Traumatic urologic injuries in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

• Main Authors: Salako Abdulkadir, Adisa Adewale, Eziyi Amogu, Banjo Oluseyi, Badmus Tajudeen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2010-01-01
• Series: Journal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock
• Subjects: Trauma; urologic injuries; Nigeria
• Online Access: http://www.onlinejets.org/article.asp?issn=0974-2700;year=2010;volume=3;issue=4;spage=311;epage=313;aulast=Salako

<b>Background:</b> In a developing country with limited healthcare resources, traumatic injuries and their management pose a significant challenge to healthcare delivery. Aim: To highlight the challenges in the management of traumatic urologic injuries in patients in our setting. Setting and <b>Design:</b> Patients presenting with traumatic injuries to the urinary tract, between January 1996 and December 2005, in a University Teaching Hospital in Southwestern Nigeria were the subjects of this study. Patients and Methods: Clinical records of patients who had such injuries were reviewed. <b>Results:</b> Ninety injuries occurred in 86 patients including 77 males and 9 females aged 14-68 years. Fourteen (15.5&#x0025;) of the injuries involved the kidneys, urinary bladder was involved in 23 (25.6&#x0025;) and the male urethra in 53 (58.9&#x0025;) injuries. The mechanisms of injury were road traffic accidents in 52 (60.5&#x0025;) patients, straddle injuries in 18 (20.9&#x0025;), trauma to the back in 8 (9.3&#x0025;), falls from a height in 6 (7.0&#x0025;) and gunshot injuries in 2 (2.3&#x0025;) patients. Associated injuries include pelvic fractures in 33 (38.4&#x0025;) patients, limb bone fractures in 13 (14.1&#x0025;), intestinal injuries in 12 (13.0&#x0025;) and spinal injuries in 8 (8.7&#x0025;) patients. In most patients, diagnosis was made based on clinical suspicion and minimal investigations such as abdominal ultrasound, urethrocystoscopy and/or urethrocystography. The outcome was good in most patients and mortality was recorded in only 2 (2.3&#x0025;) patients who had concomitant spinal and burns injuries. <b>Conclusion:</b> Prompt management instituted on clinical suspicion of injuries presents a good outcome in patients in a limited resource setting.