{"id":278,"date":"2021-06-23T09:42:15","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T12:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pequenoprincipe.org.br\/newsano5\/en\/?p=278"},"modified":"2021-06-24T14:18:46","modified_gmt":"2021-06-24T17:18:46","slug":"rare-neurological-surgery-cures-child-who-had-over-100-convulsions-a-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pequenoprincipe.org.br\/newsano5\/en\/5\/rare-neurological-surgery-cures-child-who-had-over-100-convulsions-a-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Rare neurological surgery cures child who had over 100 convulsions a day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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As soon as Antonela arrived in the arms of her mother, Amanda Mesquita, to be breastfed for the first time, the family realized that there was something wrong with her. \u201cWe realized that something was happening, she had some spasms in her face, pulled the corner of her mouth back and seemed to be a bit dazed, but the doctor who was following us at the maternity hospital said there was nothing to worry about,\u201d recalls Amanda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The condition, however, was evolving and, when Antonela was 4 months old, the family recorded a seizure every 15 minutes, that is, about a hundred seizures a day. \u201cThere were days when I counted 150 convulsions. She had no quality of life,\u201d explains her mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In Goi\u00e2nia (state of Goi\u00e1s), where they live, they sought medical specialists who prescribed four different medicines, but the seizures continued. The family then decided to seek help at the Rare Diseases Service of the Pequeno Pr\u00edncipe Hospital, more than 1,200 kilometers away from their hometown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Pequeno Pr\u00edncipe, the imaging exams of Antonela\u2019s brain were redone and the doctors found a small tumor of two centimeters in the cerebellum, located in the back of the head. The tumor caused a rare type of epilepsy, with fewer than 50 cases reported worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovation<\/strong>
\u201cAt the time of surgery, we put an epilepsy sensor on top of the cerebellum and we didn\u2019t detect a seizure. We then took a deep electrode and inserted it into the tumor. We waited for about 30 minutes and were able to document a seizure. With this, we proved that the convulsive crises were generated by the tumor,\u201d says neurosurgeon Carlos Mattozo, responsible for the surgery, which was unprecedented in Brazil until then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Based on this finding, the doctors removed the tumor, which was in a very delicate region. \u201cImmediately after the removal of the tumor, the convulsions stopped. As it was very close to the brain stem, there was a risk of some injury. But, fortunately, we were able to cure the patient without leaving any sequelae,\u201d emphasizes the doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday Antonela is a child who plays normally, who is happy, who is developing in the best way possible. We are very happy with everything that has happened,\u201d says the mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Antonela\u2019s story.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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