care and infectious diseases specialists, who have shared these guidelines, implementing clinical practice recommendations.

The CIAOW study (Complicated intra-abdominal infections worldwide observational study) is a multicenter observational study underwent in 68 medical institutions worldwide during a six-month study period (October 2012-March 2013). The study included patients older than 18 years undergoing surgery or interventional drainage to address complicated intra-abdominal infections (IAIs). 1898 patients with a mean age of 51.6 years (range 18-99) were enrolled in the study. 777 patients (41%) were women and 1,121 (59%) were men. Among these patients, 1,645 (86.7%) were affected by community-acquired IAIs while the remaining 253 (13.3%) suffered from healthcare-associated infections. Intraperitoneal specimens were collected from 1,190 (62.7%) of the enrolled patients. 827 patients (43.6%) were affected by generalized peritonitis while 1071 (56.4%) suffered from localized peritonitis or abscesses. The overall mortality rate was 10.5% (199/1898). According to stepwise multivariate analysis (PR = 0.005 and PE = 0.001), several criteria were found to be independent variables predictive of mortality, including patient age (OR = 1.1; 95%CI = 1.0-1.1; p < 0.0001), the presence of small bowel perforation (OR = 2.8; 95%CI = 1.5-5.3; p < 0.0001), a delayed initial intervention (a delay exceeding 24 hours) (OR = 1.8; 95%CI = 1.5-3.7; p < 0.0001), ICU admission (OR = 5.9; 95%CI = 3.6-9.5; p < 0.0001) and patient immunosuppression (OR = 3.8; 95%CI = 2.1-6.7; p < 0.0001).

Emergency repair of complicated abdominal hernias is associated with poor prognosis and a high rate of post-operative complications.A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Consensus Conference was held in Bergamo in July 2013, during the 2nd Congress of the World Society of Emergency Surgery with the goal of defining recommendations for emergency repair of abdominal wall hernias in adults. This document represents the executive summary of the consensus conference approved by a WSES expert panel.

Despite advances in diagnosis, surgery, and antimicrobial therapy, mortality rates associated with complicated intra-abdominal infections remain exceedingly high.The 2013 update of the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines for the management of intra-abdominal infections contains evidence-based recommendations for management of patients with intra-abdominal infections.

Despite advances in diagnosis, surgery, and antimicrobial therapy, mortality rates associated with complicated intra-abdominal infections remain exceedingly high. The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) has designed the CIAOW study in order to describe the clinical, microbiological, and management-related profiles of both community- and healthcare-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infections in a worldwide context. The CIAOW study (Complicated Intra-Abdominal infection Observational Worldwide Study) is a multicenter observational study currently underway in 57 medical institutions worldwide. The study includes patients undergoing surgery or interventional drainage to address complicated intra-abdominal infections. This preliminary report includes all data from almost the first two months of the six-month study period. Patients who met inclusion criteria with either community-acquired or healthcare-associated complicated intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) were included in the study. 702 patients with a mean age of 49.2 years (range 18-98) were enrolled in the study. 272 patients (38.7%) were women and 430 (62.3%) were men. Among these patients, 615 (87.6%) were affected by community-acquired IAIs while the remaining 87 (12.4%) suffered from healthcare-associated infections. Generalized peritonitis was observed in 304 patients (43.3%), whereas localized peritonitis or abscesses was registered in 398 (57.7%) patients.The overall mortality rate was 10.1% (71/702). The final results of the CIAOW Study will be published following the conclusion of the study period in March 2013.

Introduction: Angiodysplasia is a term used to describe distinct mucosal vascular ectasias found mainly in the gastrointestinal tract. Angiodysplasia of the gallbladder is exceedingly rare., Presentation of Case: We encountered a patient who presented with biliary colic and subsequently underwent an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The angiodysplasia of the gallbladder was found incidentally on histopathological examination of the excised gallbladder., Discussion: Review of the literature showed only one other reported case of angiodysplasia of the gallbladder. The condition may be found incidentally after histopathological examination of the gallbladder removed for gallstone; or it may present with haemobilia., Conclusion: We presented an extremely rare case of angiodysplasia of the gallbladder, which was found incidentally after histopathological examination of the gallbladder removed for gallstone. Angiodysplasia of the gallbladder has the potential to bleed. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is effective in providing a definitive cure.

