A week after major brain surgery, little Samuel Méthot impresses the doctors with his speedy recovery, so much so that he’s already home.
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The boy with severe epilepsy was initially due to be hospitalized 11 days after his delicate neurosurgical procedure.
He ended up staying in the hospital for eight days.
“He surprised the doctors and the neurologist,” says his mother Meggie Perron, relieved to finally be home with her son.
“He’s fine”
He can walk again and his facial expression, one of his means of communication, is becoming more and more present, stresses Ms. Perron.
“He’s fine, I’m happy. I have hope,” she said.
In addition, the 9-year-old boy has not had any seizures since his operation. “Excellent” news, says his mother.
Photo DIDIER DEBUS SCISSORS
“Less on alert”
Calmer, Samuel also now has a “more persistent” look, says Ms. Perron.
“Before, he distracted a lot from his gaze, often changed position, moved a lot. I think since the surgery he seems more relaxed, less alert,” she explains.
On Friday, Samuel even sketched his first smile since his surgery, much to his mother’s delight. “I expected it!” she said.
Although his brain now processes information very differently, he should be able to return to the Madeleine-Bergeron benches within two weeks, says his mother.
Very rare operation
On Wednesday last week, Samuel underwent a callosotomy at Montreal Children’s Hospital, a very rare operation that has only been performed there three times in the past decade.
The goal is to cut through the corpus callosum, which connects the two hemispheres of the brain.
The goal is to reduce the number and intensity of seizures and limit electrical activity in the brain.
20 to 50 seizures a day
In the early years of his life, he experienced 20 to 50 seizures a day, which caused him severe protrusions.
More recently, Samuel has been the victim of at least one attack a week, but “very intensely.”
This could sometimes extend over a 48-hour period, requiring an emergency hospital visit, his mother says.
An operation lasting more than 8 hours
- February 22: Samuel Méthot undergoes a rare brain surgery called a callosotomy at Montreal Children’s Hospital. The operation lasts more than 8 hours.
- February 23: Samuel leaves the intensive care unit.
- February 24: He is responding well to his surgery. It avoids postoperative complications.
- March 2nd: Samuel is back home.
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