Neurosurgery in rural Nigeria: A prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Africa has very few neurosurgeons. These are almost exclusively in urban centers. Consequently, people in rural areas, most of the African population, have poor or no access to neurosurgical care. We have recently pioneered rural neurosurgery in Nigeria.


OBJECTIVE
This report details our initial experiences and the profile of neurosurgical admissions in our center.


METHODS
A prospective observational study of all neurosurgical patients managed at a rural tertiary health institution in Nigeria from December 2010 to May 2012 was done. Simple descriptive data analysis was performed.


RESULTS
A total of 249 males (75.2%) and 82 females (24.8%) were managed. The median age was 37 years (range: Day of birth - 94 years). Trauma was the leading cause of presentation with 225 (68.0%) and 35 (10.6%) having sustained head and spinal injuries, respectively. Operative intervention was performed in 54 (16.3%). Twenty-four (7.2%) patients discharged against medical advice, mostly for economic reasons. Most patients (208, 63.4%) had satisfactory outcome while 30 (9.1%) died.


CONCLUSIONS
Trauma is the leading cause of rural neurosurgical presentations. There is an urgent need to improve access to adequate neurosurgical care in the rural communities.
Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria; Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Lautech Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria.
Taopheeq Bamidele
TB
Rabiu
Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria; Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Edward Oluwole
EO
Komolafe
Africa; Nigeria; rural neurosurgery; rural surgery
World J Surg. 2009 May;33(5):893-8
19290571
Childs Nerv Syst. 2012 Dec;28(12):2115-9
22878662
Surg Neurol. 1996 Oct;46(4):403-7
8876724
World Neurosurg. 2013 Sep-Oct;80(3-4):251-4
23182735
J Emerg Trauma Shock. 2012 Jan;5(1):7-10
22416147
World Neurosurg. 2010 Apr;73(4):276-9
20849777
World J Surg. 2008 Apr;32(4):537-42
18320267
Br J Neurosurg. 2012 Apr;26(2):212-5
22077589
Zh Vopr Neirokhir Im N N Burdenko. 2011;75(1):38-41; discussion 41
21698922
Congenit Anom (Kyoto). 2009 Dec;49(4):258-61
20021485
Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2008 Sep;150(9):911-3; discussion 913
18726060
World Neurosurg. 2010 Apr;73(4):254-8
20849772
World Neurosurg. 2013 Nov;80(5):e91-4
22381874
Afr J Med Med Sci. 2008 Dec;37(4):383-8
19301717
World Neurosurg. 2010 Apr;73(4):251-3
20849771
ANZ J Surg. 2006 Jan-Feb;76(1-2):53-9
16483297
World Neurosurg. 2010 Apr;73(4):264-9
20849775