The world’s youngest patient undergoes deep brain stimulation surgery

Client EPNS : Association EAN

In 2019, two year old Viktoria Kaftanikaite became the world's youngest patient to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery. She suffers from a rare genetic condition called dystonia which left her in pain, unable to eat and with breathing difficulties. The four-hour procedure involved drilling two holes, about the size of a 5p coin, into the top of her skull, and then implanting two electrodes into the area deep inside the brain which controls movement.

The operation used technology to push the boundaries of paediatric neurology which was not an easy task, according to Senior Neurosurgeon Richard Selway: “Simple things that we don’t think about in adults like ‘does the adult-sized equipment work with someone so small?’, the thickness of the skull, the thickness of the scalp, the size of the implant, which is quite large.”


The value of a Royal Navy’s engineering apprenticeship

Client Royal Navy : Association IET

Engineers may not be the most obvious career association with the Royal Navy, but they are crucial to keeping the operation afloat. This film discovers why these young people are choosing the Royal Navy’s engineering apprenticeships over degrees.

Harry Tansey is an Air Engineer Technician who swapped the text books for first hand experiences; “I saw the Royal Navy as a good opportunity to travel, gain good life skills, on the job skills in engineering whilst also pursuing my educational goals of being a qualified engineer”.


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