Thanks to an innovative operation that took place on July 16, the head of 8-year-old Weronika Lange will have a correct, non-conical shape, and her brain will be able to develop normally. The procedure saving the health and life of the girl was carried out at the Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn.
In the photo: Weronika with her mother, the first day after the surgery
Weronika Lange was born with a syndrome of congenital malformations, incl. with complex craniosynostosis of multiple seams. It is a congenital genetic defect that manifests itself in an abnormal, pathological structure of the bones of the skull and face, resulting in an abnormal head shape. Weronika has the so-called a tower-shaped, triangular skull. The deformation of the bones causes premature fusion of the cranial sutures. The brain then does not have enough space in the skull to grow to the correct size.
– Earlier, we were treated at the Children’s Hospital at ul. Niekłańska in Warsaw, and later at the Institute of Mother and Child, from where we were sent for a specialist operation to the Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn – says Magdalena Lange, mother of Weronika. – The operation was successful. Weronika woke up, she is already starting to eat. I am very happy that it is over.
Now, for nine weeks, the patient’s mother will additionally stretch her skull, twisting the distractors protruding from the skull, commonly known as antennae, by an average of a millimeter every day. After this time, the distractors will be removed from the skull. Thanks to yesterday’s innovative treatment, Weronika’s brain will be able to develop without problems.
The operation was carried out on Tuesday, July 16 this year. prof. Dawid Larysz, specialist in neurosurgery from the Department of Head and Neck Surgery in the field of Maxillofacial Surgery of the Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn with his team (Dr. Andrei Maksymowich, specialist in anesthesiology and intensive care, Aleksandra Moździara, anesthesiology nurse, Ewa Kowalkowska-Matel, operating nurse and Barbara Kowalkowska-Matel Zyśk, auxiliary operating nurse).
– At the Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn, as the only one in Poland, we perform the so-called distractions of both the facial and cerebral parts of the skull based on preoperative planning in virtual reality. The close cooperation with the Department of Biomechatronics of the Silesian University of Technology led by prof. Mark Gzik. This time, we performed an operation, during which we used not only planning in virtual reality, but also individualized operating templates as well as individualized implants and distractors. This is the first such procedure in Poland and the second in Europe! – emphasizes prof. David Larysz. – The tooling used is very expensive. We are grateful to the director of the Warmian-Masurian branch of the National Health Fund for agreeing to individual reimbursement so that the patient does not incur any costs.
The surgery was needed to increase the volume of the girl’s skull so that her brain could develop properly. Failure to do so may pose a threat to the patient’s health and life. Thanks to the use of a specialized, individualized template, which allows you to cut every millimeter on the operating table and bypass the largest blood vessels in the skull. As the operation was much shorter (8 hours instead of 2,5 hours), it was also less risky due to less blood loss and a shorter time of anesthesia. The procedure was also much safer.
– If we were to perform it using the standard method, we would risk damaging large vessels in the head, which could result in severe disability or even death – emphasizes Prof. Larsh. The operation would be very risky, but also leaving the child untreated. It is very likely that this disadvantage would increase. This could damage the brain and even lead to acute intracranial hypertension syndrome, which may result in the death of the child.
Source: Provincial Specialist Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn, Medexpress