Discharge against medical advice: cross-sectional survey from a regional orthopaedic hospital in sub-Saharan Africa.

PURPOSE: Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) is a worldwide phenomenon. It continues to challenge the healthcare system and has profound effects on outcomes of treatment. It is when a patient leaves the hospital against the treating physician's recommendation. The objectives of this study are to identify the prevalence, associated factors, and proffer recommendations to mitigate the anomaly in our local/regional healthcare system. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with data collected from consecutive patients who sought DAMA at the accident and emergency department of the hospital from October 2020 to March 2022. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data presentation. RESULTS: Ninety-nine cases of DAMA out of 4608 patients seen at the Emergency Department during the study period, giving a prevalence rate of 2.14%. 70.7% (70) of these patients were aged 16-44 years with male-to-female ratio of 2.5:1. An estimated half the number of the patients who DAMA were traders 44.4% (44), 14.1% (14) were in paid employment, 22.2% (22) were unskilled workers, and 3% (3) unemployed. Financial constraint was the leading cause in 73 (73.7%) cases. The majority of patients had limited or no formal education, and this was significantly associated with DAMA (P = 0.032). Ninety-two patients (92.6%) sought discharge within 72 h of admission and 89 (89.9%) admitted to leaving to seek alternative methods of care. CONCLUSION: DAMA is still a problem in our environment. Comprehensive health insurance must be mandatory for all citizens with improved scope and coverage, especially for trauma victims.

Posterior-Only Approach for the Correction of Severe Post-tubercular Kyphosis.

Tuberculosis of the vertebral column (Pott's disease) accounts for up to one-half of musculoskeletal tuberculous infections. The eradication of the infective organism (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is achievable with chemotherapy. However, such patients with spinal tuberculosis are at risk of developing spinal deformity, and 3%-5% of the patients develop severe deformity greater than 60°. A 30-year-old female presented with back pain of 11 years, discharging sinus, and progressively worsening kyphotic deformity of eight-year duration. She had completed a full course of anti-tubercular chemotherapy. Her neurological examination was within normal limits. Antero-posterior and lateral view radiographs showed osteolytic destruction and collapsed T12 and L1 vertebrae with a thoracic kyphosis of 90°. We did a single-stage posterior-approach closing-opening osteotomy surgery utilizing costotransversectomy (T12 and L1 corpectomy, the insertion of expandable titanium cage, T10 to L3 pedicle screw, and rod fusion). Postoperative kyphosis was 25°. Her motor and sensory functions remained preserved following surgery. The duration of follow-up was 18 months post operation. The mainstay of treatment of severe post-tubercular kyphosis (PTK) is surgery. The correction is complex and could be staged or with multiple approaches and consequent high risk of complications. A single-stage posterior-approach surgery is less invasive.

Epidemiology and clinical outcomes of spinal cord injuries at a level II trauma centre in Nigeria: a longitudinal five year study.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are devastating consequences of traumatic injuries with far-reaching health and socioeconomic implications. The objectives of this study were to describe the epidemiological characteristics of traumatic SCI and to analyse these epidemiological and clinical characteristics. METHODS: This study was a retrospective observational study. We extracted data from the medical records of all cases of acute traumatic SCI that presented at the hospital between January 2013 and December 2017. RESULTS: We recorded 99 cases of traumatic SCI over the study period. The patients' mean age was 37.15 ± 13.5 years with a male predominance (68.7%). Working age group accounted for 83.9% of cases. Motor vehicular accident (MVA) and falls accounted for 62.6% and 22.2% respectively. About a third of the cases (32.3%) presented within 24 hours of injury. The most frequently affected level was the cervical spine (63.6%), and complete tetraplegia was the most prevalent clinical pattern (31.3%). American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale (AIS) improved in 31.3% of cases. Twenty-nine patients (30.2%) had morbidity, with 21.2% developing pressure sores. Mortality accounted for 3%. CONCLUSIONS: Motor vehicular crash and fall-related traumatic SCI affected mostly males and the working age group with complete tetraplegia as the predominating clinical pattern. There is a need for strategic interventions to reduce MVA and improve pre-hospital care and health policies to ensure early definitive care.

Determinants of hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria in immobilized trauma patients.

Hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria secondary to immobilization can be occasionally severe, producing an array of symptoms. This study looked at possible determinants of hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria in immobilized trauma patients. This is a prospective observational study carried out over a period of 7 months. Fifty-five immobilized trauma patients were evaluated weekly for 4 weeks for symptoms of hypercalcemia, total serum calcium and 24-h urinary calcium. The number of limbs immobilized had a significant relationship with hypercalcemia at the end of week 1 (P<0.001) and week 4 (P=0.008) and with hypercalciuria at the end of week 1 only (P<0.001). The number of bones fractured also had a significant relationship with hypercalcemia at the end of week 1 (P=0.005) and week 4 (P=0.019), as well as with hypercalciuria at the end of week 1 (P<0.001) and week 2 (P=0.036). Weight loss was significantly associated with hypercalcemia at the end of week 4 (P=0.014) and with hypercalciuria at the end of week 3 (P<0.001) and week 4 (P<0.001), whereas polyuria and polydipsia had a significant association with hypercalciuria at the end of week 2 (P<0.001) and week 3 (P=0.030). The number of limbs immobilized and bones fractured showed an early significant relationship with the development of hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria. Weight loss showed late association with hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria, whereas polyuria and polydipsia showed early association with hypercalciuria.