Chinsali General Hospital has successfully conducted its first-ever craniotomy in Muchinga Province, saving the life of a 40-year-old Chinsali resident who suffered a severe head injury.
A craniotomy is a surgical operation in which a surgeon temporarily removes part of the skull to access the brain. In this case, the procedure was performed to evacuate an epidural haematoma a blood clot that had formed between the skull and the outer covering of the brain, putting pressure on the brain.
The patient, whose name has been withheld, was admitted to the hospital in a semi-conscious state after being hit on the head with a log during an altercation. He presented with right-sided paralysis and was unable to speak.
A CT scan revealed an extensive left parieto-temporal epidural haematoma, with mild intracerebral haemorrhage and a shift of the brain to the right.
Chinsali General Hospital Acting Head of Clinical Care, Dr. Dawin Sichimba, said the patient was initially scheduled for referral to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka for neurosurgical care.
However, the referral was halted after neurosurgeon Dr. Jones Njobvu from Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital reviewed the patient’s CT scan and offered to perform the emergency procedure at Chinsali General Hospital.
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The operation was conducted by a team comprising Dr. Jones Njobvu, Dr. Dawin Sichimba, Dr. Poster Mutambo, Medical Licentiate Ronald Muma, Anaesthetist Rebecca Nachinga, Operating Theatre Nurses Yvonne Tembo and Mary Chilufya, and Porter Emmanuel Mufunga.
Dr. Sichimba said the team unboxed and used a new set of specialised instruments acquired for the procedure.
The craniotomy lasted approximately two hours and 30 minutes and involved removing a small section of the patient’s skull to access and evacuate the blood clot. The patient was subsequently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
Dr. Sichimba said that less than 24 hours after the operation, the patient was able to speak, although he was still confused. Within 48 hours, the patient was fully conscious and able to speak normally.
The patient has since been discharged from the Intensive Care Unit and transferred to the General Surgical Ward, where he is expected to make a full recovery.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sichimba said the successful procedure demonstrates the growing accessibility of surgical care in Muchinga Province.
He also stressed the importance of institutional collaboration and capacity building in bringing health services closer to people’s homes and ensuring the provision of safe, timely and affordable surgical care.
Meanwhile this important milestone reflects government’s broader vision of strengthening and equipping district and provincial hospitals so that communities can access quality healthcare without the burden of travelling to referral centres far from their homes.
– Muchinga Provincial Administration
