District General Hospital Surgical Capacity and Mortality Trends in Patients with Acute Abdomen in Malawi

Review of the Current Situation of Postoperative Pain and Causes of Inadequate Pain Management in Africa

Postoperative pain is one of the most prevalent complications following surgery, and more than 47% of surgical patients endure postoperative discomfort worldwide. In Africa, due to resource shortages and other issues, postoperative pain is substantially more common when compared to developed countries. Severe postoperative pain has many negative effects, including possibly death, which can burden both individuals and society as a whole. Therefore, effectively controlling postoperative pain is becoming increasingly important. To enhance the effectiveness of future pain management, a thorough analysis of the current reasons for inadequate postoperative pain management is necessary. In this article, the present situations of occurring postoperative pain, children's postoperative pain, and pain management in Africa are reviewed, based on relevant and recent literature. In particular, the reasons for inadequate postoperative pain management in Africa are detailed in this article from five perspectives: the inadequate assessment of postoperative pain, the knowledge gap among medical professionals, the patients' misconceptions, the scarcity of resources, and the lack of medications. Additionally, we offer appropriate solutions following various factors.

Spectrum, Management, and Outcomes of Abdominal Surgical Emergencies at a Referral Hospital in North West Cameroon

Purpose: Abdominal surgical emergencies are a major health burden in low- and middle-income countries where management is often very challenging, and associated with high morbidity and mortality. The spectrum, management, and outcomes of abdominal surgical emergencies needs to be updated.Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study carried out in Bamenda, Cameroon over a 2-year period. Records of patients who met the inclusion criteria were reviewed, with pre-, intra- and postoperative data collected and analyzed.Results: There were 207 patients included in this retrospective review (male to female ratio of 1.4:1. The mean age was 47.4 (± 19.4) years. Intestinal obstruction (34.8%) and perforated peptic ulcers (15.5%) were the most common abdominal surgical emergencies. The median delay and interquartile range to presentation and in-hospital delay were 6 (4) days and 8 (12) hours, respectively. The mean length of hospital stay post-surgery was 11days. There were 48.3% of patients who developed a complication; 34.78% were major, 17.9% had an unplanned reoperation, and 15 (7.2%) were readmitted after discharge. The 30-day in hospital mortality was 19.8%. Mortality was independently associated with a high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score; ASA score > 3, age > 60 years, and referral from other health facilities.Conclusion: Intestinal obstructions from intraperitoneal neoplasm is the most common cause of abdominal surgical emergency in North West Cameroon. Abdominal emergencies here are associated with a very high morbidity and mortality in males > 60 years with an ASA score > 3 and with more than one comorbidity.

Clinical Value of Abdominal Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Acute Abdomen in Children

In order to study the practical application value of abdominal ultrasonography in the diagnosis and treatment of acute abdomen in children, this study uses the method of collecting clinical actual cases and scientific analysis to estimate the clinical diagnostic value of high-frequency ultrasound and low-frequency ultrasound. In order to further clarify its curative effect and treatment advantages, a retrospective analysis of medical records was conducted, and 95 children with acute abdominal pain and suspected appendicitis who were admitted to a hospital from September 2021 to November 2021 were reviewed. ATIL HD15000 color Doppler ultrasound was used for diagnosis. The results are as follows: the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of low-frequency probe in the diagnosis of intussusception in children were 83.61%, 73.33%, 92.73%, and 52.38%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in the diagnosis of mesenteric lymphadenitis were 80.00%, 81.97%, 52.17%, and 94.34%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of high-frequency probe in the diagnosis of intussusception in children were 93.44%, 80.00%, 95.00%, and 75.00%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in the diagnosis of mesenteric lymphadenitis were 93.33%, 95.08%, 82.35%, and 98.31%, respectively. Among the children with appendicitis confirmed by operation and pathology, 69 cases were detected by high-frequency ultrasound and 4 cases were missed (including 3 cases of acute simple appendicitis and 1 case of perforated appendicitis). The false negative was 4%, there was no false positive, and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 95%, 100%, and 96%. In the same cases, 28 cases were detected by low-frequency ultrasound, 45 cases were missed, the false negative was 61%, and there was no false positive. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 39%, 100%, and 53%. The sensitivity, accuracy, and false negative of high-frequency ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis were significantly higher than that of low-frequency ultrasound. This study shows that ultrasound has high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Low-frequency ultrasound can show the whole picture of the disease and the situation in the abdominal cavity, which can better guide the clinical treatment. Color Doppler hemodynamics is a useful supplement to two-dimensional ultrasound, and ultrasound also plays a positive role in the differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children.

