African
Journals Online
Sahel Medical
Journal
Volume 6 No.2 April-June 2003
ABSTRACTS
The ideal qualities of a good consultant: Who does the cap fit?
*K I Airede, FWACP.
Department of Paediatrics,Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital,
P.M.B. 2370, Sokoto, Sokoto State, NIGERIA.
Summary
The ideal qualities of a good Consultant defy definition, and a full description of
one is difficult to completely proffer. Such a description, would also depend
on which ‘Camp’ or ‘School’ you belong to. To a junior doctor, a good Consultant
is easily accessible, approachable, friendly, with the patience of a Saint, and
the sense of humour of an undergraduate.
However, I consider the most important quality
to be ‘availability’ or ‘presence’ - at least on the end of a phone! Tolerance,
empathy and understanding are the other basic ideal qualities of a good
Consultant. As regards health-care delivery, the good Consultant should have a
passionate concern to maintain basic standards of Patient Care. He or she should want his or her colleagues to
adopt the same standard and approach towards their Government patients, as they
would to their Private patients.
The good Consultant never writes
“I have given the patient a supply of my
formula for asthma“ or denies access to simple tests like fundoscopy nor
audiogram.
Yes, the Consultant can still change his or
her characteristics to fit the “ideal”,
if there are more significant negative attributes when you complete
reading through this viewpoint on Ethics of Medical Practice.
Pattern of primary female genital cancer in Port-Harcourt,
Nigeria: a 12-year Review
*D Seleye-Fubara, FWACP and **S A Uzoigwe, FWACS.
Departments of *Anatomical Pathology and **Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, PMB 6173, Port-Harcourt,
Nigeria.
Benin City, Edo State
Summary
A retrospective study of 278 gynaecological
malignancies was carried out for a period of 12 years (1990-2001) by the
authors in the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt
(UPTH) with respect to age, site and histological pattern of the cancers in
each anatomical class. Cancers of the cervix, ovaries and the vulva were
commoner in the age group 50 – 59 years while those of the uterus and the
vagina were commoner in the age group 60 – 69 years. Of the given anatomical
classes, cancer of the cervix formed the majority, accounting for 63% of the
cases, and the least was cancer of the vulva which recorded 3.2%. Others in
order of frequency were ovary 15.5%, uterus 13.3% and vagina 5%.
In all
the cases, except those of the uterus and ovaries-where choriocarcinoma and
serous papillary cystadenocarcinomas were more frequent, squamous cell
carcinoma of “well and moderately differentiated variants formed majority. The
uterine cancers were made up of both epithelial and mesenchymal cancers.
Severely dysplastic lesions were considered as malignant since they showed all
the characteristics of malignancy except infiltration of the surrounding
tissues.
Key words:
Gynaecological malignancies; Age, Sites and Histological types
Calcification of Falx Cerebri in childhood: a normal variant or a pathological entity?
*A Ojuawo, **D A Nzeh and *A Salisu
Departments of *Paediatrics and **Radiology, University of Ilorin
Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.
Summary
The skull radiograph of 102 children with
seizure disorders seen at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital over a
3-year period were reviewed and compared to those of 42 children with
indications for skull radiographs other than seizures. Intracranial calcifications were reported in
14(13.7%) of those with seizure disorders, with calcification of the falx
cerebri accounting for 57.1% of all the intracranial calcifications. In comparison to the controls, falx cerebri
calcification was significantly higher in the children with seizures (c2 = 9.25, p< 0.001). Of the 8 cases that had calcification of the
falx, birth asphyxia was associated in 5 (62.5%) of the cases with a relative
risk "RR" of 2.1. Eighty
seven percent of the falx calcification was seen in those with generalised
seizures.
We conclude that calcification of the falx
cerebri is a pathological entity with a possible role in the genesis of
centroencephalic abnormal discharges in childhood. It is associated with generalised seizures, and birth asphyxia
seems to be a predisposing factor.
Key Words: Seizures,
Calcification of the falx cerebri, Pathological.
Abdominal Wall Hernias as seen in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo,
Osun State, Nigeria
* SO Fadiora, FWACS., *AS Oguntola, FWACS., *AOA Aderounmu, FMCS., **TO
Bello, FWACS., *ML Adeoti, MD, FHCS., and *OO Awe, MBBS.
Departments of *Surgery and **Radiology, Ladoke Akintola University of
Technology (Lautech) Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
Summary
A prospective survey of Abdominal Wall Hernia
patients was done in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, from November 2000 to
February 2002. The objective is to
determine the pattern, management and outcome in a 101 patients with 110
hernias. Males accounted for 88.1% of
the patients with mean age of 51.1 ± 11.7 years and 48.5% were farmers. Benign prostatic hyperplasia coexisted with
hernia in 19.8% of patients.
Inguinal/inguino-scrotal was the commonest (88.1%), while femoral hernia
was rare (2.7%).
