Paediatric intussusception in Benin city, Nigeria

Intussusception is one of the leading causes of intestinal obstruction in children. This study reports our experience in the management of intussusception in Benin City; Nigeria. This was a 10-year retrospective review of intussusception in children at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital from January; 1997 to December; 2006. Twenty four children were admitted with intussusception (M: F = 1:1.4) within the period. Only three patients (12.5) presented within 24 hours of onset of illness. Ten (41.6) presented between one and four days; seven (29.2) between five and 10 days; while four (16.6) presented between 11and14 days. Abdominal pain; irritability; blood in stools; vomiting; abdominal distension and palpablemass in various combinations were the clinical features. All the patients; except one (4); were below the age of one year. There was much delay before presentation of infantswith intussusception; with high attendant mortality

Spontaneous Neonatal Gastrointestinal Perforation : Surgical or Conservatisme Management

B a c k g r o u n d : S p o n t a n e o u s n e o n a t a l gastrointestinal perforation occurs without any primary lesion of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a rare surgical emergency that may be caused by shunting of blood from renal; peripheral and mesenteric vascular bed to vital organs such as heart and brain during periods of perinatal stress.Aim: To report three neonates with spontaneous gastrointestinal perforation. Results: Between 2001 and 2005; we managed three cases of spontaneous gastrointestinal perforation in neonates at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital; Benin City. The perinatal stress factors were caesarian delivery; prematurity and fetal distress due to prolonged obstructed labour. Two had exploratory laparotomy and their perforations were closed in 2 layers while one was managed conservatively. They survived and were discharged after ten; thirty-six and eight days on admission and remained well during one year of follow up.Conclusion: Early diagnosis; adequate resuscitation and timed surgical intervention resulted to encouraging outcome

The posterior urethral valve uropathy: results of treatment.

Nineteen children treated for posterior urethral obstruction due to congenital valve in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, over a 9-year period have been analysed. Their ages ranged from birth to 12 years. Results show that associated kidney pathology may be irreversible even after successful excision of the valve. This determines the final prognosis, which is worse the younger the child at presentation.

Incidence of undescended testis in a population of children at Benin City

One thousand; eight hundred and ninety-six children aged 6 to 12 years were examined for undescended testis. The incidence was found to be 0.8in the 6 year olds; and also in the 7 and 8 years groups. The overall incidence was 0.4. A differential intrascrotal descent rate was also discovered between the right and left testes; by observations of position of testis in scrotum in each age group: thus while at the age of 6 years 9.4of the left testes and 6of the right testes had touched the base of the scrotum; at the age of 12 years 88.3of the left testes but 95.7of the right testes lay in the base of the scrotum

Abnormal findings associated with undescended testis in Nigerian children.

Children between the ages of 6 years and 12 years numbering 2200, were examined for general physical development and external abnormality to correlate these anomalies with frequency of undescended testis. Whereas the overall frequency of undescended testis in this population was 0.5%, this condition was present in 1% of boys with peri-umbilical hernia. Undescended testis should be looked for in children with external congenital anomalies, particularly of the anterior abdominal wall.