A non-lethal left sided thoracic impalement injury: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Impalement injuries are those injuries that result from the injuring object or weapon being stuck on to the victim's body parts. Such cases occur rarely and when they do they pose a great challenge starting from transportation to anesthesia induction and surgical decision. The extremities are the commonest parts of the body where this occurs. Only a few reports of thoracic impalement injuries have been documented in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we present a case of a 25 years old male patient who presented 36 hours after sustaining an impalement injury to his left chest by a metallic spear. He was explored via a left posterolateral thoracotomy incision and the spear was removed under direct vision successfully. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Thoracic impalement injuries occur very rarely in the civilian setting. The most important pillar in the management of such injuries is to avoid any manipulation of the impaled object outside of an operation theater where it's done under direct vision in a controlled manner. Post-operative care includes tube thoracostomy, antibiotics and chest physiotherapy and the other components of the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol components. CONCLUSION: Thoracic impalements are extremely uncommon, as are impalement injuries in general. When they do occur, multidisciplinary teams-primarily the surgeon, anesthesiologists, and emergency physicians. Early cardiothoracic consultation and avoiding manipulation of the impaled object by all means necessary outside of operating room along with the standard advanced trauma life support principles are cornerstones in the management of this patients.

Epigenetic tumor heterogeneity in the era of single-cell profiling with nanopore sequencing.

Nanopore sequencing has brought the technology to the next generation in the science of sequencing. This is achieved through research advancing on: pore efficiency, creating mechanisms to control DNA translocation, enhancing signal-to-noise ratio, and expanding to long-read ranges. Heterogeneity regarding epigenetics would be broad as mutations in the epigenome are sensitive to cause new challenges in cancer research. Epigenetic enzymes which catalyze DNA methylation and histone modification are dysregulated in cancer cells and cause numerous heterogeneous clones to evolve. Detection of this heterogeneity in these clones plays an indispensable role in the treatment of various cancer types. With single-cell profiling, the nanopore sequencing technology could provide a simple sequence at long reads and is expected to be used soon at the bedside or doctor's office. Here, we review the advancements of nanopore sequencing and its use in the detection of epigenetic heterogeneity in cancer.

Distal Tracheal Obstructive Mass Leading to Bilateral Pneumothorax and Respiratory Failure.

Tracheal masses are rare in occurrence, but could lead to complications depending on the speed of growth, duration and degree of obstruction. Some of the complications are recurrent pneumonia and air trapping resulting in increased intrathoracic pressure. The latter phenomenon can result in obstruction of the venous return and pneumothorax. We are reporting a rare presentation of bilateral pneumothorax (presumed tensioned) in a young patient with a distal obstructive tracheal tumor. In the emergency department (ED) the patient was in respiratory distress and was found to have extensive subcutaneous emphysema of the neck, chest, and abdominal wall with hypotension. Respiratory failure from bilateral tension pneumothorax was suspected and the patient was intubated with simultaneous bilateral thoracostomy. These measures did not improve the patient's ventilation and oxygenation status. Further fiberoptic investigation revealed a distal tracheal obstructive mass. An emergency surgical intervention was required to remove the tumor. We recommend considering alternative pathologies, such as an obstructive tracheal tumor, in a patient with respiratory distress. They should especially be considered when oxygenation and ventilation are difficult, particularly when endotracheal intubation and/or tube thoracostomy fail to improve the symptoms. A high index of suspicion and a timely multidisciplinary team approach are essential when managing the life-threatening presentation of a patient with a distal tracheal tumor.

Acceptance of a Smartphone-Based Visual Field Screening Platform for Glaucoma: Pre-Post Study.

