[Nosocomial infections: definition, frequence and risk factors]. / Les infections nosocomiales: définition, fréquence et facteurs de risque.

Infection is nosocomial if it missed at the time patient admission in the health establishment. When infectious status of the patient on admission is unknown, infection is generally regarded as nosocomial if it appears after a time of at least 48 hours of hospitalization. For surgical site infection, the commonly allowed time is 30 days, or, in case of prosthesis or an implant, one year after surgical intervention. Nosocomial infections (NI) constitute major health care problem from their frequency, their cost, their gravity. Mortality related to NI can attempt 70% in certain units like intensive care units. Two ways of contamination are possible: the endogenous way is responsible of majority of hospital infections. The normally sterile sites are contaminated then colonized by the flora which is carrying the patient himself, with the favor of a rupture of the barriers of defense. The exogenic way is associated colonization, possibly followed by infection, of the patient by external bacteria, coming from others patients or from environment, transmitted in an indirect way (aerosols, manuportage, materials). Whatever its mode of transmission, apparition of nosocomial infection can be related to several supporting factors: age and pathology, certain treatments (antibiotic which unbalance patients' flora and select resistant bacteria, immunosuppressive treatments), invasive practices necessary to the patient treatment. The prevalence of nosocomial infections is higher in the intensive care units where certain studies bring back rates of 42.8% versus 12.1% in others services. The four sites of nosocomial infection most frequently concerned are: the respiratory site, urinary infections, bloodstream infections (Catheters related bloodstream infections in particular), and surgical sites infections. The relative proportion of these infections varies according to principal activity of the unity.

[Preventive measures and the strife against nosocomial infection]. / Les mesures préventives et la lutte contre les infections nosocomiales.

The nosocomial Infections are associated to an increase of the morbidity, of the mortality and costs. Their frequency stay on raised in our service of cares. Then it is recommended and broadly admitted what each hospital must dispose of a unity of nosocomial infections prevention and to dispose a staff specially vested in those duties. Of the fact the nosocomial infections frequency in reanimation, an imported part of the activity of this specialized staff will have to run out in services of intensive cares. The principal nosocomial infections feature observed is being directly or indirectly associated to engineerings of acting as invasives deputy used to palliate a vital lapse. Of a general manner, all sharp grave affection, as anything severe traumatism (accidental or surgical) drag a capacities reduction of defense against the infection, component so important factors of nosocomial infections installations. Preventive measures pass by the engineerings respect of hands hygiene, the harbour of clean conformable dress, the measures respect of isolation (septic or preventive), the cares grading, the upkeep of the hardware and the bedroom, the respect of the circuit of the linen salts and lastly the sorting and the losses management of activity of cares. For that it must a policy of strife against nosocomial infections with the placing in place of operational unities of hygiene in all hospitals and the redynamisation of the committee of strife against nosocomial infections already existed in different public establishments of health.

[Intensive care management of HELLP syndrome in Dakar]. / Prise en charge du HELLP syndrome en réanimation à Dakar.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intensive management of HELLP syndrome in a intensive care unit in African setting. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive and analytical retrospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients hospitalized between June 1998 and June 2004 for HELLP syndrome were included in the study. Following parameters were studied: age, parity and gestity, term of pregnancy, delay before admission in ICU, data clinical, biological parameters, medical treatment, obstetrical treatment, maternal complications, maternal and foetal prognosis. RESULTS: Twenty patients of average age 26.3 years with seven primigeste and 13 pauci and miltigeste were admitted in ICU during the period of study for HELLP syndrome. The average time of admission was 1.35 days; 13 patients had HELLP syndrome in ante partum and seven patients in postpartum. Serious complications were noted at admission in the majority of patients with oligoanuric renal insufficiency in 11 cases, eclampsia in eight cases and intravascular coagulation disseminated in four cases. The mode of delivery in patients for HELLP syndrome occurring in ante partum was the Caesarean section under general anaesthesia in five cases and vaginal delivery in eight cases. All the patients for HELLP syndrome in the postpartum had been confined by low way. The maternal evolution was favourable in 13 cases. Seven patients of which five with HELLP syndrome who occurred in ante partum had died. The infant mortality was noted in eight cases primarily in cases of HELLP syndrome which occurred in ante partum.

[Severe thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura and pregnancy: a case report]. / Purpura thrombotique thrombocytopénique grave et grossesse: a propos d'un cas.

INTRODUCTION: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura failure (TTP) is a micro angiopathy caracterized in its severe form by multivisceral involement and early death. The association with pregnancy is rare, the diagnosis is difficult, but imperative because that will allow an early specific management and will improve the diagnosis CASE: Our patient is a 25 years old woman admitted in intensive care unit after cesarian section for eclampsia at term. Clinical and biological assessement were in favor at Hellp syndrome. Toxemia complicated with eclampsia and Hell syndrome was the final diagnosis and appropriate treatment followed. However the treatment, diffuse purpuric petechia appeared associated with jaundice, thrombocytopenia. The diagnosis of T.T.P was considered and corticotherapy started at day 8. Patient responded within 48 h and healins was complete after 5 weeks. CONCLUSION: Authors emphasized on the importance of the diagnosis and specific management.

