Nine-month-old Eva from Moldova went through a difficult journey fighting for her life. Her mother brought her to Ukraine for treatment of a congenital heart defect at the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.

During one of the procedures, an intracerebral hemorrhage occurred, resulting in a large hematoma and the development of hydrocephalus. Eva’s condition rapidly deteriorated, and neurosurgeons from Okhmatdyt joined her treatment.

At the time of admission to Okhmatdyt, she was in critical condition: persistent seizures, episodes of respiratory arrest, and a need for mechanical ventilation and intensive care.

Eva spent nearly three weeks in the Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit with ECMO beds, where doctors stabilized her condition while preparing her for surgery. She then continued treatment in the Neurosurgery Department.

The first stage involved removing the large infected intracerebral hematoma compressing her brain. Because of this, the installation of a shunting system had to be postponed until the infection was fully resolved.

After clearing the infection, doctors proceeded to the radical stage. Eva received a specialized shunting system with a programmable valve and antibacterial catheters. This was life-saving, as the child had already suffered sepsis and faced a very high risk of infectious complications.

“The programmable valve allowed us to individually adjust intracranial pressure, taking into account her complex cardiac history, gastrointestinal issues, epilepsy, and seizure syndrome,” explained Pavlo Plavskyi, Head of the Neurosurgery Department.

Approximately 40 specialists from Okhmatdyt across various fields participated in her treatment, including neurosurgeons, intensivists, radiologists, infectious disease specialists, neurologists, endocrinologists, hemostasis experts, and others. It was this teamwork that stabilized Eva’s condition and enabled the radical neurosurgical intervention.

All necessary consumables for the complex neurosurgical procedures were provided with the support of the charitable organization “Mother and Baby.” This ensured treatment could be performed fully and without delay.

This case exemplifies a complete cycle of highly specialized, internationally recognized care: a child from abroad received comprehensive treatment in Ukraine, even during an exceptionally challenging time for the country.

After 1.5 months of treatment at our hospital, Eva returned home and continues her recovery. Her story highlights the coordinated work of a multidisciplinary team, international trust in Ukrainian medicine, and the invaluable support of charitable donors.

We thank everyone involved in saving a child’s life! And we wish Eva a happy and healthy childhood.