Perioperative outcomes of the surgical management of achalasia in two tertiary Cameroonian hospitals: a cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Achalasia is a rare esophageal disease with potentially lethal complications. Knowledge of the outcomes of the different surgical treatment modalities for achalasia by Heller's cardiomyotomy (HCM) helps to choose the safest and most effective option. However, data on the management of achalsia using a Heller myotomy is limited in Africa. Thus, our aim was to determine the perioperative morbidity, mortality and short-term functional outcomes of HCM in Cameroon.

METHODOLOGY

We conducted a cohort study throughout a 10-year chart review of patients who underwent HCM for achalasia and were followed up postoperatively for at least three months at two tertiary health centers in Cameroon. We analyzed demographic data, preoperative clinical and imaging data, treatment details, and outcomes at three to twelve months after HCM using the Eckardt score.

RESULTS

We enrolled 29 patients with achalasia having a mean age of 24 ± 16 years and predominantly females (M/F of 1/3.8). The mean symptom duration was 51 ± 20 months. In 80% of cases, the diagnosis was made through a conventional x-ray contrast imaging or "barium swallow test" (93%) and/or an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (86%). The gold standard diagnostic method via esophageal manometry was unavailable. Preoperatievly, all patients had symptoms suggestive of an active achalasia. HCM was performed via laparotomy in 75% as opposed to 25% laparoscopic HCM procedures. Dor's anterior partial fundoplication was the main anti-reflux procedure performed (59%). Mucosal perforations were the only intraoperative complications in eight patients (2 during laparoscopy vs. 6 during laparotomy; p > 0.5) and were managed successfully by simple sutures. Postoperative complications were non-severe and occurred in 10% of patients all operated via laparotomy. The mean postoperative length of hospital stay was 7 ± 3 days for laparotomy vs. 5 ± 2 days for laparoscopy; p > 0.5. The perioperative mortality rate was nil. Overall, the short-term postoperative functional outcome was rated excellent; average Eckardt score of 1.5 ± 0.5 (vs. preoperative Eckardt Score of 9 ± 1; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Achalasia is diagnosed late in this resource-limited setting. HCM yields satisfactory outcomes, especially via laparoscopic management. An improvement in diagnostic esophageal manometry and mini-invasive surgical infrastructure and the required surgical training/skills are needed for optimal achalasia care.

Successful management of oesophageal atresia in Cameroon, Sub-Saharan Africa

Background

Oesophageal atresia (EA) is the most common congenital anomaly of the oesophagus. Despite improvement of survival observed over the previous two decades in developed countries, the mortality remains very high and the management greatly challenging in resource-poor settings such as Cameroon. We report our experience of management of EA in this environment, with a successful outcome.

Materials and Methods

We prospectively assessed patients diagnosed with EA and operated in January 2019, at the University Hospital Centre of Yaounde. Records were reviewed for demographics, history and physical examinations, radiological findings, surgical procedures and outcomes. The study has received approval from the Institutional Ethics Committees.

Results

In total, six patients (three males and three females, sex ratio, 0.5; mean age at diagnosis, 3.6 days; range, 1-7 days) were assessed. A past history of polyhydramnios was found in one patient (16.7%). All patients were classified Waterston Group A at diagnosis, with Ladd-Swenson type III atresia. Early primary repair was performed in four patients (66.7%) and delayed primary repair in two patients (33.3%). Operative repair mainly involved resection of the fistula, suture of trachea and oesophagus end-to-end anastomosis, followed by interposition of vascularised pleural flap. Patients were followed up 24 months. With one late death, the survival rate was 83.3%.

Conclusion

Improvement has been achieved in the outcomes of neonatal surgery in Africa in the past two decades, but EA-related mortality remains relatively too high. Using simple techniques and available, reproducible equipment can improve survival in resource-poor settings.

Unusual Life-Threatening Pneumothorax Complicating a Ruptured Complex Aspergilloma in an Immunocompetent Patient in Cameroon

An aspergilloma is a well-recognized lesion of the lung caused most of the time by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Its main complication is hemoptysis and has been very rarely associated with tension pneumothorax. We present the case of a 47-year-old man with a history of treated and healed tuberculosis, which was successfully managed in our service for a ruptured right upper lobe complexed aspergilloma, complicated by a massive and tension pneumothorax. The patient underwent thoracotomy and lung resection with quick recovery. Conclusively, although rare, an aspergilloma may rupture and cause a life-threatening air leakage.

