European Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences

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Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in Enugu, South East Nigeria: Any Change in Pattern and Outcome

Received: 07 May 2019    Accepted: 10 June 2019    Published: 26 June 2019
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Abstract

Background: Paediatric abdominal surgical emergencies (PASE) constitute a significant workload of the paediatric surgeon. The objective of this study was to characterize the pattern of PASE in a tertiary hospital in Enugu and determine any change in pattern and outcome. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of children aged 1 day to 16 years who presented with abdominal surgical emergencies to Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu. Result: There were 152 patients recruited for the study. There were 122 males and 30 females. The mean age at presentation was 6 years while the mean duration of symptoms before presentation to the hospital was 3.5 days. Thirty eight (25%) patients presented within 48 hours of the onset of their symptoms while 114 patients (75%) presented after 48 hours. The emergencies were intussusception 56 (36.8%), typhoid intestinal perforation 30 (19.7%), obstructed hernia 20 (13.2%), appendicitis 17 (11.2%), abdominal trauma 10 (6.6%), neonatal intestinal obstruction 6 (4%), ruptured appendix 6 (3.9%), Hirschsprung’s disease 4 (2.6%), adhesive bowel obstruction 2 (1.3%), and Gastroschisis 1 (0.7%). The mean hospital stay was 6.7 days. Thirty four patients (22.4%) who had surgery developed post-operative complication. The most common complication was surgical site infection and this occurred most in patients who had typhoid intestinal perforation (P = 0.017). There were 12 (7.9%) deaths. Conclusion: In this series, intussusception was the most common paediatric abdominal surgical emergency seen in Enugu unlike in the past when it used to be typhoid intestinal perforation. Mortality was less in the current study. This illustrates a change in pattern and outcome.

DOI 10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12
Published in European Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences (Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2019)
Page(s) 39-42
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Paediatric, Emergencies, Outcome, Pattern, Abdominal, Change

References
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[8] Mai-Phan MA, Patel B, Walsh M, Abraham AT, Kocher HM. Emergency room surgical workload in an inner city UK teaching hospital. World J Emerg Surg. 2008; 3: 19. doi: 10. 1186/1749-7922-3-19.
[9] Abubakar AM, Ofoegbu CP. Factors affecting outcome of emergency pediatric abdominal surgery. Niger J Surg Res. 2003; 3-4: 85-91.
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Author Information
  • Department of Surgery, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

  • Department of Paediatrics, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

  • Department of Paediatrics, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

  • Department of Surgery, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

  • Department of Surgery, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

  • Department of Surgery, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

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    Chukwubuike Kevin Emeka, Nduagubam Obinna Chukwuebuka, Ndu Ikenna Kingsley, Odetunde Oluwatoyin Arinola, Ekenze Sebastin Okwuchukwu, et al. (2019). Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in Enugu, South East Nigeria: Any Change in Pattern and Outcome. European Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, 5(2), 39-42. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12

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    Chukwubuike Kevin Emeka; Nduagubam Obinna Chukwuebuka; Ndu Ikenna Kingsley; Odetunde Oluwatoyin Arinola; Ekenze Sebastin Okwuchukwu, et al. Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in Enugu, South East Nigeria: Any Change in Pattern and Outcome. Eur. J. Clin. Biomed. Sci. 2019, 5(2), 39-42. doi: 10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12

