Characteristics of obstetric urogenital fistulas in a regional teaching hospital in Burkina Faso: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Obstetric fistula (OF) remains a major public health problem in low-income countries. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of obstetric urogenital fistulas in a regional teaching hospital in Burkina Faso. Methods: a retrospective cross-sectional study from 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2019 included 50 women who underwent OF surgery repair in the regional teaching hospital of Ouahigouya in Burkina Faso. Case identification was completed by self-reported constant urine leakage and was confirmed by clinical assessment. Data on socio-demographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics have been collected from the hospital medical records and analyzed. Results: the mean age of the patients was 29.40 ± 9.4 years (range 15 -55 years). The majority of patients were in the age group between (15-25) years old (44%). Forty-three patients (86%) were residing in rural areas and forty-seven patients (94%) were housekeepers. Twenty-six patients (52%) were primiparous. The majority of patients had received no prenatal care 29 (58%). The majority of patients had a spontaneous vaginal delivery 36 (72%). The duration of labor was greater than 48 hours in 31 (62%) patients. Vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF) accounted for 80% of cases. Ten (20%) patients had previously undergone surgery for the same fistula. The mean size of the fistulas was 1.8±1.4 cm (range 0.5 - 6 cm). At three months of follow-up, the successful closure rate was 68%. Sixteen (32%) patients have experienced a failure of fistula closure. Conclusion: the majority of fistula survivors were women of reproductive age who were living in rural areas and housekeepers. Mothers having no antenatal care, and having prolonged labor were at increased risk of developing OF. The majority of fistulas were simple fistulas and the most common type of OF was VVF. Surgical outcomes showed a high failure rate.

Surgical Site Infection after Digestive Surgery: Diagnosis and Treatment in a Context of Limited Resources.

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are responsible for substantial morbidity in patients who undergo digestive surgery. However, very little is known about the aspects of SSIs in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and identify the risk factors of SSI in patients who were treated in the Department of Digestive Surgery of Tenkodogo Hospital in Burkina Faso. We performed a prospective study from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. All patients who underwent digestive tract surgery during this period were included and followed. Patients whose post-operative surgical sites were complicated by infection were identified. Surgical site infection was diagnosed according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition. Bacteriologic sampling was performed in all included patients. Results: A total 964 patients underwent surgery during the study period and were included in the study. Seven hundred thirty-seven were females (76.4%), and 227 were males. The mean age of the included patients was 47.5 years (standard deviation [SD] = 9 years). One hundred fourteen patients presented with SSI, the incidence of which was 11.8%. The incidence of SSI was substantially higher in females than in males (63.2 vs. 36.8%, p < 0.05). The incidence was also higher in patients living below the poverty line (71.1 vs. 28.9%, p < 0.05). Clinically, the incidence of SSI was higher in emergency surgery than in scheduled surgery (84.2 vs. 15.8%, p < 0.05). Contaminated or dirty surgery was more risky than clean surgery (p < 0.05). With respect to bacteria, the most commonly isolated microbes were Escherichia coli (66.7%) and Staphylococcus aureus (15%). Treatment mainly consisted of appropriate antibiotic therapy and local care. Three deaths were recorded for a mortality rate of 2.6%. Conclusions: Surgical site infections are frequent in sub-Saharan environments. The risk factors seem to be clinical and social.

[Primary urological cancers in a context of limited resources: Epidemiology and treatment]. / Les cancers urologiques primitifs dans un contexte de ressources limitées : épidémiologie et traitement.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of primary urological cancers in semi-urban areas in Burkina Faso. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A descriptive study was conducted over the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2017 in the General Surgery Department of the Tenkodogo Regional Hospital, located in the east of Burkina Faso. All patients over 15 years of age who were diagnosed with primary urological cancer were included. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients were included. One hundred and thirty-one patients were male (81.9%). The sex ratio was 4.5. The average age of the patients was 58.9 years (standard deviation: 18 years). We found 73 cases of prostate cancers (45.6%), 53 bladder cancers (33.1%), 17 kidney cancers (10.6%), 11 testicular cancers (6.9%) and 6 cancers of the male external genitalia (3.7%). The histological types of prostate cancer were adenocarcinoma (88%) and neuroendocrine carcinoma (12%). Thirty-seven prostate cancers (50.7%) were diagnosed at the T3 stage and 12 others (16.4%) at the T4 stage. Prostate cancer treatment was only medical in 23 patients; surgical treatment was indicated in 50 other patients. The 5-year survival was 85%. Sixteen patients (30.2%) had metastatic bladder cancer at the time of diagnosis. The treatment of vesical cancers has been palliative in 50 cases.

[Epidemiological, clinical, histological and therapeutic features of primary digestive cancers in Burkina Faso]. / Profil épidémiologique, clinique, histologique et thérapeutique des cancers digestifs primitifs dans les régions nord et est du Burkina Faso.

OBJECTIVE: To study the epidemiology and histology of primary digestive cancers in semi-urban areas in Burkina Faso. METHODS: This was a descriptive study over 5 years conducted simultaneously in 2 regional hospitals in Burkina Faso. It included all patients treated for primary digestive cancers. RESULTS: A total of 352 were included. The average age of the patients was 44.3 years. Patients aged between 30 and 49 years accounted for 44.6%. There were 175 male patients (49.7%). In the patient's history, we found 6 cases of ulcerative colitis, 2 cases of colonic adenoma, and 5 cases of hepatic cirrhosis. The average consultation time was 138 days. In 70 cases (19.9%), the cancer was discovered at a stage of complication. The most affected organs were the colon and rectum (36.7%), the stomach (21.9%) and the pancreas (19.0%). The most common histological type of cancer was adenocarcinoma (67.6%). One hundred and forty-four patients (40.9%) were diagnosed at stage 3 and 65 others (18.5%) at stage 4 of TMN staging. Therapeutically, surgery was used in 307 patients (87.2%) and chemotherapy in 63 cases (17.9%). The one-year mortality rate was 29%. CONCLUSION: In Burkina Faso rural area, primary digestive cancers occur in young patients with no predominance of sex. Colorectal cancer remains the most common.

Is Head and Neck Resection of the Femur (Girdlestone's Procedure) Still Relevant? Indications and Results About 24 Cases.

INTRODUCTION: Head and neck resection of the femur was described by Girdlestone in 1928 in the treatment of coxalgia. Very invasive at the beginning, this intervention is much less so today, but the term of "Girdlestone's operation" or "Girdlestone's procedure" has remained in use. The reported results are controversial. In resource-limited countries, Girdlestone's procedure is often indicated for lack of a better one. In this context, we report the results of a series of 24 patients operated in a regional hospital (Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso) with the aim of showing that this technique remains valid and can be benefit. METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study of 24 patients who had benefited from the procedure for cervical fracture sequelae, failure of arthroplasty or osteosynthesis, or osteonecrosis. All were operated by posterolateral approach, under spinal anesthesia and followed for 5 years with evaluation of the anatomical and functional results using the rating of Postel and Merle d'Aubigné (PMA). RESULTS: All patients had Trendelenburg lameness with a mean shortening of 3.5 cm. They were all autonomous with walking aids and the PMA score ranged from 16 to 14. Discussion: although the results obtained are not excellent, they are relatively good and have allowed all our patients to recover an acceptable autonomy, compatible with certain independence in everyday life. CONCLUSION: The Girdlestone's procedure cannot be a first intention indication, but retains a place in the therapeutic arsenal of certain affections of the hip.

[Occlusion secondary to congenital internal transmesenteric hernia: about 2 cases]. / Occlusion par hernie interne transmesenterique congénitale: à propos de deux cas.

Internal hernia due to mesenteric defect or transmesenteric hernia is a rare cause of acute intestinal obstruction. Its diagnosis is most often done during surgery. The knowledge of its clinical peculiarities allows the preoperative diagnosis. We here report 2 cases of acute intestinal obstruction secondary to congenital transmesenteric hernia in two adult patients. This study aims to highlight the clinical peculiarities of this rare form of internal hernia.