West African journal of medicine
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Four hundred and sixty-seven children, aged from birth to 16 years (mean age:35.9 months), presented with emergency neurological problems to the Children's Emergency Unit (CHER) of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu over a 12-month period. This accounted for 11.1% of all the cases seen in the Unit during that period. There was a male:female ratio of 1.55:1. ⋯ One hundred and ninety-two patients (37.7%) were discharged home, while 36 (7.7%) died. The findings from the study are discussed and compared with data from other centres. Recommendations that may help to reduce mortality from neurologic emergencies in children, are made.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of propofol and methohexitone as an induction agent in anaesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy.
30 patients who received electroconvulsive therapy were anaesthetized with either Propofol or Methohexitone in a randomized cross-over study. Recovery times were shorter in those who received Propofol. ⋯ There was a greater increase in the blood pressure after the electroconvulsive therapy in those who received Methohexitone. The duration of convulsion was similar for both agents.
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Comparative Study
Acute respiratory infections in young children comparative findings in emergency rooms in Accra, (Ghana) and Harare (Zimbabwe).
A descriptive study of the emergency room outcome of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in children aged 0-3 years in the department of Child health of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Ghana and Parirenyatwa Hospital (PH), Zimbabwe was undertaken in June-July 1993. Each hospital's emergency room received over one thousand patients during the period with ARI contributing 22.4% to 45.5% of all admissions. KBTH had the lower incidence of ARI; probably as a result of the general lack of knowledge of ARI, resulting in late case of identification and referral for treatment. ⋯ Our study shows an appreciable decline in the severer forms of ARI from the first to the third year of life, confirming the noted importance of younger age as a universal risk factor in ARI outcome. Lower respiratory infections, mainly pneumonia and bronchiolitis were more prevalent in both countries, while the chance of a child dying from ARI was higher in KBTH. Ghana urgently needs a comprehensive national ARI control programme based on the WHO case control programme guidelines with antibiotics permissible at all levels of the health service.
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A 24 year old Nigerian woman with cervical pregnancy, a very rare type of ectopic pregnancy, is presented. The disorder can be life-threatening and usually there is difficulty in differentiating it from the cervical phase of an incomplete abortion as well as bleeding cervical fibroid. Ultrasound scan has been found helpful in the diagnosis of cervical ectopic pregnancy. The conservative management and the possible alternative surgical management, based on the clinical presentation, are discussed.