A 12-hour neurosurgical operation not only restored a teenager’s vision but also saved his life.
13-year-old Yegor, together with his mother, came to the Children’s Medical Center from Zaporizhzhia. The teenager was diagnosed with a complex brain tumor – a teratoma. Local doctors advised the family to seek surgical help specifically from the neurosurgeons at the Center.
The tumor in Yegor’s third ventricle region was discovered three years ago after he complained of frequent headaches. An MRI revealed a mass in the posterior sections of the so-called third ventricle. At that time, the boy underwent surgery in Dnipro for hydrocephalus: the tumor blocked the passage between the third and fourth ventricles and caused a delay in cerebrospinal fluid outflow. The decision was made not to remove the mass but to monitor it. This was the approach taken by doctors at several other clinics, including those abroad, with whom Yegor’s family consulted.
However, a follow-up MRI showed active tumor growth, leaving no choice. The mass had to be removed. “Yegor’s tumor was quite complex. It was located in the posterior sections of the third ventricle and extended to the quadrigeminal plate, which is responsible for coordinated eye movements. By the time we were consulted, the boy had already developed visual impairments, so surgery was required immediately”, said Mykhailo Lovga, head of the Clinic of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Surgery, and Neurophysiology.
According to the neurosurgeon, an additional challenge was that the tumor was located very deep, about 8 cm, had complex blood supply, and partially grew into the quadrigeminal plate and the walls of the third ventricle. “During the operation, we had to specially widen the access to the mass to remove it completely. The risk of damaging not only eye movements but also the limbs was extremely high”, added Mykhailo Lovga.
The 12-hour surgical intervention was successful: the postoperative MRI showed no signs of the tumor. Yegor says his vision is gradually recovering, and he is most excited about soon returning to his favorite sport, swimming.