Brain Tumor Removed Through Nose
By: NBC News
Updated: March 29, 2012
A Texas girl celebrated her 11th birthday Tuesday after doctors removed a brain tumor through her nose instead of with traditional brain surgery.
Some of the staff at Medical City Children's Hospital who took care of Gabbie King threw her surprise party.
"I feel much better, like thinking back, that I was in the hospital and look at me now," she said.
"We believe through prayer and lots of friends that anything's possible, and definitely that she is the strongest little girl ever," said her mother, Renee.
Doctors removed the tumor in a 13.5-hour surgery. They said they believe she is one of the first patients in the area to undergo the procedure.
King's symptoms first appeared when she was visiting family last summer.
"They called and said, 'We noticed that Gabbie's one eye isn't following her other eye,'" Renee King said.
An MRI revealed a malignant germ cell tumor in her brain, something doctors at Medical City Children's Hospital hadn't seen in decades.
"It just really takes your breath away," said Chris King, her father. "You just feel really helpless. There's nothing you can do about it."
Doctors successfully removed 100 percent of the tumor. Gabbie King underwent six weeks of radiation and will be on medicine for the rest of her life, but her last checkup showed no new growth and her prognosis is good.
Some of the staff at Medical City Children's Hospital who took care of Gabbie King threw her surprise party.
"I feel much better, like thinking back, that I was in the hospital and look at me now," she said.
"We believe through prayer and lots of friends that anything's possible, and definitely that she is the strongest little girl ever," said her mother, Renee.
Doctors removed the tumor in a 13.5-hour surgery. They said they believe she is one of the first patients in the area to undergo the procedure.
King's symptoms first appeared when she was visiting family last summer.
"They called and said, 'We noticed that Gabbie's one eye isn't following her other eye,'" Renee King said.
An MRI revealed a malignant germ cell tumor in her brain, something doctors at Medical City Children's Hospital hadn't seen in decades.
"It just really takes your breath away," said Chris King, her father. "You just feel really helpless. There's nothing you can do about it."
Doctors successfully removed 100 percent of the tumor. Gabbie King underwent six weeks of radiation and will be on medicine for the rest of her life, but her last checkup showed no new growth and her prognosis is good.
