East African medical journal
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To study the aetiology, morbidity and mortality of neonatal intestinal obstruction. ⋯ The morbidity and mortality of neonatal intestinal obstruction in this hospital has improved over previous years due largely to meticulous resuscitation before surgery but the problems of late presentation and poor neonatal intensive care facilities persist. The findings are at variance with those in developed countries.
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A four-month old girl presented with difficulty in feeding and respiratory obstructrion from a sublingual cyst. Respiratory obstruction was relieved by needle aspiration of the cyst, followed 14 days later by complete excision. ⋯ The treatment of such cysts is preferably complete excision. However, when the cyst wall is closely associated with vital structures, cyst mucosectomy or partial excision with stripping of the mucosa of the residual part may suffice.
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To review the current understanding of the mechanism of action of cathinone, the active ingredient of khat. ⋯ The experimental work shows that cathinone is a liable substance, structually related to amphetamine, and similarly to amphetamine, increases the levels of dopamine in the brain by acting on the cathecholaminergic synaspes. Hence the psychostimulant effect of khat can be accounted for by the mechanism of cathinone, which is considered to be its main active ingredient.
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To study the common methods of analgesia and their effectiveness in post-operative patients and to assess the occurrence of common post-operative complications related to pain. ⋯ The results suggest that the standard of post-operative pain relief is poor. Patients need to be told more about what to expect (and demand). The medical and nursing staff need further education in how to prescribe and administer analgesia with reference to individual drug response. Other more effective methods of pain control should be introduced.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Naturalistic comparative study of outcome and cognitive effects of unmodified electro-convulsive therapy in schizophrenia, mania and severe depression in Nigeria.
Although unmodified electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) is widely used in Nigeria for schizophrenia, mania and severe depression failing to respond to adequate pharmacotherapy in the short-term, there are no prospective studies on its efficacy and side effects. ⋯ Unmodified ECT combined with pharmacotherapy was safe and effective with non-enduring subjective memory difficulty for this potentially drug treatment resistant group of psychotic patients.