Niger J Clin Pract
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Efficient pre-hospital transport (emergency medical services, EMS) is associated with improved outcomes in road traffic injuries (RTI). This study aims to discover possible interventions in the existing mode of transport. ⋯ This study has identified three groups of persons involved in pre-hospital transport with nearly 50% getting to ER within 1 hour without any intervention or prior notification of ER. Absence of EMS obscures pre-hospital death records. The P/F responsible for only 40% of transport should be trained and equipped to offer basic trauma life support (BTLS). The REL and BS (both responsible for 60% of transport) represent a pool of volunteers for BTLS to be trained.
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Over 90% full term normal newborns are known to pass meconium (first stools) within the first 24 hrs of life especially among Caucasians. This has not been fully documented among African neonates. This study was therefore done to determine time of passage of first stools (meconium) in African neonates and also the serum levels of calcium and magnesium in these children in order to establish a data base for normal standards. ⋯ This study has shown a relatively shorter time of passage of first stools (meconium) in Nigerian neonates (blacks) than in the Caucasians. The implication of the findings in this study is that a delay in the passage of first stools (meconium) and early appearance of jaundice in normal black neonates could be due to gastrointestinal abnormalities. This observation could lead to early identification of these neonates with resultant early intervention.
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Hypertension is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Paradigm shift and novel drugs that go beyond blood pressure control have debuted in the last decade globally and in Nigeria. The study therefore proposed to investigate the effect of the above if any on hypertension related acute deaths in patients admitted to the emergency room of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. ⋯ There is a trend towards reduction of hypertension related acute deaths. However stroke remains a major cause of acute hypertensive death and the patients are still dying young.
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Case Reports
Closed drainage of liver abscesses: the 'UNICAL' drain as an efficient and cost saving device in a tropical setting.
Liver abscesses occur in both the developed and developing countries. Up to the time of this study lever abscesses in our centre were drained with open laparotomy, because of the lack of standard equipment for percutaneous drainage. We present a preliminary report of six cases of liver abscesses drained percutaneously using the 'UNICAL' closed drainage system. ⋯ We conclude that the 'UNICAL' drain is an effective and cheap device for percutaneous drainage of liver abscess under ultrasound guidance in a'resource poor environment'.
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Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) may present with neuro-ophthalmic symptoms including visual loss. Involvement of the cranial nerves have been found to impact significantly on the individual's 5 year survival rate, which makes an early diagnosis of this condition of great importance in the management of NPC. ⋯ Neuro-ophthalmic manifestations were commonly found among patients diagnosed as NPC at Ilorin. A high index of suspicion of NPC whenever a patient presents with neuro-ophthalmic signs and symptom is advocated.