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 Background & Objectives: In spite of extensive advances in diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous diseases, cutaneous fungal infections are still one of the important reasons to refer to dermatology centers. Incidence of dermatophytosis species is different in various regions. Recognition of these agents has important role in its treatment and eradication. The aim of this study was to determine the various species of dermatophytes in patients referring to Haft-e-Tir Hospital, Tabriz.

 Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was done on 518 patients referring to Haft-e-Tir hospital from 1997 until 1998. Direct examination in their cutaneous and nail lesions was positive for dermatophytosis. All the samples from their lesions were cultured in special culture media including dextrose agar and sabouraud's dextrose agar plus chloramphenicol and cyclohexamide. The collected data were analysed by SPSS software.

 Results: There were positive cultures in 70.3% of the cases. Trichophyton verrucosom was the most common agent in all of cutaneous and nail infections. Involvement was more common among the subjects under 15 as well as among males and villagers. Tinea corporis was the most common clinical form of the disease.

 Conclusion: The findings indicated that zeophilic species and anthropophilic respectively are the most common dermatophytosis species in the region under study. Culture was positive only in ³/₄ of the samples.

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 Background and Objectives: Familial Mediterranean fever which is the prototype of the hereditary periodic fever syndromes is common in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Regarding the geographical position of the northwest of Iran, having Turkish originality and its vicinity to the Mediterranean Sea , the incidence of this disease is significant in Ardabil. The goal of this study was to introduce Familial Mediterranean Fever as a disease with significant outbreak in this area.

 Methods: This research is a descriptive study which has been done during one year from October 2004 to October 2005. According to the Tel-Hashomer criteria, the patients suffering from Familial Mediterranean Fever were collected from private clinics and pediatric rheumatology clinics records. Then from 112 patients only 74 ones were studied. All of the patients were interviewed and filled out a questionnaire.

 Results: Familial Mediterranean fever is common among children under 18 (76%) and more common in male than female. Abdominal pain has been the most common complaint (74%) and abdominal pain and fever (95% and 84% respectively) were the main clinical symptoms. The most common period of pain was 12-72 hours and the common recovery (attack free) period was from 1 week to 1 month (63/5%). Majority of the patients had hospital admission for diagnostic work up (85%) and some of them (32%) had been under surgical operation mistakenly. On the whole 92% of the patients had taken medications as a result of wrong diagnosis and 20% had positive familial history. 50% of the patients' parents were first degree relatives and in 59.5% delay in diagnosis was more than 3 years.

 Conclusion: Results of this study and introduction of this group of patients in a one-year research indicate that: Familial Mediterranean Fever is more common in the Northwest of Iran although physicians are not familiar with that. The common age for manifestation of this disease is under 18 and its presentation after the age of 40 is very rare.

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Hydatid cyst disease is a zoonosis disease that is common in both humans and animals. Humans acquire echinococcosis by ingesting viable parasite eggs with their food. The hydatid cyst tend to be in the liver (50-70% of patients) or lung (20-30% patients) but may be found in any other organs of the body, including brain, heart, and bones (less than 10%). Symptoms are often absent, and in many cases infection is detected only incidentally by imaging studies.
This paper presents a case of hydatid cyst who admitted with non specific symptoms such as blotting, recurrent constipation and abdominal distention. Abdominal CT of the patient found low density mass in the right side of abdomen (in small bowel mesentery), without involvement
of the liver, kidney, spleen, and pancreas. The patient candidated for resolution of cyst with lapratomic style. And in operative laparatomy a typical hydatid cyst was found and confirmed by pathology and similar reports were not found by the author regarding the literature.

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  Background & Objectives: The first Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy surgery was performed by Erich Muhe in 1985.Nowadays in developed countries, more than 90% of cholecystectomy surgeries are done by Laparoscopic method and it is one of the most common elective surgeries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency and side effects of this method and the rate of conversion to open surgery patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery in Sabalan and Arta hospitals in Ardabil province.

  Methods: This descriptive analytical study was performed between October 2006 and January 2009. We have studied 200 patients (24 male, 176 female) with cholecystitis (symptomatic gallstones) treated by Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy surgery. Data were collected through questionnaires and telephone calls (at least 6 months after surgery). Data analysis was done by SPSS statistical software and chi-square test. p<0.05 was considered as significant.

  Results: The average age of patients was 44.6 years. In the final diagnosis, 168 patients (84%) had chronic cholecystitis and 32 patients (16%) had acute cholecystitis. The rate of conversion to open surgery was 8 patients (4%). Eight cases (4%) were suffered organic side effects including: four cases (2%) jaundice after surgery, 1 case (0.5%) postoperative fever, 1 case (0.5%) leakage of bile, 1 case (0.5%) slight leaking of serum from the surgical site and 1 case (0.5%) associated with increased liver enzymes that had no other symptoms. About the risk factors for conversion to open surgery, there was significant correlation between acute cholecystitis and male gender. Information about the satisfaction of patients after surgery showed that, 89.5% were completely satisfied, 2.5% were completely dissatisfied and 8% were relatively dissatisfied. No deaths were seen.

  Conclusion: Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is a standard selective treatment method for gallbladder stones. It has many advantages including reduced duration of hospitalization, less pain, reduced morbidity and less side effects than open surgery, lower recovery period and faster return to normal life.