Preventing hypothermia in pediatric neurosurgery in Africa-A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial of insulation versus active warming.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of a low-cost heat-preserving method in preventing intraoperative hypothermia with that of forced-air warming in a resource-limited setting. METHODS: In this randomized controlled non-inferiority trial, we recruited children younger than 12 years scheduled for cranial neurosurgery in a large East-African hospital. Patients were block-randomized by age to intraoperative warming measures using Hibler's method (intervention) or warm air (comparator). Hibler's group patients were circumferentially wrapped in transparent plastic sheeting (providing a vapor-trap) over a layer of cotton blankets, then laid on an insulating foam mattress. Warm air group patients were treated with forced-air convection via an underlying Snuggle Warm™ Pediatric Full Body mattress. Allocated warming measures were initiated in the operating theatre and discontinued upon anesthesia emergence. Perioperative temperatures were measured using noninvasive forehead probes (SpotOn™). The primary outcome was incidence of hypothermia (core temperature < 36.0° for longer than 5 min). Our null hypothesis was that Hibler's method is inferior in efficacy to the warm air method by a margin exceeding 20%. Among secondary outcomes were duration of hypothermia as proportion of surgical duration, incidence of postoperative shivering and rescue measure requirements. RESULTS: We analyzed data for 77 participants (Hibler's = 38; warm air = 39). There was no significant difference between the Hibler's and warm air arms of the study in the primary outcome of incidence of hypothermia (59.0% vs. 60.5% respectively; OR 1.07; 95% CI 0.43-2.65; p = .890). However, the risk difference (1.55%; 95% CI -0.20 to -0.24) exceeded the 0.2 margin and non-inferiority could not be declared. There was considerable need for rescue measures in both groups (71.1 0% vs. 69.2%; OR 1.09; 95% CI 0.41-2.90; p = .861). There was no statistically significant difference between groups for any prespecified secondary outcome. CONCLUSION: Although perioperative core temperatures were not significantly different, we could not declare an inexpensive heat-preserving method non-inferior to warm air convection in preventing intraoperative hypothermia in children undergoing anesthesia for cranial neurosurgery in a resource-limited setting. The extensive need for rescue measures may have masked important differences. TRIAL REGISTRATION: US National Institutes of Health Clinicaltrials.gov database (ID no. NCT02975817).

Antimicrobial resistance control activities at a tertiary hospital in a low-resource setting: an example of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Malawi.

Background: Addressing AMR has been most problematic in low- and middle-income countries, which lack infrastructure, diagnostic capacity, and robust data management systems, among other factors. The implementation of locally-led efforts in a low-income country to develop sustainability and build capacity for AMR control within the existing infrastructure has not been well documented. Methods: We detail current AMR control initiatives at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, a tertiary referral government hospital in Malawi with limited resources, and present the activities accomplished to date, lessons learned, and challenges ahead. Results: The key areas of AMR control initiatives that the group focused on included laboratory diagnostics and surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, pharmacy, leadership, education, and funding. Discussion: The hospital AMR Control Working Group increased awareness, built capacity, and implemented activities around AMR control throughout the hospital, in spite of the resource limitations in this setting. Our results are based on the substantial leadership provided by the working group and committed stakeholders who have taken ownership of this process. Conclusion: Limited resources pose a challenge to the implementation of AMR control activities in low- and middle-income countries. Leadership is central to implementation. Future efforts will need to transition the initiative from an almost fully personal commitment to one with wider engagement to ensure sustainability.

'It is the child with the big head' - Primary healthcare providers' perceptions of paediatric hydrocephalus in Blantyre, Malawi: A qualitative study.

Children in Africa are disproportionately burdened by the neurosurgical condition hydrocephalus. In Blantyre, Malawi, paediatric hydrocephalus represents the majority of surgical procedures performed in the neurosurgical department at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital. To reduce morbidity and mortality, timely detection followed by referral from surrounding primary health centres is crucial. Aiming to explore perceptions and identify enablers and barriers to detection and referral, we conducted a qualitative study among primary healthcare providers (n = 30) from ten health centres in Blantyre district. Using a semi-structured interview-guide, we audio-recorded and transcribed the interviews before conducting a thematic analysis. One main finding is that there is a potential to improve detection through head circumference measurements, which is the recommended way to detect hydrocephalus early, yet healthcare providers did not carry this out systematically. They described the health passport provided by the Malawian Ministry of Health as an important tool for clinical communication. However, head circumference growth charts are not included. To optimise outcomes for paediatric hydrocephalus we suggest including head circumference growth charts in the health passports. To meet the need for comprehensive management of paediatric hydrocephalus, we recommend more research from the continent, focusing on bridging the gap between primary care and neurosurgery.

