A British-Nigerian businessman has died after undergoing a penis enlargement procedure in Thailand, with a UK coroner concluding that the cosmetic treatment caused a fatal pulmonary embolism. Igho “Tiny” Ubiribo, 43, became seriously ill shortly after receiving injections at a clinic in Bangkok during a trip with his wife in March.
Evidence presented at Inner West London Coroners’ Court said Ubiribo received 40 millilitres of hyaluronic acid mixed with lidocaine, a local anaesthetic, during the procedure at an unnamed clinic.
He later complained of chest pain and collapsed twice before being taken by ambulance to Sukhumvit Hospital in Bangkok, according to reports of the inquest.
Doctors attempted to save him, including carrying out cardiopulmonary resuscitation for more than 100 minutes, but he died in the early hours of 6 March.
A post-mortem examination carried out in the UK later identified material in his lungs that was reported to match the hyaluronic acid used during the treatment. Coroner Jean Harkin concluded that the cosmetic procedure caused the pulmonary embolism that led to his death.
Businessman became ill after Bangkok procedure
Ubiribo had travelled to Thailand with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen, when he underwent the procedure.
After leaving the clinic, the couple reportedly went for a massage. During the session, Ubiribo developed chest pain and lost consciousness twice.
He was taken to hospital, where he was initially able to respond to medical staff. His wife informed doctors that he had undergone the filler procedure.
His condition then deteriorated before doctors could carry out a recommended CT scan. He was transferred to intensive care, but attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
UK Companies House records list an Igho Ubiribo, born in March 1982, as a British national and former director of a London-registered company.
Ubiribo was also known on social media as Denisi or Ego and had built a substantial online following.
Reports of his death circulated in March, but some early accounts gave different locations and causes. The later evidence reported from the London inquest provides a more detailed account of the circumstances surrounding his death.
What is a hyaluronic acid penis filler?
Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally found in the body and is widely used in cosmetic fillers.
In penile augmentation, the gel can be injected beneath the skin to increase girth without conventional surgery. The treatment is cosmetic rather than medically necessary in most cases.
Research published in the Asian Journal of Andrology has found that hyaluronic acid fillers can increase penile circumference, but complications can occur. A study involving 230 patients recorded problems including bleeding beneath the skin, nodules and infection. Researchers also said standardisation of treatment methods remained limited.
A more recent medical review said demand for penile enhancement procedures is increasing and that complications are being seen more often by urologists. It identified problems associated with hyaluronic acid fillers including migration of the filler, nodules and infection.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has previously warned about potentially serious risks from some forms of injectable male genital enhancement, particularly procedures carried out without appropriate medical oversight.
Ubiribo’s case does not mean that every hyaluronic acid procedure will cause a pulmonary embolism. Published research has generally reported lower rates of serious complications with properly administered hyaluronic acid fillers than with some permanent or unregulated substances.
However, his death highlights why people considering cosmetic procedures should understand the risks, check the qualifications of practitioners and make sure the treatment is carried out in an appropriately regulated medical setting.
New Daily Prime has previously reported on the wider debate surrounding cosmetic surgery and body modification, as well as warnings about health risks linked to beauty procedures.
The case also touches on the wider issue of people travelling abroad for medical treatment. New Daily Prime recently examined changes in Nigeria’s overseas medical tourism spending.
Pulmonary embolism explained
A pulmonary embolism occurs when blood flow through an artery in the lungs becomes blocked. Most pulmonary embolisms are caused by blood clots, although other material entering the circulation can also cause an embolism.
In Ubiribo’s case, reports of the inquest said the post-mortem evidence connected material found in his lungs with the filler used during the cosmetic procedure. The coroner therefore recorded the treatment as causing the fatal embolism.
No information in the reports suggests that the unnamed Thai clinic has been found criminally liable, and the coroner’s conclusion about the medical cause of death should not be interpreted as a criminal finding against any individual or organisation.
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What readers should know
The key finding is that a UK coroner concluded Igho Ubiribo died from a pulmonary embolism linked to the cosmetic filler procedure he underwent in Bangkok. His case should not be taken to mean that all hyaluronic acid fillers are fatal, but it underlines that cosmetic procedures can carry serious risks. Anyone considering treatment abroad should check the practitioner’s qualifications, the clinic’s regulatory status and the potential complications before proceeding.
