This study showed the pattern of causes of epilepsy in Nigerian Africans. The health seeking behavior and itinerary of the PWE revealed a preference for traditional healers. There is need for health policies and epilepsy awareness campaigns to prevent causes of seizures and improve the knowledge of the public respectively.

A 13-year-old male was seen at the Hospital with a 5-months history of right chest swelling, pain and recurrent fever and breathlessness on mild exertion. There was a history of gunshot to his chest two and half years before presentation.On admission he was febrile with a temperature of 39°C. The chest wall swelling measuring 6 cm/6 cm was tender and fluctuant and needle aspiration yielded purulent fluids. His blood pressure and pulse were 110/60 mmHg (14.6/8 Kpa) and 100 per minute respectively. The chest radiograph showed massive cardiomegaly with pellets lodging in the right 5th costosternal joint. Echocardiography confirmed massive pericardial effusion. The electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm and low voltage of QRS complexes without chamber enlargement. A diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis with purulent pericardial effusion secondary to foreign body abscess was made.His clinical picture improved after an initial incision and drainage of the right anterior chest wall abscess under ketamine intravenous anaesthesia. Two weeks after, he had pericardiectomy under general anaesthesia using a nitrous/oxygen/halothane relaxant technique which was uneventful.

We conclude that anesthetic services for pediatric patients should be based on the use of automated anesthesia information technology service. Anesthetic equipment should conform to the same standards and should be computerized. Disposable anesthetic equipment should also be used where applicable to minimize the incidence of nosocomial infections. This would result in improved peri-operative care in pediatric patients.