Baby girl with a FOOTBALL-sized head has 12 PINTS of fluid drained in a life-saving operation
- Amna Noor suffers from hydrocephalus, which left her immobile
- The youngster’s 40-inch head also left her unable to eat or sleep properly
- Family and friends donated to her £1,900 surgery but it was performed for free
- It is unclear how large Amna’s head will be; she requires surgery to remove skin
- Hydrocephalus affects around one in every 1,000 babies born in the UK and US
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Doctors 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, Pakistan, suffers from the rare condition hydrocephalus, which left her immobile, unable to eat or sleep properly and with a head that measured 40 inches (101cm) across.
Earlier this month MailOnline, reported how Amna’s parents were appealing to friends and family to donate towards their daughter’s £1,900 surgery.
Although they raised the bulk of the money, the procedure went ahead last week 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.’
Hydrocephalus affects around one in every 1,000 babies born in the UK and US to some extent.
Doctors have drained 12 pints (five litres) of fluid from seven-month-old Amna Noor’s head after it grew bigger than a football due to hydrocephalus (pictured after the surgery)
Amna’s head left her immobile and unable to eat or sleep properly (pictured before)
Brain scans of Amna’s head before the procedure reveal it was 40 inches in diameter
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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.
A patient’s prognosis after surgery depends on their age and general health.
Source: Brain and Spine Foundation
‘Amna’s head was nearly 40 inches’
Dr Nazir Bhatti, from Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, who performed Amna’s surgery, said: ‘Amna’s head was nearly 40 inches in size when she was admitted in the hospital.
‘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.’
‘Our daughter will be fine’
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.
‘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.
Her parents took her to Ayub Medical College, where doctors diagnosed her with hydrocephalus.
The operation was successful but it is unclear how large Amna’s head will be (pictured after)
She has also been left with a flap of skin that requires further surgery (pictured after)
Doctors are optimistic Amna’s head will have halved in size (pictured after)
Her father Malik Amaan (pictured) relied on donations from friends and family after learning Amna’s surgery would cost £1,900, however, the surgeons performed the operation for free
Amna’s parents hope she will make a full recovery and live a normal life (pictured after)
Amna (pictured before) was born healthy, yet her head started to grow when she was one
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