Global neurosurgery over a 60-year period: Conceptual foundations, time reference, emerging Co-ordinates and prospects for collaborative interventions in low and middle income countries.

Introduction: We evaluated salient initiatives invested in global neurosurgery over a 60-year period. Research question: What are the Phases, Achievements, Challenges, and Lessons of Global Neurosurgery. Methods: A 60-year retrospective study from 1960 to 2020 analyzing the major phases, lessons, and progress notes. We reviewed the foundational need questions and innovated tools used to answer them. Results: Three phases defining our study period were identified. In the early phase, birthing academic units and the onset of individual volunteerism were dominant concepts. The 2nd phase is summarized by the rise of volunteerism and surgical camps.The third phase is heralded by advocacy and strategies for achieving care equity. The defining moment is the Lancet commission for global surgery summit in 2015. Lessons include the need for evaluation of the resources of recipient and donor locations using novel global surgery tools. Conclusion: Global neurosurgery over the 60-year study period is summarized by indelible touchstones of personal and group efforts as well as triumphs derived from innovations in the face of formidable challenges.

Aetiology and diagnostics of paediatric hydrocephalus across Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to identify the aetiological distribution and the diagnostic methods for paediatric hydrocephalus across Africa, for which there is currently scarce evidence. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE (Ovid), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Wiley), Embase (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), Maternity & Infant Care (Ovid), Scopus, African Index Medicus (Global Index Medicus, WHO) and Africa-Wide Information (EBSCO) from inception to Nov 29, 2021. We included studies from any African country reporting on the distribution of hydrocephalus aetiology in children aged 18 years and younger, with no language restrictions. Hydrocephalus was defined as radiological evidence of ventriculomegaly or associated clinical symptoms and signs of the disorder, or surgical treatment for hydrocephalus. Exclusion criteria were studies only reporting on one specific subgroup or one specific cause of hydrocephalus. We also excluded conference and meetings abstracts, grey literature, editorials, commentaries, historical reviews, systematic reviews, case reports and clinical guidelines, as well as studies on non-humans, fetuses, or post-mortem reports. The proportions of postinfectious hydrocephalus, non-postinfectious hydrocephalus, and hydrocephalus related to spinal dysraphism were calculated using a random-effects model. Additionally, we included a category for unclear cases. Diagnostic methods were described qualitatively. To assess methodological study quality, we applied critical appraisal checklists provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The study was registered in Prospero (CRD42020219038). FINDINGS: Our search yielded 3783 results, of which 1880 (49·7%) were duplicates and were removed. The remaining 1903 abstracts were screened and 122 (6·4%) full articles were sought for retrieval; of these, we included 38 studies from 18 African countries that studied a total of 6565 children. The pooled proportion of postinfectious hydrocephalus was 28% (95% CI 22-36), non-postinfectious hydrocephalus was 21% (95% CI 13-30), and of spinal dysraphism was 16% (95% CI 12-20), with substantial heterogeneity. The pooled proportion of hydrocephalus of unclear aetiology was 20% (95% CI 13-28). INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that postinfectious hydrocephalus is the single most common cause of paediatric hydrocephalus in Africa. For targeted investments to be optimal, there is a need for consensus regarding the aetiological classification of hydrocephalus and improved access to diagnostic services. FUNDING: Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.

Evidence-Driven Policies for Sustainably Scaling Up Surgical Task-Sharing in Malawi Comment on "Improving Access to Surgery Through Surgical Team Mentoring - Policy Lessons From Group Model Building With Local Stakeholders in Malawi".

