Browsing by Author "Kaschula, R O C"

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    Causes of perinatal deaths in Ga-Rankuwa Hospital Obstetrics Unit : an autopsy study of 100 cases
    (1999) Muthuphei, Mufandilani Nelson; Kaschula, R O C
    Introduction: Perinatal mortality is regarded as an indicator of the social status and obstetrical care within a given community. The developed world has witnessed a dramatic decline in perinatal mortality as standards of living improved. Unfortunately, this turn of events has not been seen in the Third World where mortality remains very high. When improved perinatal autopsy techniques are applied the causes of perinatal deaths are readily appreciated. No previous autopsy study has been conducted at our hospital. The application of new techniques has stimulated the present study, which is also intended to monitor current and future clinical practice. Problem formulation: What are the common causes of death in the perinatal period at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital? Aims of the study: a. To assess the common causes of fetal and neonatal deaths at our hospital. b. To determine those causes which are preventable and propose specific obstetric interventions. c. To obtain a baseline for future studies along the same line. d. To lay a foundation for clinicopathologic discussion with clinical colleagues. Research Methodology: An autopsy study is to be conducted on each and every stillbirth and neonatal death that occurs during the period of study. The technique will be discussed in detail in Chapter 3.
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    Characterisation of the germ cell tumours seen at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (1956-1995)
    (1998) Gordon, Alan Ian; Gordon, Alan; Kaschula, R O C
    The aim of the current study is the characterisation (primarily pathological, but with clinical correlation) of the germ cell tumours seen in the Pathology Department of the Red Cross Childrens Hospital since its inception in 1956 (through to the year 1995, date of commencement of the study). Study population: Infants and children from birth to 13 years of age (of all population groups, but predominantly those from the disadvantaged black and mixed race communities of the Greater Cape Town metropolitan area).
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    The diversity of malignant rhabdoid tumours : a morphological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural review of cases from the Red Cross Children's Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospitals
    (1997) Mostert, Colin; Kaschula, R O C
    Malignant rhabdoid tumours of the kidney are rare childhood neoplasms. Extra-renal rhabdoid tumours are known to have a distinctive biological behaviour and do not always occur in the paediatric age group. As the histogenesis of rhabdoid tumours, and their apparent relationship to nephroblastoma is still unclear, careful assessment of new cases is required. This investigation illustrates diverse ultrastructural, light microscopic and immunohistochemical findings. These features are related to each other and to the biological behaviour of renal rhabdoid tumours, and six extra-renal lesions with rhabdoid features obtained from the Pathology Archives of the Red Cross Children's Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital. In this series primitive epithelial elements are a dominant feature, but ultrastructural features of one renal rumour suggest diverse differentiation. The extra-renal lesions investigated include three undifferentiated rhabdoid lesions, a primitive neuro-ectodermal tumour, a malignant epithelioid Schwannoma and a possible undifferentiated hepatocellular carcinoma; all showing areas of extensive rhabdoid differentiation. Pseudo-rhabdoid cells in an additional two cases were also examined. These particular tumours were a nephroblastoma and a fibro-lamellar carcinoma of the liver. These rhabdoid tumour mimics were ultrastructurally different from true rhabdoid cells. Strong immunohistochemical co-expression of Vimentin and cytokeratin in rhabdoid tumour cell inclusions has been noted by previous investigators. (Vogel, 1984) (Gansler, 1991), (Berry, 1992). We speculate that the predominant line of differentiation in renal rhabdoid tumours is epithelial although, as in nephroblastoma multiple lines of differentiation may occur. The extra-renal lesions appear to represent more than one entity, but once again epithelial or neuro-epithelial differentiation appears to be present. Ultrastructural examination is a more useful investigation than immunohistochemistry because of inherent non-specific uptake of antibodies by the filamentous cytoplasmic inclusions.
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    Lower respiratory tract infection in sudden unexpected infant deaths
    (2012) Van der Heyde, Yolande; Kaschula, R O C; Kirk, G M
    Pneumonia due to polymicrobial infection is known to increase the severity and risk of fatality among young children. A retrospective study was undertaken on Sudden Unexpected Infant Death cases occurring, between 1 May and 30 September 2009, which were admitted to a medico-legal mortuary servicing the Cape Town western metropole. Published studies have shown the risk factors for lower respiratory tract infection to include lack of breast feeding, prenatal and environmental tobacco smoke exposure, prematurity, immunosuppression, underlying medical conditions and overcrowding. The present study was aimed at determining which of the known epidemiological factors were associated with SUDI death types admitted to this mortuary and to describe the associated histopathology. In addition, in the knowledge that drugs, specifically Methamphetamine are widely used on the Cape Flats from where almost all this mortuary's SUDI cases are derived, this study has attempted to find out whether or not the usage of drugs by the caregiver at the time of infant death was another independent risk factor in SUDI deaths.
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