African journal of medicine and medical sciences
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Four families of venomous snakes are found in Nigeria--Viperidae, Elapidae, Colubridae and Actraspididae but three species carpet viper (Echis ocellatus), black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) and puff adder (Bitis arietans), belonging to the first two families, are the most important snakes associated with envenoming in Nigeria. The incidence of bites has been reported as 497 per 100,000 population per year with a 12 percent natural mortality, with Echis ocellatus accounting for at least 66 percent in certain foci. Bites occur more often while victims were farming, herding or walking although the spitting cobra may bite victims who roll upon it in their sleep. ⋯ Antivenom should be used cautiously when indicated. As only 8.5 percent of snake bite victims attend hospitals in Nigeria, health education should be the main preventive measure, mean-while, the study of immunisation of occupationally predisposed individuals in endemic areas should be intensified. A new Fab fragment antivenom specific to Nigerian Echis ocellatus was investigated clinically, just as the local herbs-Aristolochia spp, Guiera spp and Schummaniophyton spp are investigated experimentally.
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To determine the anaesthesia-related complications after caesarean section in a tertiary hospital, the hospital records of parturients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after caesarean section were studied. In a ten-year period, 2,686 women were delivered by caesarean section at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City. Two thousand one hundred and two (78.3%) had emergency caesarean section while 584 (21.7%) had elective caesarean section. ⋯ Total maternal deaths in the ICU admissions were 11(36.7%); anaesthesia being directly the cause of death in 3 (27.3%) while non-anaesthetic factors accounted for 8 (72.7%) deaths. Emergency caesarean section and GA, were risk factors for anaesthesia-related morbidities after caesarean section. Preventable deaths due to poor laboratory support services and inadequate anaesthetic materials accounted for the anaesthesia-related mortalities.
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Four patients treated for cut-throat injuries are the subjects of this paper. Two were self-inflicted suicide attempts while one each was for ritual killing and over disputed farmland. ⋯ Significant laryngo-tracheal stenosis was a long-term morbidity suffered by two of the patients. Management of the airway in the early and late periods following the cut-throat injuries is discussed.