St Vincent and the Grenadines: World Pediatrics team performs life-saving surgery on stabbed student

St Vincent and the Grenadines: A team of doctors from internationally renowned World Pediatrics, who were in St Vincent and the Grenadines for a Laparoscopic mission, performed life saving surgery on a student who was stabbed in the neck last week at her school.

The lead surgeon of the Laparoscopic team, Dr David Lanning, explained that the student got an infection, which further led to the formation of an abscess in her chest that needed surgery to drain.

The surgery was then carried out in partnership with local doctors and according to Dr Lanning, the student is expected to make a complete recovery. 

Lanning outlined, “The young girl who unfortunately was stabbed in the neck this past week, did require life-saving surgery. She had a large abscess in her right chest that we evacuated drained with a chest tube. That was confirmed to be well positioned with fluoroscopy.”

“She sustained a laceration to her trachea, which is her main airway. Unfortunately, this led to a significant infection and abscess in her right chest that had to be drained to allow her to oxygenate well. This operation was done by Doctor Otsuka as well as Doctor Ellis Davey yesterday, and she remains in guarded condition,” she added.

During their three day visit to St Vincent and the Grenadines, World Pediatrics carried out a total of eleven laparoscopic surgeries and provided training for local medical staff. 

Notably, World Pediatrics has been conducting advanced surgeries in St Vincent and the Grenadines and other Caribbean nations for over a decade now. 

The organisation said that it has wrapped a very successful Physical and Occupational Therapy Mission to the island nation last month. 

St Vincent and the Grenadines Programmes Director for World Pediatrics Sigmund Wiggins said that this clinic was held on the heels of the Urology Mission which was held on the island from November 9 to 16, 2024. He added that over 30 Vincentian children were checked during this mission.