Report on paediatric care in the Moroccan military mission in the Gaza Strip

This report aims to describe the epidemiologic findings of the workload associated with paediatric consultation of the Moroccan Military field hospital in the Gaza Strip. The patient Administration System and Biostatistics Activity database was reviewed and queried for all patients < 15 years of age who were consulted in the Moroccan Army hospital in the Gaza Strip between November 2012 to February 2013. Paediatric consultations during the study period were 7420 (19.9%) out of 37 227 consultations. The largest proportion of children were from 2 to 13 years old (3066 of 7420 children; 41.3%). Combined, pulmonary and gastroenterology diseases were the main causes for consultations (60.4%). Paediatric patients with threatening life injuries form part of the primary responsibility of military medical facilities during wartime. The findings may guide future military medical care planning, particularly in war zones suffering a lack of basic infrastructure, with special a need for medical supplies and drugs.

Pycnodysostose: à propos d’un cas

La pycnodysostose est une maladie osseuse génétique très rare associant une ostéocondensation, un syndrome dysmorphique et un retard de croissance. Rappeler les anomalies phénotypiques, les signes radiologiques, la prise en charge thérapeutiques et évolutifs de la Pycnodysostose chez un enfant de 11 ans. Enfant de 11 ans, a été réferé par son dentiste pour évaluation de son état clinique. Il est de parents consanguin de premier degré, qui présentait depuis l'âge de 3 ans des fractures spontanées à répétition. L'examen trouvait un syndrome dysmorphique fait de bosse frontale, fontanelle antérieure persistante, micrognathie, malformations des doigts, malposition dentaire, ongles incurvées, thorax asymétrique, attitude scoliotique du rachis dorsal, avec retard statural important (-4DS). Les radiographies du squelette montraient une densification des os de la base du crâne, une persistance de la fontanelle antérieure, une malposition dentaire, une densification diaphysaire et métaphysaire des os longs prédominants au niveau des membres inférieurs avec présence des cals vicieux et des phalanges grêles des mains. L'ostéodensitométrie était normale. Devant les signes cliniques et les manifestations radiologiques, le diagnostic retenu est une pycnodysostose. Un conseil génétique a été proposé pour la famille ainsi qu'une prise en charge dentaire et orthopédiques. La pycnodysostose est une entité rare de diagnostic parfois difficile et tardif, elle pose un problème du diagnostic avec l'ostéoporose. Le traitement est essentiellement préventif des fractures et des caries dentaires.

Grisel's syndrome: a rare complication following traditional uvulectomy

A case is reported of an eight-month-old female patient who had traditional uvulectomy for sore throat complicated by Grisel's syndrome. She was admitted into the hospital one week after uvulectomy with Torticolis. Grisel's syndrome is a nontraumatic atlantoaxial subluxation, usually secondary of an infection or an inflammation at the head and neck area, or after surgery in the same area. Patients typically suffer from painful torticollis. Diagnosis of Grisel's syndrome is largely based on suspicion of the patient who has recently undergone surgery or has a history of an infection in head and neck area. Physical examination and imaging techniques assist in diagnosis. Thus, clinicians should be aware of acute nontraumatic torticollis if patient had a recent surgery in the head or neck area or undergone an upper respiratory tract infection. In this paper, a case of an eight-month-old female patient who had Grisel's syndrome after uvulectomy is discussed. This case is reported to highlight this neurogical threatening complication following traditional uvulectomy as well as highlighting the unnecessary morbidity and mortality associated with this persisting mode of treatment in Africa.