Gallbadder volvulus.

A 50 years old man was admitted to Wolayita Soddo Hospital, southern Ethiopia, with the complaints of sudden onset right upper quadrant pain with repeated vomiting. Physical examination was remarkable for a dehydration and abdominal tenderness. The patient showed no improvement on conservative treatment and hence underwent laparotomy. The intraoperative finding was a gallbladder volvulus and cholecystectomy was uneventful.

Surgical jaundice among Ethiopian inpatients in a university hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is to describe the pattern of surgical jaundice and outcome on inpatients, with literature review. METHODS: A retrospective data of medical records of surgical inpatients was used at Tikur Anbessa Hospital Department of Surgery, Addis Ababa University. Information on patients was retrieved from admission reports, operating theatre registers, surgical records, and discharge summaries and death certificates. Clinical data on demographic characteristics, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment, and in hospital outcome were entered into SPSS software and analyzed. RESULTS: Surgical jaundice predominantly affected older age groups and majority of patients were male. The most common presenting symptoms were progressive jaundice and non-colicky RUQ or epigastric pain. Majority of patients presented within 3 months of the onset of symptoms. Jaundice and abdominal tenderness were the most frequent signs. Ultrasonography was diagnostic of pancreatobiliary disease in 97% of the patients. The most common operations performed for CBD stone were CBD exploration and choledochoduodenostomy whereas the most frequent operation done for pancreatic head tumor was cholecystojejunostomy. Majority of patients had malignant jaundice with male preponderance. All patients who died in the hospital had significant bilirubin level derangements and most were older than 50 years. CONCLUSION: Surgical jaundice is a disease of the older age groups. Presentation with jaundice is usually a late presentation, which adversely impacts survival. For accurate and early etiologic diagnosis and appropriate intervention, diverse imaging facilities should develop.

Gallstone disease in a teaching hospital, Addis Ababa: a 5-year review.

There are not many studies of gallbladder disease in Africa. The disease appears to be not uncommon in Ethiopia. To determine the prevalence and evaluate the management of gallstone disease in a central teaching hospital, a 5-year retrospective study was undertaken in 747 patients surgically treated for gallbladder disease in the period 1995-99 in Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa. The sex ratio (M:F) was 1:5, narrower ratio in complicated cholelithiasis. The mean age was 42 years. About 80% of patients were in the age group between 30 and 60 years. The median duration of symptoms at admission was 2 years. Abdominal pain, in 96% of cases situated in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) and usually aching type, was the most frequent presenting symptom; RUQ tenderness was the most common sign. Clinically, 29.4% of patients were categorized obese. Gallstone detection rate by ultrasound was about 96% but cholecystitis appeared to be overlooked. At operation, about 77% of cases had features of chronic cholecystitis, 2% acalculous cholecystitis. Majority of the stones were grossly cholesterol stones. Cholecystectomy was performed in 99% of cases, most often through the oblique subcostal and transverse routes. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 0.4%. Nearly 87% of cases had postoperative course without incident. The etiologic factors and the type of gallstones, we believe, are not different from that of the developed world. Cholecystectomy is a safe and most effective procedure that provides ultimate cure for symptomatic gallstone disease.

Thyroid neoplasms in Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa: a retrospective review with emphasis on cancer.

Reportedly, thyroid cancer is a rare disease in most parts of the world. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of the disease is not known. This study aims to present the experience on thyroid cancer of a main central referral hospital. During the period 1993-02, 137 cases of thyroid neoplasms were operated on in Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital, Addis Ababa. Of these, 114 of 130 patients whose records were retrieved were retrospectively reviewed Neoplastic disease of the thyroid was found to be more common in younger age groups (mean age, 37 years) and in females (F: M ratio, 1.7: 1.0). Features of advanced malignant disease were not rare (21 cases). Of the 75 thyroid cancers, papillary carcinoma was the most common histologic type (72%). The extent of surgical treatment included partial, subtotal, near total and total thyroidectomy. In 15 cases, the lesions were found to be unresectable. The long-term outcome of treatment was difficult to evaluate, as the follow-up time was short. We believe that this paper will give base-line information on the frequency of thyroid cancer (7.5%) for a more comprehensive study in the future.

Perforated peptic ulcer in Tikur Anbessa Hospital: a review of 74 cases.

Little is known on the pattern of perforated peptic ulcer in Ethiopia. To evaluate the early, outcome of management, a five-year retrospective analysis of 74 operated cases of perforated peptic ulcer was undertaken. Perforated peptic ulcer accounted for 3.4% of the adult emergency surgical procedures. The mean age was 32.6 years, with a male to female ratio of 7.2 to 1.0. Fifty-six percent of the cases were unmarried. In nearly 22.0% of the patients, no previous history of peptic ulcer disease was documented. Delay in diagnosis was noted in 95% of the cases. Most patients had duodenal ulcer perforation, and about 78% had purulent peritonitis at laparotomy. Fourteen died in hospital. Early presentation of patients to surgical care facilities may reduce morbidity and mortality in cases of peptic ulcer perforation.

Iatrogenic bile duct strictures: a review of 22 cases.

The incidence of iatrogenic bile duct strictures in Ethiopia appears to be increasing. Of 27 patients that sustained bile duct injuries at open cholecystectomy, admitted during May 1996 to December 2002, 22 cases of bile duct strictures are presented to evaluate outcome of treatment. The mean age was 40 years, 15 females. Twenty-one were referrals. The usual presenting features were biliary peritonitis and jaundice. The average time lapse between the original surgery and admission to hospital was eight months. About 73% had Bismuth grade III-IV strictures and all patients underwent Roux-en-Y hepatico-jejunostomy. Postoperatively, biliary-cutaneous fistula, recurrent ascending cholangitis and wound infection were observed frequently. The overall mortality rate was 13.6%. Bile duct injuries and strictures occur in young productive age groups. Prevention of the occurrence of bile duct injury and its progression to a devastating stricture reduces morbidity and mortality.

