A Christmas miracle: doctors saved the life and hearing of a 4-year-old boy from Drohobych.
It all started with a typical sinus inflammation which developed into sinusitis and later into meningitis. “More than 15 years ago such a case would have been a tragedy. Today we can not only save a life but also restore hearing”, says the head of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Clinic, Fedor Yurochko.
After being hospitalized in a local hospital, the boy was urgently transferred to Lviv diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. A CT scan showed that the root cause of the meningitis was pansinusitis. “The CT showed a significant amount of purulent content in the sinuses, and there was no positive response to conservative treatment”, explains otolaryngologist Arsen Dumych.
The operation was successful, but the meningitis left complications: loss of hearing. “10% of bacterial meningitis cases lead to deafness”, explains Fedor Yurochko. Doctors performed an urgent operation and installed a cochlear implant. “When we activate the external part, the child will hear again”, emphasizes Fedor Yurochko.
Tymofiy’s mother says that the doctors immediately warned: “A few more hours and the outcome could have been irreparable”. The case reminds how quickly bacterial meningitis can progress and the importance of seeking medical help promptly.