Doctors after surgery have drained 12 pints (6.8 litres) of fluid from a seven-month-old girl’s skull after her head grew bigger than a football.
Amna Noor, from Abbottabad, was born with hydrocephalus – a build-up of fluid inside her skull which can be deadly.
Her head, which measures nearly 40 inches (101cm) in circumference, had left the seven-month-old immobile and unable to eat or sleep properly.
Her mother Nisa Malik, 36, said: ‘We were happy that after 10 years finally God has gifted us the second child.
‘The baby [Amna] was quite normal at the time of birth but her head started growing at an abnormal rate.’
Nisa and her husband Malik Amaan, 38, took her to Ayub Medical College, where doctors diagnosed her with hydrocephalus.
Figures estimate one in every 1,000 babies are born with hydrocephalus, which can kill if the fluid increases pressure on the brainstem.
WHAT IS HYDROCEPHALUS?
Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain, which can damage tissue.
Aside from an abnormally-sized head, other symptoms can include headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion and vision problems.
Hydrocephalus’ cause is usually unknown but may be due to issues with cavities in the brain or an underlying health problem that affects blood flow, such as heart disease.
It can also be acquired by damage to the brain due to a head injury, stroke or tumour.
Treatment is shunt surgery, which involves implanting a thin tube into the brain to drain away excess fluid to another part of the body where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
If untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal due to increased pressure compressing the brainstem, which is responsible for regulating heart rates and breathing.
She told local reporters: ‘Due to the weight and size of her head, I am unable to change her napkins on my own.
‘I need assistance from my husband or any other family member, which is very painful for me as a mother.’
Amna’s parents took her again to the Ayub Medical College where they were told that surgery could be done but it would cost them the equivalent of almost £1,900.
The distraught parents, with the help of family and friends, gathered funds for Amna’s treatment.
They were hopeful that after Eid – an Islamic festival that marks the end of Ramadam, they would get a date for surgery.
Amaan, who works in a transport company and earns £80 a month, said: ‘We have collected some money with the help of friends and family.
‘I hope after the Eid holidays, doctors will give us the date for surgery.
‘I pray to God that our daughter’s condition is treated so that she can have a normal life like other children.’
Dr Nazir Bhatti, a neurosurgeon at Ayub Medical College, said: ‘The baby is suffering from Hydrocephalus.
‘Her head has grown up to nearly 40 inches, which is too big for a seven-month-old baby. The treatment through shunt surgery is possible for the condition.’
‘However, after we drained five litres of fluid from her skull, her head size has been reduced to a large extent.
‘The drainage of fluid has left a pile of skin to be treated.
‘Currently, we can’t tell exactly how much the head size has been reduced by but I’m sure it would be nearly half.
‘If she responded well, a second surgery will be performed after very soon.’
Although they raised the bulk of the money, the procedure went ahead after surgeons performed the operation for free.
Despite the surgery being successful, it is unclear how large Amna’s head will be, with her requiring further surgery to remove a flap of skin.
Her mother Nisa Malik, 36, said: ‘I’m continuously praying to God for her recovery and hope she will have a normal life like other children.’
Speaking of how he raised money for his daughter’s treatment, Amna’s father, Malik Amaan, 38, who earns just £80 a month working for a transport company, said: ‘With the help of family and friends, we had collected almost £1,600 for Amna’s treatment. ‘Our daughter will be fine’, he added.
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‘However, Dr Bhatti didn’t charge us any fee for performing the surgery. We had to only pay for the medicines, tests and equipments required for the surgery which cost us £900.’
Amna’s parents hope their daughter can enjoy a normal life after her successful surgery.
Nisa, who has another child 10 years older than Amna, said: ‘Doctors have given us hope that our daughter will be fine.
‘We will never forget those who contributed for our daughter’s treatment and stood with us and supported us during this tough time.’
Amna appeared to be a healthy baby when she was born, however, after her first birthday, the youngster’s head started to grow at a rapid rate.
Credit: Caters TV