Posterior Fossa Tumours in Children at Parirenyatwa Hospital

Togarepi, Dr. Nyararai (2015) Posterior Fossa Tumours in Children at Parirenyatwa Hospital. Masters thesis, University of Zimbabwe.

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Abstract

Background: It is important to know the epidemiology of posterior fossa tumors in children. Groups at risk can then be identified and followed up with the aim of reducing late presenta-tion and improving outcome. However larger, long term studies are needed to accurately achieve this. Objectives: The aim was to describe the effect of demographics, social background and HIV on the occurrence of posterior fossa tumors. Design: Prospective Cross sectional study of children treated for posterior fossa tumors at the Neurosurgical unit of Parirenyatwa referral hospital. Setting: Neurosurgery unit, Parirenyatwa teaching and referral hospital. Materials and methods: A total of 32 children admitted with imaging demonstrating a pos-terior fossa tumor were included after the parents gave consent for their children to partici-pate in the study. No patients were excluded from the study. All patients were also tested for HIV using the antibody tests. Data was collected by administering a questionnaire. Results: Most cases came from Manicaland province with mean age of the patients being 6.7(SD) years and age ranging from 2 – 12 years. Median time to presentation from symptom onset was 3.5[2 - 6] months. Most patients were of poor socio economic status. A total of 7(21.7%) were HIV positive. Conclusion: Posterior fossa tumors at Parirenyatwa hospital occur more commonly in low income families from Manicaland. There was a higher HIV rate in the study patients com-pared to the pediatric population. The sample size was however too small to demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between HIV and posterior fossae tumor occurrence.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: R Medicine > RD Surgery
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Tim Khabala
Date Deposited: 25 Apr 2018 10:26
Last Modified: 25 Apr 2018 10:26
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/3868

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