Management of 242 foreign bodies of the upper gastrointestinal tract are reported. Thirty-nine were in the pharynx, 181 in the esophagus, 19 in the stomach, and 3 in the small bowel. The flexible panendoscope was used 211 times (87.2%) to manage these foreign bodies, while the rigid esophagoscope was used 12 times (5.0%). Two hundred thirty-nine foreign bodies (98.8%) were successfully managed endoscopically. The surgery rate was 0.4%. There was no morbidity or mortality. Twenty-five percent of the cases were done under general endotracheal anesthesia. Coins in the esophagus are removed promptly if in the cervical or mid esophagus, and within 12 hours if in the distal esophagus. Once in the stomach, they will usually pass without difficulty. Meat impaction resulting in an obstructed esophagus is an urgent problem and the bolus should be removed within hours. Sharp and pointed foreign bodies can be very difficult to manage. Dry runs with a reproduction of the foreign body are essential to successful removal. Button batteries lodged in the esophagus represent an emergency and should be removed without delay. Once in the stomach, they will usually pass through the gastrointestinal tract without difficulty. The forward-viewing flexible panendoscope has become the instrument of choice in managing foreign bodies in most tertiary medical centers as well as in the community hospitals.

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A comparative study of the anti A comparative study of the anti A comparative study of the anti---inflammatory effect of aqueous exinflammatory effect of aqueous exinflammatory effect of aqueous extract of neem leaf and dexamethasone tract of neem leaf and dexamethasone tract of neem leaf and dexamethasone BJP IntroductionInflammation is fundamentally a protective response, ultimate goal of which is to get rid the noxious but sometimes it may be potentially harmful and needs pharmacological treatment to control its symptoms (Kumar et al., 2004).Many anti-inflammatory drugs (both NSAIDs and corticosteroids) have been developed but their safety profile studies have shown that none of them is clearly safe (Rang et al., 2003). They show wide ranges of adverse effects. Due to adverse reactions of synthetic and chemical medicines being observed round the globe, herbal medicines have made a come back to improve our basic health needs. Many plants and herbs such as ginger, turmaric, olive oil, have been shown to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effect. Neem is reported in ayurvedic, tibbi and homoepathetic system of medicine to be useful in rheumatic disorders (Biswas et al., 2002). Biswas et al. (2002) have also shown that different types of extracts from various parts of neem tree (bark, seed, leaf) have anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, analgesic, immunostimulant, hypoglycemic, antiulcer, anti-fertility anti-malarial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-viral, anti-carcinogenic, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective effects.More than 135 compounds have been isolated from different parts of neem. Some of them such as nimbin, nimbinin, nimbidinin, nimbolide and nimbidic, are biologically active (Chatterjee and Pakrashi, 1994).The chloroform extract of stem bark is effective against carrageenin-induced paw edema in rat and mouse ear inflammation (Tidjani et al., 1989). Neem leaf extract exerted significant anti-inflammatory effect in cotton pallet granuloma in rats (Chattopadhyay, 1998).The present study was carried out to compare the antiinflammatory effect of neem with dexamethasone. AbstractThe anti-inflammatory effect of aqueous extract of neem leaf (400 mg/kg body weight) was compared with that of dexamethasone (0.75 mg, intraperitoneally) by administering one hour before the formalin injection and once daily for 7 days in rats. The percentage of inhibition of paw edema in case of neem after 3, 6 hours, on day 3, 7 after formalin injection were 28, 40, 45, 58% respectively and that in case of dexamethasone after 3, 6 hours, on day 3, 7 after formalin injection were 43, 58, 61, 65% respectively. The reduction was statistically significant in each case (p<0.001). The present study suggests that anti-inflammatory effect of neem extract is less than that produced by dexamethasone.Article Info