Background: Pediatric musculoskeletal surgical conditions pose a major public health challenge in Ethiopia, similar to other low-middle income countries. There is a dearth of information about a pattern of pediatric musculoskeletal surgical diseases. Understanding the burden of these disorders in children will inform capacity building efforts, resource allocation and training. This study aimed to assess the pattern and magnitude of pediatric orthopedic surgical disorders among patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Clinical records that included the admission and discharge registry data were retrospectively reviewed for pediatric orthopedic patients (0- 15 years) admitted at TASH between September2017 and August 2021. Data recorded were age, sex, diagnosis, treatment and discharge recommendations. Results: A total of 726 children were admitted to the pediatric orthopedic unit during the study period. Of these 482 (66.4%) were male and 244 (33.6%) were female. The most common diagnoses were trauma (n=278, 38.3%, infection (n=161, 22.2%), musculoskeletal tumors (n=95, 13.0%), and congenital anomalies (n=78, 11.0.3%). Conclusions: Findings demonstrate a wide spectrum and pattern of pediatric orthopedic conditions that require surgical admission at TASH. As the largest national specialized teaching and tertiary referral center in the country, these findings give insight into different types of musculoskeletal surgical disorders in children. This highlights the need to increase the capacity to care for specific musculoskeletal conditions in the pediatric population of Ethiopia.
Published in | Journal of Surgery (Volume 13, Issue 4) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.js.20251304.11 |
Page(s) | 69-76 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Pediatric Musculoskeletal Conditions, Surgical Admission, Ethiopia, Children, Surgery, Musculoskeletal
Category | Diagnosis | Number of cases | Percentage (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Trauma | 278 | 38.2 | |
Humeral fracture | 7 | 2.5 | |
Clavicle fracture | 1 | 0.3 | |
Supracondylar fracture | 77 | 28 | |
Condylar fracture | 10 | 3.5 | |
Montegia fracture-dislocation | 3 | 1.0 | |
Forearm fracture | 25 | 9 | |
Distal radial physeal injury | 3 | 1.0 | |
Hand fracture | 2 | 0.7 | |
Chronic elbow dislocation | 7 | 2.5 | |
Pelvic fracture | 7 | 2.5 | |
Chronic traumatic hip dislocation | 2 | 0.7 | |
Femur neck fracture | 12 | 4.3 | |
Femur fracture | 74 | 27 | |
Tibio-fibular fracture | 23 | 8.2 | |
Foot fracture | 3 | 1.0 | |
Soft tissue injury | 4 | 1.4 | |
Traumatic amputation | 5 | 2 | |
Polytrauma | 13 | 5 | |
Infection | 161 | 22.1 | |
Osteomyelitis | 75 | 47 | |
Septic arthritis | 47 | 29 | |
Tbc hip arthritis | 4 | 2.5 | |
Pyomyocitis/ Abscess | 29 | 18 | |
Surgical site infection | 6 | 4 | |
Tumor | 95 | 13 | |
Benign | 22 | 23 | |
Malignant | 73 | 79 | |
Congenital | 78 | 11 | |
Clubfoot | 54 | 69 | |
Polydactyl | 4 | 5 | |
Trigger finger | 2 | 2.5 | |
Macrodactyly | 3 | 4 | |
Congenital tibial pseudoarthrosis | 4 | 5 | |
Congenital synostosis of forearm | 2 | 2.5 | |
Club hand | 2 | 2.5 | |
Congenital Vertical Talus | 3 | 4 | |
Torticollis | 1 | 1.2 | |
Congenital elbow contracture | 1 | 1.2 | |
Fibula hemimeliac | 1 | 1.2 | |
Congenital posteromedial bowing of tibia | 1 | 1.2 | |
Miscellaneous | 45 | 6.1 | |
Acquired deformity | 14 | 31 | |
Hardware in-situ | 10 | 22 | |
Contractures | 7 | 15.5 | |
Dysplasia | 3 | 7 | |
others | 11 | 24 | |
Developmental | 40 | 5.5 | |
DDH | 5 | 12.5 | |
Coxa vara | 2 | 5 | |
Perthe’s disease | 3 | 7.5 | |
Angular deformities of knee | 19 | 47.5 | |
Madlung | 2 | 5 | |
Hallux valgus | 2 | 5 | |
Others | 7 | 17.5 | |
Neuromuscular | 29 | 4.1 | |
Cerebral palsy | 10 | 34 | |
Erbs palsy | 7 | 24 | |
Arthrogryposis | 2 | 7 | |
Peripheral neuropathy | 8 | 27 | |
Melomeningocele | 2 | 7 | |
Total | 726 | 100% |
TASH | Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital |
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APA Style
Deffa, B. A., Bezabhi, B., Esayas, S. (2025). Pattern of Pediatric Musculoskeletal Surgical Admissions to a Tertiary Hospital in a Low-Income Country: A Retrospective Review of Medical Records. Journal of Surgery, 13(4), 69-76. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20251304.11
ACS Style
Deffa, B. A.; Bezabhi, B.; Esayas, S. Pattern of Pediatric Musculoskeletal Surgical Admissions to a Tertiary Hospital in a Low-Income Country: A Retrospective Review of Medical Records. J. Surg. 2025, 13(4), 69-76. doi: 10.11648/j.js.20251304.11
