Written By: Nirmalya Dutta | Updated : April 18, 2013 2:34 PM IST
Roona Begum, the 17-month-old girl suffers from a rare disease called hydrocephalus has been admitted at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) for the condition. Hydrocephalus has caused her head to swell up to a 30-inch circumference due to accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. Hydrocephalus literally means water in the brain . Roona was admitted on Tuesday night after her plight received widespread media coverage.
This is a congenital condition where the overgrowth starts in the womb. I have seen hundreds of such cases but this is an exception. Perhaps, this is the biggest in the world, said Dr Sandeep Vaishya, additional director of neurosurgery at FMRI.
Due to bedsores, the skin at the back of her head is partly dead and she also suffers from chest infection and her eyes are sunken. She can t sit, stand, crawl or walk due to the excessive weight of her head.
The condition can be improved. The flow of the fluid can be diverted through a surgery but we need to examine her first. As the condition is too severe and she is underweight, we will have to work towards improving her health first, explained Vaishya.
According to the hospital authorities, she is likely to be operated upon in the next 10 days.
The surgery is very expensive. Basic cases of hydrocephalus cost R1.25 lakh. After the surgery, Begum will have to spend at least two-three weeks in the hospital. We are open to donations for her case, said Vaishya, clarifying that she will have to stay for a month at FMRI.
Begum s condition is very rare as her bones are still not fully grown, thereby causing it to escalate, added Vaishya. According to him, one in 500 children in India suffers from this condition.
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