Rivers State University Teaching Hospital has recorded yet another milestone in neurosurgery following series of successful brain surgeries recently carried out in the facility.
The surgeries which ranges from pathological issues in the brain, congenital disorder of the spine in children amongst others are feats worth mentioning as the hospital continues to break even amongst tertiary health institutions in the country.
The transformation of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital from a secondary health provider to tertiary has contributed immensely to the progress made in the hospital.
Some of the brain pathologies such as intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding into the brain) have had brain surgeries performed successfully and discharged home.
Surgeries have also been performed successfully in children with various congenital diseases including Ventriculo-Peritoneal Shunt surgeries for children with Hydrocephalus, which is a condition were there’s extensive cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricular system of the brain.During the ventriculo-Peritoneal shunt procedure, a flap is cut in the scalp and a small hole is drilled in the skull and a small catheter is passed into a ventricle of the brain.
With every ventriculo-Peritoneal shunt carried out at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital,the patients (Children) have been saved from blindness, inability to walk and mental decline.
Medical doctors in the hospital , have also been able to repair Myelomeningoceles, which is a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close fully before birth.
And after a successful repair of myelomeningocele, they are not just discharged, they are transferred to the continence clinic of the hospital for supportive care before discharge.
According to the Chief Medical Director of the RSUTH, Prof Chizindu Alikor, the desire of the hospital is to provide very vital health services to Nigerians living with different health conditions as a prime tertiary teaching hospital. This was in line with the focal message of the Commissioner for Health, Rivers State, Dr Adaeze Oreh when she went on familiarisation visit and tour of hospital facilities.
“We will continue to render this very important service to people living with Hydrocephalus and other congenital and acquired Neurosurgical pathologies in our environment as long as they make themselves available”. Prof. Alikor said.
The CMD, said The acronym T.E.A.M, translating to, Together Everyone Achieve More, is the X-factor behind the successes recorded recently, as the medical personnel’s from Doctors, Anaesthesia personnel, Theatre Nurses and Technicians have all taken advantage of the enabling environment to make these neurological surgeries possible.
The CMD, Prof. Alikor also heaped praises on the lead Neurosurgeon, Dr Linda Iroegbu Emereum and her team for the great job and assures the Rivers people of more service delivery in line with the vision of the state governor, Amaopusenibo Siminilaye Fubara.
