Girl’s life saved after part of her skull is put in her stomach

A TEENAGER’S life was saved by a rarely performed surgery that involved part of her skull being removed and stored in her stomach.

Chelsey Smith, from Newarthill in North Lanarkshire, was left with life-threatening injuries after a road accident in February last year when she was 15.

She was taken to the University Hospital in Wishaw and transferred to the paediatric trauma centre in Glasgow where part of her skull was removed to reduce brain swelling by Roddy O’kane, a consultant paediatric neurosurgeon, who placed it in the sterile environment of her stomach.

Chelsey has made a “remarkable recovery” and was a guest of honour at the trauma centre’s training day this week, where she thanked the team that cared for her.

She said: “Roddy was able to take a part of my skull and put it in my stomach to let the swelling reduce in my brain. It’s amazing. I would tell anyone in a similar situation to keep going. To make this recovery you have to be mentally prepared. Thankfully, I had many positive people around me.”