Profile of pediatric traditional uvulectomy in North-West Nigeria: The need for caution and education

Objectives: The study assessed the prevalence of complications associated with traditional uvulectomy and identified factors associated with favorable outcome after management in a pediatric population in North-Western Nigeria.

Study design and setting: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at the accident and emergency section as well as at the otolaryngology out-patient clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin-Kebbi, Nigeria.

Methods: Patients with traditional uvulectomy complications were recruited on consecutive basis and sample size was dependent on the patients seen over the study period. This was done over a 6 month study period (January 2014-June 2014).

Results: A total of forty one participants, all within the paediatric age group (<15 years) participated in this study. The age of the participants ranged from 2 to 13 years while the mean age was 6.17 years ± 2.47. The ≤5 year age group constituted about 44% of the children studied. Gender distribution noted a slight male preponderance (Male: Female ratio = 1.05: 1). A total of 58.8% of the participants were fully immunized, while the Haemoglobin concentration status (packed cell volume) at hospital presentation of <10 g/dl (<30%) occurred in 34.1% of the participants of the study. The duration of hospital stay in pediatric patients with post-traditional uvulectomy complications was significantly associated with the maternal immunization status (p = 0.007). Also, subjects with completed maternal immunization status had about 0.1 times odds (CI = 0.19-0.64) likelihood to have a prolonged hospital stay when compared with subjects whose mothers were partially immunized or not immunized at all.

Conclusion/significance: In conclusion, this study found that favorable outcome post-traditional uvulectomy is related to early presentation and maternal immunization status, but adversely affected by anemia. Traditional uvulectomy remains a cultural practice that should be discouraged using both advocacy and legislative measures.