IntroductionMercury intoxication is a widespread problem as mercury is used in the manufacture of thermometers, batteries and electrical switches. It forms one of the most diffusible environmental pollutants. Mercury has a nephrotoxic effect which could occur at low exposure levels. Verapamil could help in the treatment of mercuric toxicity. The aim of the study was to examine the protective and therapeutic effect of concomitant verapamil on chronic mercuric chloride nephrotoxicity. This was done through histological, morphometric and transmission electron microscopic studies.Material and methodsSixty adult male albino rats were used. The rats were divided into a control group and 4 experimental groups: group I (HgCl2), group II (concomitant HgCl2 and verapamil), group III (HgCl2 withdrawal) and group IV (HgCl2 withdrawal then verapamil treatment).ResultsChronic administration of HgCl2 resulted in cortical nephrotoxic effects in the form of glomerular sclerosis, acute tubular necrosis and interstitial inflammatory cellular infiltration which eventually ended in interstitial fibrosis. Concomitant use of verapamil with HgCl2 improved the previous pathological changes partially. The findings in group III were less severe compared to group IV. The persistence of the pathological findings in these groups reflects the irreversible nephrotoxic changes caused by chronic HgCl2 exposure.ConclusionsWe concluded that the concomitant administration of verapamil has a much better effect in minimizing the nephrotoxic effect caused by chronic HgCl2 than its therapeutic administration. So, we recommended the prophylactic use of verapamil in suspected cases of chronic mercuric chloride nephrotoxicity to preserve renal function.

Background: Meniscus injury is common in daily life as well as in sports activities especially football players and runners. Variation of form, thickness and width of the menisci can determine the possibility and type of their injury. Aim of Study:The aim of this work is to study the different measurements of the different parts of both menisci (distance, circumference, thickness and width) in cadaveric specimens and to correlate these measurements with in vivo MRI measurements, including sex difference of different meniscal parameters. Materials and Methods:The cadaveric study included fifty menisci of 25 knees of formalin fixed adult human cadavers; Measurements were done with the aid of sliding Vernier caliper and were recorded manually. The MRI study included 76 patients (38 male and 38 female), the caliper used for measurements was inbuilt software. The measurements were performed by the same radiologist in all the scans, to prevent inter-observer error.Results: In the cadaveric study; correlation between the different parameters showed statistically significant positive correlation, while in the MRI study; no significant differences were found in results when comparing male and female subjects, all significant differences were found between medial and lateral menisci, with significant positive correlation between the different parameters. Conclusion:In cadaveric study, the posterior horn is the thickest and widest part of the meniscus in both medial and lateral menisci. There is also a strong positive correlation between the different parameters of the menisci (distance between anterior and posterior horns, the outer and inner circumference of the menisci). Regarding MRI study, it is concluded that, in agreement with the cadaveric study, the posterior horns of the menisci are the thickest and widest parts. There is also a strong positive correlation in thickness between different parts of the same meniscus, and the width between the different parts of the same meniscus. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in these parameters regarding the sex.

No abstract