This commentary discusses an article by Broekhuizen et al which assesses policy options for scaling up the SURG-Africa surgical team mentoring program in Malawi to increase access to surgical care. In modeling these scenarios, the authors assess the cost of scaling up surgical teams mentoring and the impacts of scaling the program on district hospitals (DHs) and central hospitals (CHs). The additional costs borne by DHs when increasing surgical volume remains a significant issue identified by the authors and could ultimately determine the success of the program. The piece indirectly advocates for an increased role for task-shifting. The Ministry of Health of Malawi will have to ensure the appropriate governance and regulatory processes are in place to maintain quality and accountability.

Assessing neurodevelopmental outcome in children with hydrocephalus in Malawi. A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital and infantile hydrocephalus are assumed to be major contributors to pediatric morbidity, mortality and functional disability in low-income countries. Despite this, epidemiologic data and the overview of neurodevelopmental outcomes in these regions is very limited. We aimed to pilot the use of a wide range of more locally suitable tools to assess neurodevelopment to understand whether they were feasible for use and could provide estimates of developmental delay and poor functioning in a population of children with hydrocephalus in Malawi. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study, at the tertiary neurosurgery clinic in Blantyre, Malawi in 2018, recruiting consecutive children with congenital and infantile hydrocephalus who were previously treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunts and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in the neurosurgery unit of the hospital. We assessed demographic details, and gained information on children's functioning using the Liverpool Outcome Score (LOS), and the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System as well as full anthropometric assessment and child development with the Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT). RESULTS: All tools were feasible for use, easy to train on, could be used for assessing children with hydrocephalus and were suitable to adapt for our environment. We evaluated 41 children, aged 2-60 months with a mean age of 22.6 months (interquartile range [IQR] = 8.3 months -36.5 months). Functional assessment using the Liverpool Outcome Score showed the majority of children 92.7% (CI 80.1-98.5, n = 38) had severe sequelae from the hydrocephalus and were dependent on their parents or caregivers. Only 27 children (65.9%, CI 49.4, 80.0) had full or expected control of their bowel and bladder and 6 children (14.6%, CI 5.6, 29.2), had a recent history of seizures. About two thirds (63.4% CI 45.0-77.9, n = 26/41) of children were able to eat and to drink safely and efficiently. Over two thirds of the children (70.7%, CI 56.8, 84.6, n = 29) were stunted and almost half of the cohort underweight (43.9%,(CI 28.5, 60.3, n = 18). Almost half 48.8% (CI 32.9, 64.9, n = 20/41) had developmental delay on MDAT with 41.5% (CI 26.4, 56.6, n = 17/41) graded as severely delayed (-<2sd on developmental age z score). We found significant associations between dependence identified by the LOS and developmental delay according to the MDAT (p = 0.014, Pearson's chi-squared test). CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrates that the assessment tools we used identified a high proportion of children with hydrocephalus as having functional difficulties, stunted growth and developmental delay, in Malawi. Use of these tools can now be scaled up and will be helpful to support research in understanding what factors contribute to poor functioning, growth and development in these cohorts and help us to investigate what strategies may prevent and support children with hydrocephalus in African settings.

Improving competencies and skills across clinical contexts of care: a qualitative study on Malawian nurses' experiences in an institutional health and training programme.

AIM: To explore what competencies and skills Malawian nurses gained after participating in an institutional health and training programme in Norway and how they viewed these competencies applicable upon return to Malawi. Furthermore, to examine facilitators and challenges experienced on the exchange programme and opportunities and obstacles to make the competencies usable in own local hospital context. DESIGN: Qualitative study with an explorative design. METHODS: Fourteen interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi, from August to September 2018. RESULTS: Competencies gained in Norway included clinical skills, teamwork, coordination and strengthened professionalism. The main finding was that the exchange programme was a transformative experience. Upon return to Malawi, the competencies gained on the exchange were helpful. However, the return was characterized by mixed emotions due to the considerable difference between the two clinical settings.

Establishment of a high-dependency unit in Malawi.

