Trans-scrotal single-incision orchidopexy compared with conventional orchidopexy in palpable undescended testis in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Background The standard method of treatment of palpable undescended testes is  through inguinal mobilization and a scrotal sub-dartos pouch. Trans-scrotal single-incision orchidopexy may be a suitable alternative.Aim The aim of this study was to assess as to how trans-scrotal orchidopexy compares with conventional orchidopexy in terms of the suitable placement of the testis in a dependent position in the scrotum and the surgical outcome.Patients and methods Forty children with 42 palpable undescended testes were randomly allotted into the conventional and the trans-scrotal orchidopexy groups over an 18-month period. The age, the testicular position, the side involved, the length of the vas gained after isolation and the division of the processus vaginalis, as well as the placement of the testes in the sub-dartos pouch without tension, were recorded. Postoperative complications and the subjective score of the cosmetic appearance of the scars during follow-up for at least 6 months. Success was defined as suitable placement of the testes in the sub-dartos pouch during operation, no conversion of patients in the single-orchidopexy group to the conventional inguinal approach, no complications and excellent cosmetic appearance of scars.Results The two study groups were well matched for age and testicular positions. About 22 (55%) patients had rightsided undescended testes and 16 (40%) had left-sided undescended testes, and in two (5%) patients, it was bilateral. All testes were satisfactorily placed in the subdartos pouch at surgery. Testicular retraction  was observed in one patient in the conventional group, but in two patients in the trans-scrotal group. All wounds healed satisfactorily without infection. The overall wound complication rate in the trans-scrotal and the conventional groups were 2/21 and 3/21, respectively. In terms of the cosmetic appearance of the scar, patients in the trans-scrotal group had excellent cosmetic appearance as the scars were less visible and hidden in the rugal fold compared with the conventional method.Conclusion Trans-scrotal orchidopexy for palpable undescended testis is simple, safe and has a better cosmetic scar compared with the conventional approachKeywords: conventional, orchidopexy, testis, trans-scrota

Posterior urethral valves in fraternal twins: case report and review of the literature

We report a pair of dizygotic twins with type 1 posterior urethral valves. Concomitant and discordant presentation of posterior urethral valves in twins is rare, with a handful of cases in the literature. The occurrence of identical pathology in dizygotic twins probably suggests the possibility of an inherited trait as it does exist in monozygotic twins.Keywords: fraternal twins, identical pathology, inherited trait, posterior urethral valve

Management of pelviureteric junction obstruction at a tertiary teaching hospital in southwestern Nigeria: A retrospective analysis of case records

Background: Pelviureteric junction obstruction (PUJO) is an important cause of upper urinary tract obstruction. It can cause marked impairment of renal function, especially in bilateral cases, if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Surgical intervention is currently the mainstay of treatment. We aimed to review the pattern of presentation and management outcomes of patients diagnosed with PUJO. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients aged 2–60 years who presented with PUJO between January 2005 and December 2014. Demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, investigations, and treatment modalities were extracted from case notes. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: The age range of the 32 included PUJO patients was 2–60 years, with a median age of 30 years. Children constituted 31% of patients. There were 15 males and a male-to-female ratio of 0.88:1. Most PUJO was unilateral and left-sided (n = 19; 59%). Loin pain was the commonest symptom (n = 26; 81%), while 25% of patients had a urinary tract infection at presentation. All patients had normal renal function at the time of surgery, and Anderson–Hynes pyeloplasty was the most common technique employed (72% of cases). Postoperatively, the majority of patients (n = 31; 97%) had complete symptom resolution. Surgical site infection (n = 3; 9%) was the commonest postoperative complication, and the median hospital stay was 11 days. There was no mortality. Conclusions: Most patients with PUJO presented late. Most of our patients underwent Anderson–Hynes pyeloplasty with satisfactory outcomes. Keywords: pelviureteric junction obstruction; PUJO; loin pain; Anderson–Hynes pyeloplasty; Foley Y-V plasty; Nigeria

Ten-year experience with the Swenson procedure in Nigerian children with Hirschsprung′s disease

