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Biomedical subjects

C H Anyanwu

Publications and source records attributed to C H Anyanwu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Pericarditis: a persisting surgical problem.

A study of pericarditis treated surgically over a period of 14.5 years was conducted to evaluate the current pattern and management of this disease in a tropical environment. The series comprised 86 patients (58 males and 28 females) aged from 5 months to 60 years (mean 21.1 years). Pericarditis was effusive in 41 patients, calcific in 33 and fibrous in 12. Aetiological or associated factors were non-specific, pyogenic infection, rheumatic heart disease, endomyocardial fibrosis, tuberculosis and amoebiasis in 36, 21, eight, eight, six and four patients, respectively. All the patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV. Operative treatment involved pericardiotomy with tube drainage in 32 patients, pericardiectomy in 49, and pericardiotomy with subsequent pericardiectomy in five. The total hospital mortality rate was 8.0%, and was largely a result of severe pre-operative cardiac decompensation and multiple organ failure. Of the 79 early survivors, 91% reverted to NYHA functional class I or II. Surgical treatment remains the most effective management of chronic pericarditis which still constitutes a major clinical problem in some countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Ventilatory pulmonary function study in healthy young Nigerian adults.

Ventilatory pulmonary function was studied in 108 healthy young Nigerian adults using an electronic spirometer, with a view to determining the normal values of function for healthy Nigerians. The measured values of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, maximum voluntary ventilation, and peak flow rate were compared with those obtained from similar studies on Nigerians and the predicted values for Caucasians. Higher values of function were obtained in Nigerian males than in the females. Nigerian males, however, showed lower values when compared with Caucasians of similar anthropometric measurements; there was no difference between the females in this study and their Caucasian counterparts. There were also some similarities and differences between the values obtained in this study and those of similar studies in Nigerians of different socio-ethnic backgrounds. The results emphasize the necessity for a ventilatory normogram for each socio-economic or ethnic grouping of individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Management of traumatic rupture of the diaphragm.

Traumatic rupture of the diaphragm is a potentially serious injury which presents in different forms depending on the mechanism of the causative trauma. Over a 7 year period, 20 patients (17 male and 3 female) with traumatic rupture of the diaphragm were seen in our unit; their mean age was 25.6 years. Automobile accidents caused the diaphragmatic injuries in 65 per cent of cases while falls from trees were the cause of injury in 10 per cent. Ten patients (50 per cent) were seen within 7 days of the injury and 95 per cent within 3 months. The left hemidiaphragm was ruptured in 85 per cent and the right in 15 per cent of cases. Fifty ribs were fractured in fourteen patients (70 per cent) but there were no pelvic fractures. Fourteen patients (70 per cent) had gastrointestinal visceral herniation into the thorax, the stomach, omentum, colon and spleen being the commonest herniating organs. Successful surgical repair was achieved in 18 patients, 4 of whom also had splenectomy; 2 patients were treated conservatively. A high index of suspicion and early surgical treatment are the mainstay of successful management of traumatic rupture of the diaphragm with or without herniation of abdominal organs.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1983

Postpneumonic pleural suppuration in children.

Postpneumonic pleural suppuration is a common condition seen in paediatric practice in Nigeria. One hundred and twenty cases seen at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, over a 4-year period were reviewed. The patients were aged between 1 1/2 months and 16 years. History of antecedent measles was elicited in 27 of the children, and 70% of the patients presented to the hospital later than 7 days after the onset of symptoms of pleura suppuration. From the pleural aspirates of 106 cases (88.3%) Staphylococcus aureus was cultured in 31.2%, but there were no organisms cultured in 39.4%. Twenty-nine children were treated by chemotherapy only; 11 of them (37.9%) died. Sixty-eight cases had tube drainage of the pleural collections, with 6 deaths (8.8%). Twenty-three patients had thoracotomy, evacuation of the suppurative lesion and decortication of the lung, with no mortality. There was overall hospital mortality of 14.2%, the highest mortality being in children who had associated measles, gastroenteritis, anaemia or malnutrition. Early surgical drainage by tube thoracostomy or by thoracotomy and decortication in addition to appropriate and adequate antibiotic therapy is the treatment of choice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Experience with civilian vascular injuries in eastern Nigeria.

