28/01/2022
Stabbed on the eye, KNH medics to the rescue Continued from cover page »» the friends noticed the condition was not changing, they called his mother who came after they had rushed him to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital at around 2 a.m. “When I saw him, I screamed uncontrollably since I could not believe the person I saw was my son,” said Sarah Boku, Abdulshakur’s mum. “Unfortunately, doctors at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital could not perform the surgery to remove the knife and after moving back and forth with the hopes of finding a solution, a private facility nearby advised us to come to KNH, said, Ms. Boku. Eventually, they arrived at KNH and after admission, a multidisciplinary team was constituted to work on Abdulshakur’s case. After extensive consultations, the family was told about the possible outcomes of the operation, including eyesight loss or even death. The family then gave their consent for the surgery. Additionally, they had to undergo guidance and counseling to prepare them for any eventuality. On January 5 which was Saidi’s 18th birthday, he was wheeled into the theatre for a 12-hour surgery. Dr. Omar Ahmednassir, a neurosurgeon who was part of the team recalled the encounter. “Initially when he came in, he was taken for a scan which showed the knife was located inside the brain and it was near the artery that supplies blood to most of the brain and also the nerve. The patient was taken to the theater to stabilize and control the bleeding. Thereafter, he was taken for a second scan to examine blood vessels of the brain. The scan showed that the injury was a few millimeters away from the two major vessels that supply blood to the brain that is the internal carotid arteries of both the right and the left and also it was near one of the bones of the brain
PHOTO | THELESI CO
Abdulshakur Saidi (L) with his mother Ms. Sarah Boku (R) during the interview with Newsline inside ward 4C where he was recovering post eye surgery
located at the center of the skull which we found was completely embedded, also the eye was damaged,” said Dr. Omar. Ophthalmologists Dr. Rhoda Munene and Dr. P.T. Nyaga said that when they examined the patient, they confirmed what they suspected; the knife was firmly stuck in his brain. Dr. Nyaga explained that though the surgery was urgent, they simply could not dive in right away. They put the patient on a broad spectrum of antibiotics and painkillers. “Here is a young jovial teenager with his whole life ahead of him and the mood was tense because despite our experience we are aware that all patients are different and the outcomes are also different,” Dr. Munene said. Despite the risks, the doctors opened his orbit, only to find out the eye was completely ruptured. They removed the orbit so they could see the bones and were able to see the extent of the stab, making it possible to finally remove the knife. It is worth noting that due to the nature of the surgery, the
ISSUE 1 | Kenyatta National Hospital Newsline
“Major blood vessels were not injured and the patients had no indication of stroke so he was taken to Critical Care Unit and removed from the ventilator the next day,” Dr. Omar said.
patient needed a lot of blood, and ultimately six units were used. “Major blood vessels were not injured and the patients had no indication of stroke so he was taken to Critical Care Unit and removed from the ventilator the next day,” Dr. Omar said. Although Abdulshakur lost sight in the eye, he was excited about finally leaving the hospital. Doctors told him that simple day-to-day activities like pouring tea into a cup or walking down the stairs may be difficult at first because one side of the eye is affected, but eventually, he will get used to the condition. He will also be given spectacles with prosthetics mounted on them that are made locally to help in his day-to-day activities. The mother and her son are grateful to the KNH management, the team of doctors, and other medical staff who worked round the clock to enable him to have a positive outcome as he looks forward to resuming school.
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