Teenager receives life-saving surgery

JACK Opo, 17, can now return to school and achieve his dream, thanks to a Chinese neurosurgeon and the 13th China Medical team.
On April 4, Dr Yu Xing, a neurosurgeon from the 13th China Medical Team, completed a microscopic resection of a brain tumour at Port Moresby General Hospital.
With the assistance of brain retractors and specialised neurosurgical microscopes, Yu successfully completed the surgery after eight hours.
According to Yu, Opo had been diagnosed with a large mixed cystic solid tumour in the left hemisphere of his brain.
“The tumour in the brain is considerable, and if left untreated, it may continue to grow, potentially resulting in vision loss, decreased function in the right limbs, possible coma, or even life-threatening complications.”
During the preoperative preparation process, it was found that one of the most essential instruments, the brain retractor, was unavailable.
Through the efforts of team leader Dr Feng Wubing and Dr Yu, they managed to find a Chinese company to provide it for free, saving K50,000. “The surgery was performed by Yu, with the efforts of Dr Esther Apuahe, Dr Jimmy Yakea, and Dr David Nangen.
“The operation, which lasted for more than eight hours, concluded with great success, with tumour removed, minimal bleeding and no further brain injury and Jack experienced a smooth recovery without any complications,” Dr Yu said.
After the surgery, Jack’s father, Robert Opo, wrote an appreciation letter to express his gratitude to the Chinese team, specifically mentioning Yu, for giving his son a chance to live a normal life.