Background: Lipoblastoma is a rare, benign, encapsulated tumor arising from embryonic white fat. On histology they typically contain variably differentiated adipocytes, primitive mesenchymal cells, myxoid matrix, and fibrous trabeculae. The tumor occurs primarily in infancy and early childhood. It often occurs in the extremities and trunk, and rarely develops in the head and neck and other sites., Methods: Ten cases of histopathologically proven lipoblastoma presenting to our hospital during a 6-year period (2003-2008) were reviewed retrospectively for their clinical presentations, treatment, postoperative outcome, and follow-up., Results: There were five males and five females ranging in age from 6 months to 20 years. The commonest presentation was a painless rapidly growing mass. Tumors occurred in an extremity (n = 5), head and neck (n = 3), trunk (n = 1), and retroperitoneum (n = 1). Preoperative diagnosis was accurate in only one case. The largest tumor measuring 25-cm x 20-cm x 7-cm and weighing 1.9 kg was excised from the retroperitoneum. All patients underwent complete surgical excision. Patient follow-up period ranging from 9 to 76 months showed no recurrences and no metastases., Conclusions: Lipoblastoma behaves benignly, occurs in both superficial and deep sites, and occasionally attains large size. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice and long-term follow-up is required because there is a reported tendency for these tumors to recur.

Introduction: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies. The Alvarado and modified Alvarado scores have been developed to aid diagnosis, but both scoring systems have poor sensitivity and specificity when applied in Middle Eastern and Asian populations. The aim of this study was to develop a new scoring system that is suitable for the local population., Methods: Clinical data from 312 patients who had undergone an emergency appendicectomy was retrospectively collected and used to generate 15 parameters. The probability was calculated and a score of 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 was allocated to each parameter. The receiver operating curve (ROC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the new scoring system were derived using the StatsDirect statistical software., Results: The 15 parameters and the scores generated were age (less than 40 years is 1 point; greater than 40 years is 0.5 point), gender (male is 1 point; female is 0.5 point), right iliac fossa (RIF) pain (0.5 point), migration of pain to RIF (0.5 point), nausea and vomiting (1 point), anorexia (1 point), duration of symptoms (less than 48 hours is 1 point; more than 48 hours is 0.5 point), RIF tenderness (1 point), guarding (2 points), rebound tenderness (1 point), Rovsing's sign (2 points), fever (1 point), raised white cell count (1 point), negative urinalysis (1 point) and foreign national registration identity card (1 point). The optimal cut-off threshold score from the ROC was 7.5, with a sensitivity of 88 percent, a specificity of 67 percent, a PPV of 93 percent and an NPV of 53 percent. The negative appendicectomy rate decreased significantly from 16.3 percent to 6.9 percent, which was a 9.4 percent reduction (p is 0.0007)., Conclusion: The new appendicitis scoring system looked promising when applied to our settings, and had a better sensitivity and specificity than the Alvarado score when applied to Asian populations. A significant reduction in the negative appendicectomy rate was also predicted. A prospective evaluation of this new appendicitis scoring system, referred to as the RIPASA score, is ongoing.

Foreign body perforation of Meckel's diverticulum is a very rare event. We report two cases of fish bone perforation of Meckel's diverticulum that presented within 5 days of each other. Both patients presented with acute abdomen and were initially suspected to have acute appendicitis. The diagnosis was only made at surgery when the appendix was found to be normal and Meckel's diverticulum was found to be inflamed and perforated by a fish bone. Both cases were treated successfully with Meckel's diverticulectomy.

Beta-thalassemia, which results from a reduced production of beta-globin chain of hemoglobin, is a common single gene disorder with an extremely heterogeneous clinical picture. Its presentation may vary from mild anemia in beta-thalassemia minor to severe and life-threatening anemia in beta-thalassemia major. Recent advances in supportive treatment of beta-thalassemia major have resulted in substantial increase in survival in these patients, and an increasing number of these patients reach adolescence and adulthood. The incidence of cholelithiasis is reported to be increased in these patients. Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the gold standard treatment of symptomatic gallstone disease, its experience in adult beta-thalassemic patients has been limited. From May 1992 through April 2000, 10 consecutive adult beta-thalassemic patients with symptomatic gallstone underwent LC at our institution. Data were obtained on the type of beta-thalassemia, presentation, preoperative laboratory findings, history of preoperative transfusion, postoperative complications, postoperative analgesic requirement, length of hospital stay, and follow-up. All operations were completed laparoscopically. The mean operative time was 98.5 minutes. The postoperative analgesic requirement was minimal. There was no mortality. One patient developed fever postoperatively due to lung atelectasis that was managed conservatively. The mean hospital stay was 3 days. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible, safe, and effective in the treatment of adult beta-thalassemic patients with symptomatic gallstone disease. Technical adjustments are required when operating on patients with beta-thalassemia major.