Adults admitted to hospital with critical illness are vulnerable and at high risk of morbidity and mortality, especially in sub-Saharan African settings where resources are severely limited. As life expectancy increases, patient demographics and healthcare needs are increasingly complex and require integrated approaches. Patient outcomes could be improved by increased critical care provision that standardises healthcare delivery, provides specialist staff and enhanced patient monitoring and facilitates some treatment modalities for organ support. In Malawi, we established a new high-dependency unit within Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, a tertiary referral centre serving the country's Southern region. This unit was designed in partnership with managers, clinicians, nurses and patients to address their needs. In this practice piece, we describe a participatory approach to design and implement a sustainable high-dependency unit for a low-income sub-Saharan African setting. This included: prospective agreement on remit, alignment with existing services, refurbishment of a dedicated physical space, recruitment and training of specialist nurses, development of context-sensitive clinical standard operating procedures, purchase of appropriate and durable equipment and creation of digital clinical information systems. As the global COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, we accelerated unit opening in anticipation of increased clinical requirement and describe how the high-dependency unit responded to this demand.

Task-Shifting and Task-Sharing in Neurosurgery: An International Survey of Current Practices in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

BACKGROUND: Because nearly 23,000 more neurosurgeons are needed globally to address 5 million essential neurosurgical cases that go untreated each year, there is an increasing interest in task-shifting and task-sharing (TS/S), delegating neurosurgical tasks to nonspecialists, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This global survey aimed to provide a cross-sectional understanding of the prevalence and structure of current neurosurgical TS/S practices in LMICs. METHODS: The survey was distributed to a convenience sample of individuals providing neurosurgical care in LMICs with a Web-based survey link via electronic mailing lists of continental societies and various neurosurgical groups, conference announcements, e-mailing lists, and social media platforms. Country-level data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The survey yielded 127 responses from 47 LMICs; 20 countries (42.6%) reported ongoing TS/S. Most TS/S procedures involved emergency interventions, the top 3 being burr holes, craniotomy for hematoma evacuation, and external ventricular drain. Most (65.0%) believed that their Ministry of Health does not endorse TS/S (24.0% unsure), and only 11% believed that TS/S training was structured. There were few opportunities for TS/S providers to continue medical education (11.6%) or maintenance of certification (9.4%, or receive remuneration (4.2%). CONCLUSIONS: TS/S is ongoing in many LMICs without substantial structure or oversight, which is concerning for patient safety. These data invite future clinical outcomes studies to assess effectiveness and discussions on policy recommendations such as standardized curricula, certification protocols, specialist oversight, and referral networks to increase the level of TS/S care and to continue to increase the specialist workforce.

A 42-year-old woman with subacute reversible dementia: A cautionary tale.

A 42-year-old woman presented with a 6-month history of diffuse headache of moderate intensity and gradual onset of generalized weakness, imbalance, apathy, memory decline, hypophonia, dysphagia, constipation and urinary incontinence. Clinical examination revealed several elements of a frontal lobe dysfunction including apathy with motor impersistence, presence of primitive reflexes, generalized hyperreflexia with bilateral Hoffman sign and ankle clonus. The biological workup was unremarkable and a brain computed tomography scan identified a giant olfactory groove meningioma. A prompt neurosurgical intervention helped to reverse the symptoms. This case illustrates the benefits of actively looking for treatable conditions in young patients presenting with acute or subacute dementia and emphasizes the pivotal role of early brain imaging.

Appropriateness of no-fault compensation for research-related injuries from an African perspective: an appeal for action by African countries.

Compensation for research-related injuries (RRIs) remains a challenge in the current environment of global collaborative biomedical research as exemplified by the continued reluctance of the US government, a major player in international biomedical research, to enact regulation for mandatory compensation for RRIs. This stance is in stark contrast to the mandatory compensation policies adopted by other democracies like the European Union (EU) countries. These positions taken by the USA and the EU create a nexus of confusion when research is exported to low-income and middle-income countries which have no laws guiding compensation for RRIs. In this paper, we begin by exploring the background to policies concerning RRIs, how they reflect on the traditional dispute resolution mechanisms in African societies, and how this compares with the no-fault compensation model. We then explore the underlying African ethical framework of Ubuntu in the sub-Saharan region, guiding traditional practices of dispute resolution and compensation, and how this framework can help to form the moral justification for no-fault compensation as the preferred compensation model for RRIs for African countries. Finally, we call upon countries in the African Union (AU), to adopt a no-fault policy for compensation of RRIs, and enact it into a regulatory requirement for insurance-based no-fault compensation for biomedical research, which will then be enforced by member states of the AU.