In what has been described as an extraordinary medical feat, the Neurosurgery Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has successfully treated and saved four patients who sustained direct gunshot wounds to the head between January and April 2025.
Each of the patients presented with severe and often fatal injuries, including open, penetrating skull fractures, brain contusions, and embedded fragments of metal or bone. Yet, through swift emergency neurosurgical intervention, all four survived and were discharged in improved condition—an outcome rarely achieved even at leading trauma centres globally.
The first case, operated on February 17, involved a 21-year-old man who suffered a right frontal comminuted depressed skull fracture, with injuries suggestive of a warhead-type impact. He was successfully operated on and is now recovering at home.
The second case was a 46-year-old man who presented on April 8 with a penetrating skull fracture and brain contusion. He underwent emergency surgery and was discharged into state care on April 15.
Just days later, on April 14, a 27-year-old male was rushed in with a similar right frontal penetrating injury and contusions. Following surgical management, he too made a successful recovery and was discharged.
The fourth case, treated on April 22, was perhaps the most complex. A 19-year-old man arrived with a left occipital open skull fracture, extensive haemorrhagic contusions, and multiple bone and metal fragments lodged in his head. Emergency surgery was again successful, and he is now in recovery.
All four cases were handled by GPHC’s dedicated neurosurgery team, whose skill and decisive action made the difference between life and death.
Successfully managing even one such case is considered a rare achievement. To treat and save four patients with gunshot wounds to the head within a four-month span is an extraordinary testament to the clinical excellence and growing trauma care capacity at GPHC.
The hospital commended its neurosurgery unit for its precision, resilience, and unwavering commitment to saving lives, reaffirming its goal to deliver world-class trauma and emergency care to the people of Guyana.
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