Timely surgery in UAE saves 4-month-old from imminent brain damage

Ras Al Khaimah - Abdullahi David was flown from his native country to Ras Al Khaimah.

Doctors in Ras Al Khaimah successfully performed a life-saving surgery on a four-month-old infant recently. The Nigerian boy had suffered fluid accumulation within the brain with progressive swelling of the head when admitted to the hospital.

Doctors conducted a brain surgery to save the little boy from stunted developmental growth, loss of physical and mental activities, and possible death.

Abdullahi David was flown from his native country to Ras Al Khaimah with complaints of the disease. Because of deteriorated brain function, he had lost the ability to smile, an action he was able to perform effortlessly earlier.

David 's parents had sought RAK Hospital after consulting various hospitals in Nigeria where no one was willing to perform surgery on a small infant due to narrow scope of success and, potentially, death.

"The surgery itself was not complicated, but the fact that patient was just a few months old presented a number of challenges," explained Dr Tinku Jose Kurisinkal, consultant neurosurgeon at RAK Hospital who led the procedure.

"Baby David was suffering from what is known as congenital hydrocephalus, a condition where fluid accumulates within the brain, either because of a blockage or the body's inability to absorb the water."

Ordinarily, this cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protects the brain from mechanical injury, provides nourishment, and carries away waste; however, an excess amount could potentially result in developmental disorders, he added.

"In order to divert the fluid, a plastic tube was surgically implanted from the brain to create an alternate path from the head through the neck into the abdomen. Given the very young age, the procedure was quite a difficult task and credit goes to the surgical team for their clinical acumen," he pointed out.

"The procedure was further complicated since giving and maintaining anaesthesia in a new-born posed a challenge, but our team of anaesthetists managed it smoothly. Extra precaution had to be taken to prevent infection and avoid post-operation complications," said Dr Kurisinkal.

"The surgery lasted for about 90 minutes and, upon recovery from anaesthesia, the baby regained consciousness and the smile was back on his face."

The baby was prescribed short-term anti-seizure medication to prevent any post-surgery seizures, and within days, his parents were able to take him home, he said.

"As per a recent research, the incidences of congenital hydrocephalus are highest in Africa and Latin America -145 and 316 per 100,000 births, respectively."

Dr Raza Siddiqui, CEO at Arabian Healthcare Group and executive director at RAK Hospital, said the department of neurosurgery is quite adept at handling extremely complicated and critical cases with precise and accurate diagnosis and timely surgical intervention. "This case is an example of how RAK Hospital is emerging as a preferred destination of medical tourism, particularly for performing complicated surgeries."

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Ras Al Khaimah