British-Nigerian businessman and influencer Igho “Tiny” Ubiriro died after a penis enlargement procedure in Bangkok caused a fatal pulmonary embolism, an inquest at Inner West London Coroners’ Court heard.
Ubiriro, 43, had 40 millilitres of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine injected into his penis at an unnamed clinic in Thailand in March, while travelling with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen.
The couple went for a massage at their Marriott hotel after the procedure, where Ubiriro complained of chest pain and fainted twice. He was taken to Sukhumvit Hospital for treatment.
Doctors identified a clot blocking a blood vessel in his lungs. Ubiriro lost consciousness before further scans could be completed, and medical staff carried out CPR for almost two hours.
A post-mortem examination found that the hyaluronic acid injected during the cosmetic treatment had entered his bloodstream and travelled to his lungs, causing the embolism.
Assistant coroner Jean Harkin recorded a narrative conclusion linking the death to the cosmetic procedure abroad. The clinic where the treatment took place has not been identified.
Ubiriro, who was also known online as Denisi or Ego, was buried at a funeral ceremony attended by friends and relatives in London in late May.
The case has highlighted the risks surrounding cosmetic procedures involving injectable fillers. The BBC has reported that the global penis enlargement industry is largely unregulated, with practitioners not always required to hold the medical qualifications expected for other cosmetic treatments.
