African
Journals Online
Sahel Medical
Journal
Volume 5 No.4 October – December 2002
Abstracts
The Megascrotum Syndrome: The Sokoto Experience
I
O Ntia and M Moin
Department
of Surgery, Usmanu Danfodio University of Teaching Hospital,
P.M.B.
2370 Sokoto, Nigeria
Summary
Giant
scrotal swellings still occur in the rural areas of developing countries like
ours. The normal scrotum is about ½ -¾ the size of the clenched fist and hangs
6 to 8cm blow the pubic arch.
36 patients with large scrotal swellings were
electively treated by scrotal reduction and reconstruction over a 5-year
period. 15 scrotal swellings attained giant size. 16 were hydroceles, 15
hernias and 5 scrotal lymphoedema. Associated pathology included bilharziasis,
filariasis, tuberculosis and non-specific chronic infections. The aim of the
surgery was to reduce the scrotum to the size of the clenched fist enclosing at
least one viable testis. There were 9 cases of significant wound infection. All
the patients were satisfied with the results and there was no death. The
megascrotum causes compression atrophy of the testis and raises testicular
temperature above normal. It is associated with testicular dysfunction,
testicular atrophy, oligospermia and infertility.
In addition to vigorous treatment of any associated
pathology, surgery should aim at reducing the megascrotum to normal size
Patients’ Perception on Communication Between Patients and
Doctors in a Teaching Hospital
T M Akande, FMCPH
University of Ilorin
Teaching Hospital P.M.B. 1459 Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Summary
This
cross-sectional survey of a study was conducted to determine the extent of
communication between doctors and their patients, and the determinant factors.
A
total of 297 randomly selected patients were interviewed. About two-third (65.5%) responded that they
knew the diagnosis or nature of their ailment. Less than half (42.2%) of those
interviewed felt they received adequate information about the nature of their
ailment from the health workers and about half (54.9%) felt doctors spent
enough time to explain this to them. Educational level of patients tends to
influence communication. This study confirmed communication gap between
patients and health care providers.
Prevalence of Yersinia enterocolitica Among Diarrhoeal
Patients Attending University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City, Nigeria
*A I Omoigberale, FWACPaed and **P O Abiodun, Facharzt,
FWACPaed.
Department of Child
Health University of Benin Teaching Hospital, PMB 1111 Benin City, Edo State,
Nigeria.
Summary
OBJECTIVE:
This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Yersinia
enterocolitica among diarrhoeal patients attending University of Benin Teaching
Hospital. Diarrhoeal is still a major cause of morbidity and mortality in
Nigeria due to lack of clean portable water, and poor personal and
environmental hygiene among majority of Nigerians.
DESIGN:
A cross-sectional study of the patients presenting with diarrhoea to the
hospital was done.
SETTING:
The study was carried out in both children and adults presenting with diarrhoea
at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City from June to December,
2001.
SUBJECTS:
A total of 215 patients were prospectively admitted into the study. This
consisted of 95 males and 120 females. These were 139 children and 78 adults.
Samples taken from them were subjected to cold temperature enrichment at 40C
and subsequently subcultured in Deoxycholate citrate agar (DCA) and MacConkey
agar (MCA) plates and incubated at 250C
and 370C. Microscopy, culture and biochemical tests were done on all
the samples. The sources of drinking water of the patients were determined and
the literacy status of the 78 adults amongst them was also noted.
RESULTS:
47 (21.9%) of the 215 patients were positive for Yersinia enterocolitica. The
highest prevalence of 32.8% was recorded among children age 1-9 years. There
was a strong association between sources of drinking water and prevalence of
Yersinia enterocolitica. The prevalence was also found to be high among
illiterate and semi illiterate adults. Sex did not play any positive role in
the infections (x2, p>0.05)
CONCLUSION:
In addition to rotavirus and bacteria such as Shigellae, Yersinia
enterocolitica has been found to be responsible for gastroenteritis which is
still a major cause of morbidity and mortality among majority of Nigerians. It
is recommended that provision of clean portable water for drinking and
addressing the poverty status of the populace by the various tiers of
governments would go a long way to reducing morbidity and mortality associated
with gastroenteritis.
KEY
WORDS: Prevalence, Yersinia
enterocolitica, portable drinking water, Agar
Epidemiological Investigation of Kerosene Burn Tragedy in
Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
O I Musa FMCPH, I M
Akande FMCPH, and M J Saka MB,BS
Department
of Epidemiology & Community Health, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital,
P.M.B. 1459 Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Summary
About three-quarters’ of all burn-related deaths follow
kerosene accidents and house fire. The cause and the risk of burn injury are
influenced by age, economic status, occupation and environmental circumstances
leading to the injury. This report provides epidemiological facts concerning
recent kerosene tragedy reported in Ilorin in which 12(18.5%) deaths out of 65
cases of burns investigated was recorded while 12(23%) of the remaining 53
cases receiving treatment were at risk of death due to severe burns they
sustained. Although careless use of kerosene in fire lighting practices by the
victims was a major risk factor identified, adulteration of the product poses a
great danger to its use for demits purposes. Public enlightenment on safe fire
lighting and cautious use of Kerosene are recommended.