Complex Pulmonary Aspergilloma: Surgical Challenges in a Third World Setting

BACKGROUND

Surgery for pulmonary aspergilloma (PA), especially complex forms, is greatly challenging in a resource-poor setting such as Cameroon. We report our experience of surgical management of PA in this environment.

METHOD

We prospectively assessed patients who underwent surgery for PA from January 2012 to May 2015, at the University Hospital Center of Yaoundé. Records were reviewed for demographics, history and physical examinations, radiological findings, surgical procedures, and outcomes. The study has received approval from the institutional ethics committees.

RESULTS

In total, 20 patients (17 males and 3 females (sex ratio, 5.66); mean age, 30 years; range, 23-65 years) with a past history of tuberculosis were assessed. The median follow-up was 21.5 months. The primary symptom was hemoptysis, followed by cough and chest pain. All patients underwent surgical treatment and lung resection. Postoperative complications (bleeding, air leak, empyema, and severe anemia) occurred in 4 patients and 1 patient died. Although 3 patients were lost to follow-up, the survival rate was 80% with improvement of the preoperative symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Although surgery for complex aspergilloma is very challenging in environments such as ours, we believe that it is the best treatment modality for symptomatic diseases in our setting.

[Assessment of concomitant floating knees injuries severity]

Le genou flottant est issu d’un traumatisme de haute énergie, dont la genèse suggère de vaste dégâts aussi bien sur le plan locorégional que général. Faisant référence au polytaumatisme. Le but de notre étude était de recenser toutes les lésions concomitantes au genou flottant dans notre milieu de pratique et d’évaluer la sévérité. Nous avons mené une étude descriptive et rétrospective couvrant une période de 14 ans et 9 mois. Sur un échantillon de 75 genoux flottants, avec une moyenne d’âge de 35 ans. Soixante six patients avaient obtenu un score d’ISS supérieur ou égal à 16 donc qualifié de polytraumatisé. Les traumatismes crâniens, les lésions thoraciques et abdominales retrouvés en même temps que le genou flottant exigent une réanimation adéquate.

Helicobacter pylori and precancerous conditions of the stomach: the frequency of infection in a cross-sectional study of 79 consecutive patients with chronic antral gastritis in Yaoundé, Cameroon

INTRODUCTION

The study aimed at determining the different types of precancerous conditions of the stomach and searches the frequency of Helicobacter pylori in these lesions in patients with chronic antral gastritis in Yaounde, Cameroon.

METHODS

Five gastric biopsies were performed during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for pathology and fixed in formol 10% before being coated in paraffin. Both the modified Giemsa and Periodic acid of Shift - Alkaline blue stains were used for the histological diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Hematoxylyn and eosin stain was used to determine the activity of gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia in accordance to the Sydney's classification of gastritis. Data were analysed using both the Epi info 6.04 and Excel 2007 softwares. Means and their standard deviations, medians and their interquartiles (IQR) were calculated. Proportions were established for qualitative variables and chi square analysis done in this study with a p value set at 0.05.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine patients with chronic antral gastritis were enrolled, of which 43 (54.4%) were male, median age: 43 years (range from 21 to 70 years). The rate of atrophic gastritis was 74.7% (59/79). The activity of atrophic gastritis was mild in 47.5% (28/59) of cases, moderate in 47.5% (28/59) and severe in 5% (5/59). Intestinal metaplasia and follicular gastritis were present in 6.3% (5/79), and 10.1% (8/79), respectively. Concerning Helicobacter pylori infection, 71.2% (42/59) of patients with atrophic gastritis tested positive against 28.8% (17/59) who tested negative (p=0.00003). Helicobacter pylori infection was related to the severity of gastric atrophy (p=0.0001). Among patients with intestinal metaplasia and follicular gastritis, the proportion of those who tested positive for Helicobacter pylori infection was 80% (4/5), and 75% (6/8), respectively. There were no significant differences in the occurrence of atrophic gastritis according to age groups (p=0.908).

CONCLUSION

This study concludes that atrophic gastritis, which is most often caused by Helicobacter pylori, is the most frequent precancerous condition of stomach in Cameroon. Routine gastric sampling for pathologic analysis is mandatory for effective diagnosis and surveillance of Helicobacter pylori infection and precancerous conditions of the stomach.

