Malrotation of the midgut associated with horseshoe kidney presenting as gastric outlet obstruction in a 15-year-old boy.

Malrotation occurs in approximately 1 in 500 live births. However, the true incidence of malrotation is unknown since many asymptomatic patients fail to present. Approximately 90% of patients with malrotation are diagnosed within the 1st year of life. Eighty per cent of them are diagnosed within the 1st month of life. Nevertheless, there are recent reports of manifestations later in life both as emergency conditions and more chronic gastrointestinal symptoms. The relationship between malrotation and horseshoe kidney has not been fully understood, but few case reports have highlighted their occurrence in the same patient. The mode of presentation of this case and its association with a horseshoe kidney is the reason for this report. This was a case of malrotation associated with horseshoe kidney. He had exploratory laparotomy and Ladd's procedure. Malrotation is associated with horseshoe kidney which presented as gastric outlet obstruction. He responded well to treatment after Ladd's procedure.

Observations on early and delayed colostomy closure.

BACKGROUND: Traditional treatment of a variety of colorectal pathologies had included a diverting colostomy that was closed eight or more weeks later during a readmission. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the outcomes of early colostomy closure and delayed colostomy closure in patients with temporary colostomies following traumatic and non-traumatic colorectal pathologies. In this study early colostomy closure was the closure of a colostomy within three weeks of its construction, while delayed colostomy closure referred to closure after 3 weeks. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Complete records of the 37 adult patients who had temporary colostomy constructed and closed between Jan. 1997 December 2003 for various colorectal pathologies were studied. RESULTS: Fourteen patients had early colostomy closure while 23 had delayed closure. In the early colostomy closure group there were 10 men and 4 women. The mean age of the patients was 28yr with a range of 18-65yr. Colostomies were closed 9-18 days after initial colostomy construction. There was no mortality. Morbidity rate 28.6% (4 out of 14). There were two faecal fistulas (14.3%). Twenty-three patients had delayed colostomy closure 8 weeks to 18 months after initial colostomy construction. These were patients unfit for early surgery after initial colostomy construction because of carcinoma, significant weight loss, or sepsis. There was no mortality. Morbidity rate was 26.1%. There were 3 faecal fistulas (13.2%). CONCLUSION: Outcomes following early colostomy closure and delayed closure were comparable. Patients fit for surgery should have early closure whilst patients who may have compromised health should have delayed closure.

Acute appendicitis in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Sagamu, a three year review.

BACKGROUND: Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital is located in Sagamu, a suburban town with a population of 50,000 (1992 census). The hospital is a tertiary care facility in competition with a large number of private hospitals with different levels of competence. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to review the outcome of the surgical management of acute appendicitis in our hospital. METHOD: A retrospective study of subjects who had appendectomy for the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis between January 2002 and December 2004 was done. RESULT: 113 subjects consisting of 52 females (46%), and 61 males (54%) were studied. The mean age was 24.1 years, 71 subjects (62.9%) were in the 10-30 years range. 57.5% of the subjects were students and 71 subjects (62.8) resided in urban area. All the subjects, had generalized in 23.9%). The mean duration of symptoms was 3.53 days with standard deviation of 3.69 days. Only 3 subjects presented on the day of onset of symptoms. Only 15 subjects (13.3%) had surgery on the day of admission. 69subjects (61.1%) had uncomplicated inflamed appendix at surgery and 2 subjects (1.8%) had clinically normal appendix. The mean duration of hospital stay was 10.6 days with standard deviation of 7.4. The commonest postoperative complication was pyrexia in 16 subjects (14.2%), followed by wound infection in 12 subjects (10.6%). One subject died (0.9%). CONCLUSION: The outcome reflects the late presentation and delay in surgical treatment.

Thermal injuries in under-4-year-old children: the Lesotho experience.

