Intensive care unit deaths among neurosurgery patients in a tertiary hospital in South Western Nigeria

Neurosurgical patients are the most critical ICU admissions. While advancements in neurosurgical ICUs (NICU) have improved outcomes of care globally, ICU mortality remains a major clinical issue in developing nations. This study evaluates ICU mortalities of neurosurgical patients in a general ICU setting at the UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria. Method: Case records of neurosurgery patients who died in the ICU of UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, South-Western, Nigeria from June 2012 to May 2022 were reviewed. Simple descriptive statistics of data on demographics, clinical diagnoses, management and outcome were done. Results: Mortality rate was 38.9% (84 of 216 admissions). Males were 67(79.8%) and the mean age was 41.5years (Range: 2-85years). The average duration of ICU stay was 3.5days (Range: 30minutes-20days). Most patients had severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) (62, 73.8%). This was followed by cerebrovascular diseases (12, 14.3%) and brain tumours (6, 7.1%). Two had brain abscess. One patient each had mixed subacute/chronic subdural haematoma and severe cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Of the 69 whose case files were found, 7(10.1%) had a diagnosis of brainstem death before eventual 'final' death after an average of 13.5 additional hours on mechanical life support. The identified secondary causes of death included raised ICP, sepsis, primary surgical haemorrhage, seizures, acute kidney injury, malignant hypertension, poor glycaemic control and aggressive blood pressure lowering. Only 1 patient had autopsy. Conclusion: Most ICU mortalities among neurosurgical patients were from severe TBI. The establishment of NICU is necessary to improve outcome of care of neurosurgical patients

Knowledge, acceptability and utilization of epidural analgesia in antenatal clinic attendees at UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital (UTH), Osogbo, Osun State

Labour pain is perceived as the most harrowing and agonizing event of a woman's life. Efforts at reducing the pain and making the event less stressful have predated modern obstetric practice. Epidural analgesia has provided effective pain relief in labour for over three decades. Delivery with epidural analgesia is routine for willing parturients in the developing world, however ignorance, cost as well as lack of qualified personnel has made this to be out of reach of the average Nigerian mother. The aim of this study was to assess level of awareness, acceptability, previous utilization and willingness to utilize epidural analgesia in labour following health education.Subjects/Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the antenatal clinic of UTH, Osogbo. Health education on events of labour and methods of analgesia available was provided to all antenatal clinic attendees between September 2021and March 2022, following which a semi­structured purpose designed, and self- administered questionnaire was administered to 415 of these women who consented to participate in this study. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 32.57± 4.42 years and mean parity of 1.73± 0.96. 70.8% reported that labour pain was severe. 41.7% were aware of epidural analgesia before the health talk. 3.6% of our subjects had utilized epidural in their last confinement. However, only 47.7% expressed a wish to utilize epidural analgesia in labour. Conclusion: Awareness of epidural analgesia in study population was passable at 40% however willingness to utilize it was less than average despite health talk and reassurance by their attending obstetric team.