The Pattern of Association of Urethral Stricture with
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Nigerians
IO Ntia, and A A
Dikko
Department
of Surgery, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. Nigeria
Summary
The
records of all patients treated for Being Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) with
urethral stricture between January 1991 to December 2000 in the Urology Unit of
Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, (U.D.U.T.H.), Sokoto were
reviewed.
69
patients with this association were studied. The mean age was 62.5 years, range
50-88. All the patients presented with urine retention which was relieved by
suprapublic catheter drainage. Diagnosis was confirmed by cystourethrography,
panendoscopy and urethral calibration. Treatment was by synchronous open
prostatectomy and urethral dilatation in 61 patients. 8 patients were treated
by internal optical urthrotomy and transurthral resection of the prostate. Post
operatively, satisfactory urine flow was the rule. 6 patients required
intermittent urethral dilatation during the first year. Strictures in these
patients were mild, simple and adequately treaded by regeneration procedures.
Severe complicated strictures were not associated with BPH.
This
association tends to occur in 10-12% of BPH patients. This approach to
management can be undertaken by surgeons who have average skill in general
urologial procedure.
The Relationship Between
Socio-Demographic Factors and Severity of Visual Field Loss in Glaucoma
Patients at Initial Presentation In Benin-City, Nigeria
* AE Omoti, FWACS, MJ Waziri-Erameh, FWACS, AI Osahon, FWACS
Department of Ophthalmology
University of Benin Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1111 Benin- City, Nigeria
Summary
Late presentation
continues to be a major problem of patients with primary open angle glaucoma.
The aim of this study is to determine the socio-demographic factors, which
affect the severity of visual field loss at initial presentation.
A prospective
study of 154 new patients with a diagnosis of primary open angle glaucoma seen
between January 1997 and August 1998 at the University of Benin Teaching
Hospital, Nigeria were analyzed in the context of gender, marital status,
religion geographical abode, education status, occupation and monthly income.
The patients were examined using the Bjerrum screen.
The mean age
was 52.73 years (SD+ 15.98) and the male to female ratio was 2.1:1.
Eighty-seven patients (56.5%) presented late with visual field constricted to
less than 100 of fixation. Gender, marital status, religions and
geographical abode did not significantly affect the severity of visual field
loss at presentation. There was a significant difference with occupation
(P>0.05), educational status (P>0.05) and with monthly income
(P>0.01). Patients in the higher socioeconomic classes, those who had
tertiary level of education and those in the higher monthly income groups
presented earlier than those in the lower socioeconomic classes, those with
lower educational status and those in the lower monthly income groups
respectively.
Economic empowerment, poverty alleviation and improvement
in educational status can reduce the problem of late presentation.
KEY WORDS:Factors, severity, field loss,
glaucoma.
An Assessment of the Availability and Utilization of
Toilet Facilities at Alanamu Ward, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
R A Olawoye,MPH.
Ministry of Health, Ilorin, Nigeria
and
A O Awoyemi, FMCPH.
Department of Epidemiology & Community Health
University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeri
Summary
The study assessed the availability of toilet
facilities in Alanamu Ward of Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State of
Nigeria. It also critically appraised the utilization of the toilets and
factors affecting both availability and utilization. Heads of households or
their representatives in 112 houses selected by systematic random sampling were
interviewed.
One
hundred and ten of the questionnaires were found suitable for analysis. Results
obtained showed that people in Alanamu use other methods beside the toilet for
defaecation and excreta disposal. These other methods include refuse dumping sites,
bush at backyard of houses, bowls and the surroundings.
Factors
such as accessibility, education, culture and socio-economy have strong
influence on toilet availability and utilization in Alanamu.
Recommendations were made in order to improve latrine
conditions and excreta disposal generally. There is also an urgent need for
further research, particularly, KAP survey of people on excreta disposal and
its health implications.
Haemangioma of the Maxilarysnus – Case Report.
F.O. Ogisi, FRCS
(Ed.)
ENT Unit Department
of Surgery, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria
Summary
Haemangiomas arising in the paranasal sinuses are very rare and there
have been relatively few reports in the literature. We report here a case of
maxillary sinus haeamangioma presenting initially as recurrent epistaxis of
unexplained origin; the actual pathology was evident at surgery
KEY WORDS: haemangioma; sinuses; epistaxis.
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