Highly complex surgery at AOU Sassari

A highly complex surgery, performed entirely at the University Hospital of Sassari by doctors from the University of Sassari, made it possible to definitively resolve a very serious clinical condition that for years had profoundly limited the life of a young Sardinian patient, suffering from multiple recurrent meningiomas.

The woman had been living for a long time with complications linked to repeated treatments, including radiotherapy, which had resulted in exposure of the meninges and the skull. A highly life-threatening and highly disabling situation, with serious repercussions on daily and social life, which had now seen her resign herself to the idea of ​​having to turn to healthcare facilities outside the region.

«This intervention confirms that the department is now able to effectively deal with extremely complex cases - commented the Rector of the University of Sassari, Gavino Mariotti - The objective is to strengthen local healthcare capable of reducing the use of extra-regional healthcare mobility, with all the resulting inconveniences for patients and their families. This is a clear strategy, based on the integration between universities, assistance and high-level specialist skills." 

Thanks to the close multidisciplinary integration and the great professionalism of the Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery teams of the AOU of Sassari, the patient found a definitive solution "at home", avoiding long and complex treatment courses far from Sardinia.

After an accurate multidisciplinary consultation, the patient underwent a single operation lasting a total of approximately 12 hours, divided into several extremely complex phases. The first neurosurgical phase involved the removal of a part of the skull, the removal of tumor recurrences and the skull reconstruction using prostheses. This was followed by the microsurgical reconstructive period, with the autologous microvascular transplant of a flap of the latissimus dorsi muscle, essential for stably restoring tissue coverage and allowing complete healing.

The complex operation was performed by Prof. Sabino Luzzi, Full Professor of Neurosurgery and Director of the Complex Neurosurgery Structure, together with his team. The delicate reconstructive phase was instead conducted by Prof. Emilio Trignano, Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery and Director of the Microsurgery Unit, within the Plastic Surgery of the AOU of Sassari, directed by Prof. Corrado Rubino, Full Professor of Plastic Surgery and Director of the Complex Plastic Surgery Structure.

All the professionals involved are related to the University of Sassari, confirming the added value represented by the integration between academic activity, research and high-level clinical assistance.

Today the patient has completely recovered and has been able to resume a normal life. A result that goes beyond clinical success and represents a strong message of trust in Sardinian public health, increasingly capable of offering advanced and high-profile responses.