ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of pain in ambulatory patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Port Harcourt and to determine the type, site, severity, and adequacy of the treatment of pain in these patients.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was carried out at two antiretroviral therapy centers in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. A data sheet, the brief pain inventory, and the short form of the McGill pain questionnaire were used and 157 patients in various stages of HIV/AIDS participated in the study.ResultsAbout 83.7% (129/157) of the ambulatory patients with HIV/AIDS complained of pains. Of the patients who reported pain 61.24% (79/129) reported nociceptive pain while 38.76% (50/129) reported neuropathic pain. Chest pain was the most frequent site of pain followed by headache. About 82% (106/129) of those who complained of pain received some form of analgesic, but only 23.58% (25/106) of these obtained adequate pain relief. The majority of the participants had significant impairment of their quality of life due to the severity of their pain.ConclusionPain associated with significant impairment of quality of life is common in ambulatory patients with HIV/AIDS in Port Harcourt. Whereas the majority of the patients used various pain relief methods, analgesia was inadequate.

BACKGROUND. The intensive care unit provides critically ill patients with the necessary monitoring, care and supports to optimize their organ/system functions. Parturients are often at risk of sudden deteriorations or exacerbation of chronic illnesses from direct or indirect causes and would often require admissions into the intensive care or high dependency unit. This study is aimed at looking at the trends of maternal admissions in 365 days at the intensive care unit of a tertiary teaching hospital in Southern part of Nigeria, a country that contributes significantly to the global proportion of maternal morbidity and mortality. METHODS. The study adopted a retrospective approach. All critically ill parturients admitted and requiring organ support or close monitoring in the ICU had their files and ICU documents reviewed. The review was held from January-December 2018. RESULTS. Thirty-nine (39) parturients with a mean age (years) of 33 ± 1.3 were admitted, representing 2.9% of annual deliveries. All admissions were postnatal and came predominantly from the unbooked labour ward (51%) and the time lag from maternal deteriorations to presentation to the ICU was 72 ± 10 hours. The main indications for admissions were due to postpartum haemorrhage (33.3%), complications of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (30.9%) and sepsis (25.6%). Nineteen (48.7%) patients died from obstetric haemorrhage, complications of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, sepsis and pulmonary embolism. CONCLUSION. The trend of maternal admissions at this specific time frame reflects the burden of maternal critical care in our environment. It highlights the need to holistically tackle the known scourge with improved care.

Concealed penis (CP) is a developmental anomaly in which the penis is hidden in the skin of the abdomen, thigh or scrotum. As a result of this, the penis appears shortened in length. It was first described by Keyes Jr. E.L. in 1919. It can be associated with voiding problem and in adults, sexual issues, among others. Objective: To show that surgery can reverse celibacy induced by CP and highlight the need for an interdisciplinary approach to correction of this anomaly. Patient and Method: A thirty-one-year male patient who had a surgical release of his buried penis by two surgeons in 2019 in a private hospital. The case note was reviewed, the data obtained analyzed and the results including photographs, were presented. The patient was followed up. Result: A 10 cm length of penis and a hundred percent (100%) take of sheet of split skin graft used to resurface the denuded penis were achieved using combined spinal and epidural anesthesia. The patient, his mother and the surgeons were satisfied with the outcome. Consequently, he resolved to marry a wife after all. Conclusion: Concealed penis can now be regarded as a known cause of celibacy and surgical correction can reverse the celibate state.

No abstract

No abstract