BACKGROUND: Glaucoma, the silent thief of sight, is a major cause of blindness worldwide. It is a burden for people in low-income countries, specifically countries where glaucoma-induced blindness accounts for 15% of the total incidence of blindness. More than half the people living with glaucoma in low-income countries are unaware of the disease until it progresses to an advanced stage, resulting in permanent visual impairment. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the acceptability of the Glaucoma Easy Screener (GES), a low-cost and portable visual field screening platform comprising a smartphone, a stereoscopic virtual reality headset, and a gaming joystick. METHODS: A mixed methods study that included 24 eye care professionals from 4 hospitals in Southwest Ethiopia was conducted to evaluate the acceptability of GES. A pre-post design was used to collect perspectives before and after using the GES by using questionnaires and semistructured interviews. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine the significance of any change in the scores of the questionnaire items (two-tailed, 95% CI; α=.05). The questionnaire and interview questions were guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. RESULTS: Positive results were obtained both before and after use, suggesting the acceptance of mobile health solutions for conducting glaucoma screening by using a low-cost headset with a smartphone and a game controller. There was a significant increase (two-tailed, 95% CI; α=.05) in the average scores of 86% (19/22) of postuse questionnaire items compared with those of preuse questionnaire items. Ophthalmic professionals perceived GES as easy to use and as a tool that enabled the conduct of glaucoma screening tests, especially during outreach to rural areas. However, positive evaluations are contingent on the accuracy of the tool. Moreover, ophthalmologists voiced the need to limit the tool to screening only (ie, not for making diagnoses). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the feasibility of using a mobile device in combination with a low-cost virtual reality headset and classic controller for glaucoma screening in rural areas. GES has the potential to reduce the burden of irreversible blindness caused by glaucoma. However, further assessment of its sensitivity and specificity is required.

Evaluation of Adult Outpatient Antibiotics Use at Jimma Medical Center (with Defined Daily Doses for Usage Metrics).

INTRODUCTION: Inappropriate antibiotic use is a major public health concern and driver of antibiotic resistance. Excessive exposure to antibiotics results in the emergence and spread of drug-resistant microorganisms. This study aimed to measure the volume of antibiotic consumption at the outpatient settings in a tertiary-care teaching hospital in Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken from February 01, 2019 to March 31, 2019 at Jimma Medical Center in southwest Ethiopia. Antibiotics use was analyzed using Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification and Defined Daily Dose (DDD) system. Antibiotic use was calculated as DDD per 100 outpatients per day. Antibiotics were classified based on World Health Organization "AWaRe" classification scheme as "Access", "Watch" and "Reserve" group antibiotics and measured their consumption intensity. RESULTS: A total of 496 adult patients were included in the study. The mean (SD) age of participants was 33.07 (14.05) years. The total amount of antibiotics consumed was 5.31 DDD/100 outpatients per day. Ciprofloxacin was the most commonly [122 (21.12%)] prescribed antibiotics with DDD/100 outpatients per day value of 1.13, followed by amoxicillin [68 (11.76%)] with DDD/100 outpatients per day value of 0.44, and azithromycin [61 (10.55%)] with DDD/100 outpatients per day value of 0.51. On antibiotic consumption index, antibiotics in the "Watch" group had 2.10 DDD/100 outpatients per day. CONCLUSION: There was high consumption of antibiotics in the study setting. Based on the use control criteria, half of the antibiotics used were in the "Watch" group. The high level of consumptions of antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and azithromycin, in particular, requires further scrutiny and calls for an urgent implementation of an antibiotic stewardship program at the hospital.

