Korle-Bu Paediatric surgical experience of Buruli ulcer

ABSTRACT

Buruli ulcer is a chronic skin ulcer caused by the organism Mycobacterium ulcerans. In the paediatric surgical practice at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital; 15 patients with confirmed Buruli ulcers aged from 3 to 10 years were seen and treated over the period 1989-1991. Diagnosis was by biopsy which was positive in all cases in which it was done. Surgery by wide excision was the mainstay of treatment. Skin grafting was done in 3 cases. Length of hospital stay was in excess of 2 months. There were no deaths in the group presented; however; residual deformity occurred in all cases. The experience of these cases is presented here with a review of the literature