Pregnancy follow-up in a patient with mechanical valve: possible in sub-Saharan Africa?

Abstract: In Africa in general and in Cameroon in particular, post rheumatic cardiopathies are a health care problem and one of the causes of infertility in the women population [1]. It is also a major cause of death of many children and adults. Management of a pregnant patient with mechanical heart valve is a complex issue for all health care providers involved in the care of such patients [2]. Clinicians caring for pregnant women with prosthetic valves are faced with a dilemma when trying to provide optimal treatment. Inadequate anticoagulant therapy can result in thrombosis of the mechanical prosthetic valve while, on the other hand, anticoagulant therapy is associated with foetal and maternal bleeding and teratogenic effects. The present report describes a case of pregnancy on a patient with a mechanical valve at the mitral position

The first cardioverter defibrillator implanted in Central Africa

Sudden cardiac deaths, which account for approximately 350 000 deaths each year, is a major health care problem. Antiarrhythmic drugs have not been reliable in preventing sudden cardiac death. Although β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and revascularization play a role in prevention of sudden cardiac death, the development and subsequent refinement of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator has made the most important contribution to its management. We report the first documented implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator in central, eastern and western Africa.Pan African Medical Journal 2016; 2

Extrathoracic heart in northern Cameroon: a case report

Tantchou et al report a case of ectopia cordis with successful surgical correction on a 7 months old child from northern Cameroon. Sternal clefts, ectopia cordis, and Cantrell's pentalogy continue to be very rare congenital anomalies in pediatric surgery. The prenatal diagnosis is easily made with ultrasound by visualizing the heart outside the thoracic cavity. Ectopia cordis is frequently associated with other congenital defects involving multiple organ systems. We report a case of ectopia cordis with successful surgical correction on a 7 months old child from northern Cameroon