Epidermiology of Hand Injuries Seen at Two Teaching Hospitals in Sothern Nigeria

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Reliability of bedside blood glucose estimating methods in detecting hypoglycaemia in the children’s emergency room

Background: Hypoglycaemia occurs in many disease states common in the tropics. Facilities and skilled manpower required for laboratory blood glucose measurement are not always available in health facilities in developing countries. Objective: The study was carried out to determine the validity of bedside methods of blood glucose measurement in detecting hypoglycaemia.Methods: Blood glucose was determined by two bedside methods (Accuchek Active® and Betachek Visual®) in 430 patients aged between one month and 10years and simultaneously sent for laboratory spectrophotometric analysis at a wavelength of 500nm using the hexose kinase method. Hypoglycaemia was defined as plasma glucose < 2.5mmol/L.Results: The prevalence of hypoglycaemia was 5.6%.There was a higher correlation (r =0.84, p< 0.05) between Accuchek Active® results and laboratory values than was obtained with Betachek Visual ® (r = 0.48, p=0.000).In detection of hypoglycaemia, both bedside glucose monitors were found to have a high specificity and high predictive values of a negative test (99.8% and 98.5% for Accuchek Active® and 89.4% and 97.8% for Betachek Visual® respectively) with moderate sensitivity (75.0% and 66.7% respectively). However, the Accuchek Active® monitor has a much higher predictive value of a positive test (94.1%) compared to the Betachek Visual® (27.1%).Conclusion: The bedside glucose monitors are valid bedside tools for detecting or ruling out hypoglycemia.Keywords: hypoglycaemia, children, bedside investigation, glucose estimation, blood glucose

The syringe suction drain - A unique improvisation in rural plastic surgery practice

Background: Closed suction drains are often needed in surgical practice. However, they are luxury in rural plastic surgery practice. This study highlights how syringes have become a reliable substitute.Materials and methods: This is a prospective study of the surgical outcome of patient who had various plastic surgical procedures between January 2010 and June 2011 using various sizes of syringes with feeding tubes/drip set used as drain system.Result: A total of 43 surgeries that required a drain were done. There were 31(72%) males and 12(28%) females. Of the total number, 10(23.3%) were children. The average duration the drain remained in situ was 48 hours. Drain was effective in 100% of the cases. Apart from a case of drain dislodgement, there was no other complication.Conclusion: The syringe/feeding tube or drip system can be an effective closed suction drain and a cheap alternative to the conventional vacuum drains especially in rural plastic surgery practice.Keywords: Syringe, suction drain, rural plastic surger

Remote non-endoscopic hairline approach for excision of forehead lipoma

Background: Facial mutilation may cause socio-psychological effect on an individual. Surgery on the face can cause some level of anxiety as regards the resulting scar. We hereby present our study on the level of satisfaction among patients who had their forehead lipectomy via a remote hairline access.Patients and Methods: This is a prospective study of patients who had forehead lipectomy via a remote hairline access in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria, between January 2010 and December 2012. They subsequently indicated their level of satisfaction using a numerical scale.Result: A total of 19 patients had forehead lipectomy via the hairline approach with female to male ratio of 2.2: 1. The mean score of satisfaction on the numerical scale was 9.2 in a scale of 10.Conclusion: Patients who had forehead lipectomy with access scar hidden were very satisfied.Keywords: Forehead, lipectomy, remote hairline acces