Surgical Proficiency of Obstetrics and Gynaecologic Residents in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The aim of residency training is to produce competent and professional experts in their areas of specialty. Surgical proficiency is required to be able to offer patients a genuine choice of treatment options and safety of procedures performed. We assessed self-reported level of proficiency for common major gynaecological surgeries among trainee gynaecologists. METHODS: Pretested self- administered questionnaires were distributed to senior residents at the West African College of Surgeon's revision course in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. RESULTS: They were 42 respondents from 15 institutions in Nigeria; 66.7%were males. The mean number of years in residency was 5±1 years.The most commonly performed surgeries were salpingectomy, ovarian cystectomy, myomectomy where approximately 60%, 30% and 33% of residents had performed 10 or more of these surgeries respectively. The least performed surgeries were vaginal hysterectomy, fistula repair and laparoscopic surgeries because each of these surgeries had never been performed more than 60% of residents. These commonly performed surgeries were associated with self-reported average or more proficiency. Reported challenges to attaining surgical proficiency were trainer incapability (92.5%), theatre/hospital logistics (75%), inadequate cases (65%) and trainer unavailability (55%). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that majority of the senior residents of Obstetrics and Gynaecology assisted and performed insufficient number of gynaecological surgeries to attain proficiency in these procedures. A formal training curriculum needs to be utilized in the training of surgical residents.

Subclinical hypothyroidism unmasked by preeclampsia and ascites.

Subclinical hypothyroidism is an asymptomatic endocrine disorder while hypothyroidism, on the other hand, can present with a wide range of clinical features which may be nonspecific. We describe a case of subclinical hypothyroidism in a 39-year-old pregnant woman presenting with preeclampsia and ascites. Ascitic fluid was found to be exudative as typically found in persons with hypothyroidism presenting with ascites. Treatment with levothyroxine resulted in complete resolution of ascites. The possibility of subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism should be borne in mind when persons with refractory exudative ascites of unknown origin are being investigated. Also, pregnant women with severe preeclampsia will benefit from screening for subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism.

Symphysiotomy- a dying art: the experience at Federal Medical Centre Umuahia Nigeria.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To review the indications, outcome and complications of symphysiotomy done in Federal Medical Centre Umuahia during the study period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study is a 5-year review of all women who had symphysiotomy at Federal Medical Centre Umuahia. The total number of the procedure performed, and all the deliveries conducted at the hospital in the study period were obtained from the labour ward register. The case notes of the patients were then retrieved and their biodata and other relevant information were obtained and summarized in frequency tables and percentages. RESULTS: Ten (10) symphysiotomies were performed among 3702 deliveries conducted during the period under review giving a rate of 0.27%. Seventy per cent of the patients were aged 30 years and below, mean age was 26 (± SD4.9) years. Most of the patients were multiparous women, only one was grandmultiparous. All were for mild to moderate cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD). In one particular case, the patient also presented with retained second twin. They were all unbooked patients. Main complication was pelvic and leg pain but there were two cases of vesicovaginal fistula which may be a complication of obstructed labour since leakage of urine did not start immediately after the procedure. The birth weight of the babies ranged from 3kg to 4.2kg. There was no maternal mortality but two fresh stillbirths were recorded giving a perinatal mortality rate of 200 per 1000 total births. CONCLUSION: Symphysiotomy if done by a trained person, in well selected patients is still safe and can be life saving in environments where caesarean delivery is not well accepted and late presentation is common.

Obstetric mortality in a Nigerian general hospital.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the progress towards achieving a 50% reduction in maternal mortality by the year 2000 at a referral hospital. METHODS: A retrospective review of births and maternal deaths over an 18-year period from 1981 to 1998. RESULTS: There was a 30% reduction among booked women in the period 1990-1998 compared to 1981-1989 while only 8% reduction was achieved among referred women. Infection and hypertensive disorders remained the leading causes of death but the contribution of haemorrhage declined due to improved blood transfusion services. CONCLUSION: Further improvement in maternal survival can be achieved by training health personnel involved in maternity care to recognise or anticipate complications early and refer.