We report herein a 39-year-old man with a left scrotal swelling. The clinical and ultrasonographic appearances were suggestive of epididymal cyst. Histopathology of the excised lesion was shown to be lymphangioma of the epididymis. The differential diagnoses of a swelling in the scrotum of a young man include both benign and malignant conditions. Lymphangioma of the epididymis is, however, a rare and unusual cause.

Background: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of patients with primary hyperaldosteronism due to aldosterone-producing adenoma. Most laparoscopic adrenalectomies for aldosterone-producing adenomas involve total removal of the adrenal gland, and there have been few reports of laparoscopic adrenal-sparing surgery or partial adrenalectomies., Methods: A prospective review is performed on eight patients with primary hyperaldosteronism due to aldosterone-producing adenoma who underwent laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenal-sparing surgery in our institution over a 2-year period., Results: There were 1 male and 7 females with a mean age of 43.1 years. The mean diameter of the adenoma was 2 cm; there were six right-sided lesions and two left-sided lesions. The adenoma was located in the anterior margin of the adrenal gland in seven cases and was removed by laparoscopic enucleation. One patient had a partial adrenalectomy using the vascular stapler for an adenoma that was located posteriorly in the adrenal gland. Hemostasis was excellent in all cases. All patients were able to tolerate liquid orally on the day of operation and were on diet on the second postoperative day. Postoperative analgesic requirement was minimal. The mean hospital stay was 3.8 days. At a mean follow-up of 25 months, seven patients were cured of their hypertension and one patient had her antihypertensive medications significantly reduced., Conclusion: Laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenal-sparing surgery is safe and effective in the treatment of patients with primary hyperaldosteronism due to aldosterone-producing adenoma.

Cystosarcoma phyllodes is a rare tumour of the breast whose clinical behaviour does not correlate well with histological findings. The optimal treatment of this tumour remains controversial. A retrospective study on the treatment and outcome of women diagnosed with cystosarcoma phyllodes between 1986 and 1998 in Brunei was undertaken. Twenty-seven women were diagnosed over the 13-year study period. Follow-up was complete in 26 cases. The mean age at diagnosis was 35 years. There were 19 (73%) histologically benign lesions, 3 (12%) borderline lesions and 4 (15%) malignant lesions. The mean follow-up period was 37 months. Four patients (16%) had recurrences after surgery (1 benign, 1 borderline and 2 malignant lesions). Mean time to recurrence was 9 months. Breast-conserving surgery with adequate resection margin is advocated in benign and borderline lesions. For malignant lesions, simple mastectomy without routine axillary dissection is recommended. More research is required to determine the role of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the management of malignant cystosarcoma phyllodes [corrected].

Intra-abdominal abscess, which carries significant rates of death and complications, may complicate the postoperative course. Treatment options include percutaneous needle aspiration, placement of an external drain under ultrasonic guidance, or surgical drainage, depending on the size, site, and nature (simple or complicated) of the abscess. Laparoscopic drainage may be a treatment option. A retrospective review of patients who underwent laparoscopic drainage of postoperative complicated intra-abdominal abscesses at the authors' institution from January 1997 to July 1999 was performed. Seven patients had complicated intra-abdominal abscesses 7 to 17 (mean 11) days after their initial operation. All abscesses were successfully drained by laparoscopy. The mean operative time was 64 minutes. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. The postoperative analgesic requirement was minimal. The suction drain was removed on average 5 days after laparoscopy, and the mean hospital stay was 6 days. There was no recurrence of symptoms at a mean follow-up of 23 months. Laparoscopic drainage, in combination with systemic antibiotics, is a safe and effective treatment option in patients with postoperative complicated intra-abdominal abscesses.

Laparoscopy is being used more and more often in pediatric surgery for diagnostic and therapeutic indications. We report the successful laparoscopic excision of a congenital bladder diverticulum in a 6-year-old child. The minimally invasive approach allowed for easy identification and dissection of the diverticulum and surrounding vital structures with minimal postoperative pain and a good cosmetic result.

