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Minimally invasive brain aneurysm surgery successful at GPHC – First of its kind locally
Guyana’s lone Neurosurgeon, Dr. Amarnauth Duhki and the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) here in Guyana have recently and successfully completed a minimally invasive brain aneurysm surgery on a local patient.
Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi with the patient Paula Sampson and her son at the GPHC
This has been the first time that this type of surgery has ever been executed locally.
A brain aneurysm is a deformed vessel that develops in within the brain, most times in deep and technical areas. If it is ruptured the chance of fatality is very high, because in 40% of cases when an aneurysm ruptures the patients die, and 15% of them actually die before they receive any medical attention. Sixty percent of them who survive suffer from neurological deficits.
The patient, 56-year-old Paula Sampson, suffered from her first rupture roughly six weeks ago.
Sampson survived, but she was diagnosed with an anterior communicating artery, deep within the brain. Unfortunately after diagnosis, the woman suffered from a second rupture.
“Just to note that on the second bleeding of an aneurysm, 80% of persons die,” the neurosurgeon related.
Fortunately, Dr. Duhki and his team were able to perform surgery locally.
“We had to import the medical instruments and the consumables that were used. A radiologist, Dr. Thairouz Yorkis, who is based in Miami, flew into the country to guide in the radiological aspect of the surgery,” Dr. Duhki noted.
In terms of performing the surgery, there are two ways in treating a brain aneurysm; the surgeons would remove a piece of the skull, get into the brain and then put in place a metallic clip on the artery; that way you clip it out of the main circulation of the brain.
Dr. Duhki noted that that procedure is very risky, anywhere in the world. He added that today’s surgical world is moving towards minimal invasion of the brain.
He expressed that, “Now, we treat these cases through endovascular coiling, and this was the method performed in Guyana. It was the first time and it was executed using cutting edge technology.”
“With the help of the CHI, we were able to use their CAT Lab, where we analysed, and then entered the femoral artery at the thigh, though the heart, and then directly through to the brain.”
According to Duhki, this procedure in the United States would usually cost $200,000, “but we were able to perform it here at a small percentage of that cost”.
Forty-eight hours after the surgery Ms. Sampson was responsive and well. She is scheduled to be discharged today and will be required to do necessary follow- ups.
Dr. Dukhi related that, “This patient will be able to move forward with her normal life and daily activities.”
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