CHENNAI: It was just an abnormal placement of a blood vessel over a nerve that had been causing trouble for Ghana-based phytochemistry scientist, Dr Archibald Sittie, for over six years.Causing a shock-like pain on his face, the trauma caused by this disorder called trigeminal neuralgia was so acute that Sittie could not open his mouth to drink water, chew food or talk. At last, Sittie got over this disorder a fortnight ago when he underwent a complicated surgery to correct it at the Global Hospitals in the city.“The first time, I took treatment in Ghana itself, but the problem recurred soon after. The last 18 months were painful, and that was when our Indian friends located this hospital for us. Though the disorder was diagnosed in Ghana, we came down to India for the treatment,” Sittie said. “He would often be under sedation for the pain, but when he wakes up, I would find him clutching his bed with severe pain,” said his wife Rebecca Sittie. “The four-hour corrective surgery was performed under high magnification with the operating microscope,” said Dr K Sridhar, director, Institute of Neurosciences at the hospital. The pain was caused as the nerve was compressed by a normal blood vessel close to an important brain stem, he explained, adding that the surgery required a 5-cm incision behind his left ear. The cause for the disorder is unknown, Dr Sridhar explained, adding that surgery should be resorted to only if medication did not work.Many such cases were being reported these days, the doctor added.
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