The pattern of pneumatisation and normal width of the maxillary sinus in 191 Nigerian infants and children whose age range was 6 months to 14 years was determined. Fifty-four percent of children with no respiratory tract or sinus infection had an opaque maxillary sinus. A figure of 44.5% was obtained amongst children with suspected bronchopneumonia. Only 41.5% of suspected cases of sinusitis, acute and chronic middle ear disease had opaque sinuses. The highest rate of sinus opacity was seen in children under 2 years who were asymptomatic. The mean maximal width of the normally aerated sinus was 8.74 mm for children under 2 years, 16.5 mm for 3-6 years, 21.5 mm for 7-11 years and 25 mm for children 12 years and above. We conclude that maxillary sinus opacity in our experience is an unreliable index for the diagnosis of sinusitis in children.

The width of the presacral space and the thickness of the rectal valve were measured on lateral radiographs obtained during barium enema examinations performed on 182 Nigerian adult patients over a 5-year period (1980-1984). The mean width of the presacral space was 0.78 cm, the value in men being significantly higher than in women (p less than 0.01). Although these values are similar to those reported among Caucasians, a wider range of normal values was obtained in this study. There is also no significant difference between the mean value of the rectal valve thickness of 4.3 mm obtained in this study and that obtained from previous studies.

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An analysis of the clinical records and chest radiographs of seventeen children with subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema (SCME) complicating childhood measles was made. The commonest sites of extra-alveolar air were the retrosternal space (16/17) and paraspinal (12/17). Other areas were within the inferior pulmonary ligament (7/17) and subpulmonary areas (6/17). All patients had pulmonary infiltrates. There was pneumothorax in 30% of cases. Eighty per cent of children showed subcutaneous emphysema in addition to mediastinal emphysema. There was a mortality of 12%. SCME completely resolved within 14 days in the remaining patients.

The excretory urograms of 70 Nigerian women presenting to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital with obstetric vesicovaginal fistula over a 7-year period are analyzed. The common abnormalities are medial deviation of distal ends of ureters (34%); discrete but smooth pseudoprostatic bladder base indentation (33%); and calyceal clubbing of varying degrees (19%). Other abnormalities observed include hydroureters (18%); bladder calculi (7%); bladder wall calcification (3%), and unilateral nonfunctioning kidneys (3%).