The Pattern and Outcome of Chest Injuries in South West Nigeria

Objective: The pattern and management outcome of chest injuriespresenting to our tertiary university hospital located in a semi-urbanpopulation in the South West of Nigeria, has not been documentedpreviously. We therefore sought to identify factors that may contributeto mortality.Method: We analyzed 114 patients presenting to the Accident andEmergency Unit with chest trauma, prospectively entered into a database over a two year period.Results: Chest trauma accounted for 6% of all trauma admissionswith a male preponderance (M:F = 3.6:1). Rib fractures were the mostcommon injury (46.3%) while limb fractures were the most commonassociated injury (35.8%). Associated head injury accounted for mostdeaths (56%) in those with severe ISS. Majority of patients (51.8%)required only analgesics, while additional closed tube thoracostomydrainage was necessary (41.8%) in the others who suffered blunttrauma. Thoracotomy was indicated for only 5 (4.5%) penetratinginjuries. There is a rising trend towards penetrating gunshot injuries,with mortality increasing with age (p=0.03) and severity of associatedinjuries (ISS) (p=0.003).Conclusion: Majority of the patients required only minimal interventionwith chest drainage or analgesics, with low mortality. Increasingage and severity of injury contributed significantly to mortality. Initiationof care for chest trauma victims is still delayed in our centre

Factors associated with quality of life of outpatients with breast cancer and gynecologic cancers and their family caregivers: a controlled study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Quality of life (QOL) issues are of interest in cancer because effective methods of treatment and detection have led to an increase in the number of long-term survivors. The objectives of the study were: to assess the subjective QOL of stable Sudanese women cancer outpatients and their family caregivers, using the WHO 26-item QOL Instrument; compare with matched general population groups, as well as diabetic and psychiatric patient groups; examine patient-caregiver concordance in ratings; and assess the variables associated with their QOL, with a view to identifying factors that can enhance quality of care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Responses of oncology outpatients with breast cancer (117), cervical cancer (46) and ovarian cancer (18) (aged 44.6, SD 11.5) were compared with those of their family caregivers and matched general population groups. Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate statistics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The cancer groups had similar QOL domain scores, which were significantly lower than those of their caregivers, but higher than the control group as well as those of psychiatric and diabetic patients studied previously. Patients who were married, with higher education, better employment, and with longer duration of illness had higher QOL. Patients on radiotherapy and their caregivers had higher QOL scores. Correlations between patient's ratings and caregiver impression of patient's QOL were high. Caregiver impression was a significant predictor of patient's and caregiver's QOL. Other predictors for the patient were: currently feeling sick and duration of illness; for the caregiver: feeling sick, relationship to patient, and age.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Cancer patients in stable condition and with psychosocial support can hope to enjoy good QOL with treatment. The findings constitute an evidence base for the country's cancer care program, to boost national health education about prognosis in cancer. Families living with women cancer patients are vulnerable and need support if the patient is recently diagnosed, less educated, single, not formally employed; and the caregiver is female, parent, younger, less educated, unemployed and feels sick. Clinicians need to invest in the education and support of family caregivers. The patient-caregiver dyad should be regarded as a unit for treatment in cancer care.</p

Complicated intra-abdominal infections worldwide : the definitive data of the CIAOW Study

Peer reviewe

Erratum: Antimicrobials: A global alliance for optimizing their rational use in intra-abdominal infections (AGORA). [World J Emerg Surg. 11, (2016) (33)] DOI: 10.1186/s13017-016-0089-y

© The Author(s). The original article [1] contains an error whereby a co-author, Boris Sakakushev has their family name spelt incorrectly as 'Sakakhushev'. The authors would therefore like it known that the correct spelling of the family name is 'Sakakushev'