The impact of resource limitations on care delivery and outcomes: routine variation, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and persistent shortage

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Resource limitation, or capacity strain, has been associated with changes in care delivery, and in some cases, poorer outcomes among critically ill patients. This may result from normal variation in strain on available resources, chronic strain in persistently under-resourced settings, and less commonly because of acute surges in demand, as seen during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies confirmed existing evidence that high ICU strain is associated with ICU triage decisions, and that ICU strain may be associated with ICU patient mortality. Studies also demonstrated earlier discharge of ICU patients during high strain, suggesting that strain may promote patient flow efficiency. Several studies of strain resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic provided support for the concept of adaptability - that the surge not only caused detrimental strain but also provided experience with a novel disease entity such that outcomes improved over time. Chronically resource-limited settings faced even more challenging circumstances because of acute-on-chronic strain during the pandemic.

SUMMARY

The interaction between resource limitation and care delivery and outcomes is complex and incompletely understood. The COVID-19 pandemic provides a learning opportunity for strain response during both pandemic and nonpandemic times.

Elderly trauma mortality in a resource-limited setting: A benchmark for process improvement

INTRODUCTION

As life expectancy improves globally, the burden of elderly trauma continues to increase. Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to have the most rapid growth in its elderly demographic. Consequently, we sought to examine the trends in characteristics and outcomes of elderly trauma in a tertiary care hospital in Malawi.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of adult patients in the trauma registry at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe, Malawi from 2011-2017. Patients were categorized into elderly (≥ 65 years) and non-elderly (18-64 years). Bivariate analysis compared the characteristics and outcomes of elderly vs. non-elderly patients. The elderly population was then examined over the study period. Poisson regression modeling was used to determine the risk of mortality among elderly patients over time.

RESULTS

Of 63,699 adult trauma patients, 1,925 (3.0%) were aged ≥ 65 years. Among the elderly, the most common mechanism of injury was falls (n = 725 [37.7%]) whereas vehicle or bike collisions were more common in the non-elderly (n = 15,967 [25.9%]). Fractures and dislocations were more prevalent in the elderly (n = 808 [42.0%] vs. 9,133 [14.8%], p < 0.001). In-hospital crude mortality for the elderly was double the non-elderly group (4.8% vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001). Elderly transfers, surgeries, and length of stay significantly increased over the study period but mortality remained relatively unchanged. When adjusted for injury severity and transfer status, there was no significant difference in risk of in-hospital mortality over time.

CONCLUSION

At KCH, the proportion of elderly trauma patients is slowly increasing. Although healthcare resource utilization has increased over time, the overall trend in mortality has not improved. As the quality of care for the most vulnerable populations is a benchmark for the success of a trauma program, further work is needed to improve the trend in outcomes of the elderly trauma population in Malawi.

The Association Between Burn Unit Census and Operative Intervention in a Resource-Limited Setting

INTRODUCTION

The relationship between hospital volume and outcomes remains unclear in the delivery of burn care in resource-limited settings, where demand often exceeds capacity. We sought to characterize the association between burn patient volume and the use of operative intervention at a tertiary burn unit in Malawi.

METHODS

This study examined patients admitted to Kamuzu Central Hospital located in Lilongwe, Malawi, over years 2011-2019. We described the association between the census at the time of admission and the use of operative intervention, as well as the time to operation. Patient census was defined as low (≤ 15 patients), medium (16-29 patients), and high (≥ 30 patients).

RESULTS

A total of 2484 patients were included. The mean daily burn unit census was 22.5 patients (SD 6.6) and varied significantly by season. For the medium and high census, the adjusted risk ratio of undergoing surgery was 0.79 (95% CI 0.64, 0.97) and 0.65 (95% CI 0.49, 0.85), respectively, adjusted for flame burn, age, %TBSA, and delayed presentation. At a low admission census, the adjusted mean time to operation was 17.2 days (95% CI 14.4, 20.1) compared to 28.3 days (95% CI 25.4, 31.2) at a high census.

CONCLUSIONS

In a resource-limited setting, an increasing mean daily census significantly reduced the use of operative intervention and increased time to operation, potentially increasing burn-associated morbidity. In order to improve the quality of burn care in similar environments, improved resource allocation during busier seasons and targeted burn prevention efforts are imperative.

