Postoperative outcome of caesarean sections and other major emergency obstetric surgery by clinical officers and medical officers in Malawi.

Background: Clinical officers perform much of major emergency surgery in Malawi, in the absence of medical officers. The aim of this study was to validate the advantages and disadvantages of delegation of major obstetric surgery to non-doctors.

Methods: During a three month period, data from 2131 consecutive obstetric surgeries in 38 district hospitals in Malawi were collected prospectively.

Emergency obstetric surgery by non-physician clinicians in Tanzania.

Objective: To calculate the met need for comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) in 2 Tanzanian regions (Mwanza and Kigoma) and to document the contribution of non-physician clinicians (assistant medical officers [AMOs]) and medical officers (MOs) with regard to meeting the need for CEmOC.

Methods: All hospitals in the 2 regions were visited to determine the proportion of major obstetric interventions performed by AMOs and MOs. All deliveries (n = 38 758) in these hospitals in 2003 were reviewed.

The quality of emergency obstetrical surgery by assistant medical officers in Tanzanian district hospitals.

Five countries in sub-Saharan Africa use nonphysicians to perform major emergency obstetrical surgery. In Tanzania, assistant medical officers provide most of this surgery outside of major cities. Questions about the quality of surgery by nonphysicians have kept most African countries from following this example.

Major surgery delegation to mid-level health practitioners in Mozambique: health professionals' perceptions.

Background: This study examines the opinions of health professionals about the capacity and performance of the 'técnico de cirurgia', a surgically trained assistant medical officer in the Mozambican health system. Particular attention is paid to the views of medical doctors and maternal and child health nurses.

Methods: The results are derived from a qualitative study using both semi-structured interviews and group discussions.

Postoperative outcome of caesarean sections and other major emergency obstetric surgery by clinical officers and medical officers in Malawi.

Background: Clinical officers perform much of major emergency surgery in Malawi, in the absence of medical officers. The aim of this study was to validate the advantages and disadvantages of delegation of major obstetric surgery to non-doctors.

Methods: During a three month period, data from 2131 consecutive obstetric surgeries in 38 district hospitals in Malawi were collected prospectively.

A new meiotic abnormality in Zea mays: multiple spindles associated with abnormal cytokinesis in both divisions.

Abstract: We report here a new meiotic abnormality recorded in one plant of an inbred line of Zea mays. After an apparently normal prophase I, chromosomes did not congregate in a single metaphase plate. Bivalents remained scattered in the cytoplasm, giving rise to several spindles.