Appropriateness of referrals for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy

BACKGROUND

Uncomplicated dyspepsia has a low predictive value in diagnosing upper gastrointestinal organic disease making early endoscopy essential.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the reliability of clinical information in the diagnosis of organic disease in patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

METHODS

Patients who were referred for gastroscopy to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, in Accra between January and December, 2008 were interviewed and evaluated for this study. The patients' clinical data were correlated with the endoscopic findings to determine how appropriate the referrals were, based on the clinical information.

RESULTS

One thousand, six hundred and forty three patients were studies of whom 372 presented with alarm symptoms. Uncomplicated dyspepsia was the principal presenting symptom in 1271 patients. Overall, 522 (31.8%) patients had organic disease, 440 (26.8%) inflammatory conditions and 681 (41.4%) were negative endoscopies. Two hundred and nine (56.2%) patients with alarm symptoms and 313 (24.6%) without alarm symptoms (p value, OR, 95% CI; <0.001, 3.92, 3.083-5.00) had organic disease. Presentations with bleeding and suspicion of malignancy showed statistical significance with the finding of organic disease while anaemia did not. Dyspepsia was strongly associated with negative endoscopy, 84% vrs 60%, p value <0.001. Gastric malignancies were associated with age 50 years and above. The three common benign diseases of peptic ulcer, gastric ulcer and gastritis showed strong similarity in presentation and were unpredictable clinically.

CONCLUSION

Patients referred for endoscopy were young in whom there was a high prevalence of organic disease which were mostly benign.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana: an initial report

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) the preferred treatment for gallstones was not available in Ghana until 2005.

OBJECTIVE

To report experience from Ghana of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of galestones.

METHODS

In a prospective study of patients with gallstones, information was obtained on demography, duration of various stages of the operation, analgesia and complication of patients with gallstones. All patients had general anaesthesia using endotracheal intubation, muscle relaxant and intermittent positive pressure ventilation. A standard four-trocar technique and maximum pneumoperitoneum pressure of 14 mmHg were maintained during surgery.

RESULTS

There were 50 women and two men aged 17-72 years (mean 44.2 years). All had symptomatic gallstones treated by interval LC. The main indications were biliary colic 23(44%) and previous cholecystitis 15(29%). There were scars from previous abdominal surgery in 22 (42%), mainly pfannenstiel. The Verres needle was used to obtain pneumoperitoneum in 40 (77%). Only one patient (1.9%) had the operation converted to open cholecystectomy. Most patients, 47/51 (92%), were discharged in 24 hours. The mean durations of various stages were: anaesthesia (110 minutes), pneumo-peritoneum (67.5 minutes) and reverse trendelenburg (47.8 minutes). The mean operating time reduced from 81 to 68 minutes in the last 20 patients. Complications were sore throat 11(21.6%), infection of the umbilical wound 3(5.9%), right shoulder tip pain (3; 5.9%) and bile leak 1(2%). There was no peri-operative mortality.

CONCLUSION

Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed with good results in patients with symptomatic gallstones in Accra.

Gastro-duodenal peptic ulcer perforation

OBJECTIVES

To determine the epidemiology of, and define the morbidity and mortality factors following emergency surgery for patients with perforated peptic ulcer disease in Accra, Ghana.

DESIGN

A retrospective and prospective hospital-based study.

SETTING

The general and paediatric surgical wards of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Demography, the systolic BP, pulse rate and haemoglobin on admission at ER, co-morbid conditions, site of perforation, surgical method and treatment outcome.

SUBJECTS

A total of 326 cases treated for peptic ulcer perforation, 267 males and 59 females; ratio 4.5:1, with mean age of 40.9, SD 16.4 and range 4-87 years, were studied.

RESULTS

The incidence of peptic ulcer perforation rose from 1.6% in 1998 to 5.3% in 2002 and stabilised at 5%, and overall accounted for 4.6% of acute abdomen. Co-morbid conditions were present in 48 (18.2%) of cases. Ulcerogenic substance intake was in 177 (67%) patients. One hundred and twenty two (46.2%) patients reported to hospital within 24 hours of perforation. There were 287 (88%) duodenal, 22 (7.1%) prepyloric, and 19(4.9%) type 1 gastric ulcer perforations. Simple closure with omental patch was performed in 299 (94.3%), truncal vagotomy and drainage in 10 (3.2%), and Billroth II partial gastrectomy in seven (2.2%). Post-operative complications occurred in 62 (19%); overall mortality was 36 (11%). Logistic regression analysis of the patients clinical variables showed that age less that 60 years (p-value, OR and 95% CI; 0.002, 3.964 and 1.668-9.420), duration of perforation of more than 24 hours before admission (p-value, OR and 95% CI; 0.011, 2.471 and 1.228-4.971), alcohol intake (p-value, OR and 95% CI; 0.009, 2.543 and 1.259-5.135) and resectional surgery (p-value, OR and 95% CI; 0.000, 8.25E and 74204908.138-9162648048.1) were statistically significant in determining postoperative complications. Age 60 years and above (p-value, OR and 95% CI; 0.018,4.359 and 1.284-14.802), alcohol intake (p-value, OR and 95% CI; 0.042, 3.238 and 1.046-10.021) and resectional surgery (p-value, OR and 95% CI; 0.000, 1.20E and 938112920.94-1.54E+ 11) were the factors that showed statistical significance in determining post-operative mortality.

CONCLUSION

Perforated peptic ulcer disease is emerging as a frequent cause of acute abdomen in our centre and affects the youth commonly. Age 60 years and above, duration of perforation for more than 24 hours before admission, alcohol intake and resectional surgery were the variables that showed statistical significance in predicting post-operative morbidity and/or mortality.