Pattern of Surgical Abdominal Emergencies in Sokoto, Nigeria

Background: Acute surgical abdominal emergencies are common reasons for admission into accident and emergency units in most hospitals. This study was undertaken to look at the spectrum of such presentations to a tertiary hospital in North Western Nigeria. The management and outcome were also highlighted.Method: A retrospective review of case notes of patients with emergency surgical abdominal conditions between 2004 -2008 was carried out. Parameters studied included demographic characteristics, diagnosis, management and outcome.Results: A total of 1330 patients were studied. Out of this, 849(63.8%) were males and 481 (32.2%) were females; giving a male: female ratio of 1.77:1 (χ22:1). The mean age was 33.56 ( ±15.31) (16-85) years. Acute appendicitis was the commonest emergency, 375 (55.26%), followed respectively by acute intestinal obstruction, 245(18.42%), typhoid ileal perforation, 180(13.53%), abdominal trauma, 95(7.14%) and perforated peptic ulcer, 45(3.38%). Wound infection, incisional hernia and hypertrophic scar were the main postoperative complications. A total of 100 patients died, giving an overall mortality of 7.52%. Typhoid ileal perforation was the single leading cause of death at 36(20%), followed by intestinal obstruction, 40(16.33%) and abdominal trauma, 15(15.79%).Conclusion: Acute appendicitis was the commonest surgical abdominal emergency in our study. This was followed by intestinal obstruction and typhoid ileal perforation respectively.&#160

Indications and pattern of extremity amputations in Sokoto, North-West Nigeria

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EVALUATION OF SEASONAL VARIATION IN THE MICROBIAL AND HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS OF IMO RIVER ESTUARY OF THE NIGER DELTA MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM Cross River State Nigeria

ABSTRACT: Evaluation of seasonal variation in the microbial and heavy metal content in Imo River estuary of the Niger Delta mangrove ecosystem using standard analytical methods was carried out on samples collected. The study was conducted during the wet and dry seasons (August and November). The results obtained showed that the sediment samples had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher counts of total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) than the surface and sub-surface water samples. However, the sediment samples during the dry season had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher counts of THB than the wet season (2.55 ± 2.34 × 107 cfug-1 and 2.46 ± 2.20 × 107 cfug-1) respectively. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the population of THB in the surface water during the wet and dry seasons (2.23 ± 2.23 × 106 cfuml-1 and 2.39 ±1.63 × 106 cfuml-1) respectively, while there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the population of total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) in the sub-surface water during the dry and the wet seasons (2.27 ±2.00 × 106 cfuml-1 and 2.13 ± 1.84 × 106 cfuml-1) respectively. The total fungal (TF) densities in the surface water were 1.17 ± 0.93 x 105 cfuml-1 and 1.38 ± 0.63 x 105 cfuml-1 during the wet and dry seasons respectively, the mean densities of 1.15 ± 0.63 x 105 cfuml-1 and 1.30 ± 0.48 x 105 cfuml-1 were observed in the sub-surface water during the wet and dry seasons respectively, while in the sediments, the mean densities observed were 1.42 ± 1.19 x 106 cfug-1 and 1.60 ± 1.05 x 106 cfug-1 during the wet and dry seasons respectively. The results obtained also indicate that the water and sediment samples show a remarkable variation in the concentrations of heavy metals during the wet and dry seasons

Breast tuberculosis: A case report

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