Deir Ezzor, Northeastern Syria, (SANA) – A medical team at al-Assad Hospital in Deir Ezzor governorate removed an encephalocele weighing 2600 grams from the head of a 14 day-old infant girl.

Neurosurgeon and head of the medical team Dr. Hussam Eddin al-Kubaisi said the infant, Hala al-Omair from the city of al-Mayadeen, was born with a large encephalocele on the back of her head containing cerebrospinal fluid and a large portion of brain matter.

Due to being a premature baby, she was placed in an incubator to improve her breathing then the operation was performed successfully on Friday, taking one and a half hours.

Dr. al-Kubaisi said the encephalocele is a defect characterized by sac-like protrusions of the brain and the membranes that cover it through openings in the skull. Some of the causes that lead to this defect may include the use of drugs or undergoing radiology during pregnancy, and possibly marriage among close relatives.

Member of the medical team Dr. Nidal al-Saffouk said this defect is very rare and that usually the encephalocele doesn't exceed a few centimeters in size, and in most cases it is situated on the spine. He added that an encephalocele of this size usually causes the death of the infant before birth.

For his part, director of al-Assad Hospital Dr. Mahmoud Sayyah noted that this surgery was very delicate since the infant was premature and needed precise anesthesia.

H. Sabbagh