A 6-year-old girl from Aledo,
Texas is recovering very well
after undergoing surgery on Wednesday to remove the right side of her brain.
Jessie Hall suffers from Rasmussen’s encephalitis, a
progressive inflammation of the part of the brain called cerebral cortex, which
is made up of a right and a left hemisphere. The rare disease slows mobility
and eats away the brain. Although RE is most often diagnosed in children under
the age of 10, it can also start in adolescence and adulthood, affecting one
person in every 500,000 to 1,000,000.
On Wednesday, Jessie underwent successful surgery at Johns
Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore.
During the surgery, neurosurgeon Ben Carson removed the right side of her brain,
a complicated procedure called hemispherectomy. The removal is intended to stop
the uncontrollable seizures, local newspaper Dallas Morning News reports.
The left side of Jessie’s brain most likely will take over
the tasks of the missing side of the brain. The surgery, of course might have serious
side effects, such as paralysis, but it was the girl’s only chance for a better
life, Carson
said. However, after the surgery, he said he “expects great things” referring
to the girl’s recovery.
Every patient undergoing such surgery responds differently to
treatment. Jessie’s family and friends are hoping she will be able to recover completely
and start a new life.
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