Profile of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury in South-West Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. In Nigeria, there is paucity of information about TBI in children. We describe the profile of pediatric TBI in a university hospital in South-West Nigeria. METHODS: A retrospective study of children who had TBI from 2012 to 2022 was performed. Data were extracted from the neurosurgery database. Patient demographics, etiology/patterns of injuries, clinical/radiologic findings, management, and outcomes were assessed. We performed simple descriptive analyses. RESULTS: Pediatric TBIs represented 20% (128) of the head injury admissions (631). There was male preponderance (male/female = 1.8:1); most patients were adolescents (29%). In total, 61%, 18%, and 21% had mild, moderate, and severe TBI, respectively. Road traffic crashes were responsible for 74% of cases, with motorcycle accidents (46%) much greater than motor vehicular accidents (28%), mostly pedestrian (51%). Fall from heights accounted for 21%, mostly in toddlers. A total of 70% had associated injuries, mainly skull fractures (54%) and soft-tissue injuries (47%). In total, 31% had post-traumatic seizures. Only 40 (31%) had a cranial computed tomography scan. Common findings were contusions in 70%, extradural hematomas in 28%, and intracranial aerocoeles in 18%. There were no neurosurgical lesions in 20%. Six had operative intervention. Mortality rate was 12%. In total, 84% had good recovery. The average follow-up period was 7 months. CONCLUSIONS: Children account for a large number of TBIs in our environment, which are mostly from road traffic crashes and falls. Only a few received computed tomography scan of the brain. Most cases had nonoperative care, and outcomes are worse with increasing severity of head injury. Specific preventive measures need to be formulated and/or enforced by governments at all levels.

Maxillofacial fractures in a budding teaching hospital: a study of pattern of presentation and care.

INTRODUCTION: Previous reports indicated that there is geographic and sociodemographic variation in the epidemiology of maxillofacial fractures. Audit of maxillofacial injuries managed at any institution is therefore necessary to understand the trends and proffer strategies for prevention. We therefore embarked on this study to determine the pattern of maxillofacial fractures and concomitant injuries in our institution. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective review of information on demography, aetiology and type of maxillofacial fracture, patients' status, type of crash, level of consciousness and concomitant injuries. The data collected was analysed with SPSS Version 20. RESULTS: A total of 233 patients aged 2 to 66 years were reviewed. A higher male preponderance (M:F 3.4:1) was observed. Road traffic crashes (RTC) accounted for 78.5% of injuries. Motorcycle related crashes were responsible for 69.4% of RTC and 54.5% of all fractures. Fracture of the mandible (63.2% n=172) was the most predominant skeletal injury and the body (25% n=43) was the most common site of fracture while the zygoma (29%) was predominantly affected in the midface. Ninety three patients (40%) suffered loss of consciousness. The relationship between aetiology of injuries and consciousness level of the patients was statistically significant (p=0.001). Of the 43 patients who had concomitant injuries, craniocerebral affectation (60.5%) was the commonest. CONCLUSION: RTC remains the major aetiology of maxillofacial fractures. The mandible was mostly affected and nearly half of the patients have associated loss of consciousness. There is need for continual advocacy and enforcement of laws on preventive measures among road users.

Clinical outcomes of posterior spinal stabilization with rigid vertical strut and spinal process wires (the Adeolu's technique) in a developing country.

INTRODUCTION: Conventional instrumentation for spinal stabilization is beyond the reach of many patients in developing countries. A low-cost and easily-available method of spinal stabilization using vertical struts and spinal process wires (Adeolu's technique) was recently introduced in Nigeria. We describe the clinical outcomes of a prospective series of patients managed using the technique. METHODS: From 2011 to 2012, we performed posterior spinal stabilization in eighteen patients using the technique. Primary outcomes were radiological evidence of rigid stabilization and mobilization without restrictions referable to the procedure in the immediate post-operative period. Implant rotation, migration, back-out, fracture, wound infection, worsening neurological status and need for implant removal were secondary measures. Overall patient satisfaction was assessed using a five-point Likert scale. The average follow-up period was 11.6 months. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 45.8 years. Trauma with unstable spinal fractures (11), spondylosis (5), and thoracic extra-dural tumour (2) were the indications for surgery. The average number of spinal levels stabilized was 6. All patients had satisfactory primary outcomes. Implant rotation occurred in 3 patients (16.7%). There was no case of implant migration, back-out or fracture. Superficial surgical site infection occurred in one patient. There was no need to remove the implant in any subject and none had post-operative worsening of neurological status. The overall patient satisfaction was good with 17 patients (94.4%) reporting "highly satisfied" or "satisfied" with the surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: The technique offers utility in a wide range of spinal pathologies and short-term clinical outcomes are good.

