A pilot program of mass surgery weeks for treatment of hydrocele due to lymphatic filariasis in central Nigeria

Abstract

In a pilot program of mass surgey weeks (MSW) to provide hydrocelectomy services to men with filarial scrotal hydrocele, local general practitioners performed 425 surgical repairs in 301 men in five MSW in three rural Nigerian Community hospitals between 2002 and 2005. The most common (94%) procedure used was the eversison technique which was most familiar to the practitioners. Postoperative complications induced hematoma (3.7%) and infection (3%), and there was one death from infection in an elderly man with previously unrecognized diabetes. In 115 patients (38%) followed for 1 to 3 years the hydrocele recurrence pate was 7%. The eversion technique gives and acceptable outcome, and MSW are safe and effective if strict attentionis paid to preoperative screening of candidates and asepsi.