The Bourguiba Phantom Hospital is conducting the first microscopy of a child in Africa

The University Hospital Bourguiba in Monastir today performed the first gastric enlargement procedure without surgical intervention on a 13-year-old child with obesity. This is the first of its kind on the African continent for children, and it was successfully performed to reduce stomach size without any surgical incisions or the use of an external surgical microscope.

The operation lasted between an hour and a quarter, and was carried out through joint collaboration between the Department of Pediatric Surgery headed by Dr. Asad Sahanon and the Department of Stomach Diseases headed by dr. Leila Safar, and with the participation of international expert Dr. Ayid al-Qahtani, who has more than 200 cases of microscopy in children and was hosted for a conference on pediatric surgery.

Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery Dr. Asad Sahoun said that this intervention is achieved by combining the efforts of the medical and paramedical frameworks in both departments, along with support from the hospital administration and the medical and technical supplier company to provide the intervention equipment.

This technique relies on the internal scope to prevent the patient from severe pain and surgical scarring resulting from traditional surgery, as well as provide speed of recovery; where the child can drink water on the first day of the operation, and gradually start eating light amounts of food the next day.

Recourse to this treatment option comes after attempts at approved diets, supplements and medications with nutritionists and children have been exhausted without achieving the desired result, allowing the elimination of obesity and reducing its health and social implications such as bullying, after this technique was limited in Tunisia to adults only.