LEVY MWANAWASA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL BRAIN TUMOUR SURGERY
With the increase in advanced medical diagnostic equipment, competent personnel and increased health coverage; brain tumours, among other complicated diseases of the central nervous system, are increasingly being diagnosed countrywide.
Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital has continued to manage these complicated cases, and just last week, our Neurosurgery team, led by Dr. Lubasi Manyando, once again successfully performed a craniotomy and tumour resection, which is basically the removal of a tumour from the brain. This surgery was performed on an elderly man, aged 71, from Kasama, who presented with a huge brain tumour weighing about 200 grams, which was located on very important and dangerous structures of his brain.
This tumour had caused weakness of the patient’s right limbs, headaches, and seizures with intermittent loss of consciousness. Dr. Lubasi explains that the only definitive treatment plan in such a case is a complete surgical removal of the brain tumour. However, due to its dangerous location, a neurosurgeon needs to be extra careful and very accurate so as not to damage the surrounding structures like the motor cortex and vital blood vessels, which may cause fatality if injured during the process.
Therefore, the success story in this case is that the tumour was removed in totality without injuring the said structures, with minimal bleeding, and the patient was extubated (withdrawn from breathing support) during the first hour of his post-surgery in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He was transferred from the ICU just a day after his surgery to the normal wards, where he continues to recover, awaiting discharge to go home. His limb weakness has greatly improved, he no longer has headaches, no seizures, and his post-surgical wound has healed very well.
The team managed to completely remove the whole tumour in just 5 to 6 hours. It is with great hope that, with the continued improvement in the area of modern and high-tech equipment, the hospital will continue to record positive outcomes with shortened theatre time and quicker recovery for patients.
The surgical team comprised Dr. Lubasi Manyando – Consultant Neurosurgeon, Dr. Ndjobvu and Dr. Kabwe as Assistant Neurosurgery Registrars. Anaesthesia was given by the team led by Dr. Marina, Mr. Patrick Musonda, Luyando, and Sr. Lydia Phiri. The scrub nursing team comprised Sister Sinai, Joyce, Omar, and was led by Given Mulamba.
With improved healthcare systems in Zambia, the country will continue to record a reduction in the costs attached to patient referrals abroad. The minimal cost of this procedure abroad is about $10,000.00, translating to K280,000.00.
The theatre team thanks the Ministry of Health and Hospital Management for the continued support in ensuring that the necessary infrastructure, equipment, trained human resources, and supplies are available, as these are critical aspects that contribute significantly to the health sector in Zambia — as a healthy nation is a productive nation.
Chizongo Siachiwena
Public Relations Unit
Photo Credit: Musonda Mulenga