Afsheen Gul, a 13-year-old girl, was unable to hold her neck straight due to a condition known as Atlantoaxial dislocation.
Afsheen Gul, a 13-year-old girl, was unable to hold her neck straight due to a condition known as Atlantoaxial dislocation. Afsheen, who was born healthy, contracted this condition at the age of 8 months following an accident while playing.
Constantly experiencing pain due to the inability to hold her head straight, Afsheen struggled while eating, using the restroom, and walking.
Constantly experiencing pain due to the inability to hold her head straight, Afsheen struggled while eating, using the restroom, and walking. Unable to attend school or play with her friends due to this condition, Afsheen spent her days at home in Pakistan with her mother and brother. Since Afsheen’s father passed away from cancer, her brother has taken on the responsibility of caring for the household.
As Afsheen’s condition worsened, the only hope for her was to undergo surgery, but the chances of her surviving the operation were only 50%.
As Afsheen’s condition worsened, the only hope for her was to undergo surgery, but the chances of her surviving the operation were only 50%. In 2018, when the young girl was taken to the hospital, it was stated that her chance of survival was 50%. A GoFundMe campaign was launched for the financially struggling family to raise funds for the surgery.
Afsheen’s brother contacted Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan, who is highly successful in spinal surgery.
Afsheen’s brother contacted Dr. Rajagopalan Krishnan, who is highly successful in spinal surgery. “Afsheen’s brother Yaqoob contacted me after watching a documentary about a child with a similar condition to Afsheen. I was confident that I could improve the young girl’s quality of life, but I needed to see the patient first. As time passed, the success rate of the surgery decreased.”
Due to the pandemic, surgeries couldn’t be performed after Afsheen’s brother consulted with Dr. Krishnan.
Due to the pandemic, surgeries couldn’t be performed after Afsheen’s brother consulted with Dr. Krishnan. In 2021, Yaqoob managed to take his sister to Delhi, India, to see the doctor. Afsheen’s doctor said, “After meeting Afsheen, I realized that if left untreated, she would die soon.”
Continue Reading Below “When looking at the test results, it was the most challenging case I had seen in my career. It might have been a first in the world. She had been left untreated for quite a long time, and I had to help her.”
“When looking at the test results, it was the most challenging case I had seen in my career. It might have been a first in the world. She had been left untreated for quite a long time, and I had to help her.” Afsheen and her brother stayed in India for about four months for treatment.
As the first step in Afsheen’s treatment, a device was installed to correct the deformity in her neck.
As the first step in Afsheen’s treatment, a device was installed to correct the deformity in her neck. After weeks of checks and observations, Afsheen’s neck had improved enough to undergo surgery.
Dr. Krishnan and his team united Afsheen’s skull with her spine in a 6-hour surgery.
Dr. Krishnan and his team united Afsheen’s skull with her spine in a 6-hour surgery. Dr. Krishnan stated that their main goal was to reduce pressure on the spinal cord. Dr. Krishnan and his team removed the discs in the neck and fixed the skull to the cervical spine using medical rods and screws to hold it straight.
“For Afsheen to heal in the long term, her bones need to fuse. Currently, the rods and screws are holding her head, but if the bones don’t fuse, these screws will come out eventually. You can think of these rods as temporary scaffolding.”
“For Afsheen to heal in the long term, her bones need to fuse. Currently, the rods and screws are holding her head, but if the bones don’t fuse, these screws will come out eventually. You can think of these rods as temporary scaffolding.” “We’re generally satisfied with the surgery. There was a lot of pressure on the spinal cord. When Afsheen managed to walk a few steps three days after the surgery, we all felt relieved.”
With her neck straightened, Afsheen’s voice also became stronger.
With her neck straightened, Afsheen’s voice also became stronger. “Her family asks if Afsheen will completely return to normal. Due to her cerebral palsy in addition to the neck deformity, she will have some minor issues related to brain damage. However, she can now hold her head straight. With time, her brain will adjust to the new central position, and her coordination will gradually improve.”
