1Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
2Rasheed Shekoni Specialist Hospital (RSSH), Dammasara, Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria
Online published on 23 January, 2014.
Retrospective Review
National Orthopedic Hospital Dala (NOHD) Kano, Nigeria.
To determine the number of cases of SCI in NOHD and to identify risk factors that predispose to the development of SCI and also to highlight the deficiencies in our environment with a view of improving them.
Data were collected from the Medical Record Department of NOHD on number of cases and risk factors for SCI from January, 2006 to December, 2010 as well as number of beds available at every giving time to admit such patients. Descriptive statistics was employed in the analysis and finally number of cases and risk factors was determined in percentage, frequency and charts/tables where appropriate.
A total of 73 cases (54.89%) of SCI were eligible for the study. The mean age (±SD) of the patients was 36.5 (±13.2) years. The analysis of the 5 year data included in this study showed that SCI are sustained most often due to road traffic accidents (63%); that young adult male aged (21–40) were the most commonly affected. The commonest type of injury was found to be paraplegia (73.4%).
There is high prevalence of SCI in Nigeria which is most often due to RTA. The results of this study provided information that could be helpful for health care planning such as distribution of hospital facilities and a fact-driven argument for the Nigerian government to have a more strict traffic policy to eliminate the catastrophic consequences of road traffic accidents.
Spinal Cord Injury, National Orthopedic Hospital Dala, Review of Cases, Predisposing Factors