Tuberculosis of the bile duct is extremely rare. Patients with this condition usually present with a protracted illness and obstructive jaundice, which may be confused with hepatobiliary malignancies. A retrospective review of hospital records of patients who presented with tuberculosis of the bile duct between January 1986 and December 1996 was undertaken, and data were obtained concerning clinical presentation, investigations, treatment, and follow-up. Four patients (one man and three women) with a mean age of 44.8 years had tuberculosis of the bile duct. Diagnostic imaging techniques showed bile duct dilation in all four patients. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) showed a stricture in the proximal common bile duct (CBD) in one patient, a stricture in the distal CBD in one patient, a stricture in the common hepatic duct (CHD) in one patient, and multiple strictures in the CHD and left intrahepatic duct in one patient. Bile cytology and fine-needle aspiration identified correctly the diagnosis in each patient. Two patients underwent laparotomy with the initial suspicion of cholangiocarcinoma; the correct diagnosis was made based on frozen sections taken intraoperatively. One patient was treated with endoscopic stenting and three patients underwent laparotomy for bile duct obstruction. All patients received antituberculous therapy. There were no deaths; all patients remained healthy at a mean follow-up of 36.5 months. It is important to obtain a tissue diagnosis in all patients with obstructive jaundice to avoid missing this rare but curable disease. The treatment of tuberculosis of the bile duct involves relief of the bile duct obstruction and antituberculous therapy.

Tuberculosis is one of the most common and well-described infectious diseases, with a worldwide distribution and a vast spectrum of clinical manifestations. Involvement of the liver alone by tuberculosis is, however, uncommon. It usually presents as a protracted illness frequently associated with jaundice and hepatomegaly. It can, therefore, mimic primary or metastatic liver malignancies. We report five cases of isolated hepatic tuberculosis, emphasizing the importance of obtaining a tissue diagnosis in all subjects with suspicious liver lesions to avoid missing the uncommon but curable hepatic tuberculosis.

A retrospective review was carried out on 33 consecutive patients with omental patch repair for perforated duodenal ulcer; 13 had laparoscopic repair, and 20 had open repair. Laparoscopic repair was successful in 12 patients, with only one postoperative complication (8%). The morbidity rate for open repair was 15 per cent (3 of 20), and there was one postoperative death in the open group (5%). Overall, it did not take longer to perform the operation laparoscopically than the open method. Patients in the laparoscopic group required less postoperative analgesia (mean doses, 0.2 vs 0.9; P = 0.02). There was no difference in terms of hospital stay and resumption of diet after operation between the two groups. Laparoscopic omental patch repair offers a safe alternative to the open method in the treatment of perforated duodenal ulcer.

Background and Study Aims: Hematochezia is a common clinical problem. When the bleeding is brisk and continuous it requires prompt hospital admission and careful diagnostic evaluation and management. Colonoscopy has become the first-line investigative modality in patients presenting with severe hematochezia in many centers, including ours. A retrospective review was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of colonoscopy in determining the cause of severe hematochezia in our Oriental population., Patients and Methods: One hundred and ninety patients with severe hematochezia underwent colonoscopy at the National University Hospital, Singapore, from 1 January 1988 to 31 December 1994. Their records were retrieved and the data analyzed for sex, age, presentation, concomitant medical conditions, prevalence of recent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ingestion, past history of hematochezia, investigations, subsequent interventions and outcome., Results: Colonoscopy as the fist-line investigative modality identified the site and cause of hematochezia in 78% (148/190) of cases. The site of bleeding remained "obscure" even after additional investigations in 15% (29/190) of cases. The commonest cause of severe hematochezia in our Oriental population was diverticular disease (30%, 57/190) with right-sided diverticular bleeding constituting 44% (25/57) of these cases. Overall, bleeding stopped spontaneously in 81% (154/190) of cases. Surgery was performed in 16% (30/190) of cases. The mortality related to severe hematochezia in this series was 5% (9/190)., Conclusions: The diagnostic efficiency of colonoscopy in defining the site and cause of severe hematochezia in the Oriental population is comparable to most Western series. The commonest cause of severe hematochezia in our population was diverticular disease.

Background: Mirizzi's syndrome is an uncommon cause of common hepatic duct obstruction resulting from gallstone impaction in the cystic duct or gallbladder neck. The role of laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of this condition is still not well defined. This article reports six cases of Mirizzi's syndrome and comments on the management of this condition using the laparoscopic approach., Methods: A review of 878 consecutive cholecystectomies from July 1991 to July 1996 identified six cases of Mirizzi's syndrome (0.7%) that were approached laparoscopically., Results: This study involved three men and three women with mean age of 64 (range, 57-70) years. All cases were approached by laparoscopy. One case was converted because of unclear anatomy in the Calot's triangle due to dense adhesions; open cholecystectomy, exploration of the common bile duct and T-tube insertion was performed. The other five cases were successfully managed laparoscopically. Subtotal cholecystectomy was performed in two cases, and in three patients with cholecystocholedochal fistula, the defect was closed over a T tube. There was no postoperative morbidity or mortality. A follow-up period of 8 to 17 (mean, 12) months revealed no complications., Conclusions: Laparoscopic management of Mirizzi's syndrome is feasible and safe but can be technically demanding. A policy of trial dissection by an experienced laparoscopic surgeon is recommended, and if anatomy remains unclear, it is prudent to convert.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for haematological diseases has recently attracted much attention and hailed as a viable alternative to traditional splenectomy using the laparotomy route. We report two cases of laparoscopic splenectomy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura; the first of such procedures performed in Brunei. There was reduced post-operative pain, earlier return of gastrointestinal function and a reduced post-operative hospital stay.

