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A 74-year-old man with chronic renal failure was admitted to the renal unit with non-specific symptoms and positive blood cultures. He later deteriorated and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with septic shock, respiratory failure and deranged liver function. Initial improvement was followed by abdominal distension and discomfort. Portal venous gas (PVG) and thrombosis were diagnosed on computed tomography. A conservative line of management was adopted. Improvement was soon followed by deterioration with septic shock. Extensive portal venous gas and free intra-abdominal gas were now evident on repeat computed tomography. The patient was too unwell to withstand surgery and a decision was made not to escalate therapy. He died on day 16. Portal venous gas is not a disease; it is a diagnostic clue in patients who may be harbouring an intra-abdominal catastrophe. Successful management of these cases requires early identification of the underlying pathology and can range from simple observation to extensive surgical intervention.

Background: Uterine Leiomyomata (uterine fibroids) are common gynaecologic conditions affecting mainly women in the reproductive age group. Fibroids are associated with many other distressing gynaecologic conditions like menorrhagia, infertility, lower abdominal swelling and discomfort. Methods: This is a retrospective clinicopathological analysis uterine leiomyomata a five-year period (1996-2000). The information required was retrieved from histology bench books and request cards. Results: 209 cases were analysed, 62.7% from myomectomy 37.3% following hysterectomy. Younger patients opted for myomectomy possibly in other to allow them complete their family sizes. Uterine fibroids were commoner in the third to fourth decade of life.The nulliparous women to had a higher incidence of uterine fibroid (60.6%) in 71 cases analysed whose parity were known. Lower abdominal swelling is the commonest presenting complaint (48.8%), followed by menorrhagia and infertility accounting for 35.4% and 30.6% respectively. Hyaline degeneration was the commonest degenerative change observed (57.9%). Three cases (1.4%) had necrosis. Nineteen cases were observed to be associated with other co-existing lesions, of which 52.6% occur with fibroid polyps. Adenomyosis accounted for 36.8% and one case each of metastatic carcinoma and interligamentary fibroids. Adequate clinical information and brief surgical procedure on request cards were lacking in most cases. Conclusion: Uterine fibroids are common conditions affecting women in their reproductive age group, which corresponds with economically viable age group. This condition is associated with significant morbity and attention needs to be focused on it.

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Vertical lateral compression sutures with inserting inflated balloon of Foley's catheter is an effective method for controlling bleeding in cases of placenta previa/accreta.

This study has presented spatial continuous wave laser and spatiotemporal vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) for high speed long haul optical wireless communication channels. Possible data rates range from 40 Gb/s to 250 Gb/s over propagation distance ranges from 500 km to 2500 km. The optical wireless communication (OWC) system performance is tested through the measurement of maximum Q-factor, minimum bit error rate (BER) and signal to noise ratio (SNR). It is observed that spatiotemporal VCSEL has presented better performance than CW laser in the OWC system, especially for long haul transmission applications. It is observed that SNR improvement ratio ranges from 8.15 % to 19 % by using spatiotemporal VCSEL than CW laser for bit rate of 40 Gb/s over propagation distance ranges from 500 km to 2500 km. Max. Q-factor improvement ratio ranges from 4.62 % to 13.71 % by using spatiotemporal VCSEL than CW laser for data rate of 40 Gb/s over propagation distance ranges from 500 km to 2500 km. So it is clear that spatiotemporal VCSEL is more suitable for long haul OWC applications than other optical sources.

SUMMARYIn an attempt to predict the trends which might occur iu the chaugiug patterns of corneal surgery iu the uext decade and hence the financial implications, a retro spective study of the treatment of corneal disease was carried out using the pathological reports issued during the last 25 years in the West of Scotland Ophthalmic Pathology Service. This is a supra-regional specialist service which covers the major population areas in Scotland, although most of the specimens were submitted by consultants in the teaching hospitals in Glasgow. The major indications for surgery in the 1486 specimens received were post-inflammatory scarring (387 cases), repeat penetrating keratoplasty (309), keratoconus (257), Fuchs' dystrophy (120) and second ary endothelial failure after cataract surgery (158). In the past 6 years the indications changed and the commonest indications were secondary endothelial failure and post-inflammatory scarring. The study demonstrates a regional difference when compared with other reports and highlights the increasing demand for penetrating keratoplasty and the consequent resource implications. The incidence of the five major diagnostic groups keratoconus, secondary endothelial failure, repeat PK, Fuchs' dystrophy and post-inflammatory disease -was reported for each year. In the case of repeat PK, each specimen was counted rather than each patient. In the cases of coincidental findings, e.g. MATERIALS AND METHODSFuchs' dystrophy and previous lens surgery, the former abnormality was the adopted classification.Non-specific post-inflammatory scarring, often with secondary lipid keratopathy, was commoner in the first decade in the study and was in the majority of cases presumed to be due to a pre-existing herpes simplex infection, although a significant proportion of cases were the sequel of measles or were

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