Epidemiology of hepatitis C: related hepatocellular carcinoma in Cameroon

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a global public health problem. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection accounts for close to 24% of HCC in developing countries especially when associated with cirrhosis. There exists no vaccine against HCV to prevent the occurrence of HCV-related HCC. A sound knowledge of the epidemiology and prevention of the initial infection is vital. The aim of our study was to determine the epidemiologic profile of HCV-related HCC in Cameroon to improve its’ management.

Methods

It was a prospective study of histologically proven HCV-related HCC seen in two University Centers in Yaounde, Cameroon from March 2012 to January 2013. Demographic data (age, gender), alcohol abuse (>80g/day), presence of cirrhosis, tobacco abuse and parenteral exposition were analyzed.

Results

Twenty-six patients with histologically proven HCV–related HCC were included (18 men (69.2%) and 8 women (30.8%); mean age +/- SD, 61.46+/-10.18 years). A total of 22 (84.6%) patients had a parenteral exposition, 02 (7.7%) patients were alcoholics and 06 (23.1%) patients were smokers. The proportion of patients with cirrhosis was 69.2% against 30.8% cirrhosis-free. Patients with cirrhosis were relatively younger than those cirrhosis-free (mean age +/- SD, 59.05+/-10.05 years vs 66.87+/- 8.72 years, p=0.06). HCV-related HCC was more prevalent in 60 years and above patients (53.8%, 95%CI: 33.4-73.4). The relative risk of HCC among alcoholics patients was high (RR: 1.5, 95%CI: 1.13-1.99, p<0.05).

Conclusion

In Cameroon, HCV-related HCC is more prevalent among age older than 60 years, a finding which is relatively less to that found in western countries, male gender is twice more at risk than female gender and cirrhosis frequency is less compared to that observed elsewhere. HCV and alcohol play a synergistic role in the occurrence of HCC in our environment.

Emergent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass in early pregnancy: report of four cases

Background:

Due to current medical improvements, more women with cardiac disease are being operated during pregnancy. Fetal loss has been found to be significant between 9-30% of them and the surgery is supposed to be done maximal in the first trimester.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to report our experience with urgent cardiopulmonary bypass carried out in early pregnancy and to analyze factors that may influence fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality after surgery.

Materials and Methods:

We have retrospectively reviewed the case notes of the patients who underwent cardiac surgery during early pregnancy in our institution from January 1997 to October 2011.

Results:

During that period cardiac surgery was done in 305 patients in childbearing age (between 15-50 years) from which 4 were pregnant and in the first half of their pregnancy. All of them had previous surgery due to rhumatismal heart disease .The surgery was emergent in 3 cases and urgent in 1 case. They were operated under normothermic conditions, high flow and hemodynamic stability throughout the procedure. There was no fetal loss but one patient sustained a cardiac arrest secondary to asthma complicated by post-anoxic brain injury.

Conclusions:

Normothermia and hemodynamic stability are the most important factors which help to reduce fetal loss during open heart surgery in pregnancy. The fetus has an auto-regulation which comes into play when the mother is experiencing shock.

Successful bovine arch replacement for a type A acute aortic dissection in a pregnant woman with severe haemodynamic compromise

Acute aortic dissection is very uncommon in pregnant women and the acute type A aortic dissection carries a high mortality rate outside specialized centres. There are a few cases reported with successful outcomes for the mother and the foetus from major cardiac centres. We are reporting our first experience of acute aortic dissection during the third trimester of pregnancy in a patient with Marfan features, profound haemodynamic compromise on arrival and a bovine aortic arch. Both the mother and the baby are doing well two years postoperatively.

Feasibility of a simple drainage system in Cameroonian children after thoracotomy and decortication for empyema thoracis

BACKGROUND

To analyse the outcome of children with empyema thoracis treated by decortication followed by a simple drainage system.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective chart review from July 2001 to June 2010 of all cases of children who had a thoracotomy for empyema. We used an endotracheal tube as chest drain and a urinary bag as a collector. Statistical analyses were done using EXCEL and SPSS 9.0.

RESULTS

Forty one children underwent thoracotomy and decortication for empyema, there were 23 boys and 18 girls with a sex ratio of 1, 21. The mean age was 2½ years with a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 15 years of age; 27 children were below two years of age. All the patients have received antibiotic for a long period before surgery. The culture was negative, except in two cases where we found Klebsiella pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus. In five cases, the empyema was due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Three children presented a complication: One child had a persistent purulent drainage for 2 weeks; another one was re-operated upon because of necrotic lung abscess and one child died of sepsis. In most cases, the chest tube was removed between day 4 and day 6 post-operatively. The average length of hospital stay after the surgery was 10 days.

