Malak AA, et al. Restor Dent Endod. 2024 Jan;49:e5. https://doi.org/10.5395/rde.2024.49.e5

Background: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has proven to be a successful, developing improvement in surgical practice. Allowing surgeons to operate with minimal incisions, ensures the completion of such procedures with minimal damage to the patient and provides recovery in a shorter time. The use of MIS in the pediatric population has also been growing with the increased involvement of surgeons in the evaluation of training and expertise. In Africa, however, the growth of MIS in the pediatric population faces some obstacles which are in research and innovation, cost, and affordability. Additionally, to the scarcity of resources, the limited number of pediatric surgeons available leads to a substantial workload that affects the quality of care. This paper aims to evaluate the challenges facing MIS in Africa and assess its potential in the future.Methods: Data were collected through online databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase. The research team reviewed all relevant articles regarding MIS in Africa and pediatrics.Results: The utilization of MIS in the pediatric population in Africa faces some major challenges. In addition to the limited resources, there is a significantly disproportionate number of physicians per population, and the training received by pediatric surgeons rarely incorporates minimally invasive techniques. This leaves a lot of work to be done to allow better access to MIS on the African continent. The recent advances by Africans in minimally invasive and endoscopic surgical training programs, as well as the establishment of minimally invasive centers, show great promise in the attempt to increase the utilization of MIS in Africa.Conclusions: The work done to grow the field of MIS application in Africa is commendable, but efforts need to be strengthened and focus needs to be given to ensure the sustainability of these programs. Furthermore, the work accomplished by countries like Egypt, Senegal, and Nigeria will serve as a huge teaching point to increase the technical expertise of surgeons in the region.

(1) Background: Gastric cancer continues to pose a significant public health challenge, with its incidence influenced by various factors, including Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. In Lebanon, data on H. pylori prevalence and its associated risk factors remain limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection among Lebanese outpatients presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms undergoing gastroscopy, to explore correlations between the infection and demographic and clinical variables, and to evaluate the prevalence of associated conditions such as gastritis, duodenitis, and intestinal metaplasia. (2) Methods: Using a retrospective design, data from 786 patients admitted at a hospital in Beirut over a three-year period were extracted from records. (3) Results: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 29.6% despite 91.5% of patients showing signs of gastritis on endoscopy. The infection showed significant associations with erosive gastritis, non-erosive gastritis, mosaic gastritis, as well as with both erosive and non-erosive duodenitis. No significant relationships were observed between H. pylori and demographic factors, atrophic, or nodular gastritis. (4) Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of targeted testing and early eradication of H. pylori to manage gastritis effectively and reduce the risk of progression to more serious gastric conditions in the Lebanese population.

Ataxia which is a disorder of the nervous system with the primary symptom being unsteady mobility is becoming more prevalent especially within the African continent. Nonetheless, it is suggested that there may be more cases of ataxia that are still undiagnosed roughly and this has to do with very few health care facilities offering genetic testing. This disease is most commonly associated with a variety of neurological illnesses, including stroke and brain damage leading to the uncontrollable moving of the limbs. However, in Africa, the primary contributors to the increase in ataxia are infectious diseases and food scarcity caused by drought. In our article, we analyze the different types of ataxia according to their epidemiology and describe how sociological factors aggravate the situation. We detail existing national strategies and programs aimed at solving this problem, particularly increasing funding for the infrastructure necessary for genetic testing, imagining and brain studies. Even with these measures, there remain a number of gaps with regard to epidemiology studies that need painting so as aid in accurating in the diagnosis. Awareness of the problem regarding patient education and active healthcare personnel has to be raised too. We advocate working on various fronts, including nutritional intervention, support groups for the patients, or modifying occupation therapy programs. Such measures are necessary to increase the effectiveness of ataxia treatment and improve the quality of life of patients.