Boniface Ikenna Eze1. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nigerian Teaching Hospital (UNTH), PMB 01139, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria. xy3165767@yahoo.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ophthalmic surgical intervention is a critical component of therapeutic eye care services. Periodic audit of its output and outcome is needed to monitor service effectiveness and inform evidence-based eye health care reforms, in the spirit of VISION 2020-The Right to Sight. Objectives. To investigate the pattern and results of ophthalmic surgical interventions at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Nigeria. METHODS: The UNTH's eye theatre surgical logbook and patients' clinical charts were retrospectively reviewed, from August 2003-July 2008, to obtain patients' relevant demographic and clinical data. Personnel data were obtained from UNTH's human resources department. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. A p<.01 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of the 881 eye operations on 676 patients, cataract extraction (45.1%), pterygium excision (18.4%) and trabeculectomy (7.5%) were the main surgeries performed. The yearly surgical output per surgeon was 23.2. The early outcome was satisfactory for trabeculectomy but sub-optimal for cataract surgery. Surgeries were performed mainly to restore or preserve vision (p<.01). CONCLUSIONS: The output and outcome of eye operations at UNTH, Enugu, are sub-optimal. Overcoming surgical uptake barriers, improved pre-operative evaluation, and provisions of micro-surgical consumables are instructive.
BACKGROUND: Ophthalmic surgical intervention is a critical component of therapeutic eye care services. Periodic audit of its output and outcome is needed to monitor service effectiveness and inform evidence-based eye health care reforms, in the spirit of VISION 2020-The Right to Sight. Objectives. To investigate the pattern and results of ophthalmic surgical interventions at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Nigeria. METHODS: The UNTH's eye theatre surgical logbook and patients' clinical charts were retrospectively reviewed, from August 2003-July 2008, to obtain patients' relevant demographic and clinical data. Personnel data were obtained from UNTH's human resources department. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. A p<.01 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of the 881 eye operations on 676 patients, cataract extraction (45.1%), pterygium excision (18.4%) and trabeculectomy (7.5%) were the main surgeries performed. The yearly surgical output per surgeon was 23.2. The early outcome was satisfactory for trabeculectomy but sub-optimal for cataract surgery. Surgeries were performed mainly to restore or preserve vision (p<.01). CONCLUSIONS: The output and outcome of eye operations at UNTH, Enugu, are sub-optimal. Overcoming surgical uptake barriers, improved pre-operative evaluation, and provisions of micro-surgical consumables are instructive.