A 10-year clinicopathological analysis of ovarian lesions in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria.

Background: Ovarian tumours are the most lethal of all gynaecological cancers and they are usually diagnosed in advanced stages when the prognosis is very poor. Objective: To determine the pattern of ovarian lesions, their frequency, presentation, and associated clinical symptoms in Uyo, Nigeria. Methods: A 10-year retrospective study of all ovarian specimens that were surgically removed and histologically diagnosed. Results: The patients were between the ages of 5 and 73 years with median age of 34.1 years. Benign tumours occurred most commonly among the 20-39-year age group (31.3%) while malignant tumours were predominant among those aged 50-69 years (10.0%). Surface epithelial tumours (45.4%) were the most common neoplastic tumours while the mature cystic teratoma (33.2%) was the most common tumour overall. Surface epithelial malignancies accounted for 70.6% of all ovarian malignancies and the serous cyst adenocarcinoma (10.2%) was the most common surface epithelial tumour as well as the most common malignant tumour. Conclusion: There has been an increase in the number of malignant ovarian specimens in our centre. Though surface epithelial tumours were the most common category of ovarian tumours, overall, the mature cystic teratoma was the most common tumour. Serous cyst adenocarcinoma was the most common surface epithelial tumour and the most common malignant tumour.

Grandmultiparity: outcome of delivery in a tertiary hospital in southern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Grandmultiparity is traditionally associated with increased risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery. Reports from developed countries where obstetric facilities are excellent and the standard ofperinatal care is high indicate that currently, obstetric complications among grandmultipara are now independently associated with progressive maternal age. In Nigeria and other developing nations however, grandmultiparity still contributes a significant proportion of the obstetric population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of delivery of grandmultiparous patients at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. METHODS: The case records of all grandmultiparous patients who delivered at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo over a six-year period were studied. RESULTS: Grandmultiparous women constituted 6.4% of the parturients who delivered in the hospital during the study period. Their ages ranged from 20-45 years with majority (71.5%) being 30-39 years. Majority (77.9%) were para 5 and 6 and 326 (80.1%) of the patients booked and received antenatal care in the hospital. Majority of the booked patients (79.8%) initiated antenatal care after 32 weeks of gestation while all the unbooked patients 68 (16.7%) and the antenatal clinic defaulters 8 (2.0%) were brought from unorthodox health facilities when they developed obstetric complications. Two hundred and forty three patients (59.7%) had spontaneous vaginal delivery, 15 (3.7%) of the patients had laparotomy for ruptured uterus and out of these ten of them (66.7%) had a subtotal abdominal hysterectomy while five (33.4%) had uterine repair and bilateral tubal ligation. The perinatal mortality rate was 128/1000 births. There were three maternal deaths, two from eclampsia while one followed postpartum haemorrhage resulting in a maternal mortality rate of 7.4/1000. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of grandmultiparity in our centre is relatively low. It is, however, associated with high perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. We advocate widespread community enlightenment on the importance of limitation of family size and number of child births. There is need for community based studies in our environment accessing the knowledge and attitude of women with high parity towards contraception.

Intrauterine contraceptive device with rectal perforation and strings presenting at the anus.

A 36-year-old grand multiparous midwife presented to the gynaecological unit of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital with the string of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) protruding from her anus. She had had a copper IUCD inserted at a health centre 8 years earlier. However, 4 months later she noticed that she no longer felt its strings and had another IUCD inserted in the same facility when the first device was not located. Four months prior to presentation, she presented to a private clinic when she no longer felt the strings of the second IUCD. The device in the uterus was removed in the private clinic and she was referred to the teaching hospital. At the teaching hospital rectal examination and plain x-ray revealed the presence of a device. Under general anaesthesia, the device was successfully removed in theatre through the rectum with no postoperative complications.

A Five-year review of uterine fibroids at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Background: Uterine fibroids are benign tumours that arise from myometrial smooth muscle cells. They are the most common tumours found in humans and are particularly common in Negros. We determined the prevalence modes of presentation and treatment modalities of uterine fibroid at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; Uyo; Nigeria. Methods: The case notes of all patients with uterine fibroids over a 4-year period were studied. Results: Uterine fibroids accounted for 7.1of gynaecological admissions and 21.2of major gynaecological surgeries. The patients' age ranged from 21 to 55 years with modal age group being 31-40 years (38.8). Majority of the patients were of low parity (75.4). The most common presenting complaints were abdominal swelling (25.5) and infertility (21.4). Myomectomy was the most common surgical procedure performed (77.6) and the most common post operative omplications were anaemia (21.4) and pyrexia (18.4). Conclusion: Uterine fibroids are common in our environment. The patients are predominantly of low parity and myomectomy is the most common surgical procedure performed