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    AMA Style

    Chukwubuike Kevin Emeka, Nduagubam Obinna Chukwuebuka, Ndu Ikenna Kingsley, Odetunde Oluwatoyin Arinola, Ekenze Sebastin Okwuchukwu, et al. Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in Enugu, South East Nigeria: Any Change in Pattern and Outcome. Eur J Clin Biomed Sci. 2019;5(2):39-42. doi: 10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12,
      author = {Chukwubuike Kevin Emeka and Nduagubam Obinna Chukwuebuka and Ndu Ikenna Kingsley and Odetunde Oluwatoyin Arinola and Ekenze Sebastin Okwuchukwu and Eze Thaddeus Chikaodili},
      title = {Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in Enugu, South East Nigeria: Any Change in Pattern and Outcome},
      journal = {European Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {39-42},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ejcbs.20190502.12},
      abstract = {Background: Paediatric abdominal surgical emergencies (PASE) constitute a significant workload of the paediatric surgeon. The objective of this study was to characterize the pattern of PASE in a tertiary hospital in Enugu and determine any change in pattern and outcome. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of children aged 1 day to 16 years who presented with abdominal surgical emergencies to Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu. Result: There were 152 patients recruited for the study. There were 122 males and 30 females. The mean age at presentation was 6 years while the mean duration of symptoms before presentation to the hospital was 3.5 days. Thirty eight (25%) patients presented within 48 hours of the onset of their symptoms while 114 patients (75%) presented after 48 hours. The emergencies were intussusception 56 (36.8%), typhoid intestinal perforation 30 (19.7%), obstructed hernia 20 (13.2%), appendicitis 17 (11.2%), abdominal trauma 10 (6.6%), neonatal intestinal obstruction 6 (4%), ruptured appendix 6 (3.9%), Hirschsprung’s disease 4 (2.6%), adhesive bowel obstruction 2 (1.3%), and Gastroschisis 1 (0.7%). The mean hospital stay was 6.7 days. Thirty four patients (22.4%) who had surgery developed post-operative complication. The most common complication was surgical site infection and this occurred most in patients who had typhoid intestinal perforation (P = 0.017). There were 12 (7.9%) deaths. Conclusion: In this series, intussusception was the most common paediatric abdominal surgical emergency seen in Enugu unlike in the past when it used to be typhoid intestinal perforation. Mortality was less in the current study. This illustrates a change in pattern and outcome.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Paediatric Abdominal Surgical Emergencies in Enugu, South East Nigeria: Any Change in Pattern and Outcome
    AU  - Chukwubuike Kevin Emeka
    AU  - Nduagubam Obinna Chukwuebuka
    AU  - Ndu Ikenna Kingsley
    AU  - Odetunde Oluwatoyin Arinola
    AU  - Ekenze Sebastin Okwuchukwu
    AU  - Eze Thaddeus Chikaodili
    Y1  - 2019/06/26
    PY  - 2019
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12
    T2  - European Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences
    JF  - European Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences
    JO  - European Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences
    SP  - 39
    EP  - 42
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-5005
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejcbs.20190502.12
    AB  - Background: Paediatric abdominal surgical emergencies (PASE) constitute a significant workload of the paediatric surgeon. The objective of this study was to characterize the pattern of PASE in a tertiary hospital in Enugu and determine any change in pattern and outcome. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of children aged 1 day to 16 years who presented with abdominal surgical emergencies to Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu. Result: There were 152 patients recruited for the study. There were 122 males and 30 females. The mean age at presentation was 6 years while the mean duration of symptoms before presentation to the hospital was 3.5 days. Thirty eight (25%) patients presented within 48 hours of the onset of their symptoms while 114 patients (75%) presented after 48 hours. The emergencies were intussusception 56 (36.8%), typhoid intestinal perforation 30 (19.7%), obstructed hernia 20 (13.2%), appendicitis 17 (11.2%), abdominal trauma 10 (6.6%), neonatal intestinal obstruction 6 (4%), ruptured appendix 6 (3.9%), Hirschsprung’s disease 4 (2.6%), adhesive bowel obstruction 2 (1.3%), and Gastroschisis 1 (0.7%). The mean hospital stay was 6.7 days. Thirty four patients (22.4%) who had surgery developed post-operative complication. The most common complication was surgical site infection and this occurred most in patients who had typhoid intestinal perforation (P = 0.017). There were 12 (7.9%) deaths. Conclusion: In this series, intussusception was the most common paediatric abdominal surgical emergency seen in Enugu unlike in the past when it used to be typhoid intestinal perforation. Mortality was less in the current study. This illustrates a change in pattern and outcome.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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