Outcomes of traumatic brain injury patients with acute epidural and subdural hematoma who underwent burr hole surgery: A two-year study at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania.

Background: Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Africa. Craniotomy is the surgical standard for acute extra-axial hematomas that is not realistic in LMIC due to deficient human and operative resources. Burr hole surgery may be an alternative in resource-limited settings. This study aimed at determining outcomes and factors associated with burr hole surgery as definitive management of traumatic extra-axial hematomas. Methods: Hospital-based cross-sectional study of patients with acute traumatic extra-axial hematomas who underwent burr hole surgery. Data were extracted from the patient's medical records after confirmation of the surgery and CT scan findings. The data were entered to SPSS 25 for analysis where a bivariate analysis was done. Results: 156 participants were enrolled; 149 (95.5 %) were males. The mean age of the participants was 35.33 (SD 15.37) years. The mean arrival GCS was 11.76 ± 3.59. Most participants had mild, followed by severe then moderate (55.8 %, 24.4 %, and 19.9 % respectively) TBI. 118 (75.6 %) participants had good outcomes and the overall in-hospital mortality was 18.6 %. 109 (69.9 %) had epidural hematomas mostly (21 %) in the parietal lobe. 30 (19.2 %) had brain herniation syndromes. Poor outcomes were associated with age above 50 years, severe TBI, motor response <4, abnormal pupil size, other injuries, ICU admission, SDH, midline shift >10 mm, cerebral edema, and brain herniation syndromes. Surgical site infection and hemostasis by packing were associated with a long length of hospital stay. Conclusion: Burr hole surgery is still a safe, effective, and simple life-saving procedure in patients with acute hematomas in resource-constrained areas.

Healthcare provider perspective on barriers and facilitators in the care of pediatric injury patients at a tertiary hospital in Northern Tanzania: A qualitative study.

Pediatric injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The recovery of injured children in LMICs is often impeded by barriers in accessing and receiving timely and quality care at healthcare facilities. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers and the facilitators in pediatric injury care at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC), a tertiary zonal referral hospital in Northern Tanzania. In this study, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted by trained interviewers who were fluent in English and Swahili in order to examine the barriers and facilitators in pediatric injury care. Five FGDs were completed from February 2021 to July 2021. Participants (n = 30) were healthcare providers from the emergency department, burn ward, surgical ward, and pediatric ward. De-identified transcripts were analyzed with team-based, applied thematic analysis using qualitative memo writing and consensus discussions. Our study found barriers that impeded pediatric injury care were: lack of pediatric-specific injury training and care guidelines, lack of appropriate pediatric-specific equipment, staffing shortages, lack of specialist care, and complexity of cases due to pre-hospital delays in patients presenting for care due to cultural and financial barriers. Facilitators that improved pediatric injury care were: team cooperation and commitment, strong priority and triage processes, benefits of a tertiary care facility, and flexibility of healthcare providers to provide specialized care if needed. The data highlights barriers and facilitators that could inform interventions to improve the care of pediatric injury patients in Northern Tanzania such as: increasing specialized provider training in pediatric injury management, the development of pediatric injury care guidelines, and improving access to pediatric-specific technologies and equipment.

Viscus perforation as an initial presentation of plexiform fibromyxoma: A case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Plexiform fibromyxoma (PF) is a rare benign mesenchymal neoplasm of stomach recognized by the WHO. The tumor often arises in the antrum and pyloric region of the stomach. Morphologically, PF tumors display bland spindle cells in myxoid or fibromyxoid stroma and can be misdiagnosed as gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). PRESENTATION OF CASE: A-21-year old female presented to emergency department with peritonitis due gastric tumor leading to gastric perforation and pus collection in the abdomen. Partial gastrectomy was performed. Histopathology, immunohistochemical (IHC) and fluorescent in-situ hybridization assessment of the specimen confirmed the diagnosis of PF. One year postoperative, the patient remains symptoms free. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: A great majority of gastric mesenchymal tumors are GIST. Histopathologically, PF tumors display a multinodular and plexiform architecture with arborizing vasculature. Cytologically these tumors show bland spindle cells in myxoid or fibromyxoid stroma with a rare or no mitotic figures. Thus, PF may easily be under recognized or misinterpreted without the pathologists' knowledge of this entity. Misinterpreting PF as GIST can lead to inappropriate treatment including unnecessary surgery and/or chemotherapy, which is an expensive. Recommended treatment is surgical excision. Metastases and recurrence following complete excision have not been described. This case highlights unexpected presentation in a young female where other competing diagnoses were more plausible before considering PF diagnosis which could not have been established without advanced diagnostic techniques. CONCLUSION: PF is a rare mesenchymal tumor with nonspecific clinical characteristics. It is principally located in the gastric antrum and prepyloric regions, however other parts of the body may be affected. PF tumors should be separated from GIST, nerve sheath tumors, and other fibromyxoid neoplasms. The worth in writing lies in epidemiological custodianship for such a unique presentation of a rare gastric neoplasm.