Accidents and trauma are the most common causes of death in the young Nigerian male. Due to inadequate facilities for recovering the injured, patients with major vascular injuries fail to reach the hospital alive. The incidence of vascular injury in the Nigerian population should be higher than is reflected in this study. Late presentation to the hospital results in the greater number of patients with traumatic aneurysms. Improvement in ambulance and hospital services for the injured will facilitate earlier detection and treatment of vascular injuries, improve the mortality rate, and limit the late sequelae of vascular injuries.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1982

A clinical evaluation of Suprapen (amoxicillin plus flucloxacillin) in the management of childhood thoracic empyema.

Twenty-one children, all suffering from thoracic empyema, were treated with a combination of antibiotic therapy (Suprapen) and tube thoracostomy. A satisfactory clinical response with radiological and laboratory confirmation was seen in all but one patient, thus obviating the need for major surgery. Suprapen may be considered as a first line antibiotic in such cases of pleural sepsis in the absence of bacteriological confirmation of infection.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1982

Pulmonary aspergilloma: report of two cases from Nigeria.

Two cases of pulmonary aspergilloma confirmed histologically are reported fron Nigeria; they constitute the first cases reported from this country. We advise that a high index of suspicion is necessary to detect more cases of pulmonary aspergilloma in Nigeria.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Rheumatic fever in Nigerian children. A prospective study of 66 patients.

Sixty-six Nigerian children with rheumatic fever were studied between 1975 and 1979. Equal numbers of patients had acute and chronic disease. Carditis was the most common major manifestation, being present in 98% of the cases, whereas subcutaneous nodules, erythema marginatum, and chorea were relatively rare. Twelve patients died within two years of the disease's appearance and eight have become unavailable for follow-up. Our findings resemble those from other tropical countries, in contrast with results from temperate countries: rheumatic fever manifests differently and rheumatic carditis runs a more fulminant course in a person from a tropical area.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Management of pleural sepsis in Nigerian children.

Pleural sepsis in children is common in most developing countries. It may present as total pyothorax, pyopneumothorax, or localised thoracic empyema. In most cases, it follows an attack of bronchopneumonia, but other debilitating conditions such as measles, malnutrition, and sickle cell anaemia form part of the clinical syndrome. In a review of 60 cases of pleural sepsis in children aged between 1.5 months and 16 years, there were 40 cases of pyothorax, 15 of pyopneumothorax, and five of localised empyema. Treatment with chemotherapy only was given in 22 cases of whom eight died. Twenty-three patients had chemotherapy and tube drainage of the pleural contents; five died. Fifteen children had excision of the pleural disease, and decortication of the lung; none died. In view of the chronicity of the pleural sepsis by the time the child is seen in the hospital, and also the low mortality and shorter period in hospital, thoracotomy and decortication is recommended as the treatment of choice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Chest trauma in a developing country.

In a developing country with inadequate clinical facilities a conservative method of management of a major clinical problem is often the only rational approach. This policy was adopted in the management of 145 patients with chest trauma in a teaching hospital in Nigeria. Automobile accidents were the cause of the thoracic injuries in 73.1% of the patients; 71.7% of the patients were managed as in-patients. The management of the patients was essentially aimed at correction of hypovolaemia, tube drainage of pleural collections, and relief of pain by intercostal nerve block. Major operative procedures were adopted in 11 cases (7.6%) for persistent haemothorax or for pyothorax, ruptured diaphragm, ruptured abdominal viscus, and subdural haematona. No operative reduction of rib fractures was performed and only 1 of the 12 patients with flail chest was mechanically ventilated. The hospital mortality was 9.7% and, despite a high rate of default at follow-up attendances, no late death or serious complication was recorded. Th aspects peculiar to chest trauma in Nigeria are discussed.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1980

Traumatic aneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas in Nigeria.

Traumatic aneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas may be as common in the developing and less industrialized countries as they are in the developed countries. In a 4 year period 12 cases of traumatic aneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas were seen at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Nigeria. Nine of these resulted from civilian injuries while 3 were due to military activities. The femoral vessels were involved in 7 cases while the extracranial carotid arteries were injured in 2 cases. Gunshots accounted for 6 lesions. Metal fragments and knife stabs were responsible for 2 cases respectively. All the 3 arteriovenous fistulas involved the femoral vessels--2 superficial and one deep. The vascular lesions were assessed by arteriography in 9 cases. All but one case were treated by excision, the vessels being reconstructed in 7 cases. There was one death due to septicemia.

Adult↗