KZN Doctors Perform Groundbreaking Surgery, Remove Brain Tumour Without a Single Cut

• KwaZulu-Natal doctors have made history by removing a brain tumour without a single external cut
• The complex procedure, performed at Shelly Beach Hospital, used a camera inserted through the nose to reach the tumour
• Neurosurgeons say the milestone signals a new era of advanced, world-class healthcare in the region

SHELLY BEACH – A team of doctors in KwaZulu-Natal has made medical history by removing a brain tumour without making a single external incision.

The groundbreaking surgery, called Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Pituitary Tumour Resection, was performed at Shelly Beach Hospital, marking a first for the region.

Surgeon gives details on milestone surgery

According to eNCA, Neurosurgeon Yandisa Nxakama said the milestone signals a new era of world-class healthcare in KZN. Using a tiny camera system inserted through the nose, surgeons accessed the base of the brain to remove the tumour from the pituitary gland.

“The tumour can interfere with normal body functions and hormone production if left untreated,” Nxakama explained.

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While the procedure is established internationally, Nxakama said it’s a major step forward for local advanced healthcare. “It shows that our hospital is equipped with modern surgical techniques.”

He also raised concerns about access in the public sector.

“For years, Nkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital was the only place in KZN offering this procedure. Only recently has Greys Hospital joined to treat neurosurgery patients in the public system.”

US doctors perform historic heart surgery

In a related article, United States of America surgeons successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a human in a historic surgical procedure. The first of its kind surgery took place on Friday, 7 January, 2022, at the University of Maryland Medical School. The patient, David Bennett, aged 57, was diagnosed with terminal heart disease and needed a transplant; however, Bennett was not eligible to receive a human heart because of poor underlying health.

Inspirational articles on doctors

• Khanyisile Mngomezulu, a PhD student at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, broke barriers with her research on HIV and traditional healers. Mngomezulu was set to deliver her paper at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa in December 2021.
• Dr Coceka Mfundisi, who obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Cape Town (UCT), is making history in the field of brain surgery. In 2015, Mfundisi became the first woman to bag a master’s degree in neurosurgery from the University of Pretoria and is the third black woman in South Africa to become qualified in the specialisation.
• Dr Kofi Boahene, a brilliant Ghanaian surgeon in the United States, has been named as one of the top 100 rhinoplasty plastic surgeons in the country.Dr Boahene, according to a report on Johns Hopkins' website, was a recipient of the prestigious Jack R. Anderson Prize for Scholastic Excellence (2005)

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Previously, Briefly News reported that an inspirational female surgeon from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has graduated with a PhD in Health Sciences from UKZN, despite contracting a rare nerve condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome. Dr Michelle Smith, said that after qualifying as a surgeon in 2017, she was diagnosed with the condition, which took away her ability to perform surgeries. Instead of allowing the disorder to get the best of her, the brilliant woman decided that she would continue contributing to the medical field, but in an academic capacity.

Source: Briefly News