Browsing by Author "Clegg-Lamptey, J."
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Item An audit of aspects of informed consent and pain relief in general surgical units of korle bu teaching hospital(Ghana Medical Journal, 2005) Clegg-Lamptey, J.; Hodasi, W.SummaryThere is the need to adequately inform patients about their disease, treatment options, surgery and post-operative complications. Adequate pain relief after surgery leads to less morbidity. Two important aspects of surgical practice are being addressed in this paper, the need for informed consent and post operative pain relief.A questionnaire survey was carried out in 100 patients on the four general surgical wards of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, just before they were discharged from hospital. They were asked what they knew or had been informed about their diagnosis, operation and complications of surgery. On pain relief, patients were asked about their experiences on the first post-operative day and what relief they had from analgesics.Twenty four did not know the diagnosis and 36 were not told what operation they were going to have before surgery. Although 75 were eventually told what operation they had, only 64 said they knew the operation. Sixty eight did not know what to expect after surgery; 87 did not know about possible complications. On the first post-operative day there was significant pain (scores 4 and 5) felt by 24 patients at rest and 46 on movement. The most frequently prescribed analgesic was pethidine.Patient information in General surgery at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is unsatisfactory. Post-operative analgesia is also poor. There is the need for surgeons to either train doctors to administer consent or administer it themselves. Anaesthetists should assume a leading role in managing post-operative pain.Item An intra-abdominal gossypiboma(Ghana Medical Journal, 2009) Dakubo, J.; Clegg-Lamptey, J.; Hodasi, W.; Obaka, H.; Toboh, H.; Asempa, W.Inadvertent retention of a foreign body in the abdomen often require another surgery to recover the material. This increases morbidity and mortality. Risk factor that could predispose to a gossypiboma occurring have been reported. A 44-year old female in whom an abdominal sponge was left in the pelvis after a total abdominal hysterectomy is reported. Surgeons must be aware of the risk factors that lead to a gossypiboma and take measures to prevent it.Item Why Do Breast Cancer Patients Report Late or Abscond During Treatment in Ghana? A Pilot Study(Ghana Medical Journal, 2009-09) Clegg-Lamptey, J.; Dakubo, J.; Attobra, Y.N.Objectives: To determine the causes of delayed presentation in breast cancer patients at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), and reasons for patients absconding before and during treatment. Design: Questionnaire survey. Setting: Out patient departments and surgical wards of KBTH. Participants: Women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and breast cancer patients who previously absconded and were returning for treatment. Results: Sixty six newly-diagnosed patients aged between 20 and 84 (mean 44.8, median 43) years and 35 previous absconders aged 20 to 74 (mean 44.5, median 44) years were interviewed. The causes of delayed presentation were: previous medical consultations 26(29.4%), ignorance 19(28.8%), fear of mastectomy 16(24.2%), herbal treatment 13(19.7%), prayer/prayer camps 13(19.7%) and financial incapability 12(18.2%). Fear of mastectomy 20(57.1%), herbal treatment 13(37.1%), financial incapability 11(31.4%) and prayers/prayer camps 10(28.6%) which were prominent causes of late presentation, were the main reasons for absconding. Newly diagnosed patients had duration of symptoms one week to five years (mean 46, median 34 weeks). Those whose lumps were found by clinical breast examination in the community presented to hospital between six weeks to two years (mean 47, median 39 weeks). Married women were more likely to abscond (p=0.001). Conclusions: There are similar reasons for delayed presentation and absconding among Ghanaian patients. These must be addressed in outreach programmes, and patients must be counselled at time of diagnosis. Dealing with the causes of delayed presentation appears more important than attempts to screen for breast cancer, since patients identified through community screening still present late to hospital.Item Why do breast cancer patients report late or abscond during treatment in Ghana? A pilot study(Ghana Medical Journal, 2009) Clegg-Lamptey, J.; Dakubo, J.; Attobra, Y.N.Objectives To determine the causes of delayed presentation in breast cancer patients at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), and reasons for patients absconding before and during treatment. Design Questionnaire survey. Setting Out patient departments and surgical wards of KBTH. Participants Women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and breast cancer patients who previously absconded and were returning for treatment. Results Sixty six newly-diagnosed patients aged between 20 and 84 (mean 44.8, median 43) years and 35 previous absconders aged 20 to 74 (mean 44.5, median 44) years were interviewed. The causes of delayed presentation were: