East and Central African Journal of Surgery最新文献

{"title":"Retained textile foreign body: A rare cause of acute abdomen","authors":"J. Caballero-Alvarado, Carlos Ruiz-Urquiaga, Judith Sánchez-Zavaleta, Edward Chávez-Cruzado","doi":"10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.10","url":null,"abstract":"A retained textile foreign body in the abdominal cavity following surgery (gossypiboma, textiloma) is an iatrogenic complication that has medicolegal repercussions. This report presents a female patient who was seen in the emergency room with a history of hysterectomy, 8 years prior, due to severe haemorrhage associated with placenta accreta. She complained of moderate abdominal pain, which progressed over the previous 8 days. After physical examination and diagnostic imaging, an appendicular plastron complicated by abscess was diagnosed. During surgery, a mobile, omentum-wrapped mass was observed and excised. Extracorporeal inspection revealed the mass to be partially decomposed dressing gauze saturated with malodorous liquid. The patient recovered well and was discharged with no complications. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.10 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132845355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Treatment of chronic osteomyelitis with locally made calcium sulfate bone cement pellets impregnated with antibiotics at University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB), Rwanda","authors":"Julien Gashegu, Tom Byamungu, Christian Ngarambe, J. Bayisenga, A. Kiswezi","doi":"10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.1","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Chronic osteomyelitis remains a challenging and potentially lifelong disease. Its treatment includes surgery, which is essential and consists of the removal of all dead bone and necrotic soft tissues, and systemic antibiotic administration. One excellent modality for antibiotic delivery is the use of antibiotic-impregnated bone cement. In this paper, we report our experience of operating-room-made antibiotic-impregnated bone cement at University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB), Rwanda. \u0000Methods: Fifty-five patients with haematogenously spread chronic osteomyelitis were operated upon and benefited from our protocol between January 2015 and December 2016. Excluded from this study were cases in which we estimated that soft tissue bone coverage might have been a challenge. We mixed 300 g of calcium sulfate powder with 2 g of ceftriaxone and 480 mg of gentamicin to form pellets. To allow for drying, we prepared the mixture 2 hours before implantation into operated bone. \u0000Results: Thirty-one patients (56%) were children under 15 years of age, and 44 (80%) of the cases involved the tibia or the femur. After 12 months of follow-up, only 3 cases (5%) presented with complications that needed additional surgeries. All complications were related to the biodegradation of the calcium sulfate pallets. The rest of the patients in this study improved without complications. \u0000Conclusions: The locally made (within in the operating room) antibiotic-impregnated bone cement at CHUB was safe, effective, and of low cost. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.1 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"76 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123985071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A descriptive study of transvesical prostatectomy outcomes at a general hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia","authors":"H. Seife, A. Deneke","doi":"10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.5","url":null,"abstract":"Background \u0000Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects more than 50% of men over 60 years of age and is the most common cause of bladder outlet obstruction and voiding symptoms in elderly men. Open prostatectomy—either transvesical or retropubic—remains the standard definitive treatment for BPH in some centres, especially in developing countries. \u0000Methods \u0000This study was undertaken at Ras Desta Hospital, a regional hospital run by the Addis Ababa Health Bureau. The study was conducted between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2013, during which time 195 patients underwent surgery for BPH. Of these, 154 patients had preoperative and postoperative records sufficient for comparison and analysis. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. \u0000Results \u0000Fourteen patients (9%) were between 40 and 49 years of age, 41 (27%) were 50 to 59 years old, and 67 patients (44%) were between 60 and 69 years of age. Sixty-one of the patients (40%) of patients had one or more episodes of acute urinary retention and had a history of catheterization for bladder outlet obstruction. Immediate postoperative complications were seen in 10 patients. Two patients had transient incontinence after transvesical prostatectomy, and 1 patient had permanent incontinence. There was also 1 clot retention, 2 suprapubic leaks, and 4 wound infections. One patient reported retrograde ejaculation. \u0000Conclusions \u0000Given the limited availability and high costs associated with transurethral resection of the prostate, open prostatectomy remains an appropriate alternative in Ethiopia. The complication rates associated with open prostatectomy are minimal when the procedure is performed by adequately trained personnel. However, BPH patients often present to hospital after several serious complications. Therefore, more efforts should be made towards improving community awareness. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.5 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"51 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121746435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A descriptive retrospective cohort study of thoracic surgery experiences from September 2015 to July 2017 at three referral hospitals in Rwanda","authors":"I. Sibomana, M. Sinclair","doi":"10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.2","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Universal access to safe surgery is still a challenge in low- and middle-income countries. An insufficient surgical workforce is a major barrier for performing surgery in these settings, especially specialized operations, such as cardiac and thoracic surgeries. This article describes the thoracic surgical procedures performed at three referral hospitals in Rwanda. \u0000Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving patients with various chest pathologies operated by or under the supervision of a thoracic surgeon (faculty from the Human Resources for Health Program), at three teaching hospitals in Rwanda, from September 2015 through July 2017. This study included only major thoracic procedures. Data were collected from the faculty logbook and patient files. The information collected included demographic data, clinical presentation, radiological and intraoperative findings, and outcomes. