A 16-year-old patient has been given a fresh start in life following the removal of a large congenital hemangioma that affected her right shoulder.
A congenital hemangioma is a kind of birthmark that occurs when a tangled group of blood vessels grow in or under a baby’s skin.

The successful operation, the first of its kind, was executed by the surgical unit at the Lethem Regional Hospital in February.
The patient was admitted on February 20, with intense levels of discomfort and intermittent pain as a result of the sporadic enlargement of the mass since birth.

Before the operation, a physical examination was carried out and showed an eight by 10 centimetres non-tender hyper pigmented mass on the right shoulder of the patient.
Upon completion of the excision, the full size of the mass was achieved and measured in length +/- 25-30cm.

It was reported that the patient lost 800 milliliters of blood throughout the surgery, which was expertly replenished with a blood transfusion. The patient was discharged five days later.
The success story underscores the government’s immense effort and investment in advancing the country’s healthcare sector, especially in the hinterland and far-flung areas.

With an impressive track record of successful surgical procedures under its belt, the Lethem Regional Hospital continues to provide medical aid to Guyanese and neighbouring countries, Brazil and Venezuela.
Equipped with modern surgical facilities, including a theatre with two fully utilised beds, allowing for simultaneous surgeries and improved patient flow, the hospital can efficiently manage the remarkable rise in surgical procedures it is experiencing.

The surge has seen the surgical volume from 2022 to 2023, increasing by 200 per cent. Moreover, the hospital has a wide range of surgical services including general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and ophthalmology with expansion plans on the horizon. (DPI)