Ocular, scrotal and abdominal trauma in a secondary blast injury.

Blast injuries are subjected to high morbidity and mortality in the general population. They cognate to single or multiple organ-related injuries that may be life-threatening. The unique injury patterns of blast injuries make treatment therapy complex. An adult male patient presented to our setting with multiple severe deep burn wounds resulting from a dynamite explosion. His computed tomography (CT) scan revealed numerous sharp shards around his body and a ruptured hemiscrotum with exposed testicles. Surgery was immediately done and with a good post-operative outcome. The severity of these injuries escalates in relation to the proximity of the explosions. A CT scan is an imperative diagnostic imaging modality. Treatment involves resuscitation, optimization, excision of non-viable tissues and damage control surgery. Delays in management may have detrimental consequences. Therefore, for physicians to manage the diverse injury manifestations that these patients may present with, they must grasp the pathophysiological patterns of blast injuries.

Valentino's syndrome: a bizarre clinical presentation.

A perforated peptic or duodenal ulcer may cause an unusual expression of right lower quadrant pain. In Valentino's syndrome, the chemical fluid from the ulcer flows via the right paracolic gutter to the right iliac fossa, causing peritoneal irritation and chemical appendicitis which will mimic pain in the right lower quadrant. We report a case of a 23-year-old male patient who presented with cramping lower abdominal pain with fevers and vomiting. His pain was mostly in the right lower quadrant and radiated to his back. A perforation-related pneumoperitoneum was found on a computed tomography scan, along with an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen and thickening of the pyloric antrum. Valentino's syndrome's aberrant clinical picture mimicking acute appendicitis is a pathognomonic presentation of the disease. Right lower abdominal pain should also prompt the scrutiny of atypical differentials, such as perforated ulcers. Physicians need to manage these patients with a high index of suspicion.

A large infected urachal mass in an adult: A case report in Tanzania.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Urachal Mass results from a failure of obliteration of the urachal canal during fetal growth. The aetiology of urachal masses is ambiguous, being either of a cancerous or benign origin. Much literature is stipulated in children presenting with urachal-associated diseases but few in adult patients. This study aims at elucidating the existence of urachal mass with an abscess in a patient and the management modalities. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present a case report of a 52-year-old female patient with a two months history of abdominal pain and discomfort associated with intermittent low-grade fevers, anorexia and marked weight loss throughout her illness. An abdominal ultrasound revealed the presence of an intra-abdominal mass. A CT scan showed a multilobulated urachal mass. She eventually had a successful operation and quick recovery postoperatively. DISCUSSION: In the adult population, most urachal-associated diseases are malignant, with few being of benign origin. With different presentations between the two aetiologies, the most benign urachal masses may lead to infection and inflammation that typically present with a lower abdominal mass and fever. Diagnosis is made by ultrasound or CT scan of the abdomen. Surgical drainage and excision of the mass are the mainstay treatment modalities. CONCLUSION: Urachal masses are rare in the adult population and are often missed in initial presentations. This will constitute poor management and outcome for patients. Physicians are to be alerted of the knowledge and make a clear assessment of patients perioperatively to avoid the delayed diagnosis, which may have consequent poor outcomes.

Infant gastroduodenal necrosis: a case report.

We report a case of a two month old baby who had presented with an acute abdomen. Intra operative necrosis of the abdominal esophagus to distal of ligamentum treitz was noted. He was subjected to palliative care and passed away on Day 8 post-surgery.

Bilateral chylothorax following neck dissection on a child-Diagnosis and management in resource-limited settings: a case report.

Bilateral chylothorax is a rare complication following neck dissection, with fewer than thirty cases being reported over the last century. A serious life-threatening condition mostly encountered during thoracic procedures and dissections. In our case, conservative management resulted in complete resolution. We report a case of a 4-year-old child who underwent deep neck dissection due to recurrent hemangioma. She developed bilateral chylothorax and a conservative approach led to complete resolution.