CONCLUSION

Thoracotomy and decortication in children with empyema can be safely done in Cameroon using a simple drainage system with good results compared to those in the literature.

The Woodward technique for Sprengel deformation

A case of 5-year-old boy with a left congenital undescended scapula graded Cavendish III was consulted in our unit and operated successfully with the Woodward technique. It was the first case treated by this procedure for the past 10 years, in the Pediatric Surgical Unit of the Yaounde Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (Cameroon). The Woodward procedure permitted to obtain a good functional and cosmetic result.

Surgical repair of a giant pseudoaneurysm of the right common carotid artery following a gunshot

Common carotid pseudoaneurysms are very rare. The authors report a case of a 18-year-old patient with 11 cm large posttraumatic pseudoaneurysm of the right common carotid artery caused by a gunshot in the neck. The patient also had a right hemiplegia, secondary to the left sylvian artery stroke and aphasia. A surgical repair was undertaken with an approach including a total sternotomy. The aneurysm was excluded and a saphenous vein patch was used to repair the 2-cm defect on the arterial wall. The postoperative period was uneventful. This is probably the largest carotid artery aneurysm ever described. The potential hazards of an aneurysm of the common carotid artery indicate that surgical treatment is warranted particularly in a patient with a past history of controlateral stroke.

Limb-threatening and life-threatening diabetic extremities: clinical patterns and outcomes in 56 patients

Limb- and life-threatening hand and foot infections in diabetic patients account for a large proportion of amputations and a substantial number of deaths. Between August 2006 and the end of July 2008, we conducted a prospective cohort study of consecutive diabetic patients with serious hand or foot infections, in an effort to identify clinical patterns and outcomes related to the treatment of these infections. Infections were categorized as dry, gas, and wet gangrene; necrotizing fasciitis or cellulitis; acute extensive osteomyelitis; and any of these infections involving the hand. All of the patients underwent a standard examination and treatment protocol, although none of the patients received vascular surgical care. End points included healing following debridement or minor amputation, major (transtibial or more proximal) amputation, or death. A total of 56 patients were included in the final analyses, and their mean age was 70 (range 51 to 86) years. Of the patients, 17 (30.36%) had necrotizing cellulitis, 12 (21.43%) had wet gangrene, 9 (16.07%) had acute extensive osteomyelitis, 5 (8.93%) had dry gangrene, 5 (8.93%) had gas gangrene, 4 (7.14%) had necrotizing fasciitis, and 4 (7.14) had diffuse hand infections. Five (8.93%) patients died (2 after prior amputation), 26 (46.43%) underwent debridement and/or minor amputation, and 27 (48.21%) required major amputations. Based on our findings, we concluded that 7 patterns of serious limb- or life-threatening infection were identified and, in the absence of vascular surgical intervention, mortality can be reduced at the expense of more amputations.

Incidence, case-fatality rate and clinical pattern of firearm injuries in two cities where arm owning is forbidden

OBJECTIVE

To review firearm injuries in five hospitals of Douala and Yaounde, both towns of Cameroon, a Sub-Saharan African country where ownership of firearm is forbidden.

METHODS

This was a retrospective investigation carried out within the period January 1998 to December 2002. Records of the mortuaries, the emergency departments, the intensive care units, the operating rooms and the surgical units were all analysed to identify any injury caused by firearm. Our gold standard was any individual with a clear diagnosis of firearm injury, as determined by a medical doctor.

RESULTS

286 firearm injuries were found; 1.14 cases per 100,000 per year. 66% of cases were due to civilian assaults, 20% to armed forces, 8% to hunting accidents and 6% to accidental handling. There was no case of suicide or of shooting from a relative. The type of weapon was unknown in 31% of cases, it was a hand gun in 36%, a hunting type in 21% and an assault rifle in 12%. The mean age of victims was 33 years and the male:female ratio 5.5:1. The site of injury was unknown in 2%; the head in 6%, the chest in 12%, the abdomen in 31%, the extremities in 46%, the spine in 1% and multiple in 2%. The case fatality rate was 12.58%, and the victims were mainly criminals killed by armed forces assaults; the same ratio of survivors developed late complications.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of firearm injuries in the two largest cities of Cameroon is five to fifty times lower than in many other towns, especially in Western countries. This may be due at least partially, to the current legislation on the ownership of firearm which is very restrictive in this country. Some efforts are however needed to reduce illegal access to weapons and to educate hunters on the safe handling of their gun.