@article{10.11648/j.js.20251304.11, author = {Birhanu Ayana Deffa and Bahiru Bezabhi and Samirawit Esayas}, title = {Pattern of Pediatric Musculoskeletal Surgical Admissions to a Tertiary Hospital in a Low-Income Country: A Retrospective Review of Medical Records }, journal = {Journal of Surgery}, volume = {13}, number = {4}, pages = {69-76}, doi = {10.11648/j.js.20251304.11}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20251304.11}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.js.20251304.11}, abstract = {Background: Pediatric musculoskeletal surgical conditions pose a major public health challenge in Ethiopia, similar to other low-middle income countries. There is a dearth of information about a pattern of pediatric musculoskeletal surgical diseases. Understanding the burden of these disorders in children will inform capacity building efforts, resource allocation and training. This study aimed to assess the pattern and magnitude of pediatric orthopedic surgical disorders among patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Clinical records that included the admission and discharge registry data were retrospectively reviewed for pediatric orthopedic patients (0- 15 years) admitted at TASH between September2017 and August 2021. Data recorded were age, sex, diagnosis, treatment and discharge recommendations. Results: A total of 726 children were admitted to the pediatric orthopedic unit during the study period. Of these 482 (66.4%) were male and 244 (33.6%) were female. The most common diagnoses were trauma (n=278, 38.3%, infection (n=161, 22.2%), musculoskeletal tumors (n=95, 13.0%), and congenital anomalies (n=78, 11.0.3%). Conclusions: Findings demonstrate a wide spectrum and pattern of pediatric orthopedic conditions that require surgical admission at TASH. As the largest national specialized teaching and tertiary referral center in the country, these findings give insight into different types of musculoskeletal surgical disorders in children. This highlights the need to increase the capacity to care for specific musculoskeletal conditions in the pediatric population of Ethiopia.}, year = {2025} }
TY - JOUR T1 - Pattern of Pediatric Musculoskeletal Surgical Admissions to a Tertiary Hospital in a Low-Income Country: A Retrospective Review of Medical Records AU - Birhanu Ayana Deffa AU - Bahiru Bezabhi AU - Samirawit Esayas Y1 - 2025/07/10 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20251304.11 DO - 10.11648/j.js.20251304.11 T2 - Journal of Surgery JF - Journal of Surgery JO - Journal of Surgery SP - 69 EP - 76 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2330-0930 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20251304.11 AB - Background: Pediatric musculoskeletal surgical conditions pose a major public health challenge in Ethiopia, similar to other low-middle income countries. There is a dearth of information about a pattern of pediatric musculoskeletal surgical diseases. Understanding the burden of these disorders in children will inform capacity building efforts, resource allocation and training. This study aimed to assess the pattern and magnitude of pediatric orthopedic surgical disorders among patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Clinical records that included the admission and discharge registry data were retrospectively reviewed for pediatric orthopedic patients (0- 15 years) admitted at TASH between September2017 and August 2021. Data recorded were age, sex, diagnosis, treatment and discharge recommendations. Results: A total of 726 children were admitted to the pediatric orthopedic unit during the study period. Of these 482 (66.4%) were male and 244 (33.6%) were female. The most common diagnoses were trauma (n=278, 38.3%, infection (n=161, 22.2%), musculoskeletal tumors (n=95, 13.0%), and congenital anomalies (n=78, 11.0.3%). Conclusions: Findings demonstrate a wide spectrum and pattern of pediatric orthopedic conditions that require surgical admission at TASH. As the largest national specialized teaching and tertiary referral center in the country, these findings give insight into different types of musculoskeletal surgical disorders in children. This highlights the need to increase the capacity to care for specific musculoskeletal conditions in the pediatric population of Ethiopia. VL - 13 IS - 4 ER -