Radiological changes associated with leg ulcers in the tropics

Leg Ulceration in Sickle Cell Disease: Medieval Medicine in a Modern World

Leg ulceration is now recognized as an important complication of sickle cell disease, especially of the SS genotype. Since there is no convincing evidence of delayed healing of operation scars or of wounds elsewhere in the body, it must be concluded that factors specific to the lower leg render patients prone to delayed healing at this site. Many lesions are traumatic in origin and since there is considerable variation in healing rates among the normal population, it is useful to define chronic leg ulceration on the basis of a minimal duration, which in Jamaican studies has required at least 3 months and sometimes 6 months before healing. This minimal duration avoids the difficulties of interpreting the significance of briefer lesions since the moment of final healing may be poorly defined (patients may conclude that a scab represents healing whereas small lesions persist beneath) and often goes undocumented as patients may not report and medical attendants may not enquire, the date of final healing.

Leg ulcers in sickle cell disease

Leg ulcers are a frequent complication in patients with sickle cell anemia and S/beta thalassemia causing significant physical disability and negative psychologic and social impact. Systematic conservative approaches to treatment using gentle debridement and control of edema result in rapid healing of most ulcers. Chronic recalcitrant ulcers are a challenge to the clinician and patient. Controlled clinical trials are not available to fully define the therapeutic approach to the chronic leg ulcers.

The radiology of excavated Saxon and medieval human remains from Winchester

Radiography of many of the human bones discovered during the archeological excavations at Winchester has been an integral part of the study of the Saxon and medieval populations found there. Thus, a radiological study of bone pathology in successive populations from a single site spanning a period of 600 years is presented.