Stabroek News
January 21, 2016
A team of doctors attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) have successfully performed for the first time a much needed corrective spinal surgeon on an accident victim.
The surgery was performed on 56-year-old Rafina Deepan at the GPHC on January 12 by a team of four doctors including Dr David Samaroo, Dr Hydar Khan, Dr Kurtly Hestick and was headed by specialist Chinese spinal surgeon, Dr. Wang Yongxiang.
Dr. Wang is among several other medical personnel who are attached to the 11th batch of Chinese medical practitioners currently on a two -year stint in Guyana.
Deepan was said to have been involved in a motor vehicle accident back in 2004 where she was hit by a sand truck as she stood at the corner of the road at Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara.
Speaking from her hospital bed, the woman explained that she had only started experiencing lower body problems a few years ago since she did not know she had suffered any injuries there as result of the accident. However, as time progressed, she began suffering from swelling and numbness of the lower body along with difficulty walking.
"As I got older it started telling on me, I started walking in a different way, I couldn't balance and walking caused great discomfort," Deepan said.
She was however to report that having undergone the surgery, she is able to move her legs without any major discomfort.
According to Dr. Wang, Deepan's pre-operation diagnosis included L4-L5 Spinal Stenosis, L4-L5 Disc herniation, L4-L5 Spondylolisthesis and she had to undergo several surgeries inclusive of a Laminectomy and dissection, L4- L5 pedicle screw fixation in order to correct the problem. Lumbar spinal bone and cage graft surgery was performed locally for the first time.
He went on to explain that the surgery is very complex in nature and had presented a 50/50 chance of being successful. However, after three hours in the operation room, Deepan is expected to be able to walk with the aid of a spinal brace within the next three weeks.
And although this is not the first time such a diagnosis has been made in Guyana, the GPHC had not been able to perform the surgery since the necessary materials were not available.
However, Dr. Wang explained that as a result of the good relations between the Chinese Government and that of Guyana, the Chinese would have assisted with the acquisition of the materials which had to be sourced from China. These materials were just a small section of the $800 million donation that was presented to GPHC last November by the Chinese.
Meanwhile, Deepan has expressed her gratitude to the medical team for their good work as she is now able to move her legs without much discomfort and more so since the surgery was done free of cost.
The woman explained that if the doctors at the GPHC were not able to perform the surgery, she would not have been able to afford to travel outside of Guyana to get it done since it is said to cost in excess of US$8000.
When asked if she was nervous about undergoing the operation knowing that it was the first time it was being performed in Guyana, Deepan stated that she was calm going into the operation since she was offered constant assurances that she was in capable hands.
"So far so good, I haven't experienced anything bad, I had a lot of pain in my feet and I couldn't use it but since the surgery it hasn't swollen. Everything was good, I could move now," she explained.
Deepan, a resident of Zeelugt on the East Bank of Essequibo is expected to be released from the hospital today but will be required to undergo regular physical therapy at the hospital.