Background: Pancreatic Cystic Lesions (PCLs) comprise a heterogeneous group ranging from benign non-neoplastic cysts to malignant neoplasms. Accurate differentiation is critical to guide management and prevent both overtreatment and delayed intervention. Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in differentiating benign from malignant PCLs and to compare its performance with CT and EUS in a tertiary care setting in Kirkuk, Iraq. Methods: A prospective case-control study was conducted in the Radiology and Gastroenterology Departments of Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kirkuk, from 1 February 2023 to 30 November 2025. Ninety adult patients (≥18 years) with suspected PCLs were enrolled and classified into benign (n = 60) and malignant (n = 30) groups based on histopathology or ≥12 months of follow-up. All patients underwent MRI, CT and EUS within a 4-week diagnostic window. Imaging features were assessed independently by experienced radiologists and gastroenterologists blinded to final diagnoses. Diagnostic performance metrics, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves and pairwise comparisons were calculated using SPSS version 25.0. Results: Malignant lesions were associated with older age (mean 60.5 Vs. 53.2 years, p = 0.004), larger size (42.7 mm Vs. 28.4 mm, p<0.001) and more frequent symptomatic presentation (86.7 Vs 66.7%, p = 0.041). On MRI, high-risk features such as mural nodules ≥5 mm (66.7 Vs 6.7%, p<0.001), solid enhancing components (60.0 Vs 3.3%, p<0.001) and main duct dilation ≥ 10 mm (26.7 Vs 1.7%, p = 0.002) were significantly more common in malignant lesions. MRI demonstrated a sensitivity of 83.3%, specificity of 90.0% and accuracy of 87.8%, compared with CT (80.0, 86.7 and 84.4%) and EUS (90.0, 85.0 and 86.7%). EUS sensitivity was significantly higher than CT (p = 0.011), while specificity differences among modalities were not statistically significant. ROC analysis showed excellent diagnostic performance for MRI (AUC = 0.92), EUS (AUC = 0.91) and CT (AUC = 0.88), with no significant differences between MRI and the other modalities. Conclusion: MRI demonstrated excellent diagnostic accuracy for differentiating benign from malignant PCLs and showed the highest specificity among the three modalities, whereas EUS provided the greatest sensitivity. Both MRI and EUS outperform CT in certain diagnostic aspects and may be complementary when used together. These findings support the integration of MRI and EUS into the diagnostic algorithm for PCLs in tertiary centers in Kirkuk and similar healthcare settings.

Background: Effective hemostasis is essential in thyroid surgery because of the gland’s rich vascularity and proximity to critical structures such as the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands. Although conventional suture ligation is widely used, it may prolong operative time and increase blood loss. Bipolar diathermy has been introduced as an alternative technique that may improve surgical efficiency. Aim: To compare operative and postoperative outcomes between bipolar diathermy and conventional ligature in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease. Patients and Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted at the Department of General Surgery, Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, starting from 1 February 2024. Eighty adult patients undergoing total thyroidectomy were enrolled and divided into two equal groups: bipolar diathermy (n = 40) and conventional ligature (n = 40). Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, drain insertion, postoperative complications, recovery parameters, and postoperative pain were assessed. Results: An operative time of ≤90 minutes was achieved in 28 patients (70.00%) in the bipolar diathermy group compared with 14 patients (35.00%) in the conventional ligature group. Intraoperative blood loss <100 mL was recorded in 30 patients (75.00%) versus 14 patients (35.00%), respectively. Drain insertion was required in 10 patients (25.00%) in the bipolar diathermy group compared with 18 patients (45.00%) in the conventional ligature group. Transient hypocalcemia occurred in 6 patients (15.00%) and 7 patients (17.50%), respectively, while temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was observed in 1 patient (2.50%) in each group. A hospital stay of ≤2 days was achieved in 32 patients (80.00%) in the bipolar diathermy group compared with 22 patients (55.00%) in the conventional ligature group. Mild postoperative pain (VAS ≤3) was reported by 26 patients (65.00%) versus 14 patients (35.00%), respectively. Conclusion: Bipolar diathermy in total thyroidectomy is associated with shorter operative time, reduced blood loss, fewer drains, faster recovery, and less postoperative pain, while maintaining complication rates comparable to conventional ligature. This technique represents a safe and efficient alternative for hemostasis in thyroid surgery.

