The Restoration of Moral Values in D.R. Congo

2014 Inamori Ethics Prize Recipien

Surviving Sexual Violence in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Since 1996 a deadly conflict has been ongoing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Within this conflict, sexual violence has been inflicted upon women as a strategic weapon of war. Given the challenges of working in this setting, this sexual violence epidemic has not been well studied. The current work is a retrospective chart review of women presenting to Panzi Hospital in 2006 requesting post-sexual violence care. The goals were to describe the demographics of sexual violence survivors and to define the physical and psychosocial consequences of sexual violence in Eastern DRC. A total of 1021 patient medical records were reviewed. The mean age was 36 years with an age range of 3.5 years to 80 years. Approximately 90% of sexual violence survivors were either illiterate or had attended only primary school. There were significant delays between the incidents of sexual violence and presentation to Panzi hospital (mean = 16 months, median = 11 months). Physical consequences reported following sexual violence included pelvic pain (22% of women), lumbar pain (11%), abdominal pain (7%) and pregnancy (6%). Thirty six percent of women reported being concerned about their health and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) plus HIV/AIDS were the most commonly singled out health concerns. Six percent of women reported that their husbands had abandoned them after the rape and abandonment was more common after gang rape or if the sexual violence resulted in pregnancy. Treatment programs for survivors of sexual violence must specifically address the economic hardships faced by victims must meet their time-sensitive medical needs and must provide them with psychological care

Large retroperitoneal hematoma following vaginal delivery: a case report

Background: Retroperitoneal hematoma after vaginal delivery is rare but can lead to maternal morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of this condition is challenging due to its complexity and its nonspecific signs and symptoms. To date, studies and case reports regarding retroperitoneal hematoma are few, particularly in low-income countries where risk factors for this condition may be more prevalent and the prognosis poorer. Case presentation: We report the case of a 37-year-old multiparous african (Congolese) woman who presented to the emergency department of a large referral hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 2 weeks after a spontaneous nontraumatic vaginal delivery. She had abdominal pain that began immediately after delivery and progressed throughout the postpartum period. The patient had anemia, hypotension, tachycardia, and a left costo-lumbar arch distorting the body shape on a soft and depressed abdomen. She had visited a private clinic on days 3 and 7 postpartum; however, signs and symptoms of retroperitoneal hematoma went unrecognized. Using abdominal ultrasound, we diagnosed an extensive hematoma in the retroperitoneal space from the left iliac fossa to the left flank. Laparotomy was performed to evacuate the hematoma, and the patient recovered. Conclusion: Retroperitoneal hematoma following a nontraumatic vaginal delivery is an unusual situation in general obstetrical practice. The knowledge of this potentially life-threatening condition in resource-limited settings enables effective diagnosis and management by ultrasound and laparotomy

Maternal outcomes of the childbirth among primiparous teenagers in South Kivu, RD Congo

Background: Adolescent births remain at high risk. The aim of this study was to determine the maternal prognosis of births among primiparous teenagers in South Kivu.Methods: A case-control study of 250 primiparous teenagers (cases) and another group of 500 primiparous adults aged 20-34 years (control) was performed in 4 General Reference Hospitals of South Kivu in Republic Democratic Congo. The study period was from January to December 2017. A survey sheet was used to collect the data. The analysis were performed using SPSS 22.0 and EPIINFO version 7.2.2.6.Results: Out of a total of 8490 deliveries recorded at the 4 General Reference Hospitals in South Kivu in 2017, authors recorded 250 deliveries of primiparous teenagers, or 2.9%. The maternal prognosis of adolescent deliveries was more marked by a high rate of caesarean section (OR=13.5), the presence of complications (OR=7.37), prolonged labor (OR=4.51), lesions soft tissues (OR=3.92), intraoperative bleeding (OR=3.26) and fever by puerperal infection (OR=2.13).Conclusions: The frequency of childbirth among primiparous teenagers and maternal-neonatal prognosis has been determined and is of concern. The prevention of adolescent obstetric complications includes the respect for the legal age of marriage, adequate antenatal care and childbirth in a specialized hospital setting

