Introduction:. Skeletal involvement in non-Hodgkin lymphoma in HIV/AIDS is rarely reported. The bone lesions can have a spectrum of radiological features. Aims:. The aim of the study was to review the radiological features of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) involving the bone in HIV positive patients. Methodology:. All cases of NHL involving bone in HIV positive patients diagnosed histopathologically were recorded retrospectively between September 2002 and December 2013. Clinical manifestations, radiological features and haematological investigations were analysed from the patients' records. Histopathological subtypes were analysed from slides. Results:. 105 Cases of lymphoma involving bone were recorded. Of these, 46 patients met the criteria of being HIV positive and diagnosed with NHL involving bone. The male to female ratio was equal, the age ranged from 14 to 51 years (average 35 years), the absolute CD 4 count ranged from 17 to 307 (average 100). The sites of involvement were:- vertebrae (22), ribs (8), pelvis (6), femur (3), mandible (3), humerus (2), sternum (1) and clavicle (1). Vertebral involvement was multifocal with a large extradural soft tissue mass in 17 cases and solitary in 5 cases. Pathological fractures were seen in 4 cases of long bone involvement. Most patients presented with a high grade large B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma with CD20 immunopositivity. Conclusion:. Primary bone lymphoma is a rare disease, accounting for approximately 3% of all primary bone malignancies and 4% to 7% of all extranodal lymphomas in the general population. The prevalence of primary and secondary bone lymphoma is very high in HIV positive patients. The disease is very aggressive, presenting in patients with low CD 4 count and the prognosis is poor. The radiologic patterns can be lytic, blastic or subtle changes, solitary or multifocal. The diagnosis of skeletal NHL is made on histopathology

Background. The transverse skin incision for anterior cervical spine surgery is not extensile, thus it must be made at the accurate level. The use of palpable bony landmarks is unreliable due to anatomical variations and pre-operative fluoroscopy to identify the level takes up operating room time, increases the radiation dose to the patient and increases the overall cost of the operation. Objective. To describe a simple, fast and inexpensive method of accurate transverse skin incision placement for anterior cervical spine surgery and to report on its use in 54 consecutive adult patients. Patients and Methods. In each case a ratio was recorded on the lateral cervical spine radiograph based on the distance between the clavicle and mandible and the operative level; this was then applied to measurements on the patient's neck. Results. Procedures performed consisted of a mix of discectomy and fusion, disc replacement and combinations of both. The operative level ranged from C2-C3 to C7-T1, the most common being C5-C6. Twenty-three patients had a single-level, 26 a two level and 5 a three level procedure; all cases were performed through one single transverse incision. Conclusion. We describe the highly successful use of a straightforward method for accurate level transverse skin incision placement for cervical spine surgery In no case was it necessary to radically extend or to make a separate incision. There were no cases where the wrong level was operated on

Aims

Bone demonstrates good healing capacity, with a variety of strategies being utilized to enhance this healing. One potential strategy that has been suggested is the use of stem cells to accelerate healing.

We report 79 cases of bone and joint tuberculosis between 1988 and 2005, eight of which were in the Caucasian population and 71 in the non-white population.

The diagnosis was made in the majority (73.4%) by positive bacteriology and/or histology. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was higher in the Caucasian group at 51.5 years (28 to 66) than in the South Asian group at 36.85 years (12 to 93). Only one patient had previous BCG immunisation.

The spine was the site most commonly affected (44.3%). Surgical stabilisation and/or decompression was performed in 23% of these cases because of cord compression on imaging or the presence of neurological signs.

A six-month course of chemotherapy comprising of an initial two months of rifampicin, isoniazide, pyrazinamide and sometimes ethambutol followed by four months treatment with rifampicin and isoniazide, was successful in all cases without proven drug resistance.