The Clinic for Neurosurgery at the University Clinical Center Tuzla (UKC Tuzla) has performed the first-ever application of the modern Iraflow device in the pediatric population in the region, one of the rare documented cases even at the European level. This achievement was confirmed by representatives of the company that manufactures and distributes the device.
The procedure successfully cured an infant suffering from postmeningitic hydrocephalus, following numerous unsuccessful attempts with standard treatment methods such as external drainage.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mirza Moranjkić, Head of the Clinic for Neurosurgery, highlighted the importance of this case: “Postmeningitic hydrocephalus is among the most complex and delicate challenges in pediatric neurosurgery. It arises as a consequence of inflammation of the meninges and brain, leading to the accumulation and impaired circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. This condition is life-threatening. For decades, the gold standard in treatment has been external drainage, a system that allows removal of excess fluid from the brain, often combined with antibiotic therapy. However, the major drawback of this method is that the drainage itself quickly becomes a source of new infections. Thus, we face a vicious cycle in which drainage simultaneously treats and produces infection, ultimately causing the patient’s condition to deteriorate.”
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mirza Moranjkić, a case of this kind was recently treated at the Clinic for Neurosurgery in an infant from the returnee population. “We recently treated an infant with a severe form of postmeningitic hydrocephalus. By coincidence, we received the Iraflow device, which until then had been used only a few times in the region, and exclusively in adult patients. After about ten days of applying the device, we managed to completely sterilize the cerebrospinal fluid and stabilize the child’s condition. This same infant had previously been treated with external drainage and antibiotics for two and a half months without success. Today, the child is completely healthy. According to available data, this is the first time the device has been used in such a complex pediatric case in the region, placing our clinic among the pioneers in introducing new therapeutic options,” emphasized Dr. Moranjkić.
The significance of this achievement was further highlighted by Prim. Dr. Selma Jakupović, Head of the Pediatric Neurosurgery Department.
“It should be noted that in the past fifty years, there has been no significant innovation in the treatment of patients requiring external ventricular drainage. This method has long been the only standard- life-saving, yet burdened with serious limitations. These limitations are particularly pronounced in pediatric patients, where even a slight increase in intracranial pressure can have unpredictable consequences for brain development. We are very pleased that with the help of the Iraflow system, we succeeded in completely curing this child. This achievement opens the possibility of treating not only adults, but also children in the future, as the device offers a wide range of applications, from managing postmeningitic hydrocephalus to treating subdural hematomas. The device simultaneously monitors intracranial pressure, drains cerebrospinal fluid, washes the ventricular system, enables electronic pressure monitoring, and allows the administration of medications, including antibiotics. After half a century, this represents the first true innovation in this field, and it has already provided us with excellent results,” emphasized Dr. Jakupović.
