A man had to undergo emergency surgery after unknowingly experiencing a symptom indicative of a brain abscess.
Graham Bell, a British resident, narrowly escaped a dire health situation, which doctors identified purely by chance.
This 61-year-old from Wirral, located in northwestern England, along with his wife Sue, planned for a leisurely day out but ended up heading directly to the hospital.
Sue observed that Graham’s face appeared to have ‘fallen on one side’ and he was suffering from an intense headache.
Upon their arrival at the hospital, a stroke was ruled out, but it was discovered that he needed urgent surgery due to a ‘mass in his brain.’
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, based in Liverpool where Graham was treated, issued a press release detailing his fortunate outcome.
Medical investigations revealed a 3cm abscess in Graham’s brain. The initial operation to drain the abscess was successful, leading to an improvement in his condition.
Graham and Sue expressed their gratitude to the hospital and its staff for promptly identifying the severity of the situation.
Graham stated, “It was a lot of information to take in a short time. I had the family around me, but I think we were all in a bit of shock. I was not well, so finding out what was going on quickly was key for all of us.”
Sue mentioned, “By this point Graham had deteriorated greatly. The ambulance brought us to The Walton Centre, and once there I knew it was serious. Graham was prepped for surgery right away. The team was so professional, but it was obvious that speed was of the essence.”
The medical team disclosed that Graham also developed sepsis, necessitating another surgery. They traced the infection back to a cracked tooth, of which Graham was completely unaware.
He explained, “I was rushed back into surgery to drain the abscess again and they gave me high doses of antibiotics to help tackle the infection. My clinical team worked to understand what was going on, and found that the infection had actually come from an infection in a cracked tooth I had.
“It was bizarre because I had no pain or swelling in my mouth to tell me there was something wrong.”
Graham spent six weeks recuperating at The Walton Centre. Although he still has some recovery ahead, both he and Sue are relieved that the issue was addressed before causing further harm.