Hernia occurred on the right side in 49% and
bilateral in 10.9%. Consultants
operated on 66(65.3%) patients, while residents under supervision operated on
35(34.7%) patients 65.2% of the patients were above 50 years. Day case surgery in our series was 75.3%;
Elective surgery was in 76(75.2%) patients; while emergency cases was in
25(24.8%) patients. Local, spinal and
general anaesthesia were used in 54(53.5%), 27(26.7%), 20(19.8%) patients,
respectively. 19.8% had benign
prostatic hyperplasia with hernia, while 5% had simultaneous prostatectomy and
herniorrhaphy, 11.5% had gangrenous intestine that needed resection and
reanastamosis.
Commonest post operative complication was
wound infection 14.9%, others were scrotal oedema, wound sinus, hypertrophic
scars occurred in 3(3%), 2(2%), 3(3%) patients, respectively; with mortality in
1 patient (1%) in an elderly man who had strangulated intestinal obstruction.
Key Words: Abdominal
wall hernias, Coexisting prostatic hypertrophy.
A Ten - Year Review of Gynaecological Malignancies in Jos University
Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria (1990-1999)
* BM Mandong, FMCPPath., **IAO Ujah, FMCOG, mni.
Departments of *Pathology and **Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Jos University
Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Summary
A restrospective study of gynaecological
malignant tumours was undertaken between January 1990 - December 1999
inclusive. It consisted of all gynecological specimens sent to histopathology
laboratory in 10% formalin-saline solution. Those diagnosed as malignant
tumours were retrieved from our
records.
A total of 2,673 malignant tumours were
recorded out of which 386 were of gynaecological malignant tumours.Cancer of
the cervix accounted for77.0% which
were seen in advanced stages, followed by ovarian 11.0%, endometrial 6.5% and
vulval cancers 4.1%. Cervical cancer was the predominant gynaecological cancer
in this hospital. This high incidence may be attributed to a lack of awareness of the nature of the disease which
may be responsible for the late presentation in the hospital. The number of
cases of other gynaecological malignancies like ovarian and endometrial cancers
have continued to rise in our hospital, and like cancer of the cervix, patients
presented late.
Serum levels of
antioxidant vitamins in sicklers and non-sicklers in Sokoto Metropolis'
children
IK Matazu, M.Sc, LS Bilbis, Ph.D, *NM Jiya, FWACP,
HU Suleiman, BSc, BS Abdulkareem, BSc and UA Abubakar, BSC.
Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University,
P.M.B.2346 Sokoto, Nigeria.
*Department of Paediatrics,
Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital P.M.B.2370 Sokoto, Nigeria.
Summary
The serum concentrations of vitamins A
(retinol), C (ascorbic acid) and E (alpha-tocopherol) of paediatric- age group
were determined in sicklers and non-sicklers within the Sokoto metropolis. The
levels of the antioxidant vitamins were found to be significantly lower (p <
0.001) in the sickler group when compared to that in non-sicklers. In all cases
the concentrations of the antioxidant vitamins were significantly depressed in
children with sickle-cell anaemia. The depletion in the levels of the
three-antioxidant vitamins may probably account for some of the observed
clinical manifestations of sickle-cell anaemia. This shall be the subject of
our future investigation(s).
Key Words: Sicklers, Non- sicklers, Serum Vitamin A, Serum
Vitamin C, Serum Vitamin E.
Spectrum of emergencies in an accident centre in
Benin-City, Nigeria
*M N Okobia, FMCS, FWACS, U Osime, FWACS, FRCS.
Department of Surgery, University of Benin/University of Benin Teaching
Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
Summary
A total of 1,398 patients who presented with
various types of injuries at the Accident Centre of the University of Benin
Teaching Hospital over a one-year period were prospectively studied to evaluate
the categories of patients affected, aetiological factors, types and severity
of organ injuries. There were 956 males and 442 females with a male to female
ratio of 2.2 to 1. The peak age of the patients was in the third decade. Road
traffic accident was the cause of injury in 52 percent of cases, followed by
physical assault and falls. The lower extremities, head, face and upper
extremities were the most commonly injured body regions. Most of the injuries
were minor with Injury Severity Score (ISS) ranging from 1-3, and moderate
severity (ISS ranging from 4-16). Majority resulted from road traffic
accidents. We conclude that road traffic accidents are the major cause of
traumatic injuries in Benin City and efforts should be made to quantify the
burden of injury in our environment through purposeful research and
establishment of a trauma data bank.
(Key words: Trauma, injuries, road traffic
accidents, accident centre.)
Unusual presentation of oesophageal foreign body in a
Nigerian child
K R Iseh, FWACS, FMCORL.
ENT Department, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto
Summary
Children
commonly swallow various objects unknown to parents and guardians. Fear of being disciplined also add to their
unwillingness to confess what they had done.
In this paper a case is presented from the Ear, Nose and Throat
Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto of a
ten year old child who was treated at various hospitals, for cough for seven
years with stunted growth. Radiological
investigations confirmed an oesophageal foreign body (coin) with consolidation
and bronchiectatic changes in the right lung.
Patient's symptoms resolved after removal of the foreign body. Simple chest x-ray should be done in all
children with persistent cough especially when this is associated with growth
retardation.
Key Words: Oesophageal foreign body, Lung complications,
Growth retardation
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