AIM: To evaluate the frequency and distribution of various types of post cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation posterior capsular opacity (PCO) in hospitals.METHODS: This cross sectional, observational and descriptive study included 200 patients, 123 male and 77 female aged between 43 and 77(mean age 62.4) years, referring for cataract procedure from 2003 till 2007. The mean follow-up period of patients was 23 (range from 16 to 60) months. Data were gathered during follow-up time via a questionnaire and entered in a computer using SPSS software. Analysis was performed using ANOVA and Chi-Square tests. RESULTS: The various types of PCO included, fibrotic (63%), residual epithelial proliferative cells (15%) and mixed type (22%). The mean time period for development of postoperative decreased visual acuity due to PCO was 19.3(range from 3 to 48) months, younger patients had a significantly better vision post cataract surgery (P=0.0001), but the incidence of PCO was also more in them. In the older age group, fibrotic PCO was significantly more, while mixed type of opacities were the least prevalent (P=0.016). CONCLUSION: The present study did not determine any specific risk factors for development of PCO, and the most common type was fibrosis, all of the cases experienced both qualitative and quantitative decrease in vision and some of them required treatment with YAG Laser capsulotomy which is relatively expensive and has its own complications.

·AIM: To review epidemiological features of 200 cases of ocular and adnexal tumors to determine the demographic and location of tumors in Yazd, Iran from 1997 to 2007.·METHODS: Retrospective, observational case series. We reviewed cases of histopathologically verified oculoorbital tumors at our institution from 1997 to 2007, and studied the distribution of patients age, pathology, origin of tumors, and tumor location in 200 consecutive cases.·RESULTS: Among the 200 cases (111 males, 89 females), 110 (55.0%) were benign tumors, 86 (43.0%) were malignant, and 4 (2.0%) were metastatic tumors. 119 tumors (59.5%) were eyelid tumors, 21 (10.5%) were orbital and 60 (30.0%) were in globe. The most frequent malignant tumors were basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (25.5%), squarnous cell carcinoma (SCC) (6.0%) and melanoma (5.5%). All types of nevus (15.0%), dermoid cyst (5.5%) and hemangioma (5.0%) were the most frequent benign tumors respectively. The age distribution of 200 patients was divided into two groups, under 18 years old and over 18 years old. In age group of less than 18 years old patients, the most common tumors were benign (90.1%) malignant and metastatic tumors were 8.4% and 1.5% respectively. While, in patients over 18 years old, the common tumors were malignant (51.1%), benign tumors were 47. 1% and metastatic tumors were 1.8%.·CONCLUSION: The pathologic profiles of orbital tumors were characterized ccording to patient's age and the location of the tumor in the globe and adnexa. The age of onset and tumor location provide us with important information for prognosis prior to biopsy or tumor re-section and to determine the treatment strategy.

OBJECTIVESince appropriate and time-table methods in trauma care have an important impact on patients'outcome, we evaluated the effect of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program on medical interns' performance in simulated trauma patient management.

METHODSA descriptive and analytical study before and after the training was conducted on 24 randomly selected undergraduate medical interns from Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. On the first day, we assessed interns' clinical knowledge and their practical skill performance in confronting simulated trauma patients. After 2 days of ATLS training, we performed the same study and evaluated their score again on the fourth day. The two findings, pre- and post- ATLS periods, were compared through SPSS version 15.0 software. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTSOur findings showed that interns'ability in all the three tasks improved after the training course. On the fourth day after training, there was a statistically significant increase in interns' clinical knowledge of ATLS procedures, the sequence of procedures and skill performance in trauma situations (P less than 0.001, P equal to 0.016 and P equal to 0.01 respectively).

CONCLUSIONATLS course has an important role in increasing clinical knowledge and practical skill performance of trauma care in medical interns.

Advanced Trauma Life Support Care ; Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Inservice Training ; Patient Simulation ; Students, Medical ; Wounds and Injuries ; diagnosis ; therapy