OBJECT Although shunts have been the mainstay in treating hydrocephalus over the past 5 decades, the use of endoscopic techniques in addressing this disorder in children offers both the neurosurgeon and the patient a unique opportunity to avoid shunting and its attendant complications. The combination of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) with choroid plexus cauterization (CPC) remains uncommon in most centers despite its potential promise. The authors sought to investigate the efficacy of combining ETV and CPC (ETV+CPC) in treating childhood hydrocephalus in Nigeria. Infection and spina bifida contribute a high percentage of the cases of hydrocephalus in Nigeria. METHODS Over a 2-year period, all children 0–18 years of age who had endoscopic treatment for hydrocephalus were prospectively evaluated to determine the need for subsequent treatment. Children who had the combination of ETV+CPC were identified as a subcategory and form the basis of this retrospective study. RESULTS Twenty-two of 38 endoscopically treated children had undergone the combination of ETV+CPC for hydrocephalus of varied etiology. There was a male preponderance (2.5:1), and 90% of the patients were infants. The overall success rate was 75%, with the best outcome in children with spina bifida. One child required a repeat ETV. CONCLUSIONS The combination of ETV+CPC is useful in treating children with hydrocephalus of varied etiology. The complication profile is acceptable, and the overall success rate is comparable to that associated with shunt insertion.

Results: Sixty six subjects were seen during the study period. Females were more commonly affected and were mostly middle aged. Adhesive capsulitis was the most common condition while septic arthritis and avascular necrosis were least diagnosed 22.7% of the subjects could not, however, be categorised. Conclusion: Shoulder pain syndrome is common among Nigerians. Diagnosis and management are mostly based on the clinical presentations, especially considering the lack of sensitivity of plain radiographs and the high cost of more sensitive MRI. The treatment of these conditions are standard.

Background:This study explored the outcome of children with patent anterior fontanelles who were treated with trans-fontanelle ultrasound scan (TFUSS), which is more affordable and available than CT scan and MRI in the diagnosis of childhood intracranial pathologies and treatment of subdural empyema, in developing countries.Patients and Methods:Seventeen infants with post-meningitic subdural empyema, diagnosed using trans-fontanelle ultrasound alone and treated with subdural tapping over a 31-months period, were studied.Results:Eleven patients presented with grades II and III Bannister and William grading for level of consciousness in intracranial subdural empyema. Aspirate from 7 (41.2%) patients were sterile. The most common organisms isolated were Streptococcus faecalis 3 (17.6%), Haemophilus Influenza 2 (11.8) and Staphylococcus aureus 2 (11.8), multiple organisms were isolated in three of the patients. Ninety-four percent (94%) of the patients had good outcome. Five subjects developed hydrocephalus, one patient had a recurrence of subdural empyema, four patients had residual hemiparesis, two of the four patients had speech difficulties, while one patient (~6%) died.Conclusion:While CT and MRI remain the gold standard for investigating intracranial lesions, transfontanelle ultrasonography is adequate for diagnosis of infantile subdural empyema in resource-challenged areas. Percutaneous subdural tap is an affordable and effective therapy in such patients with financial challenges.

Subdural empyema (SDE), a common neurosurgical emergency in the developing countries, accounts for 15%-20% of localised paediatric intracranial infections. In regions where modern diagnostic tools are scarce and inaccessible, detection of SDE may be delayed with subsequent poor outcome. Percutaneous subdural aspiration in patients with open anterior fontanel may be the only surgical option in resource-poor regions of the world. This review focuses on the management outcome, including neurological outcome of these children. Clinical charts of children with SDE and treated by percutaneous subdural tap between February 2006 and August 2014 were reviewed. Demographic, clinical, radiological, bacteriological parameters and outcome data were analysed. Forty-five children with a mean age of 10.6 ± 6.2 months (range:

Despite the rising percentage of women accessing the medical profession over the last few decades, surgical specialties are still largely male-dominated; in particular, a remarkable gender disparity is evident in neurosurgery, where only 19% of practitioners are females. Although women may be reluctant to choose a challenging specialty like neurosurgery due to concerns around how to balance family and career, it must be admitted that prejudices against female neurosurgeons have been deeply rooted for long, prompting many to give up and switch track to less demanding subspecialties. Among those who have persisted, many, if not most, have experienced difficulties in career progression and received unequal treatment in comparison with their male counterparts. In 1989, a group of 8 female neurosurgeons founded Women in Neurosurgery (WINS), an organization that aimed to guarantee inclusivity in neurosurgery, encouraging a better and more egalitarian working environment. Thereafter, WINS sessions were regularly promoted at international conferences, offering female neurosurgeons a platform to report issues related to gender discrimination. Over recent years, the mission of WINS sessions in national and international conferences has taken an unexpected deviation; they have progressively become supplementary scientific sessions with only women neurosurgeons as speakers, thus paving the road to a form of self-segregation. This tendency has also resulted in the establishment of sections of only female neurosurgeons within some national societies. Although there remains a faction that fiercely supports the WINS mindset of reserved spaces for women, such segregation is an upsetting prospect for those who believe that science and professionalism have no gender; a growing part of the global neurosurgical community believes that the conception of a “female neurosurgery” and a “male neurosurgery” is misguided and counterproductive and consider the existence of the WINS as anachronistic and no longer necessary.

Background: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is becoming a popular option of treatment in carefully selected patients with hydrocephalus (Drake et al., Childs Nerv Syst 25:467-472, 2009). The success or possible outcome of its application in treating hydrocephalus can be predicted by employing a preoperative scoring system. An example of such a system is the endoscopic third ventriculostomy success score (ETVSS). It could form a basis for decision-making and prognostication. This study aimed to evaluate ETVSS as a preoperative predictive tool in children with hydrocephalus who satisfy the inclusion criteria for the option of ETV procedure as treatment modality. Methodology: This is a prospective hospital-based study of 68 children under 2 years of age that presented at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) out of 161 children with hydrocephalus from November 2014 to April 2016. The predicted ETVSS was calculated by the addition of patients' age, presumed aetiology and prior shunting. These children were stratified into three groups according to ETVSS as higher score predicts better ETV outcome and vice versa. They were followed up for 6 months to determine the success rate of ETV. Results: The age of the study population ranged from 0 to 24 months with a mean age of 5.52 ± 5.48 months. 69.1% of these patients were male and 30.9% were female with a male to female ratio of 2.2:1. The mean predicted ETVSS (48.82 ± 19.20%) and actual ETV success score (56.20 ± 15.10%) using the ANOVA were significantly related (p value < 0.05). Conclusion: This study concluded that the early outcome of ETV in children below 2 years of age with hydrocephalus is directly related to the preoperative ETVSS.

Background: The enormous disease burden of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a huge source of concern to the patient and caregivers. Computed tomography (CCT) scan is a valuable investigative tool in patients with traumatic brain injury which can be used to predict the outcome of TBI. The use of total white blood cell as a predictive parameter in patients with TBI is still at a primordial stage. This study aimed to compare the predictive strength of total WBC count within 24 hours of TBI with cranial computed tomography scan. Methods: This research was done over one-year period at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos. One hundred and fifty-eight patient who met the inclusion criteria were studied and the male to female ratio of 3.6:1. Results: The mean total WBC count was 14,279.94 and the area under the curve of total WBC count and CCT scan was 0.633 and 0.855 respectively. Conclusion: Our conclusion was that despite both parameters been a predictor of the outcome of TBI, the total white blood cell is a weaker predictor of outcome compared to cranial computerize tomography scan.

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