In Vitro Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Bacteria from Suspected External Eye Infected Patients Attending Ophthalmology Clinic, Southwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Ocular disease with its complications is a major public health problem which has significant impacts on the quality of life particularly in developing countries. An eye infection due to bacterial agents can lead to reduced vision and blindness. This study was aimed to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and biofilm-forming potential of bacteria isolated from suspected external eye infected patients in Jimma. METHOD: A cross-sectional facility-based study was conducted on 319 suspect patients with external eye infections from March to June 2017 at Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC) Ophthalmology Department in Ethiopia. External ocular specimens were collected and standard operating procedures were followed to handle and culture throughout the study period. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Microtiter (96 wells) plate method was used to screen biofilm formation by ELISA reader at 570 nm. RESULTS: Out of 319 study participants with an external eye infection, the prevalence of bacterial pathogens was 46.1%. The predominant bacterial isolates were coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) (27.7%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (19.7%). Among Gram-negative groups, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6.8%) was the leading isolate. Increased antimicrobial resistance was observed for tetracycline (64%), erythromycin (66.7%), and penicillin (77.1%). Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin were the most effective drugs for external eye infections due to susceptibility ranging from 70 to 100% among both Gram-negative and Gram-positive groups. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) accounted for 13.8%. Multidrug resistance (MDR) accounted for 68.7%. The overall biofilm formation rate of bacterial ocular pathogens was 66.1%, where P. aeruginosa (40%), CoNS (34.1%), and S. aureus (31%) formed strong biofilm phenotype. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rate of bacterial isolates was high. Almost all bacterial isolates were resistant to at least one or more drugs. MDR pathogens were observed increasingly among biofilm formers or vice versa.

Emergence of high drug resistant bacterial isolates from patients with health care associated infections at Jimma University medical center: a cross sectional study.

Background: The rates of resistant microorganisms which complicate the management of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are increasing worldwide and getting more serious in developing countries. The objective of this study was to describe microbiological features and resistance profiles of bacterial pathogens of HAIs in Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC) in Ethiopia. Methods: Institution based cross sectional study was carried out on hospitalized patients from May to September, 2016 in JUMC. Different clinical specimens were collected from patients who were suspected to hospital acquired infections. The specimens were processed to identify bacterial etiologies following standard microbiological methods. Antibacterial susceptibility was determined in vitro by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Results: Overall, 126 bacterial etiologies were isolated from 118 patients who had HAIs. Of these, 100 (79.4%) were gram negative and the remaining were gram positive. The most common isolates were Escherichia coli 31(24.6%), Klebsiella species 30(23.8%) and Staphylococcus aureus 26 (20.6%). Of 126 bacterial isolates, 38 (30.2%), 52 (41.3%), and 24 (19%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR, resistant to at least one agent in three or more antimicrobial categories), extensively drug resistant (XDR, resistant to at least one agent in all but two or fewer antimicrobial categories (i.e. bacterial isolates remain susceptible to only one or two categories), pan-drug resistant (PDR, resistant to all antibiotic classes) respectively. More than half of isolated gram-negative rods (51%) were positive for extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and/or AmpC; and 25% of gram negative isolates were also resistant to carbapenem antibiotics. Conclusions: The pattern of drug resistant bacteria in patients with healthcare associated infection at JUMC is alarming. This calls for coordinated efforts from all stakeholders to prevent HAIs and drug resistance in the study setting.

Healthcare associated infection and its risk factors among patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Ethiopia: longitudinal study.

Background: Healthcare associated infection (HAI) is alarmingly increasing in low income settings. In Ethiopia, the burden of HAI is still not well described. Methods: Longitudinal study was conducted from May to September, 2016. All wards of Jimma University Medical Centre were included. The incidence, prevalence and risk factors of healthcare associated infection were determined. A total of 1015 admitted patients were followed throughout their hospital stay. Biological specimens were collected from all patients suspected to have hospital aquired infection. The specimens were processed by standard microbiological methods to isolate and identify bacteria etiology. Clinical and laboratory data were collected using structured case report formats. Results: The incidence rate of hospital acquired infection was 28.15 [95% C.I:24.40,32.30] per 1000 patient days while the overall prevalence was 19.41% (95% C.I: (16.97-21.85). The highest incidence of HAI was seen in intensive care unit [207.55 (95% C.I:133.40,309.1) per 1000 patient days] and the lowest incidence was reported from ophthalmology ward [0.98 (95% C.I: 0.05,4.90) per 1000patient days]. Among patients who underwent surgical procedure, the risk of HAI was found to be high in those with history of previous hospitalization (ARR = 1.65, 95% C.I:1.07, 2.54). On the other hand, young adults (18 to 30-year-old) had lower risk of developing HAI (ARR = 0.54 95% C.I: 0.32,0.93) Likewise, among non-surgical care groups, the risk of HAI was found to be high in patients with chest tube (ARR = 4.14, 95% C.I: 2.30,7.46), on mechanical ventilation (ARR = 1.99, 95% C.I: 1.06,3.74) and with underlying disease (ARR = 2.01, 95% C.I: 1.33,3.04). Furthermore, hospital aquired infection at the hosoital was associated with prolonged hospital stay [6.3 more days, 95% C.I: (5.16,7.48), t = 0.000] and increased in hospital mortality (AOR, 2.23, 95% CI:1.15,4.29). Conclusion: This study revealed high burden and poor discharge outcomes of healthcare associated infection at Jimma University Medical Centre. There is a difference in risk factors between patients with and without surgery. Hence, any effort to control the observed high burden of HAI at the hospital should consider these differences for better positive out put.

Corneal pyogenic granuloma: rare complication of infectious keratitis.

BACKGROUND: Pyogenic granuloma is an excessive proliferation of granulation tissue that usually develops after minor trauma or surgery. Ocular involvement usually happens on the external surface and cornea is rarely involved. The objective of our report is to describe the clinicopathological feature of this rare disease and give insight on clinical features that help in the diagnosis. CASE REPORT: This report presents a case of a four year old child who had fleshy growth of one week duration on the right eye after seven weeks of pain and redness. Slit lamp examination showed vascularized central corneal mass with surrounding stromal infiltrates. The mass was excised, and histopathological examination confirmed pyogenic granuloma of the cornea. CONCLUSION: Corneal pyogenic granuloma could be a rare complication of infectious keratitis. Therefore, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis in corneal mass especially after an infection or trauma.

Vision loss and psychological distress among Ethiopians adults: a comparative cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Vision loss causes major changes in lifestyle and habits that may result in psychological distress and further reduction in the quality of life. Little is known about the magnitude of psychological distress in patients with vision loss and its variation with the normal. The aim of this study is, therefore, to investigate the psychological effects of vision loss and its determinants among Ethiopians. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on adults attending the Eye clinic of Jimma University Hospital. One hundred fifteen consecutive adults with visual loss at least in one eye and 115 age-and sex-matched controls with normal vision were studied. The psychological distress was measured using standardized Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Chi-square test and logistic regression were carried out and associations were considered significant at P<0.05. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of psychological distress was 33.4%. While psychological distress was found in 49.8% of patients who had loss of vision at least in one eye, only 18.3% of the controls had it. In the adjusted analysis, patients with vision loss had 4.6 times higher risk of suffering from psychological distress compared to patients with normal vision (AOR 4.56; 95% CI 2.16-9.62). Moreover, patients with vision loss in both eyes (AOR 4.00; 95% CI 1.453-11.015) and with worse visual acuity in the better eye (AOR 3.66; 95% CI 1.27-10.54) were significantly more likely to have psychological distress than those patients with vision loss in one eye only and good visual acuity in the better eye respectively. The cause of visual loss, pattern of visual loss, duration of visual loss and sociodemographic variables did not influence the likelihood of having psychological distress. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of psychological distress was significantly higher in patients with visual loss compared to patients with normal vision. There is a need for integration of psychosocial care into the current medical and surgical treatment of patients with vision loss.

Retinal detachment in southwest Ethiopia: a hospital based prospective study.