Factors associated with episiotomy practice in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Background: The primary objective of the present study is to determine the episiotomy rate and factors associated with practice of episiotomy at the maternities in Bukavu town, South-Kivu, DRC.Methods: A case-control study was carried out the women who underwent the episiotomy (case) and those which did not undergo episiotomy (control) over one 12 months period between January to December 2015. A total of 1878 women had a vaginal delivery at a rate of one case for one control (939 cases and 939 controls) were included. Their medical files were exploited. The factors associated with episiotomy were performed by logistic regression.Results: The rate of episiotomy was 20.4%. It was found that after the logistic regression, the Primiparity (OR = 4,5;95% CI:2,31-4,49), the existence of a foetal distress (OR = 4,2;IC to 95% CI :2,36-5,29), the antecedent of episiotomy (OR = 3,9;95% CI:2,83-7,07), private character of maternity (OR= 3,3; 95% CI :2,12-6,30) and the fact that the childbirth was directed by a doctor (OR = 2,3; 95% CI :1,85-5,08) were strongly associated with the practice of the episiotomy in our medium of study.Conclusions: This study showed UA-S/D ratio and UA-RI>2SD are significant predictors of perinatal deaths and immediate neonatal resuscitation in preeclampsia. Acute fetal distress in labour or neonatal nursery admission could not be predicted

Etiology and factors associated with urogenital fistula among women who have undergone cesarean section: a cross-sectional study

Background: The prevalence and impact of fistulas are more common in developing countries with limited access to emergency obstetric care. As a result, women in these settings often experience adverse psychosocial factors. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of Congolese women who developed urogenital fistula following Cesarean sections (CS) to determine the characteristics associated with two etiologies: (1) prolonged obstructed labor; and (2) a complication of CS following obstructed labor. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on abstracted data from all patients with urogenital fistula following CS who received care during a surgical campaign in a remote area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Descriptive analyses characterized patients with fistula related to obstructed labor versus CS. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models identified factors associated with obstetric fistula after cesarean delivery following obstructed labor. Variables were included in the logistic regression models based upon biological plausibility. Results: Among 125 patients, urogenital fistula etiology was attributed to obstructed labor in 77 (62%) and complications following CS in 48 (38%). Women with a fistula, attributed to obstructed labor, developed the fistula at a younger age (p =.04) and had a lower parity (p =.02). Attempted delivery before arriving at the hospital was associated with an increased risk of obstetric fistula after cesarean delivery following obstructed labor (p <.01). Conclusion: CS are commonly performed on women who arrive at the hospital following prolonged obstructed labor and fetal demise, and account for almost 40% of urogenital fistula. Obstetric providers should assess maternal status upon arrival to prevent unnecessary CS and identify women at risk of developing a fistula

Rape with Extreme Violence: The New Pathology in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Cathy Nangini and Denis Mukwege describe their work at the Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which treats women victims of rape with extreme violence that are often perpetrated at the hands of armed groups

Etiologie, classification et traitement des fistules traumatiques uro-génitales et génito-digestives basses dans l’est de la RDC.

