Case Report on Koro-Like Syndrome in a Private Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Authors

  • Rex F.O.A. Ijah PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), and Department of Surgery, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH),
  • Ayodele O. Ayodeji Elpida Rehabilitation Centre, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
  • Neenaadem J. Luba Shieldstone Spaecialist Hospitals Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60787/tnhj.v22i3.605

Keywords:

Koro syndrome,, case report, private specialist hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Modern description of Koro syndrome is known to be endemic among Chinese populations in Southeast Asia, although the condition was first known among people in Southern Sulawesi in Indonesia, and is characterized by genital hyper-involution and fear of impending death. The aim of this study was to describe an uncommon condition in our area of practice – Koro-like syndrome in a young patient in a private specialist hospital in Port Harcourt Nigeria in May 2022.

Methods: A study was carried out using patient’s case notes, and presented as case report on an adult patient who came to a private hospital in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, Nigeria.

Results/Case Summary: The patient was a 37-year-old private religious businessman, who presented at the Emergency Department of a private hospital in May 2022 with complaints of upper abdominal pain radiating to the chest and upper back, inability to sleep, palpitations, disappearing penis, feeling of something crawling on the head, hearing some sounds, all of about 5months duration, usually preceded by aura of perceiving odour of blood. He had coherent speech, delusional thoughts, poor judgement, and lacking in insight. Other systems examination was unremarkable except for elevated blood pressure of 150/100mmHg, epigastric tenderness and a retracted penis. Patient had significant improvement with anti-anxiety medications.

Conclusion: An anxiety related disorder that is associated with strong conviction of genital retraction and fear of death is reported.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Rex F.O.A. Ijah, PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), and Department of Surgery, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH),

Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant General Surgeon

Ayodele O. Ayodeji, Elpida Rehabilitation Centre, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Consultant Neuropsychiatrist

Neenaadem J. Luba , Shieldstone Spaecialist Hospitals Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Medical Officer

References

Edwards JW. Indigenous Koro, a genital retraction syndrome of insular Southeast Asia: a critical review. The Culture-Bound Syndromes. 1983:169-91.

Stip E, Nguyen J, Bertulies-Esposito B, Tempier A, Bedard M-J, Paradis A, et al. Classical Koro and Koro-Like Symptoms: Illustration from Canada. Journal of Psychosexual Health. 2021;3(3):222-35.

Crozier I. Making up koro: multiplicity, psychiatry, culture, and penis-shrinking anxieties. Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences. 2012;67(1):36-70.

Blonk J. Koro. Geneeskundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch-Indie. 1895;35:150-68.

Sackey BM. The vanishing sexual organ phenomenon in the context of Ghanaian religious beliefs. African Anthropology. 1997;4(2):110-25.

Dzokoto VA, Adams G. Understanding genital-shrinking epidemics in West Africa: koro, juju, or mass psychogenic illness? Culture, medicine and psychiatry. 2005;29(1):53-78.

Marlowe K. The cultural myth of Koro conceptualization: Time for a rethink. Transcultural psychiatry. 2009;46(2):375-6.

Kobler F. Description of an acute castration fear, based on superstition. Psychoanalytic Review. 1948;35(3):285-9.

Oyebode F, Jamieson R, Mullaney J, Davison K. Koro—A psychophysiological dysfunction? The British Journal of Psychiatry. 1986;148(2):212-4.

Anderson D. Koro: the genital retraction symptom after stroke. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 1990;157(1):142-4.

Durst R, Rosca-Rebaudengo P. Koro secondary to a tumour of the corpus callosum. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 1988;153(2):251-4.

Mather C. Accusations of genital theft: A case from Northern Ghana. Culture, medicine and psychiatry. 2005;29(1):33-52.

Aina O, Morakinyo O. Culture–bound syndromes and the neglect of cultural factors in psychopathologies among Africans. African Journal of Psychiatry. 2011;14(4):278-85.

Mensah RO, Obeel C. Mini-review Summary.

Ilechukwu ST. Magical penis loss in Nigeria: Report of a recent epidemic of a Koro-like syndrome. Transcultural Psychiatric Research Review. 1992;29(2):91-108.

Okechukwu CE. Shrinking and psychological disappearance of the penis: a salient psychocultural issue in Nigeria. Current Medical Issues. 2021;19(2):117.

Ntouros E, Ntoumanis A, Bozikas VP, Donias S, Giouzepas I, Garyfalos G. Koro-like symptoms in two Greek men. Case Reports. 2010;2010:bcr0820080679.

Durham R. Innocent until SuspectedGuilty. U Cin L Rev. 2021;90:644.

Mirazizovich MM. Classification presumption of innocence in the normative legal documents of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Confrencea. 2022;3(3):110-5.

Ferguson PR, editor.The presumption of innocence and its role in the criminal process. Criminal Law Forum; 2016: Springer.

Sachdev P. Koro epidemic in north-east India. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 1985;19(4):433-8.

Shukla G, Mishra D. Koro-like syndrome: a case report. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 1981;23(1):96.

Bartholomew RE. The social psychology of'epidemic'koro. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 1994;40(1):46-60.

Downloads

Published

2022-10-21

How to Cite

Ijah, R. F. O. A., Ayodeji, A. O., & Luba, N. J. (2022). Case Report on Koro-Like Syndrome in a Private Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The Nigerian Health Journal, 22(3), 321–324. https://doi.org/10.60787/tnhj.v22i3.605

Issue

Section

Case Report and Series
Abtract Views | PDF Download | EPUB Download: 447 / 250

Similar Articles

<< < 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.