A Vulvar Calculi: a rare complication of female genital mutilation (Case report)

Abstract

Background: Despite global eradication efforts led by the World Health Organization, female genital cutting continues to be a deeply-rooted, common practice in some parts of Asia and East Africa where Ethiopia is situated. It has cultural, social and traditional acceptance within the community for the purpose of attenuating the sexual desire of young women but often causing extreme discomfort and dangerous obstetric emergencies. The traditionally crude and unscientific nature of the practice has led to many immediate and long-term complications among the victims. Vulvar calculi deep seeded in an intermittently painful vulvar mass following type-3 female genital mutilation/cutting is one of the extremely rarelatecomplications of female genital cutting.
Case presentation: A fiveyearsold, Ethiopian, female presented with progressive, intermittently painful, vulvar swelling forthe past six months. Her history is significant for traditional female genital mutilation on the seventh day of life. An incision over the swelling was made and five discrete fragments of calculi were retrieved after which, partial correction of the vestibular narrowingwasperformed. The patient’s post-operative course was uneventful.
Conclusion: In areas where female genital cutting is endemic, such as Ethiopia, clinicians need to be aware of exceedingly rare late complications of the practice, which might be misdiagnosed as other solid vulvar swelling and be prepared to treat accordingly with the required appropriate surgical management.