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Review Board. \u0000Results: Thirty-two patients underwent 33 operations during the 23 months of the study (1 patient had 2 procedures). Twenty-one of the patients (66%) were male, and 11 (34%) were female. Patients’ ages ranged between 13 and 77 years, with a mean age of 41 years. Infectious chest pathologies (mostly tuberculosis-related) were common indications for surgery. Sixteen cases (48%) were thoracic empyemas that required either thoracotomy and pulmonary decortication or open thoracostomy (modified Eloesser flap). \u0000Other operations performed were anterior mediastinotomy for mediastinal mass (4 cases), biopsy and resection of chest wall mass (3 cases), pericardial window for pericardial tamponade (2 cases), resection of lung aspergilloma (2 cases), resection of a lung tumour (2 cases), and others (4 cases). Mortality was 6% (2 patients), and 3 patients had postoperative complications, which were surgical site infection in 1 patient and ineffective thoracotomy in 2 patients. \u0000Conclusions: With clinical mentorship and dedicated teams, thoracic surgery can be performed in low-resource settings, where infectious pathologies predominate, with acceptable morbidity and mortality. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.2 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"60 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128192020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Student self-assessment after Essential Surgical Skills training for final-year medical students at Gulu University, northern Uganda","authors":"T. R. Okello, P. Mugabi, G. Hwang, M. Sutter, R. Lett","doi":"10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.4","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Medical practice depends on a set of essential clinical and surgical skills, yet inadequate attention is given to training these skills in medical school. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Essential Surgical Skills® (ESS) training on self-report comfort levels in performing surgical skills among final-year medical students at Gulu University in Gulu, Uganda. \u0000Methods: This study analysed 5 years’ worth of pre- and post-course ESS self-evaluation questionnaires completed by final-year medical students attending Gulu University between 2013 and 2017. Pre- and post-course results were compared using Student’s t-test. ESS elements covered over the 5-day course were: surgery fundamentals; respiratory and anaesthesia skills; and skills related to gastrointestinal, obstetric, and orthopaedic surgery. \u0000Results: There was a significant improvement in the students’ level of comfort related to all ESS components when pre- and post-course questionnaire responses were compared (P < 0.001). \u0000Conclusions: Medical schools should emphasize training of essential clinical and surgical skills because these give medical students the confidence and proficiency needed in clinical practice. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.4 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115371394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distally based ulnar artery perforator flap for hand reconstruction and wrist defect closure","authors":"Peter Oduor","doi":"10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.8","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the hand and wrist with exposed tendons, joints, and neurovascular structures challenging for plastic surgeons. Such defects require a flap for coverage to preserve hand and wrist function. We used the distally based ulnar artery perforator flap for reconstruction in patients with soft tissue deformities and defects of the wrist and hand. \u0000Methods: Between June 2015 and August 2017, 8 patients were operated upon to correct deformities of the hand and wrist using the distally based ulnar artery perforator flap. Their ages ranged from 1.5 to 32 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1:1. Five of the patients had post-burn contractures, and the remaining were post-trauma, with 1 gunshot wound and the other 2 resulting from road traffic accidents. The flap was islanded in 3 patients and pedicled in 5. \u0000Results: All of the flaps survived, and donor site defects in all patients were covered with split-thickness skin grafts. There was minimal donor site morbidity. \u0000Conclusions: The distally based ulnar artery perforator flap is a convenient and reliable flap for reconstruction of soft tissue defects and post-burn contractures of the hand and wrist. Its main advantages are that it is a single-stage procedure with no sacrificing of major vessels. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.8 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"79 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124571463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Management of pelviureteric junction obstruction at a tertiary teaching hospital in southwestern Nigeria: A retrospective analysis of case records","authors":"A. Talabi, A. Salako, O. Sowande, T. Badmus, T. Aladekomo, R. Babalola, C. Onyeze, R. David, O. Adejuyigbe","doi":"10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.6","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Pelviureteric junction obstruction (PUJO) is an important cause of upper urinary tract obstruction. It can cause marked impairment of renal function, especially in bilateral cases, if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Surgical intervention is currently the mainstay of treatment. We aimed to review the pattern of presentation and management outcomes of patients diagnosed with PUJO. \u0000Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients aged 2–60 years who presented with PUJO between January 2005 and December 2014. Demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, investigations, and treatment modalities were extracted from case notes. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. \u0000Results: The age range of the 32 included PUJO patients was 2–60 years, with a median age of 30 years. Children constituted 31% of patients. There were 15 males and a male-to-female ratio of 0.88:1. Most PUJO was unilateral and left-sided (n = 19; 59%). Loin pain was the commonest symptom (n = 26; 81%), while 25% of patients had a urinary tract infection at presentation. All patients had normal renal function at the time of surgery, and Anderson–Hynes pyeloplasty was the most common technique employed (72% of cases). Postoperatively, the majority of patients (n = 31; 97%) had complete symptom resolution. Surgical site infection (n = 3; 9%) was the commonest postoperative complication, and the median hospital stay was 11 days. There was no mortality. \u0000Conclusions: Most patients with PUJO presented late. Most of our patients underwent Anderson–Hynes pyeloplasty with satisfactory outcomes. