Malawi Medical Journal : the Journal of Medical Association of Malawi

BACKGROUND: It is controversial which treatment method is superior in plastron appendicitis and the research is still going on. The aim of this study is to compare treatment methods for plastron appendicitis in the adult population with our experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of 92 patients who were diagnosed with plastron appendicitis in university hospital between 2015 and 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. Data were taken from the hospital database. The patients were divided into three groups: those treated with primary surgery, with interval appendectomy and only with conservative method...

AIM: The study aimed to determine the epidemiology and evaluate the trends in the uptake of refractive error services in Harare. METHODS: A clinic-based retrospective study at the Greenwood Park Eye Centre and its three subsidiaries was conducted from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2020. RESULTS: 12,216 patients' records were retrieved, out of which 1074 (8.79%) had refractive error cases. The prevalence of visual impairment at presentation was 5...

BACKGROUND: People living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) encounter a range of complex challenges that impact their physical, psychological, and social well-being. The combined effects of these challenges significantly impact their daily functioning. Despite the relatively high prevalence of HIV in Malawi, there is limited knowledge on how the challenges experienced by people living with HIV correlate with their societal participation and performance of activities. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the lived experience of people living with HIV and how the challenges experienced impact societal participation and activity performance...

BACKGROUND: Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for 15% of the 1.4 million patients with TB notified in 2019. EPTB carries a high risk of mortality and so early diagnosis and treatment are important to reduce this risk. Diagnosis of EPTB in low- and middle-income countries is challenging. This study investigated the diagnostic performance of Xpert MTB Ultra for the diagnosis of EPTB (pericardial, pleural, and ascitic fluid) in adults at a referral hospital in Malawi. METHODS: Adults with suspected extra-pulmonary TB were screened for evidence of extra-pulmonary fluid and tested for TB using Xpert MTB Ultra, mycobacterial culture, and a Focused Abdominal Sonography in HIV-associated TB (FASH scan)...

Acute respiratory failure is an important reason for pediatric intensive care admissions. Lung parenchymal disease, airway obstruction, or neuromuscular dysfunction are the most common causes. Negative pressure pulmonary edema, characterized by pulmonary edema associated with upper airway obstruction, can rarely cause sudden onset respiratory failure. Herein, we describe an infant who suffered sudden onset respiratory failure and pulmonary hemorrhage while being held facedown for a bath, was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, intubated and mechanically ventilated for three days, and was diagnosed with negative pressure pulmonary edema, and discharged without any sequelae...

Various infective complications can be seen after a dental procedure. They are rarely resistant to standard therapy. In the case we present, a case of preseptal cellulitis caused by pseudomonas oryzihabitans after tooth extraction in a male patient who did not have any underlying cause. As in our case, evaluation of the cases resistant to standard treatment in terms of drainage and multidisciplinary management of culture results together with infectious diseases will increase the treatment success rate.

Odontogenic keratocyst is a benign intraosseous lesion of odontogenic origin which is characterized by its aggressive nature. It is usually present in the mandibular posterior area, although it can also be found in the maxilla, particularly in the canine region. We discuss a unique example of OKC in the maxillary sinus involving the 27&28 region. Due to comparable clinical signs, this lesion is more prone to be mistaken for other lesions of the maxillary sinus, such as sinusitis or polyps. On the other side, this benign disease has the potential to develop into Ameloblastoma or squamous cell carcinoma...

BACKGROUND: Tracheobronchial variations (TBVs) are more common than previously believed due to the increasing use of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). This study aimed to assess TBVs in cases of pneumoconiosis, one of the oldest occupational diseases that still poses a threat to public health. METHODS: This was a descriptive study that involved reviewing chest MDCT images of 34 cases of pneumoconiosis and 34 control cases retrospectively from January 2020 to April 2022...

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between ferritin/lymphocyte percentage ratio (FLPR) with clinical and radiological disease severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted with patients who had polymerase chain reaction positive results for COVID-19. We calculated FLPRs from laboratory tests taken during emergency clinic admission. The relationship between chest computed tomography (CT) scores, disease severity, and 30-day mortality with FLPR was evaluated...