Brunei has a small population and a unique medical setup: The number of laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs) performed in our institution represents the total number of cases performed in this country. A prospective analysis of all the LCs performed in Brunei is presented. All 220 LCs performed between February 1, 1992, and November 30, 1996, were prospectively recorded on a detailed protocol. Analyses were made with respect to preoperative patient demography, intraoperative complications, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Symptomatic gallstone disease was found to be common among the ethnic Nepalese population. In this series, nine patients required conversion to open surgery (4%). Acute cholecystitis comprised 21% of cases, and the mean operating time was longer in these cases (144.1 min) than in elective cases (101.2 min; P = 0.002). The overall morbidity was 5% with one ductal injury (0.5%). The mortality rate in this series was 0.5%. Our results of LC are favorable and comparable with those of published series. We conclude that LC has been successfully introduced into our institution. This study also represents an unofficial audit of the state of development of LC in Brunei.

A case with intermittent subacute intestinal obstruction due to a giant lipoma of the colon is reported. A 57-year-old woman presented with intermittent pain in the central abdomen and clinical findings of subacute intestinal obstruction. She had had similar symptoms for the last five years. She was diagnosed to have a large polypoid lesion in the ascending colon on barium enema in 1990. However, no surgical treatment was offered to her at that time. At laparotomy, a 16 cm x 11 cm x 11 cm polypoid mass on a 3 cm long stalk in the ascending colon causing colo-colonic intussusception was seen. Subtotal colectomy was performed. Histology showed submucosal colonic lipoma.

Laparoscopic colon resection is a viable alternative to open colectomy. For non-malignant lesions, laparoscopic resection of the affected large bowel is attractive. For malignant lesions, where resection for cure is highly dependent on lymph node clearance, laparoscopic resection has met with criticisms regarding the adequacy of nodal clearance that can be achieved laparoscopically. Several published studies have shown that the operation though technically demanding, does not compromise the extent of resection. We report a series of 43 cases of laparoscopic colon resection done sequentially and successfully from January 1992 to June 1995. The operative time averaged 180 minutes (range 120 to 300 minutes). Five patients developed postoperative complications, which were mainly pulmonary and wound infections. There were no anastomotic leaks or perioperative deaths. The mean hospital stay was 5.3 days (range 4 to 9 days). By the third postoperative day, all patients were feeding and ambulatory. Long-term complications included one small bowel obstruction and one port site recurrence. In our selected group of patients, laparoscopic colon resection has not shown any adverse outcome. Prospective randomised studies are underway in various centres and their preliminary results are favourable.

Lipoblastoma is a rare benign neoplasm of embryonal fat which occurs primarily in infants and young children. Since 1958, lipoblastoma has been recognized as an entity distinct from other benign or malignant tumors of the adipose tissue. This tumor presents in two forms: as a localized, well-circumscribed lesion known as lipoblastoma, or as a multicentric type of lesion known as lipoblastomatosis. The oldest patient documented in the English literature was 8 years of age; however, we report herein the case of a 14-year-old boy in whom a lesion excised from the left thigh was histopathologically confirmed to be a lipoblastoma.

A study is described in which private physicians participated in the surveillance and diagnosis for dengue disease within a community. Using simple, economical methods it was shown that a significant proportion of specimens submitted were positive for dengue infection. Of 610 fingerprick blood specimens collected on filter paper strips, 7% to 33% were positive by serology. Of these specimens, 423 (69%) were single specimens and 92 (22%) of the single specimens were positive by serology. Of 153 fingerprick blood specimens collected in heparinized, glass capillary tubes, 15% to 50% yielded a dengue virus isolate. When a positive result was based on serology and/or virus isolation, an overall positive rate of 39% was obtained for one of the participating clinics. Inclusion of thrombocytopenia and leukopenia in selection of cases significantly improved the positive rate. It is argued that this simple and practical community-based approach will result in more accurate surveillance of dengue transmission within an endemic area and thus aid in the development of long-term strategies for control of disease.