ETIOLOGIE, CLASSIFICATION ET TRAITEMENT DES FISTULES TRAUMATIQUES GÉNITO-URINAIRES ET GÉNITO-DIGESTIVES BASSES (FTUG-DB) DANS L’EST DU CONGO. Objectif généralContribution à l’amélioration de la prise en charge de la FTUG-DB en RDC en :1) Clarifiant les étiologies des FTUG-DB en RDC.2) proposant une meilleure classification de la FTUG-DB afin de définir une stratégie opératoire adaptée.3) Évaluant les traitements de la FTUG-DB à l’hôpital Panzi.Objectifs spécifiques1. L’importance des fistules iatrogènes en RDC nous a amenés à étudier l’incidence et les caractéristiques des fistules d’origine iatrogènes (2 articles).- Cesarean delivery-related fistulae in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Onsrud M1, Sjøveian S, Mukwege D. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2011; 114(1):10-14- Complete destruction of urethra and bladder neck following symphysiotomy and results of attempted corrective surgery. Onsrud M1, Sjøveian S, Mukwege D. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica. 2008; 87(5):574-5762. Suite à la découverte de cette nouvelle étiologie qu’est la fistule traumatique due au viol avec extrême violence, nous avons voulu la définir, en comprendre les raisons afin de prévenir leur survenue et déterminer la morbidité résultante de la fistule traumatique après viol (4 articles).- Sexual violence-related fistulas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Onsrud M1, Sjøveian S, Luhiriri R, Mukwege D. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2008 Dec; 103(3):265-9. - Rape as a strategy of war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mukwege DM1, Mohamed-Ahmed O, Fitchett JR. Int Health. 2010 Sep; 2(3):163-4.- Rape with Extreme Violence: The New Pathology in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Denis Mukengere Mukwege, Cathy Nangini. International Journal and Obstetrics 2009; 6(12)- No more! Organized rape in the Democratic Republic of the Congo must stop now. Mukwege D. International journal of gynecology and Obstetrics 2011; 114(1):1-33. Les classifications des fistules vésico-vaginales existantes nous semblaient incomplètes et peu prédictives des résultats opératoires. Nous avons proposé une classification des fistules uro-génitales sur la base de notre expérience, afin de déterminer une stratégie opératoire adaptée et de prédire les résultats du traitement (1 article).- Panzi Classification for Uro-Genital Fistula.Denis Mukwege, Lisa Peters, Christine Amisi, Janis M. Miller. (soumis au journal « The Lancet Global Health »)4. Face à l’augmentation inquiétante de viol d’enfants, nous avons développé une classification des fistules uro-génitales et digestives basses chez les enfants de moins de cinq ans et défini les attitudes thérapeutiques adaptées à cette classification (2 articles). - Classification of gender-based genitourinary and rectovaginal trauma in girls under 5 years of age. Mukwege D. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2014; 124(2): 97-98- Treatment of rape-induced urogenital and low gastro-intestinal lesions in girls aged 5 and lessDenis Mukwege, Désiré Alumeti, Guy-Bernard Cadière, Jacques Himpens, (soumis au journal « International journal of gynecology and Obstetrics »)5. Les anciennes techniques chirurgicales par voie haute nous ont semblé très délabrantes. Nous avons proposé une nouvelle approche minimale invasive originale dans le traitement chirurgical des fistules traumatiques recto-vaginales hautes - Minimally invasive treatment of traumatic high rectovaginal fistulas. Mukwege D, Mukanire N, Himpens J, Cadière GB. Surg Endosc. 2015 (publication disponible online)6. Finalement, nous avons évalué les résultats du traitement chirurgical des FTUG-DB obstétricales à l’hôpital de Panzi (1 article).- Surgical outcome of obstetric fistula: a retrospective analysis of 595 patients. Sjøveian S, Vangen S, Mukwege D, Onsrud M. Acta Obstetrica et Gynecologica Scandinavica 2011; 90(7): 753-760CONCLUSIONLa FTUG-DB post-viol est rare en comparaison avec la FTUG-DB obstétricale mais cette étiologie nécessite une prévention et un traitement spécifique. Le viol est parfois réalisé avec une extrême violence et constitue une nouvelle pathologie à l’est de la RDC. Le VEV est utilisé comme stratégie de guerre.Un pourcentage important des FTUG-DB à l’Est de la RDC est d’origine iatrogène principalement par césarienne, mais aussi par hystérectomie et par symphysiotomie qui peut entraîner la destruction complète de l’urètre. La fistule due à une césarienne peut être considérée comme une entité clinique à part des FTUG-DB qui nécessite une stratégie opératoire spécifique. Ces résultats démontrent la nécessité de formation du personnel médical pour diminuer les FTUG-DB d’origine iatrogène. Les classifications des FTUG dans la littérature sont nombreuses, incomplètes, ambigües et peu prédictives .La classification de Panzi a été créée pour les FTUG. Elle est simple et hautement significative en terme de prédictivité du résultat chirurgical sur une série prospective de 728 patientes. La prise en charge des lésions génito-urinaires et digestives basses après viol chez les fillettes de 5 ans et moins selon la classification proposée dans la thèse, donne de bon résultat sur le plan fonctionnel et cosmétique.L’approche par laparoscopie et une stratégie opératoire selon une classification du délabrement du rectum, a permis de traiter les fistules recto-vaginal hautes, parfois larges et fibrosées, sans morbidité et avec succès dans 90% des cas.Les fistules post-obstétricale traitées à l’hôpital Panzi existaient à la fois chez les patientes primipares et multipares. Les fistules réparées pour la première fois, sans fibrose et avec une taille <2 cm, ont eu le meilleur résultat chirurgical. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité d’être opéré d’emblée dans un hôpital de référence.Notre travail a confirmé que déterminer l’étiologie et la classification de ces fistules permet une meilleure stratégie opératoire et de transférer d’emblée les patientes sélectionnées vers un hôpital de référence.Doctorat en Sciences médicales (Santé Publique)info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Wallenberg Lecture: Dr. Denis Mukwege

Introduction: John Godfrey and Julia Donovan Darlow. Medal Presentation: Ora Hirsch Pescovitz. The Wallenberg Lectures are presented by persons who have been awarded the University of Michigan's Wallenberg Medal, which recognizes individuals whose life and work in defense of human rights and dignity honors and perpetuates Raoul Wallenberg's extraordinary accomplishments.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89437/1/wallenberg-mukwege2010.mp4http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89437/3/2010-WML-Denis-Mukwege.docDescription of 2010-WML-Denis-Mukwege.doc : Transcrip

The Restoration of Moral Values in D.R. Congo

2014 Inamori Ethics Prize Recipien