African journal of medicine and medical sciences
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This audit was undertaken to assess the utilisation of the emergency theatre in University College Hospital, Ibadan. It was also to find out if there was effective use of the emergency theatre space on a daily basis. Data was collected on all patients scheduled for emergency surgery excluding obstetric emergencies between May 1st and July 31st 1999. ⋯ Theatre utilisation during this study was between 5 to 50% (mean 26.9%) and the period of maximal utilisation was between 16.00 and 03.00 hours. Reasons why surgery was not performed on all (100%) booked patients included among others "Surgeons did not show up" (62%), "Surgery postponed by surgeons" (18%) and "Patient ill prepared for surgery" (10%). This study showed gross under-utilisation of emergency theatre space with contributing factors mainly human and preventable.
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Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the known complications of sickle cell disease (SCD). However, there is paucity of information on SNHL as a complication of SCD, especially in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) in our environment, hence this study. This was a prospective study of pure tone audiological assessment of 167 adult SCA patients in stable condition attending the adult Sickle Cell Clinic and 100 apparently healthy Haemoglobin AA adults as control in the University College Hospital, Ibadan. ⋯ There was no significant correlation between the severity of hearing loss and the frequency of vaso-occlusive crisis. It is hoped that this study would have increased the awareness that SNHL is a common complication of SCA in our patients. There is thus the need for periodic evaluation of the auditory function of SCA patients in our environment.
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Case Reports
Acute isovolaemic haemodilution in two Jehovah's Witnesses presenting for major intracranial surgery.
The Jehovah's Witnesses (JWS) is a religious sect with strong convictions against acceptance of blood and its products for medical care, including surgery. We present two cases of JWS, aged 24 and 19 years old, who had craniectomy for trauma and craniotomy for tumour excision, respectively. A team approach was employed in the care of both patients. ⋯ Postoperative PCV were 42% and 25%. The latter improved to 30% over the following two weeks with oral haematinics. The two cases are discussed in the light of the experience gained.