Experience With Ventral Penile Skin Island Flap urethroplasty

Background:Island flap techniques currently used in urethroplasty utilize the prepuce and the dorsal penile skin. Our experience with a one-stage island flap urethroplasty for urethral strictures utilizing the ventral penile skin is described.Patients and Method: This is a longitudinal study of seventy six consecutive patients with impassable and complicated urethral strictures treated using this technique over a seven-year period. Sixty were bulbous while sixteen were bulbomembranous urethral strictures. Following operation the patients were assessed using urine flow rates, urethrograms and some urethroscopy. Restrictures were successfully reoperated.Results: Sixty-eight patients (89.5%) had satisfactory voiding with good urine stream without complication at one year after operation. Five patients (6.6%) had restricture and three (3.9%) others had urethral bagginess and postmicturition dribbling. The overall complication rate was 10.5%. At three years after initial operation and reoperation seventy-five patients (98.7%) were voiding satisfactorily. There was one complete failure, no death.Conclusion: This technique has produced satisfactory results compared with other similar techniques in current use. Further work is required to make valid conclusions about the value of this procedure

Dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria: Report of a sporadic case in a Nigerian child

Dyschromatosissymmetricahereditaria (DSH) is one of a group of reticulate pigment disorders of the skin. It is a rare autosomal dominantly inheritedgenodermatosis, presenting as mottled admixtures of hypopigmented and hyperpigmented macules on the dorsa of the extremities. It is predominantly found among persons of Oriental origin. We hereby  document the first case of dyschromatosissymmetricahereditaria in a four year old Nigerian boy who presented with progressive symmetric dyschromic lesions on the dorsa of the hands and feet, with no family history of similar lesions. The diagnosis was confirmed by the typical histologic finding of basal hyperpigmentation with normal number of melanocytes and absence of melanin incontinence from a hyperpigmented lesionKeywords: DyschromatosisSymmetricaHereditaria, Nigerian, Sporadi

Yield and yield component association of some capsicum genotypes

The experiment was conducted in humid agro ecological zone of Calabar, Nigeria, to evaluate the yield performance and the association between yield and yield related components of some capsicum genotypes which include; Bird pepper(Capsicum annuumvar. aviculare), Habanero pepper(Capsicum chinense), Thai pepper(Capsicum annuum var.glabriusculum),Tabasco pepper(Capsicum frutescens) and Bell pepper(Capsicum annuum. Var.accuminatum). Randomized complete block design was used for the experiment, planted in all three replications. The result showed that all the genotypes of pepper used were significantly different (P = O.O 5) in plant height, number of branches, fruit length, fruit breadth, number of fruit per plant and total fruit yield but no significant differences was observed in days to 50% flowering and leaf area. The cultivar Tabasco pepper gave the highest yield of 2426.66 kg/ha followed by bird pepper with a total yield of 2239.99 kg/ha while the cultivar Hebanero pepper gave yield of 1907 kg/ha. The least yield was recorded on Thai pepper with 1520Kg/ha and bell pepper gave 1680 kg/ha. The linear correlation analysis of the yield and yield related component revealed that days to 50% flowering (r = 0.613), fruit length (r =0.392), number of branches (r = 0.913), number of fruits per plant (r = 0.422) and plant height (r = 0.424) showed positive relationship with fruit yield. The yield component with positive and significant correlation can be used as selection indices for the improvement of capsicum speciesKEYWORDS: Components, Correlation, Genotypes, Pepper, Yield

HIV Infection in hospitalized under-5 children with acute watery diarrhoea in Calabar, Nigeria.

Background: The signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS in children are not quite distinct because of similarities in clinical presentation between HIV infection and endemic tropical diseases. Diarrhoea, one of the cardinal symptoms of HIV/AIDS, is a common childhood disease. Objective: This study was conducted to find the prevalence of HIV infection among children admitted with acute watery diarrhoea in our diarrhoea treatment and training unit. Method: Consecutive children aged below 5 years admitted into the unit with diarrhoea were recruited. The children were examined. The parents were counseled before blood was taken for HIV screening. In addition, parents of children who were sero-positive for HIV were also screened. Results: One hundred and fifty- two who made the inclusion criteria were studied. Eight (5.3%) were sero-positive for HIV, five of them being males. None of these mothers had antenatal care and they were all delivered at either home or traditional attendants' homes. All were under weight and six of them presented with severe dehydration. These factors reached statistical significant differences between children who were sero-positive and those who were not. None of these eight patients died from acute watery diarrhoea but two of them eventually died from complications of persistent diarrhoea. Conclusion: Children with HIV may present with acute watery diarrhoea. Children with diarrhoea that are underweight with severe dehydration whose sero-status are not known should be screened for HIV