<b>Background:</b> Hirschsprung&#x2032;s disease (HD) is a common cause of intestinal obstruction in children. Definitive treatments consist of excision of the aganglionic segment and anastomosing the normal colon to the anal remnant. The outcome of this approach in Nigerian children is not known. The aim of this study was to analyze the short to mid-term outcome of children who have undergone the Swenson Procedure (SPT) as a treatment of HD over a period of 10 years. <b>Patients and Methods:</b> The clinical data of biopsy-proven cases of HD managed at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, between 1998 and 2007 were reviewed. <b>Results:</b> There were 33 children 28 were males and five were females (M 5.6: F = 1). The median age at presentation was eight months (range three days to 11 years). Eighteen (54.5&#x0025;) patients had primary pull-through without colostomy while 15 (45.5&#x0025;) patients had a two-staged operation. The operation was carried out at a median age of 14 months with a range of seven weeks to 11 years, four months. Twenty-one (64&#x0025;) of the patients were older than one year at the time of surgery. The level of aganglionosis was in the recto-sigmoid area in 30 (91&#x0025;) patients. The commonest post-SPT complication was intestinal obstruction from adhesions. Bowel opening varied from once daily to eight times daily, median thrice daily. <b>Conclusion:</b> The Swenson&#x2032;s Procedure is an effective procedure in the treatment of HD in children in Ile Ife, Nigeria

Management of ambiguous genitalia in ile ife, Nigeria: Challenges and outcome

Background: Ambiguous genitalia are a major cause of parental anxiety and can create social problems if not properly managed. Diagnosis and management can however be challenging. The aim of this study is to highlight some of the challenges in management of ambiguous genitalia in our environment. Patients and Methods: All cases of ambiguous genitalia managed at the Paediatric surgical unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching hospital, Ile Ife, Nigeria, between January 1993 and October 2007 were analysed for age, sex at presentation, investigation modality, and final sex of rearing and outcome of surgery. Result: Nine patients had surgical reconstruction for ambiguous genitalia during the study period. Their age ranges from 5 weeks to 19 years at presentation. The causes of genital ambiguity in the patients was congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in 6, true hermaphroditism in 2 and male pseudo-hermaphroditism in 1. Seven patients were reconstructed as females while 2 were raised as males. Change of sex of raring was necessary in 2 patients. Conclusion: The diagnosis and management of ambiguous genitalia is a challenging problem in our environment. Early presentation and treatment is necessary to avoid psychological and social embarrassment

Paediatric endoscopy by adult gastroenterologists in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: A viable option to increase the access to paediatric endoscopy in low resource countries

Background: Paediatric endoscopy performed by adult gastroenterologists is a service delivery model that increases the access of children to endoscopy in countries where paediatric gastroenterologists with endoscopy skills are scarce. However, studies on the usefulness of this model in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the indications, procedures, diagnostic yield and safety of paediatric endoscopy performed by adult gastroenterologists in a Nigerian tertiary health facility. Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective study that evaluated the records of paediatric (≤18 years old) endoscopies carried out in the endoscopy suite of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex Ile-Ife, Nigeria from January 2007 to December 2014. Results: A total of 63 procedures were successfully completed in children of whom 4 were repeat procedures which were excluded. Thus, 59 endoscopies performed on children were analysed. Most (49; 83.1%) of these procedures on the children were diagnostic with oesophagogastroduodenoscopy being the commonest (43; 72.9%). Epigastric pain (22; 37.3%), haematemesis (17; 28.8%) and dysphagia (9; 15.3%) were the predominant indication for upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy while haematochezia (9; 15.3%) and rectal protrusion (2; 3.4%) were the indications for colonoscopy. Injection sclerotherapy (3; 5.1%) and variceal banding (2; 3.4%) were the therapeutic upper GI endoscopic procedures conducted while polypectomies were performed during colonoscopy in 5 children (8.5%). Abnormal endoscopy findings were observed in 53 out of the 59 children making the positive diagnostic yield to be 89.8%. No complication, either from the procedure or anaesthesia was observed. Conclusion: Paediatric endoscopy performed by adult gastroenterologists is useful, feasible and safe. It is being encouraged as a viable option to fill the gap created by dearth of skilled paediatric gastroenterologists

Childhood intussusception in Ile-ife: What has changed?

Background: Intussusception is one of the most common causes of intestinal obstruction in children. While the outcome has improved in the developed nations, the same cannot be said of the developing countries, more especially in the sub-Saharan region. This study aims to review our current experience in the management of childhood intussusception and factors affecting surgical outcome at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex Ile-Ife. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study of 78 patients treated for intussusception at paediatric surgical unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex Ile-Ife between January 1993 and December 2011. The case notes of the patients were retrieved and the following information was recorded: Demographic characteristics, month of occurrence, clinical presentation, investigations, and management as well as the post-operative outcome. The patients were divided into two groups in terms of outcome. Results: There were 58 males and 20 females (M:F = 2.9-1). The age of most of the patients was between 3 months and 9 months with peak incidence at 6 months. Most patients 46 (58.9%) were seen during the dry season of December to April. Only six patients (7.7%) presented within 24 hours of onset of illness. More than half of the patients presented after 24 hours. Passage of red currant stool, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and abdominal distension, passage of watery stool, anal protrusion and palpable abdominal mass in various combinations were the clinical features. All the patients had surgical operations. The most common type of intussusception was ileo-colic type in 64 patients (82.1%). Intestinal resection rate was 41%. The overall mortality rate was 15.4%. Conclusion: There was a delay in presentation of children with intussusception with high post-operative mortality

