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Neurosurgeons from Pinar del Río recently performed a complex intracranial surgery on a one-year-old girl with a brain tumor causing hydrocephalus. The procedure lasted six hours and resulted in the complete removal of the lesion.
A report from the state-run Noticiero Nacional de la Televisión Cubana provided details about the complex neurosurgical procedure performed at the Pepe Portilla Pediatric Hospital in the western province on a one-year-old pediatric patient who had a brain tumor.
According to neuro-surgeon Yeiniel Fernández Álvarez, the girl arrived presenting macrocephaly associated with developmental delays and paralysis of the left sixth cranial nerve.
Imaging studies, particularly a tomography, confirmed the presence of a space-occupying mass in the posterior fossa of the skull, specifically a tumor of the fourth ventricle that was causing progressive obstructive hydrocephalus.
In light of that diagnosis, the medical team initially decided to perform an emergency ventriculoperitoneal shunt to relieve intracranial hypertension. Subsequently, definitive surgery was carried out through a suboccipital craniotomy via a telovelar approach to remove the tumor, the source specified.
The operation, deemed highly complex, lasted approximately six hours and concluded with the complete removal of the lesion without complications during the procedure, according to the television report.
The postoperative evolution of the minor was described as favorable, allowing for her discharge from the hospital to continue follow-up on an outpatient basis.
The girl's mother, Yuslaidy de la Fuente Sánchez, interviewed via WhatsApp, thanked the hospital's medical team and emphasized that the intervention gave her daughter "a second chance at life."
The official report presented the case as an example of the preparation and commitment of healthcare personnel in the province to undertake complex surgeries, even in pediatric patients.
Tumors in the brainstem are considered the most difficult to treat in pediatric oncology. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, they are inoperable in more than 90% of cases, with a median survival of nine to 12 months after diagnosis, making a successful surgery in that area a medical milestone.
The case is part of a series of stories about Cuban minors with serious illnesses who have required medical attention, even outside of Cuba. The island's healthcare system faces significant technological limitations in treating complex brain tumors, which sometimes forces families to seek treatment in other countries.
A recent case is that of Israel Daniel, a 10-year-old boy from Cárdenas, Matanzas, who was successfully operated on for a brain tumor in January 2025.
The disease had taken away his vision, his ability to speak, and to walk in just a few months. His story also galvanized the Cuban community, which raised donations of money, clothing, and toys through social media.
Earlier, in January 2024, Carolyn, a nine-year-old girl, was successfully operated on for a malignant ovarian tumor at the Pediatric Hospital in Centro Habana.
"God is great; moreover, the collaborative efforts of oncopediatricians and specialists are yielding good results. It is a long and winding road, but generally, when diagnosed early, the chances for a positive outcome increase."
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