Aetiology, clinical profile, management and outcome of acute pancreatitis at public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a prospective observational study.

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a rare gastrointestinal pathology that has recently become increasingly common owing to lifestyle changes. Its clinical presentation ranges from mild discomfort to organ failure and death. Previous studies in Ethiopia reported that AP is rare. However, lifestyle changes have recently increased. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the aetiology, clinical profile, management, and outcomes of AP. Methods: This prospective observational study included 59 adults diagnosed with AP using the Revised Atlanta Classification between November 2021 and August 2022 at five public hospitals in Addis Ababa. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25. The mean ± standard deviation and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at 95% CI were used. Results: The mean age was 38.2 (SD±11.5 years), mostly aged 30-44, with 67% males and 89.8% patients presenting with new-onset AP. Abdominal pain and nausea were the most common presentations in 93.2% of patients. More than 52.5% of AP cases were caused by alcohol, followed by gallstones (28.8%), and gallstones (47.1%) underwent cholecystectomy during the index admission. One patient (1.7%) died. The length of hospital stay ranges from 1-47 days and increases with the severity of AP. Patients with recurrent AP had a 2.4 folds increase in complications compared to new-onset AP (AOR=2.4, 95% CI=1.38, 15.71). Conclusion: Most AP cases were caused by alcohol consumption, followed by gallstones, smoking, and hypertriglyceridemia. One death in a 60-year-old male with an alcohol and smoking history was diagnosed and triaged as severe AP with persistent multiple organ failure; BISAP score 4, his Creatinine=2.55 mg/dl, haematocrit 72.6%; and left shift of WBC, was associated.

A rare case of cecal foreign body leading to cecal perforation in 12-year-old child: a clinical case report and review of literature.

Introduction and importance: Cecal foreign bodies are uncommon causes of acute abdomen, and their presentation can often mimic acute appendicitis (AA), making it challenging to diagnose. The authors present the case of a 12-year-old male from Ethiopia who initially presented with symptoms suggestive of AA. However, during surgery, the authors found a multiple magnetic fields result in perforation. This case highlights the importance of considering unusual etiologies. Case presentation: A 12-year-old boy with AA associated with anorexia, nausea, and low-grade fever was referred from a private clinic. Otherwise, no history of recent respiratory infection and diarrhea, and was previously in good health. The patient did not report any history of a foreign body (FB), even to his own family, and, except for himself, no one was aware of the ingested FB. The work has been reported in line with the Surgical CAse REport (SCARE) 2023 criteria. Discussion: In this case, the authors experienced multiple magnetic FB in the cecum, which were not observed on ultrasound (U/S). However, this case closely resembled appendicitis. U/S can aid in differentiation. However, it may not always identify the underlying etiology, specifically in a resource-limited setting. Conclusion: Based on the patient's presentation, AA was diagnosed and emergency surgery was presumed to be inflamed. However, three magnetic FB were the underlying cause of the presentation, which created pressure on the cecal wall, and the authors successfully performed surgical management. This case reminds us of uncommon etiologies, such as magnets in patients with symptoms of appendicitis. This underscores the importance of an open-minded approach to unexpected findings during surgery.

Anaesthetic managements of 16 days' neonate with large occipital meningeoencephalocele in a resource-limited setting, Ethiopia: a clinical case report and review of literature.

Introduction: Meningoencephalocele is a rare congenital neural tube defect that results in herniation of brain tissue, necessitating surgical treatment. However, anaesthetic management of meningoencephalocele is challenging because of the giant occipital mass in airway management, particularly for anaesthetists working in resource-limited settings. Therefore, this case report aimed to share the challenges encountered during the perioperative anaesthesia management of a giant occipital meningoencephalocele in Ethiopia. Case presentation: A 16-day-old female neonate was referred from a health centre in Ethiopia for surgical excision and repair of a giant occipital meningoencephalocele (GOM). The main challenges were hemodynamic instability and airway management due to the giant mass on neck movement and inability to achieve the optimal position for intubation. Methods: A single clinical case report discussed challenges encountered during perioperative anaesthesia management of GOM in a resource-limited setting in Ethiopia, and this work has been reported in line with the SCARE 2023 criteria. Conclusion: Anaesthesia management in neonates with GOM is challenging for anaesthetists in resource-limited settings because of the scarcity of different airway equipment and large masses. Another concern was to avoid pressure on the GOM due to rupture, which may result in hemodynamic instability and hypothermia. Therefore, attention should be paid to proper handling of the airway, hypothermia, and fluid loss. Generally, managing an occipital meningoencephalocele poses challenges for anaesthetists, particularly in terms of securing the airway. Despite these challenges, the authors managed with locally available resources.

Timely initiation of breastfeeding and its factors among women delivered via cesarean section under spinal anesthesia at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, north-west Ethiopia, 2021: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

The mode of delivery influences breastfeeding practice. Moreover, cesarean deliveries under anesthesia-related risk factors affect the timing of breastfeeding initiation compared to vaginal deliveries. In addition, high rates of cesarean section (CS) deliveries and low breastfeeding rates are important public health concerns for all developing countries. Objective: This study aimed to determine the timely initiation of breastfeeding and its factors among women delivered via CS under spinal anesthesia. Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was employed among 422 systematically selected mothers from April to June 2021. Data were collected by a structured questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were done using Epi Data and Stata version 14.0. Binary logistic regressions were computed to identify factors. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to declare statistical significance. Results: Delayed initiation of breastfeeding (DIBF) was 41.8%. Mothers who had an emergency CS (AOR =2.13, 95% CI [1.21-3.75]), had less than four antenatal care (ANC) follow-ups (AOR=1.77, 95% CI [1.02-3.13]), had moderate to severe pain during the perioperative period (AOR=2.65, 95% CI [1.24-5.54]), primipara (AOR=1.89; 95% CI [1.20-3.25]), used intraoperative opioid medications (AOR=1.86; 95% CI [1.01-3.30]), and had no skin-to-skin contact (AOR=2.1, 95% CI [1.27-3.51]) were associated with DIBF. Conclusion and recommendation: DIBF after cesarean delivery was high. Emergency CS, less than four ANC visits, immediate postoperative pain, and lack of skin-to-skin contact were factors associated with delayed breastfeeding. Health care providers, especially anesthetists, in the operation theater, should implement multimodal analgesics and minimize opioid consumption. Moreover, they should keep the newborn in skin-to-skin contact to initiate breastfeeding in the operation theater soon after birth.