Comparison of the Inguinal and High Scrotal Approaches for the Treatment of Inguinal Hernias in Boys

BACKGROUND፡ The conventional groin incision herniotomy is still being adhered to despite high success rate of high scrotal approach. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of high scrotal and conventional approaches for the treatment of inguinal hernia in boys.METHODS: A prospective study of 100 boys with 108 inguinal hernias whose ages were less than 15 years. They were randomized into 2 groups; high scrotal and conventional approaches. Ninety-four patients with 101 hernias were analyzed. The operative time, conversion rate (high scrotal approach), and postoperative complications were reported.Results: A total of 100 boys with 108 hernias were enrolled but 94 patients with 101 hernias were analyzed. They comprised of 48 patients with 51 hernias in the high scrotal group and 46 patients with 50 hernias in the conventional group. Their age range was between 2 months and 168 months with a mean of 47.9 ± 46.7 months. The conversion rate of high scrotal approach was 1.9%. The mean duration of operation in the high scrotal group was 37.1 ± 13.3 minutes compared with 37.2 ± 15.1 minutes in the conventional group, p = 0.982. Early postoperative scrotal edema was more in the high scrotal group compared to the conventional group, p =0.018. The Hollander wound evaluation score was better in the high scrotal incision compared to the conventional approach, p = 0.003.CONCLUSION: The high scrotal approach may be an alternative to conventional herniotomy in boys

Posterior urethral valves in children: Pattern of presentation and outcome of initial treatment in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Background: The management of posterior urethral valves (PUV) and its sequelae is still a challenge to most pediatric surgeons in our environment due to late presentation and inadequate facilities for long-term evaluation and treatment. Despite initial successful treatment about 40% would develop chronic renal failure. The aim is to describe the presentation, management and outcome of the initial treatment in boys with PUV. Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective analysis of PUV in boys 8 years and below over a 17 years period. Demographic characteristics, clinical features, investigations, and treatment outcome were reviewed. Results: Thirty-seven cases were analyzed. The median age was 5 months (range from birth to 8 years). Three (8.1%) patients had prenatal ultrasound diagnosis. The most common presentation was voiding dysfunction 37 (100%). Part of the preoperative investigation included micturating cystourethrogram (n = 31: 83.8%) and abdomino-pelvic ultrasonography (n = 37:(100%). The mean serum creatinine value of those who presented within thefirst 30 days of life and those who presented afterwards were 325 (±251) µmol/L and 141 (±100) µmol/L respectively, P = 0.003. Surgical interventions included trans-vesical excision of valves (n = 9: 28.1%), valvotomy (n = 10: 31.3%), balloon avulsion (n = 8: 25.0%), vesicostomy (n = 4: 12.5%) and endoscopic valve avulsion (n = 1: 3.1%). Seventeen (56.7%) patients had serum creatinine >70.4 µmol/L after 1-month of valve excision. Five (13.5%) patients had postrelief complications and 5 (13.5%) died on admission. Ninety percentage (27/30) of patients had poor prognostic indices. Conclusions: The initial treatment outcome was good but most had poor prognostic factors

Introduction of Suturing Skills Acquisition into Undergraduate Surgical Education: Early Experience from Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Background:&nbsp;Undergraduate medical students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, had over the years acquired various skills informally without structured training in basic skills in wound closure. The Department of Surgery introduced suturing skills acquisition workshop into the curriculum of the Final-Year Medical Students in 2016. This study describes the preliminary experience and the perception of the participants.&nbsp;Methods: All students undergoing the senior rotations in surgery and surgical specialties were taken through a day suturing skills workshop at the surgical skills laboratory. Skills were demonstrated using validated narrative videos followed by practical sessions supervised by senior registrars and consultant surgeons. All participants were requested to complete a feedback form after the workshop. Results: One hundred and eighty students were trained in six workshop sessions per year over two academic sessions. There were 128 (71.1%) male and 52 (28.9%) female students trained by 9 consultants and 13 senior registrars with 15–17 students in each session. Self-assessment feedback after the workshop revealed that all but 3 (1.7%) students felt very confident in handling basic instruments, 102 (56.7%) were confident of their proficiency in basic suturing, 68 (37.8) were less confident, whereas 10 (5.6%) were not confident looking ahead and 82 students (46.1%) wanted additional skills to attain proficiency in some common surgical procedures prior to graduation. Conclusion:&nbsp;The department achieved the aim of introducing suturing skills acquisition into undergraduate surgical education. In the future, other surgical skills acquisition workshops may be considered as desired by the students