Aetiology and Patterns of Implant Failure Following Fracture Fixation in a Developing Country

Background: Implant failure is traumatic for patient as it increases the cost of treatment and may negatively affect the confidence of patients in the superior outcome of operatively treated fractures. Hence the objectives for this study were to determine the proportion of implant fixations that fail, types and causes of implant failure in our practice.Methods: A retrospective study conducted at a tertiary health institution, South west, Nigeria. Data of patients who presented with implant failure following fracture management between 2006 and 2011 were reviewed. Outcome measures were type and causes of implant failure. Data wereanalyzed using SPSS 16.Results: A total of 349 patients had implant fixation done following fracture during the study period of which 19 (5.4%) had failure of their implant. The commonest type of failure was a broken implant while the commonest cause for implant failure was non union 9 (47.4%) which resulted in fatigue failure of implant.Conclusions: We recommend adherence to principles of internal fixation. Education of our patients with regards to compliance with instruction will also go a long way in reducing the rate of failure.Keywords: Internal fixation; Fractures; Implant failur

Factors influencing the outcome of elective paediatric orthopaedic operations in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

There is a paucity of published data on the types of paediatric orthopaedic conditions that require surgery and factors infl uencing their outcome in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. This is a necessary audit to improve paediatric orthopaedic practice. We carried out an audit of all elective orthopaedic operations performed in children at Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex in Ile-Ife, Nigeria from January 2000 through December 2005. The aim was to document the clinical outcomes and the factors that infl uence them. This is with a view to instituting necessary measures to improve paediatric orthopaedic practice in the area. A total of 146 children who had elective operations on 210 limbs were included in the study. Their mean age was 75.6±66.8 months (range 0.3-396 months). The commonest indications for surgery were angular knee deformities (from Blount\'s disease and rickets) and club foot. The mean hospital stay before surgery was 12±8.8 days (range 1-38days). The mean duration of operation was 78.4±36min. (range 30-195 min). The total length of hospitalization was 34.97±19.91 days in males and 41.97±25.15 days in females. Wound infection was the commonest postoperative complication (8.2%). The patient\'s age (P=0.002), indication for surgery (P=0.008), length of preoperative hospital stay (P=0.048), length of operation (

Predictive factors for primary amputation in trauma patients in a Nigerian university teaching hospital

No Abstract.The East African Medical Journal Vol. 83 (10) 2006: pp. 539-54

Burnout experience among nurses and self – reported quality of care in Osun State tertiary hospitals

Objectives: Burnout is a feasible phenomenon among healthcare professionals, including nurses. The consequence is reduction in their overall efficiency and therefore can affect the quality of care they render to patients. The study examined the influence of burnout experience on nurses – reported quality of nursing care in Tertiary hospitals in Osun state.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to study 230 randomly selected nurses working in admission facilities of tertiary hospitals in Osun state. Data was collected with semi structured questionnaire adapted from Maslach Burnout Inventory and Karen – personnel instrument for measuring quality. Kruskal – Wallis H tests of association were done at 0.05 significance level.Results: The study revealed a statistically significant association between Burnout experiences and nurse – reported quality of nursing care in the hospitals studied (÷ 2 = 14.46, p = 0.006).Conclusion: Burnout experience affected the Self – reported quality of nursing care in the facilities studied.Keywords: Burnout experience, Self – reported quality of nursing care

Health needs and health seeking behaviour of Internally Displaced Persons in Dalori camp, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Objectives: In recent years, thousands of people have been displaced due to conflict and have been forced to live in crowded camps. The study assessed the common health problems, health needs and healthseeking behaviours of internally displaced persons in Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to study 240 randomly selected respondents using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.Results: The prevalence of communicable disease outbreak was 59.2% and common health problems of the IDPs were malaria (97.9%), cold and catarrh (65.8%), heart diseases (56.7%), and diarrhoea (53.3%). Findings also revealed that access of IDPs to potable water, insecticide-treated nets (ITN), blankets and health care facility, as well as waste disposal, were generally poor. A large proportion of the respondents reported overcrowding (45.8%), inconducive housing (94.6%), dirty environment (54.6%) and poor food distribution (90%) in the camp. Furthermore, factors that predicted poor health among the IDPs include: educational status (OR: 0.397, p = 0.010), poor water supply (OR: 0.343, p = 0.006), hand washing (OR: 7.064, p = 0.004), and overcrowding (OR: 0.055, p = 0.001).Conclusion: This study concluded that ccommon health problems among the IDPs were malaria, cold and catarrh, heart diseases and diarrhoea and their health needs include lack of access to potable water and inadequate health care services.Keywords: Health-seeking behaviour , Health – need, Internally Displaced Persons, Nigeri

