–expected to make full recovery

THIRTEEN-year-old Ty David is expected to make a full recovery after successfully undergoing the first-ever brain aneurysm surgery to be performed on a paediatric patient in Guyana.The country’s lone neurosurgeon, Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi performed the ground-breaking operation on the St. Rose’s High School student on Monday at the Woodlands Hospital. The teen is expected to be discharged from hospital today.
Recounting what occurred on May 18 when her son fell ill, Tonna David told reporters that Ty had always complained about severe headaches, but she’d put them down to nervousness and anxiety, since he was preparing for a school presentation.

“He was normal on the morning of May 18; he had Online school, and [I] think it was a combination of things… He had a presentation; he’s an introvert first and foremost, so I think he was probably camera shy to do his presentation. It might have been nervousness and anxiety,” Ty’s mom said.

Tonna related that her son later collapsed, and was rushed to the hospital where he was later diagnosed with a brain bleed.

During a press conference on Tuesday in the hospital’s boardroom, Dr. Dukhi explained that the “textbook-style surgery” which lasted for two hours will see the lad making a full recovery, and returning to his everyday lifestyle.

The doctor told reporters that the teen was admitted by the hospital’s paediatrician, and a CT scan which was later done discovered that he had an extensive bleed in his brain as a result of a rupture.

“I was called in to consult on this patient on the same day (May 18th) after which a presumed diagnosis of brain aneurysm was done, based on the kind of bleed which is called a subarachnoid haemorrhage,” Dr. Dukhi explained.

He added that the child’s condition is something that is rarely seen in paediatric patients, and is oftentimes fatal, if not treated immediately.

“It is not initially something that you see in kids. Further radiological studies were done, and that showed that this child has something that we call a brain aneurysm. Now brain aneurysm is something that is more frequent in adults,” Dr. Dukhi said, adding: “Any brain aneurysm that is ruptured is considered to be an extremely, extremely critical patient… That patient cannot move; cannot travel. They are going to have to be put away in a room that is extremely dark, and we did all of that.”

Given the severity of Ty’s condition, systems were put in place for the surgery to be done locally. According to Dr. Dukhi, this resulted in relatives having to worry less about finances, since the cost only amounted to 10% of what they would have had to pay, if the surgery was done overseas.

“It’s also important to note that these types of procedures in a foreign country will cost a patient about almost US$200,000 or more, and we were able to have everything done here for between 10 to 15% of that cost,” Dr. Dukhi said.

He disclosed that he and his colleagues were able to wash the blood out of the lad’s brain, and later prepare him for surgery.

The endovascular surgery that was done on the teen is a less invasive procedure, which is considered to be the toughest of neurosurgical procedures. Nevertheless, Dr. Dukhi expressed confidence that he will make a full recovery.

“The procedure went extremely well; I do not foresee any future complications, and he should be able to go back to normal, whatever he was doing as per normal, his routine daily activities, school, studying et cetera,” the doctor said.

Meanwhile, Tonna expressed her gratitude to Dr. Dukhi and his team. The elated woman said: “I just want to say thanks to God first and foremost. Also, thanks to the Dr. Dukhi and the other neurologists at the clinic… I knew from the inception, and I had a lot of faith that this surgery would have been successful, and I never wavered or anything. And I just waiting for the good news right outside the theatre door.”

Dr. Neville Gobin, Management Consultant at Woodlands Hospital, expressed satisfaction that the procedure was successful, noting that the hospital invests heavily in modern equipment to bring the best healthcare to patients. “We invested a lot in modern equipment so that we can bring the best healthcare at an affordable cost. We are happy that the procedure went well,” he said.