Browsing by Author "Fitzgerald, Tamara N"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Development of an Interactive Global Surgery Course for Interdisciplinary Learners.
    (Annals of global health, 2021-03) Fitzgerald, Tamara N; Muma, Nyagetuba JK; Gallis, John A; Reavis, Grey; Ukachukwu, Alvan; Smith, Emily R; Ogbuoji, Osondu; Rice, Henry E

    Introduction

    Global surgical care is increasingly recognized in the global health agenda and requires multidisciplinary engagement. Despite high interest among medical students, residents and other learners, many surgical faculty and health experts remain uniformed about global surgical care.

    Methods

    We have operated an interdisciplinary graduate-level course in Global Surgical Care based on didactics and interactive group learning. Students completed a pre- and post-course survey regarding their learning experiences and results were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

    Results

    Fourteen students completed the pre-course survey, and 11 completed the post-course survey. Eleven students (79%) were enrolled in a Master's degree program in global health, with eight students (57%) planning to attend medical school. The median ranking of surgery on the global health agenda was fifth at the beginning of the course and third at the conclusion (p = 0.11). Non-infectious disease priorities tended to stay the same or increase in rank from pre- to post-course. Infectious disease priorities tended to decrease in rank (HIV/AIDS, p = 0.07; malaria, p = 0.02; neglected infectious disease, p = 0.3). Students reported that their understanding of global health (p = 0.03), global surgery (p = 0.001) and challenges faced by the underserved (p = 0.03) improved during the course. When asked if surgery was an indispensable part of healthcare, before the course 64% of students strongly agreed, while after the course 91% of students strongly agreed (p = 0.3). Students reported that the interactive nature of the course strengthened their skills in collaborative problem-solving.

    Conclusions

    We describe an interdisciplinary global surgery course that integrates didactics with team-based projects. Students appeared to learn core topics and held a different view of global surgery after the course. Similar courses in global surgery can educate clinicians and other stakeholders about strategies for building healthy surgical systems worldwide.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Idiopathic Megaduodenum in a Teenager: A Case Report.
    (Cureus, 2024-01) Eze, Anthony N; Eze, Akachukwu N; Chime, Chinecherem M; Chen, Fengming; Moris, Dimitrios; Schmitz, Robin; Fitzgerald, Tamara N
    Megaduodenum is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by significant duodenal dilation, elongation, and hypertrophy. Given its rarity and nonspecific clinical manifestations, megaduodenum may be misdiagnosed, leading to delays in surgical care and increased morbidity. We describe a case of idiopathic megaduodenum in a teenage Caucasian female, who presented with a five-year history of halitosis, recurrent belching, bloating, nausea and vomiting, and postprandial epigastric abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with megaduodenum by dramatic findings on contrast radiography. She developed a duodenal volvulus necessitating emergency exploratory laparotomy, during which a duodenal plication and a side-to-side duodenojejunostomy were performed. Exploratory laparotomy and histopathological analysis were unrevealing of any definitive abnormalities to explain her megaduodenum. Postoperatively, she developed two early small bowel obstructions, both from subsequent adhesions requiring repeat laparotomy with adhesiolysis. She has subsequently recovered without incident. Diagnosis and accurate classification of megaduodenum requires surgical exploration with a full-thickness biopsy and subsequent histopathologic analysis to rule out obstructive or functional disorders of the duodenum. Treatment of megaduodenum depends on the underlying cause and degree of duodenal distention. It is crucial that clinicians are knowledgeable of the various surgical options, their indications, and the potential postoperative complications that may arise.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Population-level surgical rates and unmet need in India: a retrospective analysis of districts and states from 2011 to 2019.
    (International journal of surgery (London, England), 2024-03) Zadey, Siddhesh; Smith, Emily R; Staton, Catherine A; Fitzgerald, Tamara N; Vissoci, Joao Ricardo Nickenig