West African journal of medicine
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In a review of 94 paediatric patients treated for post-neonatal tetanus over a period of 11 years at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, reliable data regarding the care received for wounds that eventually resulted in tetanus was available in 58 patients. Seventeen of these patients had orthodox medical care for their wounds before developing tetanus. ⋯ All the 3 victims of road traffic accidents were given tetanus toxoid but none of the 6 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media had any form of tetanus prophylaxis. The findings highlight the adverse consequences of failure to adhere to basic guidelines for management of the tetanus-prone wound.
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A 5 year retrospective survey of deaths at the Accident and Emergency Unit was carried out to determine the demographic pattern, causes and time spent before demise. There were 475 deaths, annual rate of 95 cases. Males in 279 (58.8%) and 186 females (41.2%), age ranged from 15-90 years, mean 44 SD +/- 21 years. ⋯ Surgical acute abdomen with peritonitis occurred in 18 (36%) cases, pyomyositis with septicaemia in 7(133%), gastrointestinal bleeding 5 (10%) and burns in only 3 (6.7%) cases In conclusion, over two-thirds of deaths in accident and emergency unit were due to medical problems. The means of the age were in late thirties- mid forties, there was no significant difference in the mean age of those who died of medical, trauma and surgical problems. Trauma victims spent the shortest mean time in accident and emergency before death, the longest staying were the victims of medical diseases.