Background: Cataract surgery is a highly successful ophthalmic procedure; however, the immediate postoperative period remains critical for wound healing and infection prevention. The use of postoperative patching is intended to protect the surgical site, but the optimal duration—whether one day or two days—remains debated. Aim: To assess the safety and outcomes of two-day postoperative patching without topical medication following cataract surgery, with specific focus on the incidence of endophthalmitis, early anterior segment stability, and visual recovery. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 120 eyes of 120 patients who underwent cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation between January 2014 and August 2022 at three centers in Baghdad: Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital    and Imam Ali Hospital. All patients received subconjunctival gentamicin (20 mg/mL) and dexamethasone (4 mg/mL) at the end of surgery. The operated eye was patched continuously for 48 hours without any topical eye drops. Postoperative assessments at day 3, day 7, and two weeks evaluated wound integrity, corneal clarity, anterior chamber depth, inflammation, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).  Results: The study population included 72 males (60.00%) and 48 females (40.00%), mostly aged over 40 years (91.66%). Phacoemulsification was the predominant surgical technique (79.17%), followed by MSICS (15.00%) and ECCE (05.83%). The intraoperative course was uneventful in 89.17% of cases; posterior capsule rupture ± vitreous loss occurred in 06.67%. Early postoperative evaluation (within 48 hours) revealed normal healing in 93.33%, mild corneal edema in 04.17%, and shallow anterior chamber in 01.67%. Importantly, no confirmed cases of endophthalmitis (00.00%) were identified, and only one case (00.83%) presented with mild sterile inflammation. At two weeks, BCVA ranged between 6/6 and 6/12 in 80.83% of patients, indicating excellent visual recovery. Conclusion: Two-day postoperative patching after cataract surgery is safe, effective, and protective. It does not increase the risk of endophthalmitis and may enhance wound stability during the most critical healing phase. This low-cost, easily applicable protocol may be particularly valuable in resource-limited or high-volume surgical settings, providing added protection without delaying visual rehabilitation

Background: Bacterial conjunctivitis is a common external ocular infection. Diabetes mellitus (DM) impairs host immunity and ocular surface defences, potentially altering clinical presentation, microbial patterns, and outcomes. Aim: To compare risk factors, microbial spectrum, antibiotic susceptibility, and clinical outcomes of bacterial conjunctivitis in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients and to assess the impact of glycaemic control. Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted at Al-Kindy and Imam Ali General Hospitals, Baghdad (January 2024–June 2025). Two hundred clinically diagnosed cases were enrolled and divided into Group A (DM; n=100) and Group B (non-DM; n=100). History, slit-lamp examination, and conjunctival swabs for culture and Kirby–Bauer susceptibility testing (CLSI standards) were performed. Outcomes included healing time, recurrence within 3 weeks, complications, and hospitalization. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05 (SPSS v26). Results: Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant pathogen in both groups. Diabetics had more mixed infections (28% vs 12%, p=0.01) and longer mean healing time (8.2±1.4 vs 5.6±1.2 days, p<0.001). Recurrence (14% vs 5%, p=0.03), keratitis (9% vs 2%, p=0.04), corneal ulcer (5% vs 0%, p=0.02), and hospitalization (12% vs 3%, p=0.01) were higher in diabetics. Among antibiotics, moxifloxacin (90–94%) and tobramycin (88–90%) showed the highest sensitivities; erythromycin sensitivity was lower in diabetics (46% vs 64%, p=0.03). Poor glycaemic control (HbA1c>8%) independently correlated with delayed healing (9.3±1.5 vs 6.5±1.2 days, p<0.001), higher recurrence (20% vs 6%, p=0.01), increased keratitis (12% vs 3%, p=0.03), and greater resistance (36% vs 18%, p=0.04). Conclusion: DM significantly worsens the clinical course of bacterial conjunctivitis, increasing polymicrobial infection, resistance, complications, and recovery time. Early culture-guided therapy plus strict glycaemic control are essential to optimise outcomes.

Background: Escherichia coli  is a common bacterial species connected with nosocomial infections including urinary tract infections and pneumonia. Study Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the incidence of genes encoding AMEs enzymes in aminoglycosides resistant E. coli isolates isolated from urinary tract infection in Najaf hospitals. Methods: 68 samples were isolated from patients with UTI in Najaf City from the whole study period. The 23 isolates were exposed for the susceptibility of 3 antibiotics disks of 1categories by utilizing test of disk diffusion. Results: This study reported that 21 (91.3 %) were resistant to 1 or more aminoglycosides antibiotics. Also, this result reported that 20 (86.95%) of XDR isolates harbored aac(6')-Ib gene. Conclusions: The study showed the importance of aminoglycoside resistant isolates of E. coli as a cause of UTI infections in Najaf City.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Knowledge Management (KM) systems has the potential to transform patient care in healthcare. AI technologies such as natural language processing, predictive analytics and machine learning enhance KM by making knowledge more accessible and actionable. These advances can improve diagnostic accuracy, enable personalized treatment plans and streamline operations. However, significant challenges remain, including data privacy, security concerns and algorithmic bias. Such issues complicate the full adoption of AI and may lead to variable patient outcomes across healthcare contexts. This systematic review examines current applications of AI-based KM in healthcare, highlights major challenges and proposes potential solutions. It underscores the need for adaptable frameworks that account for diverse healthcare environments to maximize AI’s benefits. Ethical considerations-such as transparency, fairness and patient privacy-are central to safe implementation. Overall, while AI demonstrates strong potential to improve healthcare delivery, further research is required to address its limitations and ethical concerns.