An audit of nephrectomy by general surgeons

Objectve: To analyse all nephrectomies performed by general surgeons at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (UDUTH) over a ten-year period. The setting provided an opportunity to critically examine the process and outcome of nephrectomies done by general surgeons. Method: A retrospectively study of nephrectomies performed by general surgeons in UDUTH in the 10 year period (January 1993 to December 2002). Results: A total of 25 nephrectomies were performed by the general surgeons during the study period. The male to female ratio was 4:1. The indications were renal malignancy in 39.0% of cases others were non-functioning symptomatic hydronephrotic kidneys. Renal function was not assessed in two patients with renal trauma before surgery. In some patients with polycystic renal disease and pelvic- ureteric junction obstruction indication for nephrectomy was not properly described. The disease staging and extent of surgery in patients with kidney cancer were not often stated. In 20% of patients there was significant morbidity and a threat to life and the overall mortality was 13.0%. Conclusion: In the dearth of the urological surgeons in our environment the had to supplement in the occasional care of some urological patients. The best result is outcome is from patients having nephrectomy for non functioning hydronephrotic kidneys. The outcome in the treatment of the congenital renal anomalies, malignant and trauma to the kidney was not satisfactory suggesting the trained urologist will be better equipped to sort things out. Keywords: audit, nephrectomy, general surgeons Nigerian Journal of Surgical Research Vol. 7(3&4) 2005: 256-25

Prevalence of hypoglycaemia in under-five children presenting with acute diarrhoea in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar.

Background: The clinical features of hypoglycaemia and severe dehydration are similar, and these two can occur in a child presenting with acute diarrhoea. Hypoglycaemia occurring in a growing brain is deleterious and must be detected and treated. Objective: To determine the prevalence of hypoglycaemia among under-five children presenting with acute diarrhoea in UCTH, Calabar. Method: This was a prospective study of 150 children aged six weeks to five years presenting with acute diarrhoea in UCTH, Calabar from June 1st to October 31st 2008. Consecutive children who met the inclusion criteria were recruited into the study. Blood samples were collected for random blood sugar and serum electrotype estimation using One Touch Ultra Test Strips 2006 model and Flame photometry respectively. Results: The overall prevalence of hypoglycaemia in under-five children presenting with acute diarrhoea was 4%. There was no sex difference. It was commonest among children of the low socioeconomic class (83.3%). Risk factors to developing hypoglycaemia were longer duration of last feeds greater than five hours and severe  dehydration, both reaching statistically significant differences (p=0.022 and 0.002; FET respectively). Forty percent of patients who died had hypoglycaemia constituting 33.3% of patients with hypoglycaemia. Conclusion: Children with diarrhoea complicated with severe dehydration are prone to developing hypoglycaemia. It causes high mortality and thus this parameter should be checked for and managed on time.Key words: Hypoglycaemia, acute diarrhoea, under-five children

Body and Individuation : Spinozian routes through dance.

O texto investiga a dan?a como modalidade de produ??o de subjetividades privilegiada para dar a ver a pot?ncia do corpo. Procura equacionar o problema da sobreviv?ncia de um vocabul?rio mental para tratar daquilo que exprime com a m?xima intensidade aquilo de que os corpos s?o capazes, a saber, os corpos dan?antes. Esta pesquisa segue uma trilha espinosista, para encontrar um vocabul?rio inteiramente corporal para descrever a pot?ncia dos corpos na dan?a em termos inteiramente corporais.The paper investigates dance as a form of subjectivities production, which offers a privileged view on the power of the body. It seeks to equate the problem of the survival of a mental vocabulary to express the very modality in which bodies are at their upmost: dance. This research pursues an spinozian path in order to describe bodies power in dance on completely bodily terms

Retrospective study of neonatal intestinal obstruction in Calabar: Aetiology and outcome

Neonatal intestinal obstruction is the most common surgical emergency in the newborn period. Prompt diagnosis and urgent management improve the chances of a favorable outcome. Aetiology and outcome may vary in different parts of the same country.Objective: To evaluate the aetiology and factors associated with mortality in neonates presenting with intestinal obstruction in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.Method: This was a retrospective study of clinical records of neonates presenting with features of intestinal obstruction over an eight year period. The biodata, diagnosis, management and outcome for the neonates were documented.Result: Forty neonates; 26(65%) males and 14(35.5%) females were studied. Imperforate anus was seen in 40% of subjects while Hirschsprung’s disease and intestinal atresia each were seen in 10%. Aetiology could not be determined in about a fifth of the cases. Age less than one week at presentation was significantly associated with a poor outcome. No case had surgical intervention within twenty-four hours of presentation. The overall mortality was 30%, most of these 9 (75%) was due to anorectal malformations.Conclusion: The management and outcome of neonatal intestinal  obstruction in our setting is poor. There is urgent need to upgrade our neonatal intensive care services to improve outcome in affected neonates. More Paediatric surgeons are required to reduce the gross inadequacy of expert as this would improve on the surgical intervention time as reported in this study.Key Words: Neonatal intestinal obstruction Hirschprung’s diseas

Knowledge and attitude towards sexually transmitted infections among female students living in hostels in a university community of the south-south region of Nigeria

Introduction: A cross sectional study was conducted in the female students’ hostel of the University of Calabar to determine their knowledge and attitude towards sexually transmitted infections (STI).Methodology: A structured questionnaire was administered to those who consented to the study. Information obtained were age, year of study, knowledge of sexually transmitted infections.Results: Most subjects were in the age category of 21-25years (56.2%) and predominantly of the Igbo tribe 34%. Over 90% of the subjects had heard of STIs. Vaginal itching (70.2%) and discharge (65.7%) were the commonest symptoms reported. Despite the level of knowledge, some students still patronize Chemist 4.8% and self-injection administration 4.8%.Conclusion: The awareness of STI is high but the understanding of symptomatology is poor.Keywords: Sexually transmitted infections, Female hostel, Tertiary Institution