A portion of Anup Radhakrishnan’s skull or cranium has been stored in a refrigerator in Kottayam’s Caritas Hospital after he underwent an emergency procedure three months ago. Now, the 27-year-old needs to undergo a cranioplasty, in order to reattach the removed portion of his skull to his head. However, the family is struggling for funds for the surgery. His parents are appealing to the public for funds to complete their son’s life-saving brain surgery.
The 27-year-old Idukki native had returned from Bengaluru the COVID-19 lockdown in February. He was working in the hotel management sector in Bengaluru and was unable to return to the city post the lockdown. On August 2, he met with a road accident when a car rammed into his bike in Vazhavara, Idukki. His story was reported by Malayalam media.
“My son was picked up by a man in the neighbourhood after he found him lying on the road, unconscious. He was initially taken to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital. However, due to a shortage of ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds at the MCH, Anup was referred to a private hospital in Kottayam. That is how we landed in Caritas Hospital,” says Radhakrishnan, Anup’s father, who resides in Nedumkandam.
On the night of August 2, Anup underwent a craniectomy, in order to treat the head injury from the accident. A craniotomy is performed after a traumatic brain injury, to relieve pressure in the area where the brain swells. It is often done as an emergency, life-saving measure and when it is done to relieve the swelling, it is called a ‘decompressive craniectomy’.
Following the procedure, a portion of Anup’s cranium, which was removed, was stored in the hospital and the doctors scheduled another procedure on November 2, three months later.
“Once the swelling in his head was completely subsided and the injury was healed, the doctors said that they would do the second procedure,” Radhakrishnan added. However, the family is now facing a fund crunch, and as a result, had to delay the second procedure.
Speaking to TNM, a member of the medical team, which performed Anup’s craniectomy explained that the 27-year-old now has to undergo a cranioplasty.
“The portion of the cranium that has now been removed needs to be reattached to the patient’s head. This procedure is called cranioplasty. We had removed Anup’s bone flap and stored it. It now has to be surgically reattached to his skull,” the doctor, who chose to remain anonymous, explained.
The procedure costs Rs 5 lakh — an amount that the family cannot afford right now. “We had taken a loan of Rs 5 lakh for the previous surgery as it was an emergency. We had asked for two weeks time to arrange the funds, which got over on November 16,” Radhakrishnan added. He also fears that further delay in the surgery could affect his son’s life.
With help from Nedumkandam panchayat president Jnanasundaram and other members, the family is now attempting to crowdfund the surgery. Idukki District Congress Committee President Ibrahimkutty Kallar, too, has been helping the family raise funds.
If you would like to contribute to Anup’s surgery, here are the details:
Bank: Federal Bank (Account Number – 10180100271731; IFSC Code - FDRL 0001018)
Address: Anup Radhakrishnan, Ottaplack, Ottaplackal, Chempalam, Pampadumpara, Idukki.
Phone number: 9072122816 (Radhakrishnan)