Parry Romberg Syndrome in a Young Ghanaian: A Case Report and a Literature Review.

Parry Romberg syndrome (PRS), also known as progressive hemifacial atrophy, is a very rare self-limiting disease, which affects the skin and subcutaneous tissues, underlying musculature, cartilage, and bony structures of one half of the face with a resultant hemiatrophy and alopecia areata. It presents in children and young adults, with a slow progression of the atrophy for several years, and then becomes stable. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan of the cranium demonstrates the radiological feature of hemiatrophy very clearly. We report a case of PRS in a nine-year-old girl with characteristic features which was diagnosed based on medical history, clinical signs, and radiological findings on cranial CT scan and MRI.

Dermatology in Ghana: a retrospective review of skin disease at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Dermatology Clinic.

INTRODUCTION: Ghana is currently developing its provision of dermatology services. Epidemiologic studies of the skin diseases seen by Ghanaian dermatologists are needed to guide these efforts. We aimed to describe the skin conditions seen by and management practices of Ghanaian dermatologists in a specialized clinic. METHODS: We conducted a chart review of new patients presenting to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital dermatology clinic during 2014. RESULTS: Among the 529 patients studied, 700 discrete diagnoses were made. The most commonly diagnosed skin conditions were infections (24.6%) and dermatitis (24.6%); atopic dermatitis (8.4%), acne vulgaris (5.3%) and scabies (5.1%) were the most common specific diagnoses. Among infants, children, and adolescents, the most common diagnosis was atopic dermatitis (31.7%, 30.0%, and 14.9%, respectively). Acne vulgaris (12.0%) was the most common skin condition diagnosed in young adults. Irritant contact dermatitis (6.9%) was most common among adults. Lichen planus (9.9%) was the most commonly diagnosed skin condition in the senior population. Diagnoses made by dermatologists differed from the referral diagnosis documented by primary care providers for 65.8% of patients. The most frequently recommended treatments were antihistamines (47.8%) and topical steroids (38.4%). Only 18 diagnostic biopsies were performed. CONCLUSION: Our study summarizes the skin diseases seen and management practices of Ghanaian dermatologists in a specialized clinic at a large public teaching hospital. The results of this study can help to guide future dermatology education and development efforts in Ghana.