Umbilical Hernias in Adults: Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Treatment

The literature on umbilical hernias in adults remains less extensive compared to other types of hernias. Adult umbilical hernias are frequently asymptomatic. The most frequent reasons for consultation are pain and esthetic discomfort. The diagnosis is most often evident on physical examination of the abdomen with tumefaction in the umbilicus. Despite the recent advances in terms of mesh varieties and minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic and robotic surgery), there is still no real consensus on the optimal method for repair of umbilical hernia. Based on the patient characteristics and the context, “tailored and optimized surgery” should always be used to have the best results

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Corps étranger post traumatique de la paroi thoracique de diagnostic tardif: à propos d’un cas

Il s'agit d'un patient de 63 ans, aux antécédents de plaie traumatique de la face externe droite du thorax il y a 6 ans qui a été suturée. L'examen montrait une tuméfaction en regard de la cicatrice qui était molle et indolore. L'échographie réalisée était en faveur d'une structure hyperéchogène entourée d'une masse tissulaire sans caractère vasculaire. L'exérèse réalisée a permis de visualiser à l'ouverture de la pièce un corps étranger métallique entouré d'un tissu réactionnel. Les corps étrangers localisés dans les parties molles sont pour la plupart post traumatiques. Leur diagnostic est aisé avec la clinique et l'imagerie surtout si le traumatisme est localisé. Dans le cadre d'un polytraumatisme, ils peuvent être méconnus et leur diagnostic fait tardivement. L'imagerie garde une place de choix dans le diagnostic

Aetiology and Management Outcomes of Adult Mechanical Bowel Obstruction in Nigeria: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The main factor causing intestinal obstruction is post-operative adhesion. As a reflection of the global observation that appendicectomy is the most common abdominal surgery in the world over, our study also reported appendicectomy as the most common surgical operation resulting in post-operative adhesions. The mortality rate and morbidity rate among patients managed for intestinal obstruction in Nigeria was described in this revie

Disability and Participation in Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

It is well established that access to preventative care, such as breast or cervical cancer screening, can reduce morbidity and mortality. Certain groups may be missed out of these healthcare services, such as women with disabilities, as they face many access barriers due to underlying inequalities and negative attitudes. However, the data have not been reviewed on whether women with disabilities face inequalities in the uptake of these services. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to compare the uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening in women with and without disabilities. A search was conducted in July 2021 across four databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, Global Health, and CINAHL. Quantitative studies comparing the uptake of breast or cervical cancer screening between women with and without disabilities were eligible. Twenty-nine studies were included, all from high-income settings. One third of the 29 studies (34.5%, n = 10) were deemed to have a high risk of bias, and the remainder a low risk of bias. The pooled estimates showed that women with disabilities have 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72-0.84) lower odds of attending breast cancer screening and have 0.63 (95% CI: 0.45-0.88) lower odds of attending cervical cancer screening, compared to women without disabilities. In conclusion, women with disabilities face disparities in receipt of preventative cancer care. There is consequently an urgent need to evaluate and improve the inclusivity of cancer screening programs and thereby prevent avoidable morbidity and mortality

From Real-world Individuals' Data to National Health Indicators: Multiphase Pilot Study in Gabon

International audienceBACKGROUND: Achieving health goals requires informed decision-making supported by transparent, reliable, and relevant health information. This helps decision makers, such as health managers, to better understand the functioning of their health system and improve their ability to respond quickly to health demands. To achieve this, the health system needs to be supported by a digitized decision-making information system. In Sub-Saharan African countries, inadequate digital infrastructure, including limited internet connectivity and insufficient access to appropriate computer software, makes it difficult to collect, process, and analyze data for health statistics. The processing of data is done manually in this case; however, this situation affects the quality of the health statistics produced and compromises the quality of health intervention choices in these countries. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the conceptual approach of a data production and dissemination platform model proposed and implemented in Gabon. More precisely, it aimed to present the approach applied for the multidimensional analysis of the data production and dissemination process in the existing information system and present the results of an evaluation of the proposed model implemented in a real context. METHODS: The research was carried out in 3 phases. First, a platform was designed and developed based on the examination of the various data production and indicator generation procedures. Then, the platform was implemented in chosen health facilities in Gabon. Finally, a platform evaluation was carried out with actual end users. RESULTS: A total of 14 users with 12 years of average experience in health data management were interviewed. The results show that the use of the proposed model significantly improved the completeness, timeliness, and accuracy of data compared with the traditional system (93% vs 12%, P<.001; 96% vs 18%, P<.001; and 100% vs 18%, P<.001; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed model contributes significantly to the improvement of health data quality in Gabon

Carcinome épidermoïde de la vulve chez une patiente infectée par le VIH-1 en échec de traitement antirétroviral de première ligne

Le cancer de la vulve est une affection rarement rapportée dans la littérature. Chez la femme jeune, il est le plus souvent lié à une infection par le papillomavirus humain (HPV) alors que chez les femmes ménopausées, chez qui ce cancer est plus fréquent, il serait lié à la carence œstrogénique. En outre, l´infection à VIH augmente le risque de survenue chez les femmes séropositives de néoplasies vulvaires du fait de la prévalence élevée de l´infection à HPV chez elles. Ainsi devant toute lésion suspecte de la vulve, une biopsie suivie d´un examen anatomo-pathologique devra être réalisée afin de poser le diagnostic. Nous rapportons le cas d´un carcinome épidermoïde de la vulve chez une patiente séropositive au VIH-1 en échec de traitement antirétroviral (ARV) de première ligne

Acute mesenteric ischemia: A case report

Acute mesenteric ischemia is a rare life-threatening diagnostic and therapeutic emergency. Lack of clinical and biological specificity makes the diagnosis difficult. Imaging, particularly computed tomography can help confirm the diagnosis. An underlying cause is identified in about 30%-70% of cases and should always be sought. We report a case of a 51-year-old man with chronic alcoholic liver disease admitted to the emergency department for abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed mesenteric venous thrombosis with signs of small bowel ischemia and cirrhosis with portal hypertension. Through this observation, we describe the imaging aspects of mesenteric ischemia and emphasize the necessity of seeking underlying pathological condition

Tumeur de Buschke-Lowenstein à localisation ano-périnéale à propos dun cas (Ano-perineal Buschke-Lowenstein tumor: A case report)

La tumeur de Buschke-Lowenstein (TBL) ou le condylome acuminé géant (CAG) est une entité clinique rare atteignant moins de 0,1 % de la population générale. Transmise essentiellement par voie sexuelle, elle est liée à linfection à Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Elle peut dégénérer en carcinome épidermoïde de lanus plus particulièrement chez les personnes infectées par le VIH. Nous rapportons lobservation dun patient porteur de VIH, avec notion dhomosexualité, reçu pour lésions condylomateuses acuminées ano-périnéales géantes. Lobjectif est de décrire les aspects cliniques, thérapeutiques et évolutifs de cette affection