Adeloye-Odeku Disease in Irrua, South-South Nigeria

Abstract

First described in a publication by two Nigerian Neurosurgeons, Adeloye A and Odeku EL, in 1971, Adeloye-Odeku disease is a solitary congenital subgaleal inclusion dermoid cyst of the anterior fontanelle. This rare lesion, which makes up about 0.1-0.5% of all cranial tumours and 0.2% of all inclusion cysts, was initially thought to be found only in Africans. However, further reports have shown it to have a universal occurrence, as it has been reported in Caucasians, Chinese, Indians, and other part of the world. This lesion is also known as Congenital inclusion dermoid cyst (CIDS), is a benign slow-growing lesion, and if untreated, may persist to adult life. This article gives a highlight of the disease and its management and goes further to report 3 cases of this rare benign lesion seen in Irrua, South-South Nigeria, a rural, low-resource tertiary health institution. Incidentally and interestingly, all three cases presented within three consecutive months (January-March, 2019) at the neurosurgery outpatient clinic. Being uncomplicated cases, private and group counselling was done. The parents of the patients were much more reassured and relieved from their anxieties seeing others with similar problem. They were all worked up for surgery at different dates, had excision of the cysts with no complication and are currently being followed at the outpatient clinic.

Keywords

• Adeloye-Odeku
• congenital
• inclusion dermoid
• Cyst
• anterior fontanelle