18 -month-old benefits from historic liver resection surgery at GPHC

Jun 01, 2024 News

Kaieteur News – An 18-month -old baby girl from Linden has benefited from the first ever pediatric liver resection done in Guyana. In a statement released via its Facebook page, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) said it is thrilled to record a monumental milestone in medical history of Guyana.

Baby Chelsea, five days post surgery at the Pediatric High Dependency Unit, GPHC

GPHC successfully performed the nation’s first paediatric liver resection on 18-month-old Chelsea (only name provided) who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer known as hepatoblastoma.

According to GPHC, the journey began when Dr. Marisa Seepersaud, a dedicated Guyanese Paediatric Surgeon, assembled a multi-disciplinary team to provide a fighting chance for the child. The initial phase of treatment involved a series of chemotherapy sessions administered by GPHC oncologists, Dr. Archer, [only name provided] and her team.

The radiology team, led by Dr. Vyphius [only name provided], meticulously monitored the tumour’s response to the treatment. After five chemotherapy sessions, the tumour had reduced in size by approximately 50%, making it possible to proceed with surgical removal.

Recognizing the complexity and unprecedented nature of this surgery in Guyana, two hepatobiliary specialists were invited to assist the local team. Dr. Colin Abel, Head of Paediatric Surgery and Liver Transplant at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Jamaica, and Professor Steven Dunn, Paediatric Surgeon and Head of Solid Organ Transplant at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware, USA, volunteered their expertise.

The hospital emphasized that safety was the utmost priority as in the case for all surgical procedures.

As such, senior consultants from the anaesthetic department, Doctors Fernando and Arturo, [only names provided] ensured the baby’s safety throughout the anaesthesia process.

Dr. Seepersaud, who led for the local team, described the procedure as a formidable undertaking involving many complex and critical steps. After a nine-hour surgery, the tumour was successfully and completely resected. Dr. Seepersaud expressed profound gratitude to the GPHC administration for their swift response and support, and to Drs. Abel and Dunn for their invaluable assistance and ongoing commitment to the paediatric surgical department.

The mother of the young patient expressed her confidence in the team’s management from the beginning, which led to her consent for the surgery.

Meanwhile, the hospital said that the paediatric critical care team continues to monitor the baby, who is expected to be discharged soon. Due to the liver’s remarkable regenerative capacity, she is anticipated to have normal liver function as she grows.

The success rate of major liver resection surgeries can range from a 5% mortality rate in developed countries to as high as 31% in less experienced regions.

“Achieving this milestone within just ten weeks from admission to surgery at GPHC underscores the dedication and expertise of our team,” GPHC said in the statement.

Additionally, the hospital revealed that during the visiting surgeons’ time at GPHC two other paediatric patients benefited from surgeries for large sacrococcygeal teratomas. Both the 1-year-old and the 8-month-old patients have recovered well and have been discharged.

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GPHC, only name provided, paediatric, Paediatric Surgery and Liver Transplant, Steven Dunn

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