Mental health consequences among Sudanese due to the armed conflicts and civil unrest of 2023: a cross-sectional study.

AIM: To investigate depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia levels among Sudanese citizens during the 2023 Armed Forces conflict in Sudan. METHODS: An online survey was distributed. It is composed of five parts, covering the following areas: (a) sociodemographic data; (b) depression assessment; (c) generalized anxiety disorder assessment; (d) post-traumatic stress disorder assessment; and (e) insomnia assessment.Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27 was used for data analysis; frequency and percentage were used to describe the qualitative variables. The Pearson correlation coefficient and Chi-square test were used for correlation and association analysis; a p-value equal to or less than .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The study included 221 participants, whose ages were 35.02 ± 11.83 years. Among the participants, 57.5% were female. The length of stay in the war zone was 39.29 ± 31.71 days. The sound of gunfire, bombs, or explosions was the most frequent war violence personally experienced by participants or their family members, friends, or acquaintances, in 203 (91.8%) and 221 (100%), respectively. Moderate-severe and severe depression were present in 25.3% and 62.0%, respectively. Moderate and severe anxiety were present in 36.2% and 52.9%, respectively. 58.8% had PTSD. Sub-threshold insomnia was present in 57.5%. There was a negative correlation between sex (female) and depression (correlation coefficient = -.183, p-value = .006), which indicates that depression is more likely to be in females. For PTSD, there was a negative correlation between age and PTSD (correlation coefficient = -.150, p-value = 0.026), which indicates that younger age groups were more likely to experience PTSD. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between marital status (married) and PTSD (correlation coefficient = -.175, p-value = .009), which indicates that married participants were more likely to experience PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to war-related trauma can also lead to mental health issues. These findings emphasize the urgent need for proper mental health support and interventions in war-affected areas to address the prevalent mental disorders.

Treatment of subclavian artery stenosis: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: In this case series, different modalities of treatment for patients with ischaemic symptoms of subclavian stenosis are described, including the different operative strategies that can be adopted in more challenging cases. This is the first case series describing these four management options. PRESENTATION: Case 1: A seventy-one year-old female presented with acute on chronic ischaemia of her left arm following a fall and developed dry gangrene of her left thumb. This was initially managed with a heparin infusion followed by stenting of the subclavian artery which relieved her symptoms. Case 2: A fifty-nine year-old male presented with chronic ischemia of the left arm secondary to an occlusion of the left subclavian artery. This was managed by transposition of the left subclavian artery onto the left common carotid artery. Case 3: A sixty-four year-old female presented with left subclavian steal syndrome secondary to subclavian artery stenosis. She underwent carotid subclavian artery bypass. Case 4: A fifty-six year-old female presented with acute left upper limb ischaemia secondary to acutely thrombosed subclavian artery on a CT-angiography. She underwent a carotid to axillary bypass. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This case series demonstrates the treatment options available to vascular surgeons when managing symptomatic subclavian artery disease. Symptomatic subclavian artery occlusive disease should be treated with endovascular stenting and angioplasty as first line management. If it is not successful then open surgery should be considered. Bypassing the carotid to the subclavian or to the axillary artery are both good treatment modalities.

Popliteal Artery Pseudoaneurysm with Secondary Chronic Common Peroneal Nerve Neuropathy and Foot Drop after Total Knee Replacement.

Total knee replacements (TKRs) are performed to treat debilitating arthritis and are one of the most routinely performed surgical procedures in the United Kingdom. Complications of infection and deep vein thrombosis are well recognized and managed, whereas neurovascular injuries are rarely reported although should not be disregarded. We report on the case of a 72-year-old man who presented 5 weeks after a TKR with symptoms of a progressively worsening ipsilateral foot drop. A diagnosis of common peroneal nerve neuropathy secondary to the compressive effects of a popliteal pseudoaneurysm was made, and he underwent uneventful patch repair of the pseudoaneurysm. Unique to the literature is the chronicity of the foot drop, which still persisted at follow-up 6 weeks later.

The results of high-frequency duplex surveillance after iliac arterial stenting in a single center.

