Introduction: Retained percutaneous foreign bodies (FBs) are a common emergency and surgical problem. If not promptly identified and removed, FBs may lead to chronic pain, neurovascular injury, infection and medicolegal implications. Plain radiography remains the first-line imaging modality for detecting retained FBs. Case presentation: A 24-year-old female presented with a small puncture wound following a needle-stick injury to the right hand/wrist. Radiographs confirmed a radiopaque FB projected over the midcarpal region adjacent to the capitate bone, with no evidence of intra-articular extension. Radiographic mapping guided surgical exploration, although two attempts were required before successful surgical removal. The patient was discharged in stable condition on the same day of FB removal. At the two-week follow-up, the wound had healed almost completely, with no complications observed. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of accurate localisation of a retained percutaneous foreign body for successful removal. Localisation should include orthogonal radiographs and skin-surface entry-site markers, with real-time image guidance where available. When C-arm fluoroscopy is unavailable, radiographic mapping can provide a practical preoperative localisation aid; however, because it relies on static images, localisation may be less precise and repeat surgical exploration may still be required.
Background: The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a simple, inexpensive test used to assess functional exercise capacity and cardiopulmonary endurance in clinical and rehabilitation settings. Interpretation requires population-specific reference values, which are not available for Zambia. This study established preliminary six-minute walk distance (6MWD) values for healthy young adults aged 18–25 years at a single Zambian university. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included 87 healthy physiotherapy students (67 females, 20 males) aged 18–25 years at Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, selected by stratified random sampling. The 6MWT was conducted on a 30-m corridor using an American Thoracic Society-based standardised protocol. Data were analysed in R version 4.4.1. The primary outcome was 6MWD; statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean 6MWD was 553.4 ± 58.4 m. Males walked significantly farther than females (608.0 ± 41.8 m vs 537.0 ± 52.6 m; mean difference 71.0 m, 95% CI 48.1–93.9; p < 0.001; Hedges’ g = 1.40). In unadjusted analyses, height and weight correlated positively with 6MWD; male sex was the only clear independent predictor in the exploratory multivariable model. Conclusion: These preliminary 6MWD values provide functional-capacity baseline data requiring external validation before routine clinical application because they are based on physiotherapy students at a single institution and are not nationally representative.
Background: Dental avulsion is a time-sensitive paediatric emergency in which prompt first-line management is critical to long-term prognosis. Emergency clinicians may receive little formal training despite often being the first point of contact for affected families. Methods: A single-centre quality improvement project was conducted in a tertiary paediatric emergency department. An anonymous baseline questionnaire assessed knowledge of avulsion definition, appropriate storage media and replantation criteria, together with self-reported confidence on a 1-5 Likert scale. Following a 30-minute case-based teaching and simulation session, attendees completed a post-intervention questionnaire assessing the same knowledge domains and retrospective pre/post confidence. Pre- and post-intervention samples were unpaired. Data were summarised descriptively as frequencies and proportions. Results: Thirteen staff completed the baseline questionnaire and nine completed the post-intervention questionnaire. At baseline, no respondent rated confidence above 2/5; 9/13 (69%) correctly identified an appropriate storage medium and 9/13 (69%) correctly identified the replantation criterion. Post-intervention, all nine respondents answered all three knowledge domains correctly and reported improved understanding. Conclusion: Paediatric emergency department staff showed important knowledge and confidence gaps in dental avulsion management. A brief educational intervention was associated with higher immediate questionnaire performance among post-intervention respondents. Interpretation is limited by the small sample, unpaired design, single-centre setting and self-reported outcomes. Embedding avulsion guidance in departmental protocols and completing a repeat audit may support sustainability.
A 39-year-old premenopausal woman presented after approximately one year of bilateral breast lumps and was diagnosed with synchronous bilateral invasive carcinoma of no special type with a triple-negative phenotype (ER-negative, PR-negative and HER2-negative) and Ki-67 indices of 45-50%. Clinical/radiological staging was cT4a cN1 M0 (stage IIIB) on the right and cT2 cN1 M0 (stage IIB) on the left. She completed six cycles of neoadjuvant carboplatin plus paclitaxel, with an estimated partial response of approximately 60%, followed by bilateral modified radical mastectomy and level II axillary lymph-node dissection. Postmastectomy histology confirmed residual invasive carcinoma; margins were negative on the left but positive at the superior and posterior margins on the right. A pathological complete response was therefore not achieved. Postmastectomy radiotherapy was recommended but could not be delivered because it was unavailable at the treating facility and access elsewhere was financially constrained. At one month she was clinically well; at six months the available record documented good recovery without new adverse events, although no interval imaging or laboratory surveillance was recorded. This case highlights the clinical complexity of synchronous bilateral triple-negative breast cancer and the consequences of gaps in genetic testing, systemic treatment options and radiotherapy access in resource-limited settings.
Background: Bibliometric analysis provides a systematic approach for evaluating research productivity and impact within a scientific discipline. Despite global growth in physiotherapy research, data on Nigerian affiliated publications remain limited. This study assessed publication trends, productivity, and institutional contributions in Nigerian physiotherapy research over five decades. Methods: A bibliometric review was conducted via Harzing’s Publish or Perish software. Searches were performed on November 19, 2023, using predefined search strings applied in PubMed and adapted for Google Scholar, with publications restricted to the period 1972 to 2022. Retrieved records were exported to Microsoft Excel for deduplication, cleaning, and screening based on predefined eligibility criteria. The final dataset was analyzed using descriptive bibliometric methods in SPSS, including publication counts, citation frequencies and institutional productivity. Results: A total of 2,732 publications from 407 authors across 82 Nigerian institutions were identified (1972–2022). Publication output increased steadily after 2003. Male authors contributed 2,085 publications and female authors 647. Total citations were 33,670, with the most cited studies addressing musculoskeletal disorders and grip strength. The most productive journal was the Nigerian Journal of Medical Rehabilitation. Top authors included Mbada CE, Onigbinde AT, and Balogun JA. The top 10 institutions accounted for 92.8% of publications, led by Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, and University of Lagos. Keywords focused on low-back, physical activity, pain, stroke, exercise, and musculoskeletal conditions. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric overview of Nigerian affiliated physiotherapy research across five decades, highlighting substantial growth in research output and a high concentration of productivity within a small number of institutions. The findings offer evidence to inform research capacity development, institutional collaboration, and strategic planning to strengthen physiotherapy research in Nigeria.
