Prevalence and Management of Spermatic Cord Torsion (SCT): A Five-Year Review in Souro Sanou University Hospital of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso).

Introduction: Spermatic cord torsion (SCT) is a rare urological emergency that can jeopardize the fertility of the patient. Our study aimed to investigate the epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of SCT in Souro Sanou University Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2021, in the emergency surgical and urology division of Souro Sanou University Hospital. Results: The annual frequency of SCT was 4.4 patients/year. The mean age of the patients was 17.82 ± 6.74 years. Painful swelling of the hemi-scrotum was the main presenting symptom. The torsion involved the left spermatic cord in 50% of cases and both spermatic cords in 5% of cases. The mean time of symptoms before presentation was 78.8 hours ± 153 hours. Only 27.3% of patients presented before the 6th hour after the onset of pain. The average time from presentation to surgical intervention was 5.6 hours ± 5 hours. Orchiectomy was performed in 11 patients (47.8%). The average hospital stay was 3.1 ± 1.4 days. Conclusion: SCT is a rare urological emergency. The prognosis depends on the duration and degree of torsion. A high orchidectomy rate can be observed with a delay in presentation.

[Exceptional Neurological Complication of Snakebite Envenomation: A Case in Mali]. / Une complication neurologique exceptionnelle de l'envenimation par morsure de serpent : à propos d'un cas au Mali.

Envenomation by snakebite can lead to hematological, circulatory, digestive, renal, and neurological complications. Brain abscess after snakebite envenomation is exceptional and very rarely reported in the literature. In this article, we describe the clinical case of a 45-year-old woman with no particular history, admitted to our department for vigilance disturbances linked to a motor deficit on the right side and fever after viper bite on the left thumb. The clinical examination showed a marked biological inflammatory syndrome. The brain scan with iodine injection suggested a left fronto-parietal brain abscess. Tri-antibiotic therapy, combined with the administration of corticosteroids, resulted in favorable outcome.

Les envenimations par morsure de serpent peuvent entraîner des complications d'ordre hématologique, circulatoire, digestif, rénal et neurologique. Un abcès cérébral postenvenimation ophidienne est exceptionnel et très rarement rapporté dans la littérature. Nous rapportons le cas clinique d'une femme de 45 ans sans antécédent particulier, admise dans notre service pour un trouble de la vigilance associé à un déficit moteur de l'hémicorps droit dans un contexte fébrile faisant suite à une morsure du pouce gauche par une vipère. Le bilan objectivait un syndrome inflammatoire biologique marqué et la tomodensitométrie cérébrale avec injection d'iode faisait évoquer un abcès cérébral frontopariétal gauche. Une triantibiothérapie, couplée à une corticothérapie, a permis une évolution favorable des symptômes.

Polyradiculopathies in the neurology department of the Cocody University Hospital, Abidjan, Ivory Coast: epidemiological and clinical profiles and outcomes over a six-year period.

Polyradiculoneuropathies (PRNs) are inflammatory disorders of the peripheral nervous system. They are diffuse in general, sparing neither the proximal portions of the elements of this system, where they predominate, nor the cranial nerves. To describe the epidemiological and diagnostic profiles, as well as the course, of patients with PRN in the Cocody university hospital center (Abidjan) neurology department over the past six years. This retrospective single-center study describes PRN cases and their course during the 6-year period of 2009-2014 in this neurology department. Among 5319 cases seen in the neurology department over the study period, 58 patients met our criteria, i.e., 1.1%. More patients were men: 55.2% for a sex ratio of 1.23. They included 4 cases of ethanol poisoning, 2 cases of undecompensated diabetes, and one reaction to vaccination for yellow fever (AAV). The electroneuromyographic tracing supported a finding of demyelination in 55.1%, axonal loss in 25.9% and both in 19%. PRN is a relatively common pathology that is often overlooked. Etiological investigation was difficult in our setting. Early management can improve the prognosis of this disorder.

Inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system in Niger.

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), few studies have been reported on inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) seems to be the most frequent inflammatory demyelinating disease of CNS in sub-Saharan Africans or people of sub-Saharan African descent. METHODS: We report the observations of seven patients from Niger diagnosed with inflammatory demyelinating diseases of CNS over a period of 21 years (1996-2017). RESULTS: They were four women and three men aged 19 to 66 years (mean age: 37 years), with no known past medical history. Four patients were diagnosed with NMOSD (2 men and 2 women) and the three other patients with multiple sclerosis (MS, 2 women and 1 man). The three patients diagnosed with MS had the relapsing-remitting form. The cerebrospinal fluid study revealed the presence of oligoclonal bands in the three patients. Of the patients diagnosed with NMOSD, two patients negative anti-aquaporin 4 antibodies (anti-MOG antibodies not done), one of whom had bilateral optic neuritis (ON) with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) and the other unilateral ON with LETM. Two patients with MS were treated with interferon beta-1a and the third patient with azathioprine. The Expanded Disability Status Scale ranged from 1 to 2 in these three patients at the time of initiation of background treatment. Azathioprine was the treatment prescribed in the four patients with NMOSD. We did not find any case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. CONCLUSION: Our case series suggests the rarity of inflammatory demyelinating diseases of CNS in Niger, and NMOSD seems to be more frequent than MS.

[Epidemiological and Etiological Characteristics of Myelopathies in the Neurology Department of the University Hospital Center of Cocody, Abidjan (Ivory Coast)]. / Caractéristiques épidémiocliniques et étiologiques des myélopathies dans le service de neurologie du CHU de Cocody d'Abidjan (Côte-d'Ivoire).

The term myelopathy defines a suffering of the spinal cord whatever the etiologies. They often represent real therapeutic emergencies and are burdened by serious functional sequelae. The aim of this work was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and etiological aspects of all myelopathies. We have conducted a prospective and descriptive study from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016 at the Neurology department of the Cocody University Hospital in Abidjan. Seventy-one patients out of 1,006 were included, that is, a prevalence of 7.06%. The sex ratio was 1.7. The average age was 49 years old. HIV was associated with myelopathy in 24.7% of cases. Medullary compression syndrome was predominant. Pott's disease was the etiology of compressive myelopathies (43.9%) followed by bone metastases (26.8%). Tuberculous myelitis was the most common etiology of non-compressive myelopathies (30%). Myelites of undetermined causes account for 50% of non-compressive myelopathies.

Le terme de myélopathie définit une souffrance de la moelle épinière quelles que soient les étiologies. Les myélopathies réalisent souvent de véritables urgences thérapeutiques et sont grevées de lourdes séquelles fonctionnelles. L'objectif de ce travail était de décrire les aspects épidémiologiques, cliniques et étiologiques de toutes les myélopathies identifiées lors d'une étude prospective et descriptive qui s'est déroulée du 1er janvier 2015 au 31 décembre 2016 dans le service de neurologie du CHU de Cocody d'Abidjan. Soixante et onze patients sur 1 006 ont été inclus, soit une prévalence de 7,06 %. Le sex-ratio (H/F) était égal à 1,7. L'âge moyen était de 49 ans. Le VIH était associé à la myélopathie dans 24,7 % (17 patients) des cas. Le syndrome de compression médullaire était majoritaire. Le mal de Pott était l'étiologie la plus fréquante des myélopathies compressives (43,9 %), suivi des métastases osseuses (26,8 %). La myélite tuberculeuse était l'étiologie la plus fréquente des myélopathies non compressives (30 %). Les myélites de cause indéterminée représentaient 50 % des cas des myélopathies non compressives.