Lao noma survivors: a retrospective review

Noma is a rapidly progressing infection of the oral cavity, mostly affecting children aged between two and five years. If untreated, mortality can reach 90% within a few weeks after the onset of symptoms. The majority of published literature on noma are case reports or case series from Africa. Studies including noma survivors in Asia are limited. We present a case series of 50 noma survivors in Laos using a retrospective review of data collected to monitor the care provided to patients. This study is unique and adds to the body of knowledge around noma as it is the first study of this size, to the authors’ knowledge, including Laos noma survivors.  Our study showed that noma survivors frequently live for years with disabling sequelae and that surgical rehabilitation improves the quality of life for noma survivors.