![]() |
According
to published reports through the Associated Press and on CBS, Roy Horn
had a portion of his skull surgically removed following the Bengal Tiger attack. The
news comes to the press through Dr. Lonnie Hammargren, a neurosurgeon
who did not operate on Roy but did speak with Dr. Derek Duke, the
surgeon who conducted the common procedure.
Dr. Hammargren offered the information to press outlets to correct the more dramatic stories about the surgery. There
were apparently published reports (although I couldn’t find them
through my news search) that Roy underwent a hemicraniectomy ? the
removal of half of his skull. This type of operation, as you can imagine, is radical and rarely necessary.
Dr. Duke did perform a decompressive craniectomy to relieve pressure caused by welling of Roy’s brain. This
procedure involves taking about one quarter of the skull and after the
brain swelling is abated, the skull piece is surgically returned to its
place. According to the Associate Press, Dr.
Hammargren said, “Dr. Duke did exactly the operation he should have.
Otherwise, Roy would be dead.”
The skull piece is kept either frozen or placed within the patient’s abdomen until the replacement surgery. The
stroke Roy suffered following the attack did not affect the area of the
brain that would affect his speech, thought or memory. Dr. Hammargren said he “can still think and contemplate things.”
![]() |
According
to published reports through the Associated Press and on CBS, Roy Horn
had a portion of his skull surgically removed following the Bengal Tiger attack. The
news comes to the press through Dr. Lonnie Hammargren, a neurosurgeon
who did not operate on Roy but did speak with Dr. Derek Duke, the
surgeon who conducted the common procedure.
Dr. Hammargren offered the information to press outlets to correct the more dramatic stories about the surgery. There
were apparently published reports (although I couldn’t find them
through my news search) that Roy underwent a hemicraniectomy ? the
removal of half of his skull. This type of operation, as you can imagine, is radical and rarely necessary.
Dr. Duke did perform a decompressive craniectomy to relieve pressure caused by welling of Roy’s brain. This
procedure involves taking about one quarter of the skull and after the
brain swelling is abated, the skull piece is surgically returned to its
place. According to the Associate Press, Dr.
Hammargren said, “Dr. Duke did exactly the operation he should have.
Otherwise, Roy would be dead.”
The skull piece is kept either frozen or placed within the patient’s abdomen until the replacement surgery. The
stroke Roy suffered following the attack did not affect the area of the
brain that would affect his speech, thought or memory. Dr. Hammargren said he “can still think and contemplate things.”
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