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Toddler's tennis-ball sized tumour caused 'head tilt' | Toddler's tennis-ball sized tumour caused 'head tilt' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Katherine Phillips has good reason to say that toddlers are "robust and strong". | Katherine Phillips has good reason to say that toddlers are "robust and strong". |
Her one-year-old son Thomas recently returned home after a 12-hour operation to remove a rare kind of tumour from his brain; a procedure which neurosurgeons at Birmingham Children's Hospital say was one of the most difficult bits of surgery they have ever had to undertake. | Her one-year-old son Thomas recently returned home after a 12-hour operation to remove a rare kind of tumour from his brain; a procedure which neurosurgeons at Birmingham Children's Hospital say was one of the most difficult bits of surgery they have ever had to undertake. |
Thomas turns two on Christmas Eve, and there will be a big family party to celebrate. | Thomas turns two on Christmas Eve, and there will be a big family party to celebrate. |
Just a few weeks earlier, however, this little boy's prospects looked very different. | Just a few weeks earlier, however, this little boy's prospects looked very different. |
Tumour 'pulverised' | Tumour 'pulverised' |
Around Halloween, Thomas's parents Katherine and Stephen, who live in Solihull, had become increasingly worried by their son's health - he was generally unwell, his balance wasn't good and they noticed he was holding his head at a strange angle. | Around Halloween, Thomas's parents Katherine and Stephen, who live in Solihull, had become increasingly worried by their son's health - he was generally unwell, his balance wasn't good and they noticed he was holding his head at a strange angle. |
Something was seriously wrong, but they had no idea what it was. | Something was seriously wrong, but they had no idea what it was. |
But then an MRI scan revealed that the reason for his 'neck tilt' was an ependymoma tumour, larger than the size of a golf ball, at the base of his skull which was densely packed around vital arteries leading into the brain and nerves that control swallowing and facial expressions. | |
Mr Guirish Solanki, consultant neurosurgeon at Birmingham, who performed the operation a few days later says only 30 to 40 children are affected by this type of tumour each year in the UK. | Mr Guirish Solanki, consultant neurosurgeon at Birmingham, who performed the operation a few days later says only 30 to 40 children are affected by this type of tumour each year in the UK. |
But this did not make the tumour any easier to deal with, as he found when he started removing it. | But this did not make the tumour any easier to deal with, as he found when he started removing it. |
"It was impossibly difficult because of the risk of damaging the nerves around it, so we had to take our time doing it," he says. | "It was impossibly difficult because of the risk of damaging the nerves around it, so we had to take our time doing it," he says. |
"We used a special aspirator - much like using a Dyson vacuum, but made of ultrasound waves - to pulverise the tumour in position without destroying the nerves or blood vessels." | "We used a special aspirator - much like using a Dyson vacuum, but made of ultrasound waves - to pulverise the tumour in position without destroying the nerves or blood vessels." |
'Longest day' | 'Longest day' |
Surgeons also used a state-of-the-art microscope and 3D imagery to track their progress on a computer screen. | Surgeons also used a state-of-the-art microscope and 3D imagery to track their progress on a computer screen. |
In the end, Mr Solanki says he removed 98% of the tumour - which means that Thomas's chances of survival are now extremely good, but he will still need to undergo an intense course of chemotherapy over the next 12 months. | In the end, Mr Solanki says he removed 98% of the tumour - which means that Thomas's chances of survival are now extremely good, but he will still need to undergo an intense course of chemotherapy over the next 12 months. |
Katherine remembers the day of the operation as the longest of her life. | Katherine remembers the day of the operation as the longest of her life. |
"We got updated during the operation and we knew that the longer he was in theatre, the more of the tumour they were getting out. | "We got updated during the operation and we knew that the longer he was in theatre, the more of the tumour they were getting out. |
"It was very reassuring for us - but I don't think I'd want to go through it again." | "It was very reassuring for us - but I don't think I'd want to go through it again." |
She says Thomas has coped amazingly since. He was awake just two days after the operation, calling for 'Mummy' as he came round, and colouring in a few days after that. | She says Thomas has coped amazingly since. He was awake just two days after the operation, calling for 'Mummy' as he came round, and colouring in a few days after that. |
The doctors at Birmingham Children's Hospital are delighted by his progress too. | The doctors at Birmingham Children's Hospital are delighted by his progress too. |
'Be aware' | 'Be aware' |
Although he is receiving supplementary feeds through his nose because of a slight problem with swallowing, which is gradually improving, and there is slight damage to his voice, Thomas is back to his smiling, sparkly best. | Although he is receiving supplementary feeds through his nose because of a slight problem with swallowing, which is gradually improving, and there is slight damage to his voice, Thomas is back to his smiling, sparkly best. |
But his parents know that it could be a while yet before their son is in the clear. | But his parents know that it could be a while yet before their son is in the clear. |
Thomas has already had two cycles of chemotherapy, and he will have to return to hospital every two weeks or so during the next year for more. | Thomas has already had two cycles of chemotherapy, and he will have to return to hospital every two weeks or so during the next year for more. |
During that time there will be more scans to check that the tumour is being controlled. | During that time there will be more scans to check that the tumour is being controlled. |
It is a long road, Mr Solanki says frankly, and the aim is ultimately to reach the five-year survival target - and beyond. | It is a long road, Mr Solanki says frankly, and the aim is ultimately to reach the five-year survival target - and beyond. |
While Thomas enjoys his birthday and Christmas presents this week, his parents will reflect on a traumatic month spent at his bedside. | While Thomas enjoys his birthday and Christmas presents this week, his parents will reflect on a traumatic month spent at his bedside. |
Katherine says: "We just had to keep strong, we had no time to dwell on anything because it all happened so fast. Thomas has just been so strong through it all." | Katherine says: "We just had to keep strong, we had no time to dwell on anything because it all happened so fast. Thomas has just been so strong through it all." |
Now they want to alert other parents to the signs of brain tumours, so that other children affected can be treated quickly. | Now they want to alert other parents to the signs of brain tumours, so that other children affected can be treated quickly. |
Although most symptoms of children's brain tumours are non-specific, if one symptom persists or if two symptoms happen at once then the child should be referred for an urgent assessment, says Dr Martin English, paediatric oncologist at Birmingham Children's Hospital. | Although most symptoms of children's brain tumours are non-specific, if one symptom persists or if two symptoms happen at once then the child should be referred for an urgent assessment, says Dr Martin English, paediatric oncologist at Birmingham Children's Hospital. |
The majority of GPs, however, may not diagnose a patient with a brain tumour during their whole career so the symptoms may not be familiar to them. | The majority of GPs, however, may not diagnose a patient with a brain tumour during their whole career so the symptoms may not be familiar to them. |
Dr English adds: "The more promptly a tumour is treated, the less chance there is for cells to cause mischief. To be able to deliver treatment to Thomas in three weeks was ideal." | Dr English adds: "The more promptly a tumour is treated, the less chance there is for cells to cause mischief. To be able to deliver treatment to Thomas in three weeks was ideal." |
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