Scheduled consultation in neurosurgery: Profile of patients admitted in the university hospital of Brazzaville.

INTRODUCTION: The determination of the types of neurosurgical pathologies in Sub-Saharan Africa is essential to prepare the practitioner aiming to pursue that specialty in that area. The aim of our study was to determine the patient's epidemiological profile admitted in a scheduled neurosurgical consultation in the University Hospital of Brazzaville.

METHODS: We performed a prospective and descriptive study in a population of patients admitted to the neurosurgical consultation by appointment, for a period of 27 months. The parameters evaluated were socio-anthropometric, diagnostic and evolutionary.

RESULTS: We recorded in total 354 patients. The average age was 45.38 years with a sex ratio of 1.02. The majority of patients (72.31%) did not have health assurance. 83.05% of the cases were from the city of Brazzaville and its surroundings. The most common symptom in the consultation was lomboradiculalgia with 99 cases (27.96%). 80 patients (22.59%) had a lumbar spinal stenosis. Surgical indication was raised in 32 patients (9.03%).

CONCLUSION: Lomboradiculalgia in lumbar spinal stenosis is the most frequent situation in the scheduled neurosurgical consultation. The low ratio of neurosurgeons and the socioeconomic level of the patients are the main barriers to optimal care of patients.