BACKGROUND: Femoral shaft fractures are common in Malawi, with an annual incidence of 44 per 100,000 people. Inadequate treatment and delayed presentation often result in functional, biopsychosocial, and financial challenges for patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the socioeconomic consequences of femoral shaft fractures for patients in Malawi. METHODS: This study of 42 patients was part of a larger study that prospectively examined quality of life...

AIM: The foot area is one of the most active body parts in soccer branch. There may be various loads on the foot in soccer players and ankle instability may be occur. The present study aimed to evaluate functional ankle instability in soccer players and examine it in terms of some variables. METHODS: A total of 175 male soccer players were included in the present study. The ankle instability of soccer players was evaluated with the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability (IdFAI) scale...

AIM: This report of five cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) treated at Daeyang Luke Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, illustrates presentation and treatment of this increasingly commonly recognized medical condition. METHODS: Information including history, physical examination, and imaging studies were collected from five cases of peripartum women who presented to the hospital over an 18-month period. RESULTS: A summary of recommended treatment is included in table form, and a flow chart proposing a care pathway for managing PPCM in Malawi, beginning at the district hospital level, is presented...

AIMS: Patients who have had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) should periodically have their muscle strength assessed. The five-times sit-to-stand test (FTSST) can evaluate the muscle strength and balance of the lower extremities. This study's primary purpose was to assess the validity and reliability of the FTSST in patients who have undergone ACL-R. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-three people who had undergone ACL-R surgery were included in the study...

AIM: This study sought to describe the epidemiology of burns and factors associated with prolonged hospital stay among adult patients admitted in the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital burns unit. METHODS: All files of patients aged at least 17 years and admitted in the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital burns unit between 1 June 2007 and 31 May 2017 with acute burns, were reviewed. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, injuries sustained, comorbidities, length of hospital stay, and clinical outcomes were extracted from the files...

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), the most common cause of acute paralytic neuropathy, covers a number of recognizably different variants. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of the patients with GBS and the outcome results of the patients after rehabilitation. METHODS: We enrolled 24 adult patients with GBS and evaluated their demographic characteristics, signs, complications, functional levels, and residual symptoms at admission, discharge, and during the 1st and 3rd-year follow-up visits...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of Turkish version of Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale-Straightforwardly (BFNE-S (TR)) in patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 35 individuals (mean age: 53.3±13.0 years) diagnosed as SSc were included. Data on demographics, were collected via structured interview. All participants were evaluated by same investigator. The disability was evaluated with Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (SHAQ), disease severity with Medsger's Disease Severity Scale, and skin involvement with Modified Rodnan Skin Score...

AIM: The rise in rice production in the district of Malanville, Northen Benin, is a present concern, as it has resulted in the widespread usage of pesticides for crop protection. This could impact human health but also life cycle of Anopheles gambiae , the main vector of malaria. METHODS: Therefore, insecticide susceptibility bioassays were carried out on populations of An. gambiae s.l aged to 3-5 days old (two from areas where insecticide is highly used and other two areas of low insecticide use) and subjected to insecticide-impregnated papers (Permethrin 0...

INTRODUCTION: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a widely seen postoperative complication that causes a decrease in life quality and an economic burden. In this study, we aim to find the predictive values of preoperative and postoperative neutrophile lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values for SSI. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 698 patients who had total abdominal hysterectomy operations with benign indications and confirmed histopathological results were accessed...

INTRODUCTION: The case study teaching method is important in imparting critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills in nursing students. The self-efficacy of the nurse educators towards the use of the case study teaching method is a critical aspect of determining the quality of teaching using this method. This study, therefore, aimed at assessing the self-efficacy of the nurse educators towards the use of the case study teaching method in Malawi. METHOD: A cross-sectional study utilizing a quantitative research design was conducted at eight nursing colleges that are under the Christian Health Association of Malawi...

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influences all around the world. The SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 accessory gene represents multiple functions in virus-host interaction. The current study aimed to compare the ORF8 substitutions and epitope features of these substitutions in the various SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks including delta, alpha, and wild type variants in Iran from 2020 to 2022. In addition, we evaluate B cell, HLA I and II epitopes, by in-silico approach to ORF8 binding site prediction...