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor presenting in the retroperitoneum: a case report with immunohistochemical study.

It is now believed that malignant peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) form a distinct tumor entity from other malignant small round cell tumors exhibiting neuroectodermal differentiation by morphologic, immunohistochemical or electron microscopic analyses. A 17-year-old Ethiopian boy was found to have a big upper extra osseous retroperitoneal tumor mass not associated with peripheral nerve that had infiltrated the body of the pancreas. Histologic sections from excised biopsy showed neoplastic cells with a high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and had an indistinct cytoplasm with numerous Homer-Wright rosettes. Immunohistochemically, isolated tumor cells and the centre of rosettes disclosed strong positivity to neural markers, synaptophysin and chromogranin. To the best of our knowledge, this case report represents the first patient described in Ethiopia.

Complicated peptic ulcer disease in Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa.

There are few published surgical reports on peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in Ethiopia. Of 405 complicated peptic ulcer patients operated on in Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa, from 1997 to 2001, the records of 351 patients were retrieved and retrospectively analyzed to assess the pattern of PUD complication and the outcome of surgical treatment. During the study period, complicated PUD patients comprised 3.8% of the total major surgical procedures. The male to female ratio was 5.6: 1.0. The mean age was 36.5 +/- 12.7 years. Of 351 patients, 337 (96%) had abdominal pain, in most epigastric, and 330 (94%) had vomiting as presenting complaints. Dehydration was observed in 44 (12.5%). Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) was the commonest complication followed by perforation that necessitated surgical intervention. The commonest operative procedure was truncal vagotomy and drainage. Nearly 5.0% died in hospital, most from complicated perforated peptic ulcer. Follow-up was possible in 262 patients for a mean of 16.2 +/- 15.0 months. Dumping and diarrhea were observed in 2.7% and 0.4% of the patients, respectively. Bile reflux gastritis was encountered in 1.5%. Truncal vagotomy and drainage remained to be easily learnable procedures with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates.

Thyroid disease in Tikur Anbessa Hospital: a five-year review.

Diseases of the thyroid are not uncommon particularly in the highlands of Ethiopia. To see the pattern of surgical thyroid disorders, a review of operated cases of thyroid diseases in the period 1997-2001 was conducted in Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa. During the period, 472 patients underwent surgery for goiter. Of these, records of 377 patients could be retrieved and form the basis for this analysis. The mean age was 35 (range, 15-73) years. The sex ratio, M : F was 1: 3.8. The mean duration of symptoms on admission was 7 years. The most frequent presenting feature was goiter. Symptoms of airway obstruction and hyperthyroidism were not rare. About 12% of patients were clinically and biochemically categorized toxic. Location of goiter was specified in 349 cases. Of these, 56.7% had bilateral disease. Nodular colloid goiter was the most common pathological type. Neoplasm of the thyroid appeared not to be rare. The mean pre- and postoperative hospital stays were 12 and 6 days, respectively. About 66% of patients had partial or subtotal thyroidectomy. Significant intraoperative hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion occurred in 12 (3%) patients. Some post operative complications including pneumonia, wound infection, recurrent nerve or parathyroid gland injury, and recurrent goiter or hyperthyroidism were noted. One case developed thyroid crisis. Less radical surgical procedures, we believe, are adequate for all benign and most malignant goiters in Ethiopia. In areas where thyroxin is in short supply and follow-up is erratic total thyroidectomy as is recommended else where should be reserved for only few selected cases.

The role of changing diet and altitude on goitre prevalence in five regional states in Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) as one of the leading nutritional problems has been increasing through time due to iodine deficiency, aggravating factors and IDD knowledge in many parts of Ethiopia. The effect of changing diet and altitude on goitre prevalence is assessed. METHODOLOGY: Randomly selected five regional states (Amhara, Oromiya, Tigray, SNNP and Benshangul-Gumuz) were used to conduct cross-sectional study on IDD. In each region cluster sampling method was applied to select study subjects. Low land and adjacent high land were independently sampled to investigate the role of altitude on goiter prevalence. Totally 6960 children and the same number of biological mothers of the children were included in the clinical examination for goiter and household interview. Urine samples were collected from children for urinary iodine examination/analysis (UIE). Besides, in all clusters qualitative data were collected on IDD knowledge and cassava introduction, cultivation and consumption. RESULTS: Cassava consumption and living in high altitude were found to be risk factors for IDD. In the two regions (SNNP and Benshangul-Gumuz) among three where cassava is cultivated, those who consume cassava frequently were significantly (p < 0.001) affected by goitre than those consuming rarely or not. In the last thirty years cassava consumption has been increasing with the concomitant increase in goitre rate and other associated health problems. Acute cyanide intoxication in children from cassava meal was reported. In Amhara region, goitre rate was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in high altitudes than in low both for children and mothers. This was due to significantly (p < 0.01) low level of iodine intake in high lands than in low as indicated by UIE. Due to stigma, parents do not send goitrous children to schools and goitrous girls are not wanted for marriage. CONCLUSION: Besides low level of iodine intake, cassava consumption and living in high altitude were responsible for the observed variation and severity in goitre rates. IDD affects several dimensions of human life including school enrolment and marriage. Addressing IDD in-terms of salt iodization and training communities on cassava processing techniques to remove cyanide, awareness creation on IDD and soil conservation are highly recommended.