In Lviv, doctors performed a rare liver operation on a 10-month-old boy.
Demian from Bukovina had his organ almost entirely afflicted by a malignant tumor, leaving only 15% healthy tissue. To save the child, surgeons at the St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital of Lviv’s First Medical Association performed a complex ALPPS operation. “Almost the entire organ was affected by the tumor, and the fraction of healthy tissues was only 15%,” noted Andriy Yaremko.
For this intervention, doctors prepared for a month, collaborating with foreign specialists and colleagues. Thanks to chemotherapy, the size of the tumor was reduced by half. However, the threat to the child’s life remained significant, so the decision was made to perform the ALPPS operation.
During the first stage of the procedure, the vessels of the “diseased” area were clamped, allowing a sufficient amount of healthy tissue to grow for the next stage of the operation. In the second stage, cardiac surgeon Roman Domashych was involved to replace a vessel in less than half an hour. The experienced cardiac surgeon managed in 14 minutes.
Demian is currently continuing chemotherapy treatment and his condition is improving. Examination results show that the liver has regenerated to its full size and is functioning normally.