Synopsis of cardiovascular and thoracic surgical cases in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to identify the spectrum of cardiothoracic and vascular surgical cases in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and identify the limitations to service delivery and recommend solutions to improve service delivery to patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study of all the cases seen over a 5-year period at UPTH was analyzed. The data were retrieved from theatre records of both elective and emergency cases. All patients were included except those with closed tube thoracostomy drainage inserted in the accident and emergency theaters and patients who were referred out before they could have surgery. The results were tabulated and described using frequencies and percentages. Results: A total of 93 patients had surgeries in the 5-year period with a mean age of 38.5 years and a range of 3–82 years. Fifty-seven (61.3%) were males, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:2. Fourteen (15.1%) patients were children aged 3–16 years, 67 (72.0%) were adults (17–64 years), and 12 (12.9%) were the elderly (65 years and above). Twenty (21.5%) had surgeries on cardiac structures, 46 (49.5%) had surgeries on thoracic structures, and 27 (29.0%) had different vascular surgeries. For the cardiac structures, 8 (40%) had pericardiectomy and tube pericardiostomy while 12 (60%) had pacemaker insertion. Thoracic surgical procedures included 3 (6.5%) diaphragmatic repairs, 7 (15.2%) esophageal surgeries, 22 (47.8%) pleuropulmonary surgeries, 6 (13.0%) chest wall reconstructions, 5 (10.9%) mediastinal tumor excisions, and 3 (6.5%) other surgeries. The vascular surgeries included 26 (96.3%) peripheral vascular repairs and 1 (3.7%) abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs. Conclusion: There are shortcomings with the practice of cardiothoracic surgeries at the hospital as major procedures like open-heart surgeries are not done despite availability of human expertise. Thus, there is an urgent need for measures to ensure that open-heart surgery commences, in addition to the provision of some surgical equipment and improvement on some surgical techniques. Furthermore, more collaboration with the other team members in the hospital needs to be actively encouraged.