Frequent duplex surveillance after iliac arterial stenting is time-consuming and costly, so solid benefits of this approach must be available. Frequent duplex surveillance was performed at our center, this was reviewed retrospectively.A total of 117 stents were assessed. Duplex was done for 84 (71.8%) of 117 patients at 1 year and 25 (21.4%) of 117 at 5 years, mean follow-up 27.6 months. Totally, 456 scans were performed; 386 (84.6%) scans were normal, 43 (9.4%) showed an abnormality for which intervention was not necessary, 27 (5.9%) showed abnormalities which needed interventions. The maximum attendance of patients was 62%. In all, 18 patients had interventions unrelated to scheduled follow-up; 15 (83.3%) of 18 had no prior abnormalities on duplex, 3 (16.6%) of 18 had prior abnormalities which were not acted upon after clinical assessment. Our findings demonstrate a high nonattendance rate with frequent emergency presentations due to acute complications. We cannot, therefore, recommend frequent duplex surveillance program both in terms of results or resource allocation.

Outcome of ilio-popliteal grafting for peripheral arterial disease.

OBJECTIVE: Assess outcomes of ilio-politeal grafting for complex ilio-femoral atherosclerotic disease. DESIGN: Retrospective review of patients undergoing iliopopliteal grafting between January 1998 and January 2007. METHODS: Patients were identified from our unit database. Case notes and radiology were retrieved. Data were extracted and entered into the database for analysis. RESULTS: 19 grafts were undertaken in 19 patients. Primary graft patency was 45% at 1 year (95% CI, 22% - 68%). Secondary graft patency was 82.5% at one year (95% CI, 64% - 100%). 25 subsequent surgical and radiological interventions were undertaken in 12 patients. Lower limb amputation was rare; limb survival was 88% (95% CI, 72% - 100%) at one year and 73% (95% CI 44% - 100%) at 4 years. CONCLUSIONS: Iliopopliteal grafts are rarely undertaken severe disease requiring their use is infrequently encountered. High mortality and low primary patency mean its use can only be advocated in exceptional circumstances.

Nonaneurysmal abdominal aortitis in an 82-year-old woman presenting with pyrexia and back pain: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Infective aortitis has become uncommon since the advent of antibiotic therapy. Aortitis, presenting as a localised perforation in a non-aneurysmal aorta, is extremely rare. We report the case of an 82-year-old woman who was diagnosed with localised perforation of a non-aneurysmal abdominal aorta secondary to staphylococcus aortitis. CASE PRESENTATION: An 82-year-old woman presented with a history of a sudden onset of back pain and pyrexia. A clinical examination did not reveal any significant findings attributable to her sepsis. As her clinical condition deteriorated rapidly, adequate resuscitation was commenced. Appropriate serology and radiological investigations, including a computed tomography scan, were performed. The computed tomography scan revealed a diagnosis of a non-aneurysmal infective abdominal aortitis with evidence of localised perforation. This was successfully treated under local anaesthetic with endovascular aortic repair and appropriate antibiotics. She recovered fully and was completely asymptomatic a year later. CONCLUSION: A detailed assessment is essential in the diagnosis of this condition as it can frequently be missed on initial evaluation of the affected patient. Clinical features are often nonspecific and can include fever, leucocytosis and bacteremia in the absence of a pulsatile or expansile mass. The patient may also complain of back pain, as in this case report. Thorough assessment, timely investigation and endovascular intervention prevented a potentially fatal condition in our patient.

A simple technique to prevent graft kinking during tunneling of a reversed vein femoropopliteal bypass graft.

Kinking of reversed vein grafts is a recognized cause of early graft failure following femoropopliteal bypass. The commonly employed technique of marking one side of the vein prior to tunneling does not prevent graft twisting and kinking with absolute certainty, as proven by postoperative sonographic evidence. The authors herein describe a technique of tunneling the graft while distended, which resulted in no occurrence of either graft kinking or twisting based on ultrasound examinations of 44 reversed vein grafts over the past 3 years.

Acute inflammation of a congenital cecal diverticulum mimicking appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Cecal diverticulitis is a relatively rare problem in the Western world. It is often clinically indistinguishable from acute appendicitis. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a young woman who was suspected to have acute appendicitis prior to operation. At operation an unexpected and suspicious cecal mass was found and the procedure was revised to a right hemicolectomy. Subsequent histological examination revealed an acutely inflamed solitary, congenital diverticulum of the cecum. CONCLUSIONS: We would like to highlight this uncommon condition to ensure that its first encounter is not in the operating theatre. The varied and controversial management options are briefly discussed.