title: Effectiveness of excision of pre-ulcerative Buruli lesions in field situations in a rural district in Ghana.
abstract: The effectiveness of excision of pre-ulcerative Buruli lesions in field situations was assessed in a prospective study in an endemic focus in rural Ghana. All 50 patients, clinically diagnosed as having pre-ulcerative Buruli lesions, had their lesions excised followed by primary suturing. The patients were then followed up until the wound healed and thereafter for a year or until recurrence. The median duration for complete healing after excision was 31.5 days while the 1-year recurrence rate was 16%. None of the patients had any form of deformity after healing in contrast with the usual consequences of other forms of treatment. Our findings suggest that excision of pre-ulcerative Buruli lesions is effective in preventing deformities but less so for preventing recurrence of lesion.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amofah
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asamoah
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Afram-Gyening
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012423:Rural Health; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing