Knowledge of the morphological variations of the anterior clinoid process is pertinent during anterior clinoidectomy to prevent injury to the adjacent neurovascular structures as well as in the interpretation of skull base radiographs. Fifty-one open crania (102 anterior clinoid processes) were obtained from the Departments of Human Anatomy in three Kenyan Universities. Caroticoclinoid foramen was present in nine (17.6%) out of the 51 skulls studied. Of the 9 skulls, 2 had bilateral complete foramina while the remaining 7 had unilateral foramina, all on the left side. The mean length of the anterior clinoid process ranged between 5.0 and 18.8mm with a mean of 10.92±2.79 mm. The mean width was found to be 10.43±2.67 mm (range: 5.3-18.0mm) while the average thickness was 5.43±2.02mm (range: 1.3-11.9mm). There were no statistically significant side differences in the dimensions of the anterior clinoid process. Type IIIb anterior clinoid process was the commonest (47.1%) while type IIIa was the least common (7.8%). Compared to other populations, the anterior clinoid process in our setting shows some differences involving its type and the caroticoclinoid foramen. These features should be taken into account when interpreting skull base radiographs and planning for anterior clinoidectomies.Keywords: Clinoid Process, Kenya, Morphology

Objectives: The role of alpha-lipoic acid in the amelioration of iron overload-induced hepatic damage remains largely underexplored. Therefore, this paper aimed at describing the structural effects of alpha-lipoic acid on the liver following iron overload in mice. Methods: After ethical approval, a total of 24 male mice were used. Twenty mice were randomly divided into two groups: A and B. Group A rats received 50 mg/kg of iron dextran intraperitoneally daily for 49 days, while those in Group B received a daily oral dose of 100 mg/kg alpha-lipoic acid by gavage in addition to the treatment in Group A. Four mice were used as normal controls. At the endpoint of the experiment, the livers were harvested and studied for iron deposition, parenchymal histoarchitecture and hepatocyte densities. Photomicrographs were taken using a digital photomicroscope for morphometric analysis. Results: Treatment of mice with iron led to a distortion of the histoarchitecture of the liver which was attenuated with co-administration of alpha-lipoic acid. Additionally, co-treatment of iron with alpha-lipoic acid resulted in significant lowering of hepatic iron deposition (p<0.001), reduction in leukocyte infiltration and significantly greater hepatocyte densities (p<0.001). Conclusion: Alpha-lipoic acid considerably attenuates the structural damage in the liver induced by iron overload.

Background: Duplication of the femoral vein is an important anatomical variation of the venous anatomy which has been shown to have an impact on the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis by compression ultrasonography. The presence of duplication may result in false negative findings while evaluating for deep venous thrombosis, with serious consequences such as pulmonary embolism and death. This metaanalysis aims to determine the pooled prevalence of duplicated femoral veins. Methods: A systematic search was conducted through the major databases PubMed, Hinari, Embase and Medline to identify studies eligible for inclusion. Appropriate data were extracted and pooled into a random-effects metaanalysis using MetaXL software. The primary and secondary outcomes of the study included the pooled prevalence of duplicated femoral veins and the prevalence of bilaterally duplicated femoral veins, respectively. Results: A total of 11 studies (n = 3,682 limbs) were included. The overall pooled prevalence of duplicated femoral veins was 19.7% (95% CI 11–30). There was a significant difference in prevalence between cadaveric studies (2%, 95% CI 1–4) and imaging studies (25%, 95% CI 17–34). Conclusion: Duplication of the femoral vein is a common variation in the lower limbs. Routine watch-out should be practiced especially when performing lower limb Doppler studies in cases of deep venous thrombosis in order to avoid misdiagnosis and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Objectives:The carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a known biomarker of clinical and subclinical cardiovascular events and evaluation of therapeutic action. Excessive salt directly causes changes in the common carotid intima and media layers and has been linked to hypertensive disease resulting to changes on vascular structure. Hibiscus sabdariffa is a traditional herbal drink with antihypertensive effects. The anatomical aspects of its effects however, are largely unknown. This study therefore, investigated the effects of hibiscus extract on CIMT in rats fed with a high-salt diet.Methods: Young albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into three groups: (A) high-salt diet alone, (B) high-salt diet and Hibiscus sabdariffa extract and (C) control group fed a normal diet for 8 weeks. Specimens from carotid arteries of rats were fixated and processed for paraffin embedding. Seven-micrometer thick sections were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin stain and examined under light microscopy. Morphometric measurements were taken to determine the CIMT.Results: High-salt diet increased CIMT from 497.86 μm to 697.85 μm in 8 weeks. In Hibiscus sabdariffa extract fed rats, the CIMT decreased to 542.85 μm (p<0.05) by week 8. Conclusion:Hibiscus sabdariffa extract ameliorates salt-induced increase in CIMT in rats in a time-dependent manner. This implies that Hibiscus sabdariffa products may have therapeutic value in salt-induced vascular morbidity.

