South Coast doctors perform first nose-based brain tumour surgery
Doctors at Shelly Beach Hospital perform the South Coast’s first nose-based brain tumour removal, allowing patients to avoid travelling to Durban or Cape Town for complex surgery.
A team of doctors are celebrating a medical first for the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.
They have removed a tumour from the base of the brain.
They operated through the nose instead of making an external incision.
Neurosurgeon Dr Yandisa Nxakama led the team at Shelly Beach Hospital that performed the procedure called Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Pituitary Tumour Resection.
Groundbreaking brain surgery performed through the nose
" It is difficult to reach the base of the brain through the skull. We decided to do the procedure through the nose. We do have access to the nose via the sinuses. We have sinuses in the nose, and those sinuses will take us into the base of the brain. We were using a camera system called an endoscope, and we were using a computer system called neuro-navigation. Those are modern pieces of equipment that make the procedure safe and quicker,” Dr Nxakama explained.
ALSO READ: Limpopo hospital successfully separates conjoined twins
The surgery was made possible through the collaboration of Neurosurgeon Dr Nxakama, ENT Surgeon Dr Sigonya, and Anaesthesiologist Dr Malleck.
"Throughout the high-stakes operation, Dr Malleck (Anaesthesiologist) ensured the patient's vitals and specialised sedation levels remained stable for such a delicate neurological task.
"To conclude the surgery, the team used a small piece of fat harvested from the patient’s thigh to patch the base of the brain. This was secured with specialised tissue glue to prevent the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), ensuring a robust internal seal without any visible scarring."
Patients no longer need to travel for complex brain surgery
Nxakama says up until now, patients on the South Coast have had to travel to major metropolitan hubs to undergo this procedure.
" So it is a common procedure that is done. We don't have to make big scars on the head; we just have to go through the nose. So it means a lot for the region, the patient, and the hospital. For patients in the region of the South Coast and parts of the Eastern Cape, they don't have to travel now to Durban or Cape Town for these procedures to be performed. You are able to do it in our region in the South Coast."
Find us on social media
Follow the ECR Newswatch WhatsApp channel here
We are also on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter)
MORE ON ECR:
