Abstract :

Background: The Imo State Specialist Hospital (IMSSH) commenced neurosurgical services in April 2021 and spine procedures in August 2021. This is an audit of spine pathologies surgically managed in the hospital in her first 3 years since spine surgeries were commenced.

Aims: The study aims to look at the pattern of spinal pathologies surgically managed in the hospital from the commencement of spine services, including their age and sex distribution, the pathologies and their spinal distribution.

Methods: Neurosurgery operating room records were utilized to retrieve the case files of all spine patients who had surgical operations at IMSSH from August 2021 to July 2024 (36 months), and these were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: One hundred and fifty-seven (157) spine patients had surgical operations during the study period (an average of 4 spine surgeries per month). The mean age of patients was 54±16.03 years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.7:1. The mean age for male patients was 53±17.18 years while that of female patients was 55±14.05 years. The peak age range at presentation was in the elderly age group, 60 – 79 years (n=68, 43.3%), followed by the middle age group, 40 – 59 years (n=58, 36.9%). The highest frequency of spine surgeries was performed in the lumbar (n=43, 27.3%), lumbosacral (n=42, 26.8%) and cervical spines (n=42, 26.8%) almost in equal proportion. This was followed by thoracolumbar junction (n=13, 8.3%) and thoracic spine (n=8, 5.1%), while cervicothoracic junction, sacral and lumbosacropelvic accounted for 1.9% (n=3) each. Degenerative spine diseases (71.9%) accounted for the highest number of spine surgeries, followed by spinal trauma (19.7%) and spinal tumours (3.9%).

Conclusion: The study showed a male preponderance for spinal pathologies surgically managed in the hospital, and most of the pathologies were due to degenerative spine diseases. It also highlights the fact that spine pathologies are not rare in our environment, and more doctors should be encouraged to become spine surgeons to help in tackling these pathologies in our environment.

---

Keywords :

new neurosurgery center, Nigeria., Rural, spine surgery, Urban

---

References :

1. “Imo (State, Nigeria) – Population Statistics, Charts, Maps and Location” citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
2. Morgan E, Nwatuzor C. Starting a neurosurgical service in a Southern Nigeria rural community. Prospect, challenges, and future—the Irrua experience. Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery (2020) 35:6;2-5.
3. Udoh DO, Akpede GA, Obeta EC, Osazuwa U, Tudjegbe S, Akpodoado D. Neurosurgical operative interventions in a new neurosurgical centre in resource-limited settings: A hospital-based study in Nigeria. Arch Int Surg 2018;8:159-65.
4. Lasseini A, Koko AM, Isa AB, Ladan A, Ladan H, Abdullateef A. Spectrum of neurosurgical operative interventions at the regional centre for neurosurgery UDUTH Sokoto: a 5 years review. Int Surg J 2023;10:1881-4
5. Opara OO, Onuwa MU and Ibebuike KE (2024) Patterns of Spine Cases in a new Neurosurgery Centre in Southeast Nigeria. Journal of Surgery & Anesthesia Research. SRC/JSAR-210. DOI: doi.org/10.47363/JSAR/2024(5)183
6. Abebe M, Munie T, Lende G, Bekele A. Pattern of Neurosurgical procedures in Ethiopia: Experience from Two Major Neurosurgical Centres in Addis Ababa. E Centr Afr J Surg. 2011;16:1-8.
7. Ogunleye OO, Alfin JD, Ogunleye OB, Jauro AA. Challenges and prospects of neurosurgical services in Bauchi, north-east Nigeria. Int Surg J 2023;10:195-9
8. Jabang JN, Thiam AB, Ndiaye PI, et al. The Practice of Neurosurgery in Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital of Banjul, the Gambia. Journal of Health Science 6 (2018) 11-23 doi: 10.17265/2328-7136/2018.01.002
9. Kaptigau WM, Rosenfeld JV, Kevau I, Watters DA (2016) The establishment and development of Neurosurgery Services in Papua New Guinea. World J Surg 40: 251-257
10. Heng YW, Yiek SH, Tan BP, Yap NKB. Review of Neurosurgical Services in a Rural Area of Sarawak, Malaysia: The Benefits, Prospects and Challenges. Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques and Case Management 28 (2022) 101490
11. El Khamlichi A.African neurosurgery: current situation, priorities, and needs. Neurosurgery. 2001; 48:1344-7.