[Nosocomial ventilator-associated pneumonia in a tropical intensive care unit]. / Pneumopathies nosocomialesacquises sous ventilation mécanique dans un service de réanimation en milieu tropical.

INTRODUCTION: Nosocomial ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occupy an important place among nosocomial infections and are responsible for a very high mortality. The objective of this work was to study epidemiologic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of ventilator-associated pneumonia in a tropical Intensive Care Unit and to release an adapted strategy of antimicrobial treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It is a prospective descriptive study carried out from January to December 2002 in the polyvalent intensive care unit, in collaboration with the laboratory of bacteriology-virology of the CHU Dantec of Dakar. We included all the patients admitted and who presented radiological pulmonary infiltrates appearing after 48 hours of mechanical ventilation, associated to at least 2 clinic or biologic criteria and to a positive tracheal aspirate with a cut off value of 10(4) CFU/ml. RESULTS: Thirty two cases of VAP have been diagnosed among 446 patients admitted in our ICU. The incidence was 7.16 per 100 admitted patients and 50 per 100 ventilated patients. The reasons for ICU admission were dominated by trauma (44%). Microorganisms responsible of VAP were essentially Gram negative bacilli (GNB), 68% with in head the Pseudomonas. Acinetobacter strains were practically resistant to all usually used antibiotics. The more used antibiotics were gentamicine, 3rd generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. Antibiotic treatment was appropriate in only 13 cases in 26 patients at whom intrinsic antibacterial activities of antimicrobial agents were examined. The mortality rate was of 81%. CONCLUSION: The improvement of the prognosis of these VAP require preventive measures with protocols of care, a qualified staff, diagnostic means and active antibiotics on the responsible pathogens.

[Diabetic ketoacidosis of the child revealed by a pseudo-surgical acute abdomen. A case report]. / Acidocétose diabétique de l'enfant révélée par un tableau d'abdomen aigu pseudo-chirurgical: a propos d'un cas.

Ketoacidosis is a frequent mode of revelation of diabetes of the child. Signs of diabetes are generally unperceived or are badly interpreted by the family entourage. We report a case of diabetic ketoacidosis in an eight-year-old child without particular medical history. The context of discovery was an acute abdomen by gastric dilatation in a severe context of dehydration. Evolution was quickly favourable after medical treatment with disappearance of acute abdominal signs (clinical and radiological). This observation enables us to recall, by the light of a review of the literature, that diabetic ketoacidosis can be revealed by pseudo-surgical acute abdomen and treatment is purely medical.

[Acute chloroquine poisonning in Le Dantec Teaching Hospital]. / Intoxication Aigue a la Chloroquine au Chu Le Dantec.

Chloroquine poisoning is an acute severe drug induce entity increasingly frequent in Senegal. This is due on one hand to its easy accessibility and its conditioning, on the other hand to its frequent use, in the voluntary attempt of ending pregnancy. The aim of this study is to assess the frequency and the severity of such poisoning in a senegalese intensive unit care. We undertook a descriptive retrospective study from January 1998 to December 2003 in the intensive care unit of Aristide Dantec Hospital. All patients admitted for voluntary or accidental acute intoxication to chloroquine were included. The parameters studied were: reason of admission, alledged ingested amount, delay of admission, hemodynamic modifications, therapeutic data and evolution. During the study period, forty-nine cases of chloroquine intoxication were listed out of 239 acute intoxications. Among these 49 cases, 16 files were not processable. These accounted for 1,48% of all admissions during this period. Women were more represented (78.78%). In 90.90% of the cases, the intoxication was voluntary, they were related to suicidal attempt in 57.57% of the cases. The willingness to end a course of a pregnancy was found in 33.33% of the cases. The average age was 22.69 years (11 years - 38 years). The average time of admission was 4 hours. with extremes of 1 and 8 hours. The clinical symptoms were dominated by hemodynamic, neuropsychiatric and respiratory disorders. Toxicological analysis was not carried out. Ionic disorders were dominated by hypokaliémies and electrocardiographic disorders by a widening of QRS. Symptomatic treatment systematic, was based on a vascular filling and the use of adrenalin. evacuation treatment consisted of a systematic gastric "lavage" and the use of activated charcol on (3.03%). Diazepam as treatment antidotic was seldom used. Psychiatric consultation was systematically carried out. Total mortality was 6%. The authors emphasize the nécessaty to: Inform the population on the absence of drugs being able to stop a pregnancy. Think on the urgency need to implement a medical emergency and reanimation departments (SMUR). Create poison control centers in Senegal.