The Queen Elizabeth II Hospital is the apex of the health care services in the Kingdom of Lesotho but has no designated burns unit. A review of patients managed during a 5-year period was done to document our experience so as to show what can be achieved even without a standard burns unit. We reviewed the clinical course of children who were admitted for care of acute thermal injuries during a 5-year period, May 1997 to April, 2002 inclusive. All were treated in the children surgical ward in accordance with a protocol of care emphasizing urgent care of shock, accurate fluid therapy, open wound care and early enteral feeding. Ninety-eight children (51 males and 47 females) aged 4 months to 43 months (mean 21.66 +/- 11.30 months) were admitted on account of acute thermal injuries during the study period. The injuries included scalding (46%) involving predominantly the upper part of the body and full thickness burns (87%). Skin grafting was needed in 82% of the patients. The common complications were infection, fluid imbalance, respiratory problems, and contracture deformities. The mean duration of hospital stay was 40 +/- 4.43 days and the case fatality rate was 9%. The case fatality rate in this series is considered high and could be improved if there were a well staffed specialized burns unit.

A preliminary report of fine-needle aspiration biopsy in superficially accessible lesions in children.

BACKGROUND: Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) is a diagnostic technique which has achieved widespread use and acceptance. Its clinical use has continued to widen with the availability of more sophisticated methods of imaging. Its minimal invasiveness, cheap cost and easy application make it a technique of choice in investigating swellings even in children. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the reliability, safety and diagnostic value of FNAB in superficial masses including lymph nodes in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Superficial masses and lymph nodes of twenty consecutive children aged 2-13years were subjected to FNAB. Open biopsies were also performed on them to validate the FNAB. All specimens were subjected to examination by a cytopathologist and a histopathologist. RESULTS: Nine of the patients (45 %) had malignant diseases (lymphoma and osteosarcoma); seven had tuberculous lymphadenopathy while four had reactive lymphadenitis. Open biopsies corroborated these findings. There were no false-negative or false-positive cytology results from aspirates. There were no complications related to the procedures. CONCLUSION: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a reliable, safe, less invasive and relatively cheaper alternative method of establishing a pathologic diagnosis, compared to open biopsy, in children.

Anal complaints in Nigerians attending Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.

The objective of this study was to determine prospectively the prevalence of anal complaints amongst Nigerians attending the General Out-patient Department (GOPD) of the hospital and review the records of those admitted to the surgical service with related complications. All the 272 patients attending the GOPD of OOUTH in November, 1999 were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Information concerning age, sex, educational status, present or past history of at least one of the following symptoms viz recurrent bleeding per rectum, anal prolapse, anal/perianal pain, pruritus ani and anal discharge were obtained. Also obtained were reason(s) for current hospital attendance and any previous medical consultation. Those with at least one of the symptoms were classified as symptomatic. The symptomatic group had rectal examination including proctoscopy. The results showed that 82/272 (30.15% ) were symptomatic. Rectal examination on these 82 patients showed that 10(3.7% of 272) had haemorrhoids, 2(0.7% ) had rectal prolapse, 0.7% had peri-anal warts; 15(5.5% ) anal tags, 10(3.7% ) chronic anal fissure, 2 (0.7% ) perianal fistulae. In 29(10.4% ), the examination was normal and in 12 the rectum was too loaded with feaces to permit proctoscopy. However, only 5/272 (1.84% ) attended the clinic for the anal complaint, while 12(4.4% ) had previously consulted a physician for same. Fear of impotence following surgery in 24 males and belief in herbal remedies in 32 patients were the main reasons for not consulting a physician. During the year 1999, out of a total of 558 admissions into our surgical service, only 4(0.6% ) were for complications related to anal complaints. This study indicated the prevalence of anal complaints in the study population of Nigerians as 30.15% , haemorrhoids constitute 3.7% and anal fissure 3.7% , contrary to low rates reported for developing countries. While this result cannot be extended to represent prevalence amongst Nigerians, it may be a pointer to what is to be expected.