Preoperative anemia and surgical outcomes following laparotomy in a resource-limited setting

INTRODUCTION

Anemia is a common and potentially modifiable condition in sub-Saharan Africa. We sought to determine the role of preoperative anemia on post laparotomy abdominal complications.

METHODS

We conducted a six-month prospective, observational study of patients age >12 years following laparotomy at a tertiary hospital in Malawi. The outcome was the occurrence of abdominal complications. Poisson regression analyses estimated the risk of abdominal complications in patients with moderate/severe anemia.

RESULTS

Of 280 patients, most were male (76.4%) with median age of 35 years (IQR 24-50). Abdominal complications developed in 34 patients (15.2%). Of the 224 patients with known preoperative hemoglobin 54 (20.7%) were moderately or severely anemic at the time of surgery. Patients with moderate-to-severe anemia had an increased risk of abdominal complications (RR 4.44, 95% CI 2.0-9.6).

CONCLUSION

Anemia is a common but modifiable comorbidity among laparotomy patients and independently increases the risk of abdominal complications.

Underutilization of Operative Capacity at the District Hospital Level in a Resource-Limited Setting

INTRODUCTION

Improving surgical care in a resource-limited setting requires the optimization of operative capacity, especially at the district hospital level.

METHODS

We conducted an analysis of the acute care surgery registry at Salima District Hospital in Malawi from June 2018 to November 2019. We examined patient characteristics, interventions, and outcomes. Modified Poisson regression modeling was used to identify risk factors for transfer to a tertiary center and mortality of patients transferred to the tertiary center.

RESULTS

Eight hundred eighty-eight patients were analyzed. The most common diagnosis was skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) at 35.9%. 27.5% of patients were transferred to Salima District Hospital, primarily from health centers, with a third for a diagnosis of SSTI. Debridement of SSTI comprised 59% of performed procedures (n = 241). Of the patients that required exploratory laparotomy, only 11 laparotomies were performed, with 59 patients transferred to a tertiary hospital. The need for laparotomy conferred an adjusted risk ratio (RR) of 10.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.1, 14.3) for transfer to the central hospital. At the central hospital, for patients who needed urgent abdominal exploration, surgery had a 0.16 RR of mortality (95% CI 0.05, 0.50) while time to evaluation greater than 48 h at the central hospital had a 2.81 RR of death (95% CI 1.19, 6.66).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite available capacity, laparotomy was rarely performed at this district hospital, and delays in care led to a higher mortality. Optimization of the district and health center surgical ecosystems is imperative to improve surgical access in Malawi and improve patient outcomes.

Postoperative Complications and Risk of Mortality after Laparotomy in a Resource-Limited Setting

BACKGROUND

Despite increases in surgical capacity in Malawi, minimal data exist on postoperative complications. Identifying surgical management gaps and targeting quality improvement requires detailed, longitudinal complications, and outcome data that assess surgical safety and efficacy.

METHODS

We conducted a 6-mo prospective, observational study of patients >12 y after laparotomy at a tertiary hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Outcomes included postoperative complications and mortality. The seniormost rounding physician determined complication diagnoses. Bivariate and Poisson regression analyses identified predictors of mortality.

RESULTS

Only patients undergoing emergent laparotomy (77.8%) died before discharge, so analysis excluded elective cases. Of 189 patients included, the median age was 33.5 y (IQR 22-50.5), 22 (12.2%) had prior abdominal surgery, and 11 (12.1%) were human immunodeficiency virus-positive. Gastrointestinal perforation was the most common diagnosis (35.5%). The most common procedures were primary gastrointestinal repair (24.9%), diverting ostomy (21.2%), and bowel resection with anastomosis (16.4%). Overall postoperative mortality was 14.8%. Intra-abdominal complication occurred in 17 (9.0%) patients, of whom 8 (47.1%) died. Older age (RR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.08, P < 0.001) and intra-abdominal complication (RR 2.88, 95% CI 1.28-6.46, P = 0.01) increased the relative risk of mortality. Preoperative diagnosis, surgical intervention type, and symptom-to-surgery time did not increase the relative risk of mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of complications and mortality after laparotomy at a large referral hospital in Malawi is high. Older age and intra-abdominal complications increase the risk of death. Strategies to improve operative mortality in Malawi should prioritize postoperative surveillance and management and continued outcomes reporting.