Posttraumatic Seizures in a Rural Nigerian Neurosurgical Service.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a recognized risk factor for seizures. In Nigeria, there is paucity of literature on posttraumatic seizure (PTS). This study provides the profile and pattern of PTS in patients with TBI in a rural Nigerian neurosurgical service. METHODS: A prospective observational study of patients with TBI was performed. Clinical and radiological data including outcomes of care were analyzed with SPSS version 15. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients were managed for TBI. There were 20 (10.1%) cases of PTS. Mean age was 28.4 years (range: 5-80 years) and most were male (n = 16; 80%). The average admission Glasgow Coma Scale score was 10 (range: 3-15). Of the 20 patients with PTS, 10 (50%) had mild head injury whereas 3 (15%) and 7 (35%) had moderate and severe head injuries, respectively. PTS peaked in young patients aged 17-45 years (n = 14, 70%). Fourteen (n = 14, 70%) had immediate PTS, whereas 6 (30%) had early PTS. Increasing severity of head injury resulted in a greater incidence of PTS (7.8%, 10.3%, and 17.1% for mild, moderate, and severe head injuries, respectively). Findings of acute subdural hematoma and contusions on computed tomography scan are significant risk factors for PTS (χ2: 22.8; P value: 0.0004). Five (25%) patients required anticonvulsant therapy because of seizure recurrence, but only one progressed to late PTS. Four (20.0%) died, whereas the rest had good outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Severe TBI and computed tomography findings of acute subdural hematoma and cerebral contusions are predictors of PTS in our environment. Progression of immediate/early to late PTS is rare.

Neurosurgery in rural Nigeria: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Africa has very few neurosurgeons. These are almost exclusively in urban centers. Consequently, people in rural areas, most of the African population, have poor or no access to neurosurgical care. We have recently pioneered rural neurosurgery in Nigeria. OBJECTIVES: This report details our initial experiences and the profile of neurosurgical admissions in our center. METHODS: A prospective observational study of all neurosurgical patients managed at a rural tertiary health institution in Nigeria from December 2010 to May 2012 was done. Simple descriptive data analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 249 males (75.2%) and 82 females (24.8%) were managed. The median age was 37 years (range: Day of birth - 94 years). Trauma was the leading cause of presentation with 225 (68.0%) and 35 (10.6%) having sustained head and spinal injuries, respectively. Operative intervention was performed in 54 (16.3%). Twenty-four (7.2%) patients discharged against medical advice, mostly for economic reasons. Most patients (208, 63.4%) had satisfactory outcome while 30 (9.1%) died. CONCLUSION: Trauma is the leading cause of rural neurosurgical presentations. There is an urgent need to improve access to adequate neurosurgical care in the rural communities.

Prevention of myelomeningocele: African perspectives.

BACKGROUND: The prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs) is now an issue of major public health concern. Myelomeningocele, the most common NTD, often results in severe disabilities and may be life threatening. In Africa, there is little awareness of the NTDs, and most African countries lag behind in the global efforts at preventing them. PURPOSE: Following a review of global literature, we discuss the burden of myelomeningocele on the society and the current state of its prevention with an emphasis on Africa within the global context. The realization that folate supplementation reduces the occurrence of NTDs by as much as 85 % offers an opportunity to promote global reduction in the incidence of NTDs through (1) effective folate supplementation strategies combined with (2) secondary prevention using prenatal detection and termination of NTD pregnancies within respective national legal frameworks. We call attention to the poor state of understanding of NTDs in Africa and the alarming rarity of policies to prevent the condition in the continent. CONCLUSIONS: The understanding of the contributions of folate deficiency to the causation of NTDs has enabled appropriate, though still inadequate, preventive measures to be taken in several countries. We call on African governments and the international community to rapidly promote policies aimed at making fortification of wheat (and or other substitute staple foods) with folic acid universally available.

