Pattern of Stroke Admissions, Radiodiagnostic Compliance, and Outcomes in the Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Hospital, South-South, Nigeria

Background: Stroke patients form an integral part of patients admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU);and may need airway maintenance, supplemental oxygen and even endotracheal intubation for mechanical ventilation. Method: In this retrospective study, the medical records and radiological investigations of the patients were assessed. Also, their socio-demographics, and clinical diagnosis and background co-morbidities were noted. The radiological diagnosis post CT was used to determine the type of stroke for those compliant;while clinical assessment alone was used to determine the diagnosis in those who did not do CT. They were also classified into 2 groups: those requiring mechanical ventilation (for ICU care) and those without the need for mechanical ventilation (for high dependency Unit (HDU) care). The eventual clinical outcome was noted. Result: A total of eighty-eight cases, 67% (n = 59) were males and 33% (n = 29) females. 89.8% (n = 79) had hypertension, 3.4% (n = 3) had diabetes while 6.8% (n = 6) had both hypertension and diabetes. Of the hypertensives, 36.7% (n = 29) had hemorrhagic stroke and 66.3% (n = 50) had ischaemic stroke. 53.3% (n = 46) patients had High dependency Unit (HDU care while 47.7% (n = 42) were mechanically ventilated. Of the number in HDU, 51.5% (n = 17) were haemorrhagic, while 52.7% (n = 29) were ischaemic. Clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke was done in 55 (62.5%) and hemorrhagic stroke in 37.5% (n = 33). Of the lot, only 19.3% (n = 17) of them did CT and 80.7% (n = 71) did not have CT done. None did MRI. Late presentation (beyond 24 hrs) was a common feature for most of the patients, for whom immediate cardio-respiratory support became necessary. Overall mortality rate was 62.5% (n = 55). 39.1% (n = 18) of the HDU (46) patients died, while 88.1% (n = 37) of the ventilated (42) patients died. 56.6% (n = 26) were discharged from the HDU and 4.3% (n = 2) referred to another facility. Of the 42 patients on mechanical ventilation 88.1% (37) died, 9.5% (n = 4) discharged, and 2.4% (n = 1) referred to another health facility. Summary: Low neuroimaging compliance by Stroke patients in our environment and late presentation to hospital, impacts negatively on good outcome of the disease. This, coupled with the high cost of these facilities, makes their use unaffordable, suggesting a strong indication for comprehensive quality and affordable health care and health insurance in the country.

Simulation and Acquisition of Endotracheal Intubation Skills by Medical Students—A Pilot Study

Introduction: Endotracheal intubation is a vital life-saving skill required by physicians in life-threatening situations in and out of the hospital. Medical students are exposed to these procedures mainly as they rotate through the department of Anaesthesia, in their subspecialty posting in Surgery. In this study, we sought to assess the ease of learning endotracheal intubation by medical students in the skills laboratory using an adult-sized (Laerdal Medical) manikin. Methods: This was a prospective descriptive study assessing the ability of medical students at endotracheal intubation during their 12-week rotation in the Anaesthesia Department during their subspecialty posting from August to October 2019 in the Skills Laboratory. An adult-sized manikin (Laerdal Medical) intubating head was used for the study. This was preceded by a detailed lecture and demonstration in the skills laboratory after successful passage of the endotracheal tube and connected to a self-inflating ventilation (Ambou) bag. Adequate chest movement meant proper placement, while the fullness of the stomach meant oesophageal intubation. Results: All the 500 level (45) students in the class were recruited for this prospective study. 30 (66%) had successful endotracheal intubation at the first attempt, 7 (14.4%) at the second attempt, 5 (11.1%) at the third attempt, 2 (4.4%) students at the fourth attempt and 1 (2.2%) had successful endotracheal intubation at the fifth attempt. Attempts were made to reinforce information on the practical procedure by a repeat performance by the instructor after each set of successful attempts was separated from the pack of unsuccessful candidates. In the end, however, we had 100% successful endotracheal intubation, but after 5 attempts by the last medical student. Conclusion: Endotracheal intubation skills can be learned with some level of ease when done after detailed information and training of medical students. More so when not under undue stress and life-threatening situations in the skills laboratory. By extension, this increases the confidence of medical students in the live patients in the Operating Theatre, after repeated attempts in the skills laboratory. This has the benefit of improving the chances of acquisition of endotracheal intubation in real-life situations.