AFTER years of disability caused by haemophilia, 48-year-old Pooran Sookdeo is walking again following a complex surgical procedure made possible through international collaboration and multidisciplinary teamwork.
For Sookdeo, living with Haemophilia ‘A’ has meant a lifetime of medical challenges. Repeated bleeding into his joints gradually caused severe damage, particularly to his right knee, significantly affecting his mobility, quality of life, and ability to work and support his family.
However, a landmark surgical achievement at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has given him renewed hope for independence.
On September 22, 2026, GPHC successfully performed a total knee replacement on Mr. Sookdeo through its partnership with the Louisiana Center for Bleeding & Clotting Disorders at Tulane University, New Orleans, facilitated through the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) Twinning Programme.
WHY THIS SURGERY WAS EXCEPTIONAL
Haemophilia A is a rare, lifelong bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency of clotting factor VIII. Repeated bleeding into joints can result in severe arthritis, chronic pain, and permanent disability.
Performing major orthopaedic surgery in patients with haemophilia is particularly challenging because of the significant risk of bleeding during and after surgery, as well as potential complications involving wound healing and infection.
Success therefore requires meticulous surgical planning, specialised clotting factor replacement, laboratory monitoring and coordinated postoperative care.
This procedure brought together the expertise of Haematology, Orthopaedics, Anesthesia, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Laboratory and Operating Theatre Services, demonstrating the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in managing complex medical conditions.
LOCAL EXPERTISE AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
The surgical team included Dr Kaaleshwar Ramcharran and the GPHC Orthopedic team, working alongside Dr. Fernando Leon Sanchez, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief of Adult Reconstruction at Tulane University. Edgardo Javier, an experienced orthopaedic surgical technician, provided essential technical and operative support.
The patient’s specialised bleeding management was coordinated by Dr. Kamela Bemaul-Sukhu, Consultant Hematologist, and Dr Jamal Shamsudeen, Senior Medical Officer, Haematology, in collaboration with Dr Maissaa Janbain, Associate Professor of Medicine at Tulane University and Director of the Louisiana Center for Bleeding & Clotting Disorders.
Carefully planned factor VIII replacement before and after surgery, together with close clinical monitoring, was essential to minimising bleeding risks and supporting recovery.
Nurse June Willery, of GPHC’s Haemophilia Nursing Service, collaborated with visiting Haemophilia Nurse Nicole Reynaud in specialised nursing care, treatment monitoring and patient education.
The GPHC Physiotherapy Department, led in this initiative by Simone Seckle, played a vital role in postoperative rehabilitation, with additional specialist rehabilitation guidance from Kenneth Martin of the Louisiana team.
Mr. Sookdeo has since been discharged and is walking. He continues physiotherapy three times weekly, with no complications reported to date.
STRENGHTENING HEMOPHILLA CARE ACROSS GUYANA
The surgery formed part of a three-day WFH Haemophilia Treatment Centre Twinning Visit, held September 21–23, 2026, which extended beyond the operating theatre.
The programme included clinical consultations, multidisciplinary case discussions, training in ultrasound-guided intra-articular joint injections, and specialist educational activities.
Visiting Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Janifer Tropez collaborated with Dr Natasha France and GPHC’s OBGYN and Haematology teams to strengthen the management of women with bleeding disorders.
Countrywide Continuing Medical Education (CME) sessions, delivered virtually, also provided healthcare professionals across Guyana access to specialist teaching on haemophilic joint disease, von Willebrand disease and modern approaches to bleeding-disorder management.
Special recognition is extended to Jennifer Borrillo, Programme Director and Social Worker with the Louisiana Center, whose dedication and extensive coordination were instrumental in making this collaboration possible.
A MILESTONE BEYOND THE OPERATING THEATRE
This achievement highlights Guyana’s growing capacity to deliver complex specialist healthcare through strong partnerships, knowledge exchange and multidisciplinary teamwork.
More importantly, it offers renewed hope to patients living with haemophilia and its disabling complications.
For Mr. Sookdeo, the impact is already deeply personal. After years of restricted mobility, he is walking again, with the prospect of greater independence and an improved quality of life.
This landmark achievement is more than a successful knee replacement. It demonstrates the power of collaboration, the advancement of specialised healthcare in Guyana, and the possibilities created when medical expertise is united in the service of patients. (GPHC)
