The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) yesterday said it had successfully completed what it said was the first paediatric liver resection in Guyana.
It said that the surgery on Thursday was performed on an 18-month-old girl from Linden who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive paediatric liver cancer known as hepatoblastoma.
After the diagnosis of the large, aggressive tumour, a multidisciplinary team led by Guyanese Paediatric Surgeon, Dr. Marisa Seepersaud was formed.
Treatment commenced with a series of chemotherapy sessions, administered by GPHC’s oncologist, Dr. Archer, and her team. The radiology team, led by Dr. Vyphius, monitored the tumour’s response to treatment. After five chemotherapy sessions, the tumour had shrunk by approximately 50%, making surgical removal a viable option.
The release said that given the unprecedented nature of the procedure in Guyana, two hepatobiliary specialists were invited to assist the local team in performing the complex surgery, which involved removing about half of the baby’s liver. Ensuring the patient’s safety during the operation, senior consultants from the anaesthetic department, Doctors Fernando & Arturo, provided care.
Dr. Colin Abel, Head of Paediatric Surgery and Liver Transplant at 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 for the critical tumour removal. Dr. Seepersaud worked alongside these surgeons throughout the procedure.
“The surgery was a formidable undertaking involving many complex and critical steps and equipment,” stated Dr. Seepersaud, the local lead paediatric surgeon. The patient’s mother expressed confidence in the team’s management and consented to the surgery.
On Thursday, the nine-hour operation concluded with the complete resection of the tumour. Dr. Seepersaud expressed her gratitude to the GPHC administration for their swift response in facilitating the assistance of the visiting surgeons. Both Dr. Abel and Professor Dunn have shown interest in continuing their support for the Paediatric Surgical department, an offer for which the Paediatric Department is grateful.
The paediatric critical care team continues to monitor the baby, who is expected to be discharged soon. Due to the liver’s regenerative capacity, the patient is anticipated to have normal liver function as she grows. Mortality rates for major liver resection surgeries range from 5% in developed countries to as high as 31% in less experienced regions, the release said.
The period from admission, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery was ten weeks at GPHC. Additionally, two other paediatric patients with uncommon tumours also benefited from surgeries during the team’s visit. A 1-year-old girl and an 8-month-old girl, both with large sacrococcygeal teratomas, have been successfully treated and discharged.
