Girl with giant head syndrome gets new lease of life

A 21-month-old Tripura girl who has undergone a surgery at a Gurgaon-based private hospital for a rare genetic condition, which caused her head to swell to almost double its size, is now fine and ready to travel back to her hometown, doctors said.
The girl, Baby Roona, was admitted at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) on May 15 with the rare disorder called Hydrocephalus that caused her head to swell to 94 cm. She had a thin chance of survival.
However, thanks to the medical interventions, including a series of carefully planned corrective procedures and surgeries, the child is now fine and ready to travel back to her hometown.

"When the case first came to us, her survival was a question. Today, after the surgeries, she is playful and responding well to her surroundings. Her head circumference has now reduced to a manageable 58 cm. She is fit to travel back to her home," said Sandeep Vaishya, surgeon and FMRI Director.
Hydrocephalus is a condition in which the head swelled due to accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in brain.
The first surgery on Roona was performed on May 15. The doctors slowly drained the fluid from her head in a calibrated manner using an Extra Ventricular Drain (EVD) to reduce the size of her head over a period of three-week.

There after, a shunt was surgically inserted, providing a more permanent and alternate pathway to drain the fluid.

Subsequently, Roona underwent four procedures, the latest on July 11, to correct her skull bone structure by using pressure bandages.
"We will be getting her back for a review after a few months when she may need further corrections," Vaishya said.
The girl's treatment was sponsored by the Fortis Foundation after her condition was highlighted in the national and international media. Her poor parents were unable to get her treated for the disease as it entailed high-end surgical intervention apart from high treatment cost.