IntroductionDesmoid tumors are benign but locally aggressive tumors of mesenchymal origin which are poorly circumscribed, infiltrate the surrounding tissue, lack a true capsule and are composed of abundant collagen. History of trauma to the site of tumor origin is elicited in up to 1 in 4 cases and they most commonly develop in the anterior abdominal wall and shoulder girdle but they can arise in any skeletal muscle. The clinical behavior and natural history of desmoid tumors are unpredictable and management is difficult with many issues remaining controversial, mainly regarding early detection, the role, type and timing of surgery and the value of non-operative therapies.Case presentationWe report a case of a 23 year old male referred from a district hospital to a national referral hospital in Kenya, after developing a huge abdominal wall desmoid tumor following laparotomy for a blunt abdominal injury fourteen months earlier. The tumor was successfully excised and the abdominal wall defect reconstructed using a vicryl/prolene mesh and a unilateral groin flap. The patient had a non-eventful recovery and was discharged through radiotherapy clinic.ConclusionWide margin tumor excision alone is a reasonable option in the management of desmoid tumors.

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This was a combined retrospective and prospective study in which 2 sets of results from 2 hospitals in Nairobi were analyzed and compared. The retrospective study was conducted at Kenyatta National Hospital, whereas the prospective study was conducted at Metropolitan Hospital.The main objective of the study was to establish the presentation and pattern of patients with cleft lip and palate and complications of repair at the 2 hospitals.In the retrospective arm of the study, files of all patients presenting with clefts at Kenyatta National Hospital between January 1998 and December 2007 were retrieved, and a questionnaire was filled out for each of them, whereas all patients seen and operated on for clefts at the Metropolitan Hospital from January 2007 to October 2008 were recruited into the prospective study.There was a predominance of male participants in both studies, and most clefts were on the left side. The retrospective and prospective studies had positive family history in 3.5% and 30.9%, respectively. Associated congenital malformations were 8.2% for the retrospective study and 25% for the prospective study. In both studies, the central province had the largest number of clefts, whereas the coast province had very few.Cleft lip and palate is a significant congenital malformation in Kenya, and there seems to be a higher incidence of familial tendency and associated congenital malformations than that reported elsewhere.

Background: Breast reconstruction following mastectomy has mental and physical health benefits. Several patient-centered factors predict the rate of breast reconstructions. We investigated the rates and predictors of breast reconstruction in postmastectomy patients diagnosed with breast cancer at a teaching and national referral center. Methods: A retrospective case-control study involving post-mastectomy females diagnosed with breast cancer from 2014 to 2018. Logistic regression evaluated potential predictors of breast reconstruction. Results: 312 women had mastectomies during the 5-year study period: 9 (2.88%) had breast reconstructionall breast reconstructions were autologous (latissimus flap). The rate of reconstruction increased over the study period, then dropped in 2018. Factors significantly affecting the rate of breast reconstruction included patient age and insurance coverage. Conclusion: In this hospital-based study, the rate of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction is low, despite the procedure being an essential component of breast cancer care. Age and insurance coverage are predictors for breast reconstruction.