At St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital in Lviv, neurosurgeons performed a complex surgery to remove a large brain tumor from an infant named Mykola. The tumor, about the size of a walnut, was threatening the baby’s life and occupied a third of his brain.
Mykola’s parents, Tetiana and her husband from the Lviv region, learned of the issue during the fifth month of pregnancy, when an ultrasound revealed a suspicious mass in the baby’s brain. They chose to deliver at the specialized maternity unit of St. Nicholas Hospital, where multidisciplinary pediatric teams are available.
After birth, the newborn was initially cared for by neonatologists. MRI scans later confirmed a tumor located between the brain hemispheres. Due to the baby’s extremely low weight and age, direct surgery or even biopsy was too risky. Instead, the oncology and immunology team, led by Dr. Khrystyna Zapotochna, began chemotherapy.
The case was also reviewed with Canadian neuro-oncologist Eric Bouffet from the SickKids hospital in Toronto. Despite treatment, the tumor continued to grow, leaving surgery as the only remaining option.
At 4 months old, Mykola underwent a highly delicate brain surgery. The 5 cm tumor was accessed via the brain’s lateral ventricle and carefully removed without damaging areas responsible for vision or hormonal regulation.
Histology confirmed the diagnosis: craniopharyngioma, a rare benign tumor accounting for just 6% of pediatric brain tumors.
Two weeks later, doctors implanted a cerebrospinal fluid shunt to prevent brain swelling. The child was then monitored by pediatricians and endocrinologists. Once his health stabilized, Mykola and his mother were discharged.
Throughout his hospital stay, the family received assistance from the Evum charity organization, which provided medications and diagnostic support.
Mykola is now four months old and remains under close medical observation.