Post-operative day two versus day seven mobilization after burr-hole drainage of subacute and chronic subdural haematoma in Nigerians.

INTRODUCTION: The traditional care of patients with subacute/chronic subdural haematoma (S/CSDH) often involves delayed mobilization after burr-hole drainage. It is thought that delayed mobilization aids brain re-expansion thereby reducing the risk of recurrence. However, there is paucity of information regarding its efficacy and safety over early mobilization. We evaluated the efficacy and complications of each type of mobilization following burr-hole drainage of S/CSDH. METHOD: This was a prospective study from October 2004 and September 2010. A total of 50 patients who had burr-hole drainage of S/CSDH were sequentially allocated to either early (day 2) or late (day 7) mobilization (EM or LM) groups (25 patients in each group). Wound related complications, recurrence of haematoma, complications of prolonged bed rest and Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) at discharge were studied in the two groups. Patients who could not obey commands to mobilize in the early post-operative period were excluded. RESULTS: There were 43 (86%) males and 7 (14%) females. The mean age was 57 years (range: 27-90 years). Fourteen (28%) of the patients were elderly (age > 65 years). Two complications, wound infection in a 76-year old man in the LM group and tension pneumocephalus requiring re-opening burr-hole drainage in a 55-year old man in the EM group were recorded. There was no recurrence or problem associated with prolonged bed rest in the two groups. Five (10%) patients had moderate disability (GOS 4) at discharge (1 EM, 4 LM) while the others (90%) had good recovery (GOS 5) (24 EM, 21 LM). These differences were not statistically significant (p-value: 0.349). CONCLUSION: It appears that both EM and LM are equally beneficial in the post-operative care of patients following burr-hole drainage of S/CSDH. There is no significant complication referable to the specific type of mobilization. The authors, therefore, advocate EM of patients to reduce the length of hospital stay.

Revisiting the eye opening response of the Glasgow Coma Scale.

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), introduced by Teasdale and Jenneth in 1974, has received tremendous acclaim from clinicians and has been extensively used in clinical practice for the evaluation of the level of consciousness. The author notes that some traumatic brain injury patients close eyes in response to painful stimuli as opposed to the eye opening response to pain of the GCS. A revision of the eye opening response subsection of the GCS is suggested.

Screw driver: an unusual cause of cervical spinal cord injury.

Non-missile penetrating spinal injuries are rare. Screw driver injury, more especially to the cervical spine, represents an even rarer subset. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case from West Africa of cervical spinal cord injury from a screw driver. A middle-aged man was stabbed from the back with a screw driver. He presented with right-sided C4 Brown-Sequard syndrome with the impaling object in situ. Cervical spine x-rays showed the screw driver to have gone into the spine between the spinous processes of C4 and C5, traversing the spinal canal and lodged in the anterior part of the C4/5 intervertebral disc space. C4 and C5 laminectomies were performed and the screw driver removed under vision. The object was found to have traversed the right side of the cervical spinal cord. The dural tear was repaired. He had some neurologic improvement initially, but later declined. He died from severe pulmonary complications 2 weeks postinjury. Screw driver represents an unusual cause of non-missile penetrating cervical spinal injury. Its neurological effects and complications of the cord injury lead to significant morbidity and mortality.

Helmet usage in motorcycle-related neurotrauma.

Motorcycles provide important means of transportation for humans and goods especially in developing economies. The authors observe that Murphy and his colleagues aptly illustrate the burden of motorcycles on national healthcare systems but did not present clear data relating to the effect of helmet use in reducing the severity of head injury by motorcyclists, as well as supportive data for the promotion of Ireland's SHARP guidelines. Controlled studies to assess the effectiveness of different helmets are advocated.