Pediatric Trauma Care in Low Resource Settings: Challenges, Opportunities, and Solutions.

Trauma constitutes a significant cause of death and disability globally. The vast majority -about 95%, of the 5.8 million deaths each year, occur in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) 3-6. This includes almost 1 million children. The resource-adapted introduction of trauma care protocols, regionalized care and the growth specialized centers for trauma care within each LMIC are key to improved outcomes and the lowering of trauma-related morbidity and mortality globally. Resource limitations in LMICs make it necessary to develop injury prevention strategies and optimize the use of locally available resources when injury prevention measures fail. This will lead to the achievement of the best possible outcomes for critically ill and injured children. A commitment by the governments in LMICs working alone or in collaboration with international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide adequate healthcare to their citizens is also crucial to improved survival after major trauma. The increase in global conflicts also has significantly deleterious effects on children, and governments and international organizations like the United Nations have a significant role to play in reducing these. This review details the evaluation and management of traumatic injuries in pediatric patients and gives some recommendations for improvements to trauma care in LMICs.

Desmoplastic fibroma of the ulna bone.

A fibroma is a benign tumour composed of fibrous connective tissue and they can grow in all organs. They can be classified based on consistency into hard or soft fibroma, based on histological characteristics into desmoplastic, chondromyxoid, ossifying, non-ossifying fibroma. They can also be classified based on tissue of origin or location in the body, it can also be classified into superficial or deep fibroma. This is a report of a 15-year-old Nigerian boy with a recurrent left ulnar tumour which was rapidly growing and has been excised three times. Preoperative investigations, i.e., plain radiograph, full blood count and fine needle aspiration cytology were done. Patient could not afford CT scan which was requested for. First excision was in 2009. Recurred within 1 year and had a repeat excision in 2011. He had a second recurrence 9 months after and had to have another excision. The last tumour excision left only the part of the left ulna that forms the proximal radioulnar joint and elbow joint. Patient has been followed up after the last excision for 18 months with no recurrence.