‘A good shepherd, but with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome’: traditional uvulectomy case series and literature review

Ravesloot, Madeline J. L.; Vries, Nico de

doi:10.1017/s0022215111001526

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…It is a common procedure in Nigeria and several other African countries with documentations of this practice in countries outside Africa like Israel, Saudi Arabia, and some Middle Eastern countries [3–5, 9]. These practitioners are actually traditional healers or lay individuals who double as barbers performing their acts with a sickle knife and other unsterilized instruments [3, 4].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Traditionally Amputated Uvula amongst Nigerians: Still an Ongoing Practice

Adoga

Nimkur

2011

ISRN Otolaryngology

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Traditional healers in Nigeria continue to perform uvulectomy for all throat problems despite the severe complications they present to physicians. It is a hospital-based prospective study done at the outpatient unit of the Department of Otolaryngology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria to determine the prevalence of traditional uvulectomy, highlighting the dangers it portends with suggested ways of providing improved health outcomes for our people. We saw 517 new cases of which 165 (32%) patients aged 2 years to 53 years had their uvulae amputated consisting of 108 (65.5%) males and 57 (34.5%) females giving a male to female ratio of 2 : 1. One hundred and forty two (86.1%) patients had uvulectomy at childhood and 23 (13.9%) in adulthood. The commonest indication was throat pain (n = 36, 21.8%). The commonest complication was hemorrhage (n = 29, 17.6%). Forty six (27.9%) patients required hospital admission.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Traditionally Amputated Uvula amongst Nigerians: Still an Ongoing Practice

Adoga

Nimkur

2011

ISRN Otolaryngology

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“…1 They have been traced back to Hippocrates (460-355), Galen (129-200), 11th century Spain, and 19th century England and France, where they were used to cure stuttering. 2 In the Huasa-speaking communities of Nigeria and Niger, ritualistic uvulectomy is performed as part of a Muslim naming ceremony on the seventh day after birth.…”

Section: Uvulectomies and Associated Complicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3 Chronic complications include nasal speech, palate abnormalities, human immunodeficiency virus, obstructive sleep apnea, and snoring. 1 One study reported a death rate of 17.2% in Nigerian infants who underwent uvulectomy. It is important for the dermatologist to recognize uvulectomy and associated complications in both the outpatient and the inpatient settings.…”

Section: Uvulectomies and Associated Complicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uvulectomies and Associated Complications

Jacobson¹,

Ladizinski²,

Lee³

2013

JAMA Dermatol

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“…The procedure has been touted as a remedy for, or prevention of, infections associated with throat and chest and has also been completed as part of ritual practice [1–4]. Unlike the uvulopalatoplasty, which is typically performed by an otolaryngologist to treat snoring or obstructive sleep apnea [5–7], the traditional uvulectomy is performed by local healers who inherit the skills from their predecessors with no formal medical training.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morbidity and Mortality following Traditional Uvulectomy among Children Presenting to the Muhimbili National Hospital Emergency Department in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Sawe

Mfinanga

Ringo

et al. 2015

Emergency Medicine International

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Background. Traditional uvulectomy is performed as a cultural ritual or purported medical remedy. We describe the associated emergency department (ED) presentations and outcomes. Methods. This was a subgroup analysis of a retrospective review of all pediatric visits to our ED in 2012. Trained abstracters recorded demographics, clinical presentations, and outcomes. Results. Complete data were available for 5540/5774 (96%) visits and 56 (1.0%, 95% CI: 0.7–1.3%) were related to recent uvulectomy, median age 1.3 years (interquartile range: 7 months–2 years) and 30 (54%) were male. Presenting complaints included cough (82%), fever (46%), and hematemesis (38%). Clinical findings included fever (54%), tachypnea (30%), and tachycardia (25%). 35 patients (63%, 95% CI: 49–75%) received intravenous antibiotics, 11 (20%, 95% CI: 10–32%) required blood transfusion, and 3 (5%, 95% CI: 1–15%) had surgical intervention. All were admitted to the hospital and 12 (21%, 95% CI: 12–34%) died. By comparison, 498 (9.1%, 95% CI: 8–10%) of the 5484 children presenting for reasons unrelated to uvulectomy died (p = 0.003). Conclusion. In our cohort, traditional uvulectomy was associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Emergency care providers should advocate for legal and public health interventions to eliminate this dangerous practice.

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‘A good shepherd, but with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome’: traditional uvulectomy case series and literature review

Abstract: Traditional uvulectomy may be complicated by post-operative haemorrhage and local infections, among many other problems. We report cases of obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring caused by palatal stenosis resulting from traditional uvulectomy during childhood.

Cited by 11 publications

References 27 publications

The Traditionally Amputated Uvula amongst Nigerians: Still an Ongoing Practice

The Traditionally Amputated Uvula amongst Nigerians: Still an Ongoing Practice

Uvulectomies and Associated Complications

Morbidity and Mortality following Traditional Uvulectomy among Children Presenting to the Muhimbili National Hospital Emergency Department in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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