Laura's Story

A Rare Surgery Delivers a Cure

Last June, Kim was driving home with her daughter Laura, who had just had an MRI. Kim remembers that day like it was yesterday. Laura, then 10, turned to her mom and said, “You know mom, I learned a lot this year. I learned that there are a lot of children in pain and that life is serious.” But in the months to come, Laura would also learn that there is hope—and sometimes a cure—for children in pain and that life’s seriousness goes hand in hand with happiness.

Laura was five years old when she started experiencing chronic headaches. Far from being a complainer, she tried to learn to live with pain. Then a year ago, Laura’s neck started hurting, too. “At the beginning, I thought she had a cold,” Kim says. “I massaged her, I gave her Tylenol, and waited for the pain to go away.” But instead of getting better, the pain became almost incessant.

“It was really hard not knowing what was wrong, because I knew something had to be very, terribly wrong to cause such pain,” Kim remembers. She was right: Laura had a tumor on the odontoid process of the second vertebra. Multiple X-rays had not revealed the tumor because it was high in Laura’s neck and the many overlaying shadows in that area obscured it. In addition, spinal tumors in children are rare, so for years Laura’s physicians looked for other possible sources of the pain.

Once the tumor was diagnosed, there was a new challenge. Laura’s neurosurgeon, Peter Sun, MD, explains that only surgical treatment could deliver a cure. If surgeons didn’t operate, the tumor would erode the bone and would press against Laura’s spinal cord. But some physicians, Laura’s mom says, doubted a successful surgery was possible. Could the tumor be reached?

Dr. Sun and Children’s cranio-facial plastic surgeon Bryant Toth, MD, operated on Laura together. Dr. Toth’s experience in cleft palate correction was useful in making a very precise incision in the back of Laura’s pharynx. The girl was connected to highly sophisticated computerized equipment that guided the surgeons through the operation.

For Kim, in retrospect, Laura’s hospitalization was much easier than she expected. “Children’s Hospital puts regular hospitals to shame,” Kim says. “I know because I am a nurse myself. I can see the difference. I was so impressed by the respect and understanding my daughter received.”

Kim still speaks with amazement about Laura’s recovery. “It was miraculous. Two days later she was off pain medication, and she started school with all her peers just five days after the surgery.” Laura’s tumor was benign, and she is healthy, energetic and pain-free again.