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Background: In Africa, cancer is an emerging public health concern. In Sub-Saharan Africa, data on cancer epidemiology and survival which are necessary for the planning of treatment and control of cancers are scarce. Methods: A retrospective study of all patients who were admitted to the surgical wards in a Nigerian tertiary facility between January 2012 and December 2016 was done. The retrieved data included demographic features, presenting symptoms, mode of presentation, duration of illness, diagnosis, stage of disease, treatment modalities, treatment intention, compliance with treatment, survival, and current status. Result: The 279 patients studied comprised 81 (29.0%) males and 198 (71.0%) females. Cancer of the female breast was the leading malignancy occurring in 59% (165/279) patients; this was followed by colon cancer in19% (54/279) and prostate cancer in 10% (29/279). The commonest cancer among the females was breast cancer while prostate cancer was the commonest among the males. The stage of the disease was classified as early in 14.7% (41/279), locally advanced in 61.6% (172/279) and metastatic in 23.7% (66/279). Treatment goal was palliative for 57% (159/279) of the patients, curative in 26%while 13.6% (38/279) of the patients received no anti-cancer treatment. Ninety-six patients (34.5%) refused treatment or defaulted from treatment after the commencement of therapy. Although 53 (19%) patients died within the first month of admission, the overall mean duration of survival was 12.71 ± 13.0 months (range of 1- 84 months). Conclusion: Late presentation of patients, high treatment default rate, inappropriate management plan and overall poor survival were identified as daunting issues in cancer management in a resource-limited setting.

Background: Newer methods have evolved to address the major drawback of the traditional methods of hernia repair. These emphasize the use of prosthetic materials to strengthen the posterior wall of the inguinal canal without tension. Although Lichtenstein hernioplasty, like other newer methods, is associated with low recurrence rates, it is not commonly used in our clinical setting. Objective: To review the outcome of Lichtenstein hernioplasty using polypropylene mesh in a resource-poor setting. Methods: The hospital records of patients who had Lichtenstein hernioplasty between the year 2004 and 2013 in a six-bed private surgical clinic and who were followed up over a two- to ten-year period, were studied. Demographic data, clinical features, operative findings and outcome measures like post-operative complications and recurrence rates, were recorded. Results: There were 62 patients (with 69 hernias) of which 2 were females with the age range of 12-84years. 50 hernias (72.5%) were of the inguinoscrotal type, 39 patients (63.0%) had right inguinal hernias, 5 (7.2%) hernias were obstructed and 8 (11.2%) hernias were recurrent. Six (9.7%) had emergency surgery, 46 (74.2%) had surgery under local infiltrations and 15 (24.2%) had spinal anaesthesia. Scrotal oedema (4.3%), haematoma (1.4%), and hydrocoele (1.4%) were the early complications recorded. One recurrence of hernia occurred in a patient who had repair of twice recurrent hernia. The mean duration of follow-up in years was 5 (S.D 2.5) years. Conclusion: Lichtenstein repair of inguinal hernia was a safe and effective procedure in the private clinical setting.

Background: Some childhood diseases present with abdominal masses alone or with other constitutional symptoms. The knowledge of the common causes of abdominal masses in children can assist in developing a protocol of management by clinicians. Objective: To describe the aetiology and presentation of abdominal masses in children. Methods: The hospital records of all cases of intra-abdominal masses in children managed between May 1998 and April 2008 were retrieved for analysis. Socio-demographic and clinical data were obtained and analysed using simple descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 93 children were included while those without clinical, radiological and intra-operative evidence of intra-abdominal masses were excluded from the study. There were 49 males (52.7%) and 44 (47.3%) females with male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1. The children were aged 1 day to 14 years; 15 (16.1%) were aged 6-9 years, >9-12 years and >12-14 years. The most common cause of abdominal masses was appendiceal mass/abscess in 29%, followed by hydronephrosis in 22.6% and nephroblastoma in 16.11%. The most common symptoms included abdominal pain (86.0%), fever (46.2%), vomiting (40.9%) and abdominal distension (32.2%). The mortality rate was 13%. Conclusion: Non-malignant conditions were mostly responsible for abdominal masses in children while abdominal pain, fever and vomiting were the leading presentations of abdominal masses in children.

Background: Restoration of intestinal continuity after Hartmann’s colostomy can be very difficult especially in patients with short rectal stumps that are retracted and buried deep in the pelvis. Objective: To demonstrate a simple method of overcoming the difficulty in the reversal of Hartmann’s colostomy. Method: A retrospective descriptive study of cases of Hartmann’s colostomy reversal was done. Results: The technique was used in the reversal of 9 Hartmann’s colostomies carried out over a period of 16 years between 1995 and 2010. The patients comprised five males and four females. The diagnoses in the males were four cases of sigmoid volvulus, and one gunshot injury. The diagnoses in the four females included sigmoid volvulus, carcinoma of the colon, stricture from endometriosis and gangrenous sigmoid colon from criminal abortion. The mean time for restoration of intestinal continuity after the primary procedure was 7.8 months. Two patients had postoperative wound infection. There was no mortality. Conclusion: The simple technique was found to be helpful especially in situations where other instruments that facilitate the restorative process are not available