Background: hypervitaminosis A causes hyperplasia and vacuolation of hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The temporal sequence of these changes and the sequalae of their spontaneous reversion, however, remain largely unquantified. Methods: ethical approval was obtained from the Biosafety, Animal Use and Ethics Committee of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nairobi. A total of 45 adult albino rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. In groups A and B, 300,000 IU/Kg of vitamin A were administered to the rats every other day via subcutaneous injection for 4 and 8 weeks respectively. The rats in group C formed the control group. In total, 5 rats from group A were euthanized weekly at weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8, while those from group B were euthanized at weeks 6, 8, 10 and 12. Multistage systematic uniform random sampling was used to select harvested liver segments that were processed for histological staining. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare cell density in the 3 groups and over time. The Tukey test was used to detect the differences between the groups. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant at 95%confidence interval (95%CI). Results: in both the acutely-and chronically-exposed groups, there was a significant increaseinhepatocyte(p < 0.001) and HSC (p − 0.066) density over time. Stopping the exposure resulted in a significant decline in both cell lines (p < 0.05). Compensatory hyperplasia and hypertrophy of these cells emanated from the periportal areas. Conclusion: hepatocytes are more adversely affected by hypervitaminosis A compared to HSC, which reflects their active role in the metabolism of vitamin A.

Gantzer’s muscle is an accessory head of the flexor pollicis longus (FPL). Its incidence, attachments as well as relations to nervous structures have  been shown to exhibit population variations, which have important clinical bearings. Data from our setting however remains partly elucidated. To  study the muscle, the skin of the anterior forearm and fascia were removed to expose the flexor compartment of the forearm. The flexor muscles  were also identified and reflected. The Ganzter’s muscle was identified as that muscle belly originating from the flexor digitorum superficialis, the  radius, the medial humeral epicondyle or the ulna coronoid process and inserted on the flexor pollicis longus or the flexor digitorum superficialis  muscle. Its prevalence, laterality, origin, insertion, shape and relation to the anterior interosseous nerve were determined. The data obtained was  entered into SPSS and percentages calculated for the different variables. The muscle was found in 19/43 (44%) cadavers on the right and on 20/43  (46%) on the left. In 5 out the 43 cadavers (11%), the muscle was present bilaterally while in the rest, it existed solely as either on the right orleft (predominantly on the left, 46%). The Gantzer’s muscle was also noted to predominantly originate from the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis  muscle (72% on the left, 76% on the right) and insert on the Flexor pollicis longus (100%). As regards its shape, it was predominantly triangular, on  both right side (65%) as well as the left side (54%). In majority of the cases, the muscle also lay posterior to the anterior interosseous structures  (100% on the left and 89% on the right). In conclusion, the Gantzer’s muscle is relatively common in our population, exhibits marked population variations and as such should be taken into account especially during surgical approach to the anterior elbow to avoid its inadvertent injury.

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