In Lviv, doctors from two leading hospitals joined forces to save the life of an 18-year-old patient. Their goal was not only to save the girl’s life but also to ensure her future without limitations. Olena Shyshkina from Kharkiv had been suffering from severe muscle pain since childhood, which doctors attributed to her dancing activities. Over time, the symptoms worsened, and the diagnosis shocked the family: a rare spinal tumor – schwannoma.
This tumor surrounded the entire spinal canal and extended into the pelvis. The family searched for specialists willing to remove the tumor while preserving the reproductive organs. In Lviv, a multidisciplinary team decided to perform the operation in two stages at different hospitals: St. Nicholas and St. Panteleimon.
- Pediatric neurosurgeons were the first to perform the difficult part of the operation, removing the tumor adjacent to the spinal cord.
- Surgeons at the St. Panteleimon hospital completed the process by removing the schwannoma from the retroperitoneal space without damaging important pelvic organs.
The operation lasted over 15 hours in total. Thanks to the meticulous work of the doctors, Olena has been given a chance at a normal life and the possibility of having children in the future. “I can now live a full life and plan my future,” Olena joyfully stated.