The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Friday announced that it has successfully performed the first child liver resection in Guyana. The groundbreaking surgery was performed on an 18-month-old girl from Linden, diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare and aggressive pediatric liver cancer.
The nine-hour operation was done on May 23 and concluded with the complete resection of the tumor.
This historic achievement marks another significant advancement in paediatric surgical care in Guyana.
The patient’s journey began with the diagnosis of a large, aggressive tumor, leading to the formation of a multidisciplinary team led by Guyanese Pediatric Surgeon, Dr. Marisa Seepersaud.
“The goal was to provide the best chance of survival for the young patient,” GPHC stated.
Treatment commenced with a series of chemotherapy sessions, administered by GPHC’s oncologist, Dr. Archer, and her dedicated team. The radiology team, led by Dr. Vyphius, meticulously monitored the tumor’s response to treatment. After five chemotherapy sessions, the tumor had shrunk by approximately 50%, making surgical removal a viable option.
Given the unprecedented nature of the procedure in Guyana, two hepatobiliary specialists were invited to assist the local team in performing the complex surgery, which involved removing about half of the baby’s liver. Ensuring the patient’s safety during the operation, senior consultants from the anaesthetic department, Doctors Fernando & Arturo, provided their expert care.
Dr. Colin Abel, Head of Paediatric Surgery and Liver Transplant at Busta Mante Hospital for Children in Jamaica, and Professor Steven Dunn, Paediatric Surgeon and Head of Solid Organ Transplant at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware, USA, volunteered their expertise for the critical tumor removal. Dr. Seepersaud worked alongside these renowned surgeons throughout the procedure.
“The surgery was a formidable undertaking involving many complex and critical steps and equipment,” stated Dr. Seepersaud stated.
The young patient’s mother expressed confidence in the team’s management and consented to the surgery.
Dr. Seepersaud expressed her gratitude to the GPHC administration for their swift response in facilitating the assistance of the visiting surgeons. Both Dr. Abel and Professor Dunn have shown interest in continuing their support for the Paediatric Surgical department, an offer for which the Paediatric Department is immensely grateful.
The paediatric critical care team continues to monitor the baby, who is expected to be discharged soon. Due to the liver’s regenerative capacity, the patient is anticipated to have normal liver function as she grows. Mortality rates for major liver resection surgeries range from 5% in developed countries to as high as 31% in less experienced regions.
The duration from admission, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery was ten weeks at GPHC. Additionally, two other paediatric patients with uncommon tumours also benefited from surgeries during the team’s visit. A 1-year-old female and an 8-month-old female, both with large sacrococcygeal teratomas, have been successfully treated and discharged.
“The GPHC administration has expressed interest in future collaborations to benefit Guyanese children requiring surgical care. GPHC takes pride in the dedication and commitment of the local team, who collaborated across multiple specialties to ensure a successful outcome. The paediatric surgical, nursing and anaesthetic team performed exceptionally well, despite the unprecedented nature of the case in Guyana,” GPHC stated.