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.6 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"78 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130607638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Graduated compression therapy usage among surgeons in the COSECSA region: A cross-sectional study","authors":"B. M. Ndeleva, K. Lakati","doi":"10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.3","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Numerous studies have demonstrated that graduated compression therapy (GCT) is efficacious in the management of venous disorders, as well as in the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). \u0000This study aimed to delineate GCT usage by surgeons in the region served by the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA). \u0000Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among surgeons attending the 17th COSECSA Annual Scientific Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, between 7 and 10 December 2016. Only surgeons practising in the COSECSA region were included. Participation was voluntary, and those who consented were asked to complete a pretested questionnaire. \u0000Results: Ninety-four surgeons of various specialities submitted complete questionnaires. General and orthopaedic surgeons (48% and 30% of respondents, respectively) saw the most patients with venous disorders and patients at risk of VTE. Considering the mean number of patients seen, respondents prescribed GCT infrequently. Orthopaedic surgeons were the least likely to report having prescribed GCT for patients who might have benefited from such therapy, only doing so 15% of the time. The commonest indications for GCT prescription were varicose veins and VTE prophylaxis. The most commonly reported challenge was availability. No respondent reported experience with serious adverse events associated with GCT, such as limb ischaemia or nerve injury. A majority of the surgeons (58%) reported that GCT is effective for the prevention of VTE as well as the treatment of various venous disorders. \u0000Conclusions: GCT is widely accepted as a useful tool in the prevention of VTE and management of various venous disorders among surgeons in the COSECSA region. However, GCT usage is low, owing to challenges such as availability. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.3 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127216911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mastalgia: A narrative literature review of current understanding and management","authors":"Sajad Ahmad Salati, A. Alhumaid","doi":"10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.9","url":null,"abstract":"Mastalgia, or breast pain, is one of the most common breast symptoms experienced by women of reproductive age. The cyclical variant of mastalgia is predominant, and patients need proper assessment and management to allay their 2 chief concerns: (1) the severity of pain negatively impacting daily life and (2) the fear of harbouring malignancy. This article presents a brief review of various modalities of management for cyclical mastalgia and emphasizes data collected from peer-reviewed literature published in the last decade. Keywords: mastalgia; breast pain; mastodynia; mammalgia; cyclic mastalgia; noncyclic mastalgia; danazol; tamoxifen; reassurance; visual analogue scale","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"2015 25","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132679618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A 12-month prospective study of intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome incidence and outcomes at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria","authors":"O. Ayandipo, O. Afuwape, M. Kuti, T. Adigun, O. Idowu","doi":"10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ECAJS.V23I1.7","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Peritoneal sepsis is a life-threatening emergency, more so in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where immediate hospital presentation for much needed urgent surgical care is the exception rather than the norm. Continued research into the multifactorial aetiopathogenesis responsible for the high level of morbidity and mortality is necessary. We aimed to determine the incidence of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in patients presenting with generalized peritonitis in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. \u0000Methods: We conducted a prospective study involving recruitment of consenting patients managed for generalized peritonitis over 12 months. \u0000Results: Fifty-seven consenting and appropriate patients were recruited over the course of the study and managed as per study protocol. The duration of symptoms ranged between 11 hours and 7 days. All patients had varying degrees of IAH and ACS at presentation with generalized peritonitis. A laparotomy with definitive surgery was done in 51 patients (89%), with 6 patients (11%) having only a bedside peritoneal drain inserted for decompression. \u0000Significant improvement of the respiratory rate (P < 0.001), oxygen saturation (P = 0.041), and urinary output (P = 0.021) only occurred after decompression by laparotomy or tube drainage. The consecutive mean ± standard deviation (SD) intra-abdominal pressures measured, respectively, at presentation, immediately postsurgery, then postoperatively at 6 h, 24 h, and 72 h reflected significant improvement at each point (respectively in cmH2O: 11.4 ± 6.03, 6.58 ± 5.58, 5.78 ± 3.29, 4.73 ± 2.86, 6.72 ± 5.18; P < 0.001). \u0000Conclusions: IAH and ACS are not uncommon in our setting, and ACS at presentation is a significant predictor of mortality in patients with peritoneal sepsis. Surgical decompression invariably leads to an improvement in all clinical variables investigated. \u0000https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ecajs.v23i1.7 \u0000  \u0000This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source (including a link to the formal publication), provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.","PeriodicalId":302666,"journal":{"name":"East and Central African Journal of Surgery","volume":"12 4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122345698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}