The Pan African medical journal
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Review Case Reports
[Pediatric esthesioneuroblastoma: an exceptional malignant lesion (a case study and literature review)].
Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare malignant tumor accounting for 3% of all sinonasal cancers. It arises from the olfactory epithelium and usually affects subjects aged 30-50 years. It is uncommon in children. ⋯ We report the case of a 3-year old child with sphenoidal esthesioneuroblastoma discovered after early onset blindness. This study aims to highlight the clinical, radiological, anatomopathological, therapeutic and prognostic peculiarities of this disease while insisting on the importance of early diagnosis affecting prognosis. Unfortunately, diagnosis is still pejorative due to high recidivism rates as well as to the occurrence of distant metastases (in particular lung and bone metastases).
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Multicenter Study
[Burnout prevalence in Tunisian anesthesia and intensive care units].
burnout is a particular cause of concern in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units. In addition to its socio-economic impact, it alters the quality of care and patients prognosis. This study aims to assess its prevalence among the staff members of the Tunisian Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units. ⋯ burnout is becoming more and more a tangible reality for the staff members of the Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units, engendering serious social and personal consequences.
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This study aimed to understand the influence of local media, religion and cultural beliefs on the therapeutic compliance of patients living with HIV. ⋯ Collaborative strategies between healthcare providers, patients, as well as religious, media and traditional organizations are urgently needed.
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Normal body temperature is considered to be between 36 and 38°C. Temperatures that are too low may negatively affect physiological functions. In trauma cases, factors that promote the development of hypothermia include concomitant hypoxia, hypotension, decreased levels of consciousness, contact with cold surfaces, exposure to low ambient temperatures and the administration of cold fluids. Studies on emergency department related hypothermia in Africa are sparse. This study investigated instances of hypothermia in a sample of trauma cases arriving by ambulance to an emergency department in Johannesburg, South Africa. ⋯ Fifty-one percent of the trauma cases arriving by ambulance had core temperature <36°C. Many became even colder in the ED. Attention needs to be given to the early identification of hypothermia, the regulation of ambient temperatures inside the ED including the provision of appropriate heating and rewarming devices on ambulances.
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There is paucity of physician-scientists in Africa, resulting in overt dependence of clinical practice on research findings from advanced "first world" countries. Physician-scientists include individuals with a medical degree alone or combined with other advanced degrees (e.g. ⋯ The paucity of clinically trained research scientists in Africa could result in dire consequences as exemplified in the recent Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, where shortage of skilled clinical scientists, played a major role in disease progression and mortality. Here we contextualise the role of physician-scientist in health care management, highlight factors limiting the training of physician-scientist in Africa and proffer implementable recommendations to address these factors.