MEDICAL TEAM PERFORMS PLASTIC SURGERY (PAGE 23)

A TEAM of Consultant Plastic Surgeons from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in collaboration with their counterparts from the United States of America (USA) has performed resconstructive plastic surgeries for some breast cancer patients in Kumasi.
Some women with big breasts that weighed as much as four kilogrammes each and others whose breasts had become flat as a result of childbirth, also benefited from the surgery.
While some of the patients are still on admission at the hospital to enable the team to monitor their rate of recovery, others have been discharged and asked to report to the hospital periodically for review.
The team performed surgeries on 10 women and each of the operation lasted between four and six hours, depending on the complexity of the case.
A man who had a tumour on one of his breasts was among those who went through the surgical operation.
The team was led by Dr Pius Agbenorku who is the Head of the Resconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit of the KATH. Others were Dr Michael Obeng from the USA, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare who is the Chief Executive of the KATH, Dr Howte Williams, Dr Abraham Amponsah, Dr Fosu Gyapong, Dr Joseph Akpaloo and Dr Bernice Bornmai.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic after the operation, Dr Agbenorku said KATH had been undertaking periodic plastic surgeries for breast cancer patients over the years.
Recalling a similar surgery he performed for a 14-year-old girl in July, 1997, he said “breast cancer is no more a killer disease, so I will encourage victims to report for treatment to enable them to enjoy life to the fullest”.
Dr Agbenorku said in the case of the patient he attended to in July, 1997, her breast weighed eight kilogrammes at that time, and thinking that she had been bewitched, her family dumped her at a prayer camp until her case came to public attention through a Daily Graphic publication.
He said the patient who dropped out of school due to the trauma she went through during her predicament, had now completed senior high school, stressing “This should inspire breast cancer patients to seek early treatment”.
Dr Agbenorku said the 10 surgeries were successfully performed after screening 15 patients, explaining that their ages ranged between 34 and 50 years.
He said a 21-year-old man who had a similar problem at the right breast, was operated upon and later discharged.
Dispelling the fears surrounding breast cancer, Dr Agbenorku said “If people are to die at all, it should not come from breast cancer because we have qualified medical staff who can treat the disease efficiently”.
He said it was therefore important for women with family history of breast cancer to report for regular medical check-ups since that was a risk factor.