PURPOSE: The incidence of retinal detachment in Blacks is generally considered to be low though there are few supporting studies in Africa. This study, thus, aimed at describing the clinical profile of patients with retinal detachment in Southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A hospital-based study was done on all consecutive retinal detachment patients who presented to Jimma University Hospital over six months period. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect patients' sociodemographic characteristics and clinical history. Comprehensive anterior and posterior segment eye examinations were done and risk factors were sought for. Statistical tests were considered significant if P < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 94 eyes of 80 patients (1.5%) had retinal detachment (RD) and about 69% of patients were symptomatic for over a month before presentation. The mean age was 41.4 years (SD ±16.5). Fourteen patients (17.5%) had bilateral RD. At presentation, 61 eyes (64.9%) were blind from RD and 11 (13.8%) patients were bilaterally blind from RD. Rhegmatogenous RD was seen in 55 eyes (58.5%) and tractional RD in 22 eyes (23.4%). The most common risk factors were ocular trauma (32 eyes, 34.0%), myopia (23 eyes, 24.5%), posterior uveitis (13 eyes, 13.8%) and diabetic retinopathy (9 eyes, 9.6%). Most retinal breaks (25 eyes, 43.1%) were superotemporal and horse-shoe tear was the most common (19 eyes, 20.2%). Macula was off in 77 eyes (81.9%) and 38 eyes (69.1% of RRD eyes) had grade C proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Macular status was significantly associated with PVR (P=0.011), and duration of symptoms (RR=1.25, 95%CI: 1.059-1.475, P=0.040). CONCLUSIONS: A significant numbers of patients with ocular problem had retinal detachment, and nearly two third of the patients presented late. Trauma and myopia were the most important risk factors. People should be educated to improve their health seeking behavior and use eye safety precautions to prevent ocular trauma.

Ocular manifestation of HIV/AIDS and correlation with CD4+ cells count among adult HIV/AIDS patients in Jimma town, Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: HIV/AIDS is one of twenty first century's challenges to human being with protean manifestation affecting nearly all organs of our body. It is causing high morbidity and mortality especially in sub-Saharan Africa with numerous ocular complications and blindness. The purpose of this study was to determine the patterns of ocular manifestations of HIV/AIDS and their correlation with CD4+T cells count. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done on 348 HIV-positive patients presented to Anti-Retroviral Therapy clinics. Data were collected using face-to-face interview, clinical examination and laboratory investigation, and analyzed using SPSS version 13 software. Statistical association test was done and p<0.05 was considered significant. Other statistical tests like student t-test and logistic regression were also done. RESULTS: Of 348 patients, 175 were on antiretroviral therapy and 173 were not on therapy. The mean duration of therapy was 27 months. The overall prevalence of ocular manifestations was 25.3%. The commonest ocular manifestation was keratoconjunctivitis sicca (11.3%) followed by blepharitis (3.2%), molluscum contagiosum (2.6%), conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (2.3%), conjunctival microvasculopathy (2.3%), cranial nerve palsies (2%), herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) (1.2%), and HIV retinopathy (0.6%). HIV retinopathy and conjunctival microvasculopathy were common in patient with CD4+ count of <200 cells/µl while HZO and molluscum contagiosum were common in patients with CD4+ count of 200-499 cells/µl. Prevalence of ocular manifestation was higher among patients on HAART (32.6%) than those patients not on HAART (17.9%) (p<0.05). There was statistically significant association between ocular manifestation and sex, CD4+Tcells count, and age (p<0.05). CD4+ count, <200 cells/µl and age >35 years were independent risk factors for ocular manifestations. CONCLUSION: The study showed that the prevalence of ocular manifestation of HIV/AIDS is lower than previous studies and could be due to antiretroviral therapy. Lower CD4 count is a risk as well as predictor for ocular manifestations.

Weill Marchesani syndrome with chronic angle closure glaucoma in Ethiopia: a case report.

Weill Marchesani syndrome (WMS) is a rare condition characterized by short stature, brachydactyly, joint stiffness, and characteristic eye abnormalities including microspherophakia, ectopia of the lens, severe myopia, and glaucoma. We report a typical case of WMS in an 18-year old female Ethiopian patient who presented with progressive visual loss from chronic angle closure glaucoma secondary to lens subluxation. Patients with WMS require early diagnosis in order to treat serious ocular and life-threatening systemic complications. To the best of our knowledge, only one case of the syndrome was previously reported in Africa.