Zulekha Hospital saves child with cerebellar tumours

Zulekha Hospital, Dubai, swiftly admitted a two year old boy when his Italian parents brought him in as they noticed unusual symptoms including  gait imbalance and a squint in his eye.
MRI scan revealed a large tumour growing on his brain and the boy then underwent lifesaving surgery to remove the tumour.
Dr. Salim Kanaan, Consultant Neurological Surgery at Zulekha Hospital who reviewed the MRIs, advised the tumour was likely to be growing slowly over the last two years - since the child was born.
The boy, Julian, had been unable to walk properly due to compression on the brain (cerebellum) which resulted in 'Gait Ataxia' - a term to describe uncoordinated walking. Also his head circumference was disproportionate to the size of his body for his age due to buildup of fluid on the brain, known as 'Hydrocephalus'.
He recently developed a recurrent squint and repeated choking while drinking fluids due to compression on the brain stem and corresponding cranial nerves and developed symptoms of delayed reactions and a slurred speech.
"Unfortunately, there is no known cause for these kind of tumours at such a young age, although there is ongoing intense research of the level of mutations in enzymes that control gene activities and cell division, said Dr. Salim.

Following the diagnosis, the parents understood that surgery for their son was unavoidable, but they were concerned with the associated high risk as described in other hospitals.  Zulekha Hospital gave positive assurance based on Dr. Salim's experience with brain tumour surgery and the availability of a fully prepared and equipped operating room and staff.
The surgery took almost 12 hours, where Dr. Salim Kanaan resected the tumor totally through a sub-occipital craniectomy, all performed under the most advanced neurosurgical microscope, the KINEVO 900, and assisted in part by Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Zulekha Hospital Neurosurgery specialist. 
The tumour was extracted successfully, without damaging the surrounding vital structures and resolving the Hydrocephalus issue.
Since the operation, Julian's symptoms have been noticeably fading, which indicates a high possibility of a full recovery.
"The tumour was completely removed and a follow up MRI of brain will confirm if there is a small residual tumor tissue retained, and if so, a second surgery may need to be performed, as this type of tumor in unresponsive to radiation or chemotherapy. The first MRI scan will be done within two months of the surgery and will be continually monitored over the next five years," Dr. Salim continued.
Cerebellar tumours are the most common brain tumours in children.
"As many parents out there may be wondering what precautions they can take to prevent this from happening to their own child, unfortunately there isn't a proven way to avoid these tumours because there are no detected causes related to habits, diet or lifestyle. The best course of action is to admit your child if you suspect any abnormal symptoms or activities, as Julian's parents did in this case, and the highly specialised doctors will investigate for any disease and recommend the best treatment for your child," Dr. Salim also mentioned.

• Dubai