Burkitt's Lymphoma of the Breast in an HIV-Positive Patient: A Rare Presentation.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide, affecting 13.5-30 per 100,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa. The most common histopathologic variants of breast cancer are those that originate from the glandular epithelium of the breast. Primary breast lymphomas are uncommon, and they represent only 0.04%-0.5% of all breast cancers. Burkitt lymphoma is the least of this rare group. The report intends to present Burkitt's lymphoma, a rare histopathological diagnosis of primary breast tumour in an HIV+ patient. Description of a case of bilateral breast disease and the histopathologic diagnosis. Our case was a 28-year-old HIV+ woman who presented with multiple bilateral breast lumps for 2 months duration, associated with bilateral axillary lumps, weight loss, night sweat, and malaise. Lumps range from 2 to 8 cm in size with multiple axillary lymph nodes. Core tissue biopsy showed a monotonous population of intermediate-sized lymphoid cells with round nuclei, clumped chromatin, and several nucleoli interspersed by numerous tangible body macrophages, presenting a starry-sky appearance. Diagnosis of bilateral primary breast Burkitt's lymphoma was performed, and the patient was referred to oncology. She was placed on antiretroviral therapy and chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine sulphate, and prednisone) and clinically responded to therapy. Conclusions: Breast lumpiness in immunocompromised patients calls for the suspicion of lymphoma.

Paediatric day-case surgery in a new paediatric surgical unit in Northwestern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Day-case surgery is defined as when the surgical day-case patient is admitted for investigation or operation on a planned non-resident basis and who nonetheless requires facilities for recovery. A significant number of our patients were treated as day cases. This study was conducted to audit paediatric day-case surgery practice at our centre, to determine the indications as well as morbidity and mortality from day-case surgeries. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study over a period of 14 months. The patients scheduled for surgeries were assessed in the paediatric surgical outpatient clinic and information obtained for each of the patients included age, sex, diagnosis, type of operation, type of anaesthesia and post-operative complications. The data were analysed using SPSS version 15.0 for windows. RESULTS: A total of 182 patients were operated during the study period. The age range of patients was 0.5-156 months and the mean age was 46.6 months. There were 152 male patients (83.5%) and 30 female patients (16.5%). Most of the patients had intact prepuce for circumcision (34.1%). Two patients who had herniotomy developed superficial surgical site infections which were managed as outpatients. There were no readmissions or mortality. CONCLUSION: Intact prepuce for circumcision as well as hernias and hydroceles is the most common day cases in our centre and is associated with low morbidity and no mortality.

Family emergency plan and preparedness among medical practitioners in Zaria, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increase in the incidence of disasters in many parts of the world. Similarly, Nigeria has witnessed a recent increase of man-made disaster events such as plane crash, fire incidents, flood, and building collapse, including bomb blast orchestrated by terrorists that often create emergency situations. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate family emergency plan and preparedness among medical practitioners in Zaria. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study (May-July, 2013) of medical practitioners in Zaria, Nigeria. The structured questionnaire sought the socio-demographic features of the respondents, the availability of emergency gate(s) in the house, education of safety measures within and outside the house, well-known located shut-off devices for gases, electricity, and water in the house, and written document/policy in the event of disaster. Also, planned orientations/drills/sensitizations, whether there is contact information of family members and supporting agencies. RESULTS: Majority of the respondents were male 56 (80.0 percent) and fall within the age group of 46-50 years (20.0 percent). Only 8.6 percent admitted having an unwritten policy on emergency management in their houses. Similarly, only 8.6 percent do create time to teach their family members on emergency management. Only 27 (38.6 percent) had emergency supplies kits and among this group, water appears to be the most essential component that the respondents had paid attention to, leaving out special items. The communication plans of respondents to likely supportive services/agencies during disaster showed that majority had contact address or have affirmative plans for hospital and ambulance services than for radio and television stations. CONCLUSION: Family emergency plans and preparedness among medical practitioners in Zaria are extremely low. There is a gap between knowledge of what need to be done to enhance preparedness and internalizing preparedness recommendations in the study area.

Glove Perforation Rate in Surgery: A Randomized, Controlled Study To Evaluate the Efficacy of Double Gloving.

BACKGROUND: The risk of exposure of either the patient or the surgeon to communicable disease when the surgical glove is perforated is important. Both patients and the surgical team need to be protected from this risk. Therefore, we intended to determine the efficacy of double gloving in our center. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study, involving (randomly selected) surgeons, who wore single or double latex surgical gloves during procedures. Gloves were collected and evaluated for perforations (using air insufflation and water leak methods). RESULTS: A total of 1,536 gloves were collected (512 single gloves and 1,024 double gloves), with 78 of 512 gloves perforated, giving a rate of 15.2%. Perforation rate was 15.2% in single gloves, 14.4% in double gloves, 15.5% in emergency operations, and 14.3% in elective surgery. It was highest (30.8%) among registrars in training, particularly when doing any deep (16.0%) surgery. Glove perforation rate was highest (17.4%) among general surgery procedures as opposed to pediatric surgery (14.6%), urology (13.9%), neurosurgery (11.7%), and plastic surgery (10.6%), with (42.1%) index finger injury. In unused (control group) gloves, the rate of perforation was (0.8%). There was a substantial difference in the overall perforation rate between single and double glove sets (15.2% versus 14.4%) (X(2) = 1748, p < 0.0001). However, among the double set, total gloves [outer and inner set] analysis revealed a perforation rate of 27.5% (141 of 512). Of this set, the number of inner gloves that perforated as a result of a through and through puncture from outer to the inner gloves gave a rate of 1.17% (six of 512). Thus, the protection offered by double gloves was 98.83% (X(2) = 280.9, p < 0.0001) even if the outer gloves were perforated. CONCLUSION: The use of double gloves has more than 90% protection to patient and the surgeon. Therefore, wearing double gloves should be encouraged in surgery.

Family emergency plan and preparedness among medical practitioners in Zaria, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increase in the incidence of disasters in many parts of the world. Similarly, Nigeria has witnessed a recent increase of man-made disaster events such as plane crash, fire incidents, flood, and building collapse, including bomb blast orchestrated by terrorists that often create emergency situations. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate family emergency plan and preparedness among medical practitioners in Zaria. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study (May-July, 2013) of medical practitioners in Zaria, Nigeria. The structured questionnaire sought the socio-demographic features of the respondents, the availability of emergency gate(s) in the house, education of safety measures within and outside the house, well-known located shut-off devices for gases, electricity, and water in the house, and written document/policy in the event of disaster. Also, planned orientations/drills/sensitizations, whether there is contact information of family members and supporting agencies. RESULTS: Majority of the respondents were male 56 (80.0 percent) and fall within the age group of 46-50 years (20.0 percent). Only 8.6 percent admitted having an unwritten policy on emergency management in their houses. Similarly, only 8.6 percent do create time to teach their family members on emergency management. Only 27 (38.6 percent) had emergency supplies kits and among this group, water appears to be the most essential component that the respondents had paid attention to, leaving out special items. The communication plans of respondents to likely supportive services/agencies during disaster showed that majority had contact address or have affirmative plans for hospital and ambulance services than for radio and television stations. CONCLUSION: Family emergency plans and preparedness among medical practitioners in Zaria are extremely low. There is a gap between knowledge of what need to be done to enhance preparedness and internalizing preparedness recommendations in the study area.