Mature sacrococcygeal teratoma: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Sacrococcygeal teratomas are derived from embryonic germ cell layers. They present mostly in infancy and are extremely rare in adults; with an associated risk of malignancy. Modern imaging technique may be helpful to delineate the extent of the mass but surgical excision is generally indicated at the time of detection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case report is presented with a review of literature utilising MEDLINE, Microsoft Net and Yahoo search engines. RESULTS: A three day old female baby presented with a mature sacrococcygeal teratoma containing well-developed limb buds. She had surgical excision and primary repair with good results. A two-year follow up utilising serial serum alpha-fetoprotein assay and CT Scan revealed no evidence of tumour recurrence. CONCLUSION: Sacrococcygeal teratoma is a rare tumour that may be benign or malignant. Complete excision is the primary therapy and is adequate if the tumour is benign. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are however indicated in malignant cases and in recurrence after previous excision.

Femoral hernias in children at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the diagnostic accuracy and outcome of surgical treatment in Nigerian children referred for paediatric surgical opinion at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, South-west Nigeria. DESIGN: A retrospective review of our practice experience over a 15-year period; between January, 1989 and December, 2003. SETTING: The Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), serves as a referral centre for other government and private hospitals in and around the Ogun State, South-west Nigeria. The OOUTH, though a tertiary medical centre also receives patients who present directly at the General Out-Patient Clinics and the Emergency Units of the hospital. The catchment population is estimated at 7.5 million. SUBJECTS: The medical records of all patients under 14 years of age with a final diagnosis of femoral hernia who presented between January, 1989 and December, 2003 were reviewed. METHODS: The age, sex, mode of presentation, findings at surgery, procedure performed, immediate post-operative and 12 months follow-up details were recorded. RESULTS: Seven of 1,213 (0.58%) patients with groin hernias within the study period had femoral hernias; four (57%) were girls and three (43%) were boys. Age range was 3 to 9 years. The mode of presentation in all the children was recurrent lump in the groin. Five patients (71%) had right sided lump while the lump was on the left side in two of the patients. The duration of symptoms ranged from two years to eight years. The provisional diagnosis by the referring general practitioners and paediatricians were incorrect in all seven patients. Five patients (71 %) were correctly diagnosed preoperatively by the attending surgeon while two were thought to be inguinal hernias. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of femoral hernia remains a challenging problem in childhood because of its rarity and similar clinical presentation as inguinal hernia.

Purulent pericarditis complicating septicaemia: report of two cases.

Intrapericardial (Pericardial) abscess is quite rare as a complication of sepsis and as a cardiac complication of typhoid septicaemia. It is rapidly fatal if untreated. We report two cases of a schoolboy eight years old with septicaemia from pyomyositis of the right thigh and another of nine and a half years with typhoid perforation and typhoid septicaemia that developed pericardial abscesses. In well-developed centres, computerised tomography, ultrasonography and other radiological investigations are employed for both diagnosis and therapy. We emphasise that these can be accomplished by good clinical examination, radiography of chest and the use of 18-G intra-venous cannula for percutaneous pericardiocentesis without aggressive surgical intervention.

Congenital syphilis in an immunocompromised neonate: case report.

Syphilis is a notifiable and preventable disease, congenital syphilis more so. Consequently, attention has been recently focused on prenatal diagnosis of foetal syphilis by the use of ultrasonography apart from the conventional serologic screening. Congenital syphilis has not been reported from the Kingdom of Lesotho. We report the case of a 3.0 kg male neonate with florid joint and bone lesions of congenital syphilis associated with HIV infection seen at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho. Co-existing HIV infection influences the clinical manifestation of syphilis, the progression of neurosyphilis and the response to standard therapy. The baby had the recommended standard treatment with good response and he was followed-up for a period of twelve months with serologic screening and radiographic evaluation.

Sirenomelia in one of Nigerian monochorionic twins.

A 1,600 gm baby with sirenomelia (caudal regression syndrome) associated with extensive anomalies in the internal organs occurring in one of a set of monochromic twins delivered at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Shagamu, Nigeria is being reported. The baby lived for approximately twenty hours. The co-twin had no obvious malformation.