For the first time, a baby aged just four months underwent surgery in Luxembourg this week. An RTL team was permitted to follow the team of doctors in charge of the operation for two days in the lead up to the surgery.
The young patient, who suffered from craniosynostosis, a skull malformation in which one or more cranial sutures close prematurely, was transferred from the paediatric hospital (Kannerklinik) to the capital’s main hospital centre (CHL). The surgery was carried out by Dr. Nathalie Gilis, who spent several years at the Erasme Hospital in Brussels.
A routine procedure in other countries, the surgery marked an important first for Luxembourg, as previously infants had to travel abroad for operations.
Dr. Gilis explained the reason for the child’s surgery in a final work meeting before the operation: “When we examine a baby’s head, there are different fragments of bone connected by sutures, a bit like tiles. Theoretically these should be open. The issue occurs when one or several sutures fuse earlier than they should, which means the skull cannot move, or grow, as is intended by nature.”
Nowadays, the operation is less invasive than in the past. For a long time, surgeons had to make a large incision on a child’s head in order to operate over a wider surface. During Friday’s operation, the team of doctors used a much less invasive method: endoscopy.
“We make two very small incisions at the front, where the suture has fused, and at the back. We use a small camera to guide our instruments in order to remove the excessive fragment of bone. Then, via the same incision, we can restore width to the child’s skull and these two tiny entry points are hidden by the baby’s hair.”
The operation lasted just over five hours, but was declared a success. The CHL team carefully monitored the baby throughout, from administering the anaesthetic, a complex procedure for such a young infant, all the way through to recovery. All went as planned.
“We took time to wake the patient gently and progressively. Afterwards, the baby was transferred to intensive care. This is a standard procedure for all children who have undergone head surgery, even if it does not affect the brain. They are kept overnight for monitoring and after a couple of days, depending on the paediatric unit, they are discharged and sent home.”
For the CHL’s neurosurgery team, Friday’s operation marks a major step forward for the Grand Duchy, not only due to the modern method used, but because this means children will no longer have to be sent abroad for surgery. The children in the Grand Region will be able to count on the CHL’s services for such operations in future.
“Many specific paediatric neurosurgical indications require a team and professionals who actively work with children to provide long-term follow-up and also offer support to families. This requires specialists, and we are delighted that Dr. Gilis has agreed to come here,” said Professor Frank Hertel, Head of the Department of Neurosurgery at CHL.