[Role of MRI in the diagnostic of Gayet Wernicke's encephalopathy (GWE) after gastrectomy and parenteral nutrition]. / Apport de l'IRM dans le diagnostic de l'encéphalopathie de Gayet Wernicke (EGW): à propos d'un cas après gastrectomie et nutrition parentérale.

GWE is rarely described after gastric surgery following parenteral nutrition. The case of a 33 years old female with no previous alcohol addiction, who presented severe neurological disorders after reoperation for postoperative peritonitis and total parenteral nutrition is reported. She was operated 8 days before for gastric leiomyoma and underwent partial gastrectomy. The management has consisted of a tracheal intubation and welfare ventilation. The brain CT scan was normal and the brain MRI made the diagnostic of Gayet Wernicke's encephalopathy with typical signs. An inner, bilateral and symetrical on both sides of the 3rd ventricle, thalamic hypersignal. After treatment in ICU including mechanical ventilatory support and thiamine infusion, she recovered with minor neurological sequelae concicting in amnesia and false recognition. The control of MRI after 5 weeks returned to normal. Mandatory of thiamine to parenteral nutrition is recommended.

[Management of thermal severe burns in children in Le Dantec University Teaching Hospital]. / Prise en charge des brûlures thermiques Graves de l'Enfant au CHU le Dantec.

INTRODUCTION: Bums in children are serious public health problem. Burns management in developing countries encounters huge problems at any stage. The goals of this study were to descrive the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characterics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the university Teaching Hospital of Dakar from January to December 2003, we conducted a retrospective survey of 41 patients less than 16 years admitted for severe thermal burns. We carried a year retrospective study in ICU and pediatric surgery unit of Aristide Le Dantec Hospital. Were involved all. The following parameters were studied: age, sex, mechanism and circumstances of the burns, period time between the injury and the admission, clinical status of the patient, management and outcome. RESULTS: The age range between 5 days and 13 years, 47.72% are less than 3 years. The average period before admission was 33 hours (2 hours to 7 days). The accident occurs in 75% of cases in the kitchen. Bum by hot water was the most frequent mechanism with a percentage of 62%. Areas interested the whole body with frequent face localisation (n=18) and the perineal region (n=22). Immediate complications were shock in 37% of children and acute respiratory failure in 7 patients. Fluids and electrolytes resuscitation using Parkland formula (75%) or Carvajal formula (25%). Feeding was done to enteral route. Spontaneous epitheliasation through secondary heeling was the main therapeutic attitude, skin grafting was performed in 10 childrens. Total mortality was 18.18%; These death concerns patients for whom the UBS score range between 75 and 140 UB and the ABSI score between 9 and 12. Sepsis was the direct main cause of death. Sequellaes were jointed a nd facial contractures. CONCLUSION: The authors emphasize on the need in setting up adequate preventive measures towards high risk population (under 3 years), and specialized unit for adapted management.

[The para-umbilical block in children: 75 cases report]. / Le bloc para-ombilical chez l'enfant: a propos de 75 cas.

The objective of this study is to assess both intra and post operative analgesia in infants undergoing umbilical hernia repair under general anaesthesia with neither opioid nor muscle relaxant, associated with a para umbilical block. It's a prospective study covering a 15 months period. The study included 75 infants (age = 5 months - 13 years; body weith = 6 kg - 35 kg). General anaesthesia was induced with either thiopentone or halothane and, maintained with halothane in a N2O - O2 50 VOL % mixture. Para-umbilical block was obtained using 1 ml/kg of 0.25% marcaïne. Pain was assessed using time course of respiratory rate, heart rate and mean arterial pressure. A change of more than 20% in one of these variables was considered criterion of poor analgesia. Intraoperative analgesia was adequate in all patients but four, 5 minutes after incision. Surgical conditions were considered as being godd or satisfactory in 90.6% and 9.4% of cases, respectively. Post operative analgesia, assessed 1 and 6 hours after completion of surgery was convenient in 93.3% of infants. The block appears as simple, most after efficient and safe in umbilical surgery.

[Intensive care management of 28 patients with severe eclampsia in a tropical African setting]. / Prise en charge de l'éclampsie grave en réanimation en milieu tropical africain. A propos de 28 cas.

