Doctors reshape injured baby's skull sans surgery

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Doctors reshape injured babys skull sans surgery

Ajman - A CT scan of the baby's head revealed a depressed fracture at the most prominent point on the sides of his head.

By Saman Haziq

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Published: Sat 1 Jun 2019, 9:22 PM

Last updated: Sun 2 Jun 2019, 3:04 PM

A six-month-old baby boy developed a visible dent on his head after a fall at home. Surgery was the recommended treatment, but his parents refused to subject him to needles and incisions. What the doctors at the hospital did next was fascinating.
They improvised a vacuum-like device that allowed them to 'elevate' the depressed fracture on the baby's skull and bring it back to its normal shape - without any sedation, anaesthesia or incision.
Dr Hillol Kanti Pal, consultant neurosurgeon at Thumbay Hospital - Ajman, said: "At this age, the skull is like a table tennis ball. A dent such as in this case has little chance of bouncing back to its normal shape over time if not rectified early."
A CT scan of the baby's head revealed a depressed fracture at the most prominent point on the sides of his head. The dent was quite obvious, and the Pakistani couple knew that they should do something to get it corrected.
However, when they were told that surgery would have to be done, they were reluctant.
Dr Pal and Dr Faisal Ameer, a senior plastic surgeon at the hospital, had to think of a non-
invasive alternative.
The duo did their research and found a report suggesting that a 'vacuum application device' could be helpful in elevating the depressed fracture in babies who are younger than nine months.
They found it encouraging to make their own device, attaching a non-cuffed infant CPR mask to a 50ml syringe. It looked fine for the job but, still, the doctors were unsure whether it could generate the vacuum effect. Dr Fozi Dakilah, a neonatologist at the hospital, said a cuffed infant CPR mask would fit into the crevices of the baby's scalp, allowing for the suction of the desired magnitude to be applied.
The doctors explained that there was a one-in-10 chance it might not produce the desired result. But the parents happily opted for the alternative.
The attempt was successful: The depressed 'ping-pong fracture' snapped back into its original position and assumed the normal shape of the skull with just a 'plop'.
saman@khaleejtimes.com


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