Spinal Cord Compression in Togo: Etiologies and Management.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord compression etiology depends on geographic region. In sub-Saharan Africa, the etiologies are mostly infectious, and management is characterized by diagnostic delay and limited treatment modalities. In Togo, treatment was nonoperative until 2008. However, management has improved with the development of imaging and availability of specialists. We sought to report etiology and outcome of spinal cord compression since establishment of a neurosurgery unit in Togo. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was performed of patients admitted for spinal cord compression in the neurosurgery unit of a referral hospital in Togo between 2008 and 2018. Follow-up was conducted at 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge. RESULTS: Spinal cord compression represented 4.2% of hospitalizations. Median patient age was 41 years; 5 patients were children. Men accounted for 64.6% of patients. Patients presented late to the hospital; 40.7% reported symptoms lasting >1 year. Claudication was the presenting symptom in 75.2%. At presentation, 20.3% of patients had complete neurological lesions. The main etiology of compression was degenerative disease. Surgery was performed in 81.4% of patients; only 16.3% were operated on within 72 hours of admission. Chemotherapy was administered in 5 cases. At 1 year after surgery, 33.7% of patients had total neurological recovery, and 50% had partial recovery. Factors influencing neurological recovery were age, initial neurological status, and type of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study found increased degenerative causes of spinal cord compression in Africa. The pathology is characterized in our context by late consultation and operative delay affecting recovery, morbidity, and mortality.

Children hydrocephalus in Togo: etiologies, treatment, and outcomes.

Background: Hydrocephalus is frequent in sub-Saharan African countries. The postinfectious hydrocephalus tends to decrease. The objective of this study was to identify the etiologies and outcomes of hydrocephalus. Methods: This was a retrospective study of hydrocephalus cases (0-15 years old) treated in the neurosurgery unit of the Sylvanus Olympio Hospital in Lomé over 10 years (2012-2021). At 1 year, the evolution distinguished in two categories: (1) Good psychomotor development: no delay in the acquisition of walking, language, and school. (2) Psychomotor delay: delay in the acquisition of walking, language, and school. Results: We reported 305 children treated for hydrocephalus representing 1.8% of all neurosurgery unit patients and 34.2% of pediatric pathologies. There was a male predominance (60.6%). We noted second degree consanguinity in 8.5%. The positive maternal serologies were HIV (12.4%), syphilis (8.2%), and toxoplasmosis (2.6%). A malaria episode had been treated during the first trimester in 36.7% of the mothers. The main clinical sign of hydrocephalus was 91.5% of Macrocephalus. Congenital Malformafions were the most common etiologies of hydrocephalus (68.5%). Ventriculoperitoneal shunt was the main surgical method used and 16 deaths were recorded. The medium-term evolution (1 year) was evaluated in 36.1% and noted 61.8% of psychomotor retardation. Conclusion: This study confirms the trend of the predominance of congenital causes of hydrocephalus in Africa, even if maternal infections can be involved in the development of some of them. The morbimortality of this pathology remains important, especially concerning neurocognitive outcomes.

The impact of African-trained neurosurgeons on sub-Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVE: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) represents 17% of the world's land, 14% of the population, and 1% of the gross domestic product. Previous reports have indicated that 81/500 African neurosurgeons (16.2%) worked in SSA-i.e., 1 neurosurgeon per 6 million inhabitants. Over the past decades, efforts have been made to improve neurosurgery availability in SSA. In this study, the authors provide an update by means of the polling of neurosurgeons who trained in North Africa and went back to practice in SSA. METHODS: Neurosurgeons who had full training at the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) Rabat Training Center (RTC) over the past 16 years were polled with an 18-question survey focused on demographics, practice/case types, and operating room equipment availability. RESULTS: Data collected from all 21 (100%) WFNS RTC graduates showed that all neurosurgeons returned to work to SSA in 12 different countries, 90% working in low-income and 10% in lower-middle-income countries, defined by the World Bank as a Gross National Income per capita of ≤ US$995 and US$996-$3895, respectively. The cumulative population in the geographical areas in which they practice is 267 million, with a total of 102 neurosurgeons reported, resulting in 1 neurosurgeon per 2.62 million inhabitants. Upon return to SSA, WFNS RTC graduates were employed in public/private hospitals (62%), military hospitals (14.3%), academic centers (14.3%), and private practice (9.5%). The majority reported an even split between spine and cranial and between trauma and elective; 71% performed between 50 and more than 100 neurosurgical procedures/year. Equipment available varied across the cohort. A CT scanner was available to 86%, MRI to 38%, surgical microscope to 33%, endoscope to 19.1%, and neuronavigation to 0%. Three (14.3%) neurosurgeons had access to none of the above. CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgery availability in SSA has significantly improved over the past decade thanks to the dedication of senior African neurosurgeons, organizations, and volunteers who believed in forming the new neurosurgery generation in the same continent where they practice. Challenges include limited resources and the need to continue expanding efforts in local neurosurgery training and continuing medical education. Focus on affordable and low-maintenance technology is needed.

Bilan de 24 mois d'activités neurochirurgicales au centre hospitalier régional Lomé commune (Togo)

Objectif: Présenter et discuter les résultats de l'activité neurochirurgicale au Centre Hospitalier Régional Lomé Commune.Patients et Méthode:Nous avons mené une étude rétrospective de Juillet 2014 à Juillet 2016, incluant les patients opérés pour une affection neurochirurgicale. Les paramètres étudiés étaient épidémio- logiques, diagnostiques, chirurgicaux et évolutifs. Résultats:Cent quatre-vingt-douze patients ont été opérés. Leur âge moyen était de 42,14 ans [0-72]. Le sex ratio étaitde 1,94 en faveur des hommes. La durée moyenne du séjour hospitalier en post opératoire était de 8,2 jours. Les affections dégénératives du rachis ont été la première pathologie concernée par la chirurgie (49,48%), suivies des traumatismes du rachis (17,19%). L'évolution a été favorable dans 90,1% des cas, pour l'ensemble de la série. Nous avons noté 1,6% de cas d'infection du site opératoire, sur l'ensemble de la série. Conclusion : Les résultats sont encourageants pour l'ensemble de la série. L'essor de la pratique neurochirurgicale au Togo nécessite la création d'unités neurochirurgicales indépendantes, une amélioration du plateau technique et une coopération multidisciplinaire

Unusual coexistence of an epidermoid cyst with an atypical meningioma: Case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Coexistence of multiple primary intracranial tumors of different cell types has rarely been documented; the association of a meningioma and a glioma has been reported as the most common combination. Hereby, we report an unusual case of a temporal epidermoid cyst coexisting with an atypical meningioma. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old male presented with progressive symptoms of raised intracranial progression with progressive loss of vision without any neurological deficit. On admission, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a right frontal lesion appearing hypointense T1, hyperintense T2 slightly enhanced after gadolinium and a second right temporal, isointense T1, hyperintense T2 non-enhancing lesion. A right frontotemporal craniotomy was performed that revealed two distinct lesions: The whitish temporal lesion with the pearl appearance reminding of an epidermoid cyst, the second lesion was extraaxial fibrous lesion arising from the falx. Pathology confirmed an atypical meningioma WHO Grade II and an epidermoid cyst. CONCLUSION: The simultaneous occurrence of primary intracranial tumors of different cell types is rare. Epidermoid cysts are slow growing lesions believed to arise from inclusion of ectodermal elements during neural tube closure, while meningiomas arise from arachnoidal cells; their association has rarely been reported previously.