The Pan African medical journal
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Pediatric traumatic injury is a major public health concern that is poorly documented in lower and middle-income countries. This study analyzed data on pediatric injuries from a unique hospital trauma registry in Abuja, Nigeria. ⋯ This analysis reveals that motor vehicle accident is a risk factor for traumatic head injury among children in Nigeria. Therefore, efforts should be made to address motor vehicle accidents involving children. These data will help to inform age-related prevention and treatment strategies. The results of this study highlight the importance of collecting pediatric trauma data in developing countries.
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We here report the case of a 38-year old woman with dilated cardiomyopathy induced by hypocalcaemia secondary to hypoparathyroidism. The patient had low calcium level (30 mg/L) and echocardiography showed dilated-hypokinetic cardiomyopathy with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (31.4%). She received calcitherapy associated with vitamin D3 and her evolution was marked by the normalization of the size of the cardiac cavities and of the left ventricular ejection fraction after normocalcemia.
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In recent years, low-dose, short-acting anesthetic agents, which replaced the former high-dose opioid regimens, offer a faster postoperative recovery and decrease the need for mechanical ventilatory support. In this study, the aim was to determine the success rate of fast-track approach in surgical procedures for congenital heart disease. There is some evidence, mostly from retrospective analyses, that fast tracking can be beneficial. ⋯ In this setting a carefull choice and dosing of anesthetic agents, alongside a good postoperative analgesia are mandatory. The authors found that an early extubation (< 4 hours) can be both effective and safe as it reduces intubation and ventilator times without increasing post-operative complications in pediatric congenital heart disease. This study supports a wider use of fast-track extubation protocols in paediatric patients submitted for congenital cardiac surgery in developing countries.
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Animal bite injuries are a common public health concern in Uganda. We sought to characterize animal bite injuries among patients presenting to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. ⋯ Dog bites injuries from unrestrained, un-signaled dogs are the commonest source of animal bite injuries especially among children (<18 years). Vaccination against rabies was only confirmed for a very small number of dogs, as majority were unknown and likely stray dogs. Government and public sensitization is urgently required to limit stray dogs, vaccinate dogs and restrain them to prevent a grave probability of a looming canine rabies epidemic.
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Osmotic demyelination syndrome is characterized by the loss of myelin in the center of the basis pontis and other areas of the central nervous system. We report a case of osmotic demyelination syndrome in a 55-year-old female, with a past medical history of arterial hypertension and multi-level cervical spondylosis, hospitalized for acute altered mental status complicating an array of acute gastroenteritis, the patient was afebrile. The course was marked by neurologic aggravation with confusion, aphasia, tetraplegia and osteo-tendinous areflexia. ⋯ The rapid correction of hyponatremia was the main cause of this syndrome, without neglecting the very likely role of the associated hypokalemia. The evolution of centropontine myelinolysis (CPM) and extrapontine myelinolysis (EPM) is variable. The treatment is primarily preventive based on the careful correction of severe hyponatraemia and contributing factors.