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Sunday, December 14, 2014

Although there are many problems, benefit for some patients occurs

As usual, it was a busy, interesting week. Tamale Teaching Hospital has a catchment area of one and a half million people, resulting in more work than our limited staff can handle. Our otolaryngology care also extends to maxillofacial and plastic surgery since we do not have these specialties.
 The infant mentioned in my previous blog, who required a tracheostomy, presented this  week with shortness of breath. He was referred to Kofo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, where there are more specialists and facilities. No word yet.
Three weeks ago, we operated on a fifteen year old boy who had been incorrectly treated for psychological problems, then migraines. He had a large calcified, fungal cyst of the sinuses which extended to the base of his skull.  He presented this week with a headache, vomiting and fever. I thought our surgery for treatment of his cyst may have caused meningitis. However, in actuality he had malaria, the most common disease here.

The child pictured below had an upper respiratory infection which spread to the left orbit forming an abscess.  Seventy five cm of exudate were drained, resulting in improvement and eventual discharge with good vision.

On Presentation

A Few Days Before Discharge


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