OBJECTIVE: To study the specific management problems of severe eclampsia under tropical latitudes. STUDY DESIGN: A two years retrospective study in a University hospital in the tropics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all patients admitted for eclampsia between January 1997 et December 1999, the following parameters were studied: age, parity, interval between disease et admission, post-eclampsia Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), time of occurrence of eclampsia during pregnancy, delivery route, blood pressure data at admission, the occurrence of complications at admission or during hospital stay. RESULTS: Twenty-eight mainly primiparous patients (mean age: 26 +/- 6) were admitted with an average delay of 8.5 +/- 10.2 hours after the first symptoms. The time of occurrence was prepartum in 6, perpartum in 14 and postpartum in 8 cases. All patients were hypertensive and comatose with an average GCS of 8 +/- 2.2. Twenty patients had been previously intubated and ventilated. Delivery was natural in 22 and by caesarean section in 6 patients. The following complications were found: acute oliguric renal failure (9), HELLP-syndrome (4), cerebral haemorrhage (4), acute lung oedema (3) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (1). Maternal and child mortality were 35 and 42.8% respectively. CONCLUSION: Eclampsia is a major cause of both maternal and infantile mortality in developing countries. The authors insist that prevention and management require speedy transfers to adapted specialized obstetrical intensive care structures.

[Assessment of the management of polytrauma patients at Le Dantec Hospital, Dakar]. / Evaluation de la prise en charge des polytraumatisés au CHU Le Dantec de Dakar.

Traumatisms represent the first reason of death in people less than 40 years in the developed countries. In Senegal, with the growth of urbanization, road accidents are more and more frequent and mortality by polytrauma is raised. The aim of this study was to evaluate the management of polytrauma patients in our hospital and to determine factors of mortality. This prospective study was carried out from January to June 2000 at the surgical emergencies department and the intensive care unit in Le Dantec Teaching Hospital of Dakar. One hundred and six polytrauma patients were taken care of during the study period. The mean age of patients was 30 years. There were 85 men and 21 women. Circumstances of trauma were dominated by road accidents (74.5%) and in 77.4% of cases patients were evacuated without prehospital care. The mean delay from the accident to the arrival at emergencies was 8 hours. Half of the patients presented to the admission a clinical picture of circulatory failure; respiratory distress was also present among 50% of patients and 53.8% of patients had a serious head injury with a Glasgow coma scale lower than 8. The global mortality was 69.8% and 80.6% of these deaths were attributable to serious head injury. Management of trauma patients in Dakar could be improved by setting up a medical transport system and by the improvement of the technical means in the hospitals. These measures, in combination with the prevention of road accidents, will surely allow to reduce the number of accidents, polytrauma and deaths.

[Anesthesia in the pleuropulmonary complications surgery of tuberculosis: a 79 cases study]. / Anesthésie-Reanimation dans la chirurgie des complications pleuropulmonaires de la tuberculose: a propos de 79 cas.

Reported is a retrospective study carried out from Aristide Le Dantec Hospital in patients who underwent pleuropulmonary surgery after tuberculosis complication, from June 1995 to June 1999. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anaesthesiology procedures and outcomes of tuberculosis pleuropulmonary complications surgery. Seventy nine patients were studied. Their mean age was 34.63 years, and the sex ratio was 3.14. They all underwent general anaesthesia procedures with barbituric, morphinics et myorelaxants drugs. The peroperative complications noted were distributed as follow: 50 cases of haemorrhage needing transfusion, 18 cases of hypotension associated to the anaesthesia. In the intensive care period, we have noticed 30 atelectasia cases associated to a spastic bronchopathy, 3 cases of pulmonary oedema and 1 case of pulmonary infarctus. In the postoperative period, 8 cases of hemodynamic instability occurred, including 5 cases of cardiovascular collapsus treated by filling, and 2 septic shocks cases. An infectious bronchopneumopathy was noticed on 11 patients with two cases of septicaemia. The mortality rate was 6.3% (5 cases of death). The pleuropulmonary surgery in tuberculosis complication is very haemorrhagic, and therefore require an adequate preoperative preparation.

[Anesthesia in the surgery of hyperthyroidism at Le Dantec Teaching Hospital]. / Anesthésie dans la chirurgie de l'hyperthyroïdie au CHU Le Dantec.

Authors report a study of 66 patients admitted to the clinic ORL of CHU Le Dantec between 1991 and 2000 for goiter and hyperthyroidism. They evaluate the perioperative management and underline the importance of the medical preparation. The age of patients varied between 15 and 74 years. There were 62 women and 4 men. Fifty three patients presented clinical and biological hyperthyroidism. Thirteen patients had functional hyperthyroidism without clinical signs of thyrotoxicosis. Exophthalmia was present in 20 patients. Twenty one patients have been addressed to the Internal Medicine service for preoperative management of hyperthyroidism. Forty five patients have been operated under general anaesthesia. The medical preparation comprised antithyroid drugs and beta-blockers. We found as complications 3 cases of difficult intubation, 7 cases of peroperative haemorrhage and 1 case of acute thyroid crisis. The anaesthesia for surgery of hyperthyroidism is currently well codified and operative outcome became simple. The medical preparation in case of hyperthyroidism allows to return the patient in euthyroidism and reduces considerably the acute thyroid crisis risk, the most fearsome complication and the most feared of the hyperthyroidism.