The effect of vitamin supplementation on the toxic effects of dichlorvos on the microanatomy of rat hippocampal formation

Dichlorvos (DDVP) is a widely used pesticide that is toxic to animals and humans but study of its effect on the microanatomy of the brain is scanty. This study was designed to investigate the ameliorating effect of vitamin supplementation on DDVP-induced neurotoxicity in the hippocampus of Wistar rats. 25 male Wistar rats were separated into unexposed group and those exposed to DDVP (1000 mg/L) through inhalation either without, or with vitamin E, vitamin C or red palm oil supplementation. Treatment lasted for 14 days after which rats were sacrificed by ketamine anaesthesia. Hippocampal biopsies were processed into paraffin blocks and H&E stained sections were evaluated by light microscopy. DDVP administration elicited toxicity in the dentate gyrus, cornuammonis1 (CA1) and cornuammonis 3 (CA3) regions. There was pyknosis and alteration of the microanatomy of dentate granule cells and pyramidal cells of CA1 and CA3. DDVP-induced toxicity was mitigated by vitamins E, C and red palm oil in the dentate gyrus, but partially in CA1 and CA3. Inhalational DDVP induces toxicity in the hippocampus of rats and this could affect memory. Toxicity of DDVP is partially ameliorated by vitamins E, C and red palm oil.Keywords: Dichlorvos, dentate gyrus, cornuammonis, hippocampus, red palm oil

Shape memory polymer review for flexible artificial intelligence materials of biomedical

The self-healing and biocompatibility of polymer composites for biomedicine have made them a preferred approach for small-scale tissue engineering elements. By moving from static to dynamic pressure, 4D printing simulates the natural physical-mechanical changes of living tissue over time. A promising new platform with excellent controllability actuation is required to enhance the significance of 4D printing for biological applications. This study systematically analyses current 4D printing technologies for the flexible fabrication of artificial intelligence (AIM) materials. In addition, many potential applications of flexible 4D printing in composite biological engineering are thoroughly investigated. We found that knowledge about this new category of flexible AIM composites is relatively limited, and the potential for practical applications has not yet been demonstrated. Finally, we discuss the problems and limitations of flexible 4D printing technology, AIM, and future approaches and applications.</p

Characterisation of Bacterial Isolates from Patients Wounds and Environmental Factors Predictive of Post-Surgical Infections at the Orthopaedic Ward in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Objective: To determine the pattern of orthopaedic wound infection and the influence of environmental factors on the distribution of the etiologic bacterial agents. Design: A prospective observational study. Setting: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Subjects: Sixty patients with orthopaedic wound infections and orthopaedic ward environment. Results: Thirty- nine males (mean age 33.31+2SD) and 21 females ( mean age 27.47+2SD) with orthopaedic wounds. Three hundred and ten bacteria (190 from patients and 120 from ward environment) were isolated. The pattern of bacterial isolates from patients’ wounds was different from that of the airborne bacterial isolates irrespective of the length of stay on the ward. There was a significant difference in the distribution and resistance pattern of bacterial isolates from the patient’s wounds and ward environment. Conclusion: There is a high incidence of antibiotic resistance of bacterial isolates from samples cultured from patients compared with isolates from ward environment at this centre. The extensive use of pre-operative prophylactic and post-surgical antibiotics in various combinations at this centre needs to be re-examined to reduce the preponderance of antibiotic resistance

The Use of Waste Management Techniques to Enhance Household Income and Reduce Urban Water Pollution

Appropriate waste management options are major concerns in the developing world. Current methods include incineration in the open and accumulation of wastes in designated places where they constitute nuisance to the environment. Apart from air pollution from the incinerators, leachates from decomposed wastes are either washed off where they serve as source of pollutants to the adjourning streams and rivers or contaminate groundwater through deep percolation. We present viable options for managing agricultural wastes in this chapter. The options presented are so simple and sustainable such that it can be managed by individuals. Hence, they are independent of the government bureaucratic bottlenecks that have been the bane of the previous government interventions. If embraced, it will also serve as sources of income for the concerned household, hence enhance their livelihood