The Ostalb-Klinikum Aalen is working with the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) in Nigeria to introduce neuromonitoring at the UPTH for patients with traumatic brain injuries.\r
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Background: \r
Traumatic brain injuries are a particularly common occurrence among young victims of road-traffic accidents and violent crime in Nigeria. When treating patients with moderate to severe head injuries, it is essential to measure intracranial pressure, something which public hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa are currently unable to do due to insufficient funding, a shortage of qualified staff and a lack of equipment. \r
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Activities:\r
-\tInstallation of neuromonitoring equipment at the UPTH \r
-\tPractical neuromonitoring training for staff\r
-\tAttendance of neuromonitoring conferences by UPTH staff to improve their application and interpretation of results\r
-\tDissemination of the neuromonitoring results\r
-\tDevelopment of a plan for the long-term deployment of neuromonitoring\r
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Impact: \r
Neuromonitoring can be used to significantly improve treatment of patients with traumatic brain injuries at the UPTH. This project sees the UPTH becoming the first public hospital in sub-Saharan Africa to introduce intracranial pressure monitoring as part of its treatment of traumatic brain injuries.\r
The UPTH deals with a high number of trauma cases and thus complements the experience of the Ostalb-Klinikum.