Man's skull opened 4 times so doctors can wash his brain after mystery accident
A man has had skull removed four times to allow surgeons to wash his brain after contracting an infection following a horror mystery accident.
Brandon Alexander suffered a brain injury after leaving his house on a skateboard in October 2019. He woke up three days later at a hospital but does not remember what happened. Since then, he has undergone multiple brain surgeries including three skull replacements and facial reconstruction surgeries - but an operation in September left him with a large swelling over his left eye, when an infection filled his head with fluid. He had to be rushed to the hospital after he began feeling his "heartbeat inside his head", he said.
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He needed his brain to be washed after suffering serious head trauma (TikTok/goforbrandon)He explained that on September 20, Brandon had surgery meant to lift the skin and muscles from the left side of his face to raise his eyebrow and ease tension in his brain. Doctors initially thought the surgery was a success, but in the following days his condition worsened.
He said: "I had this drain, a JP drain, that was in my head that should've been taken out before I left the hospital but they said they would leave it in since it was the only thing keeping me in the hospital after my 'face lift' surgery. It felt like my brain was doing backflips and I could hear my heartbeat in my head. I tried to sleep but I couldn't."
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Brandon, from New York, was rushed to New York University (NYU) Hospital in Manhattan, where doctors diagnosed him with a post-surgical site infection under his artificial skull, meaning he had to have the skull removed once again in order to have his brain washed. In a TikTok video filmed the day he had to undergo a fourth skull removal, Brandon said his life "turned upside down".
"They thought I was having a stroke so rushed me to get a CT scan," Brandon said. "They found an infection underneath my artificial skull implant that was rapidly progressing and a physician's assistant came over and broke the news that I would need surgery. My girlfriend said she just watched my life fall apart because what having a skull removed means is having to start over again, everything has to start over." Brandon wept as he said he thought he was going back to "square one" but vowed to stay strong during the process.
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He said his life was turned upside down in September (TikTok/goforbrandon)
Brandon was diagnosed him with a post-surgical site infection under his artificial skull (TikTok/goforbrandon)During his most recent surgery, doctors washed Brandon's brain and placed 89 staples in his head. They also revealed that his previous inability to sleep probably helped to save his life as he may have risked not waking up again.
He is now getting ready for his next brain surgery in April 2024. He said: "I now don’t have a skull but they did replace my skull with a titanium mesh, so it can act as a skull until I have my next brain surgery in April 2024. On November 21st my round of antibiotics finished and now I have to wait six months to a year for a new skull, as they want to ensure the infection is gone completely before I can get a new skull and ear implant. Now I've got two surgeries left if all goes to plan, one to fix my head and face in the process, as well as a new implant."
His girlfriend Julia launched a GoFundMe to raise money for Brandon's medical bills. She described him as "a kind, loving, talented, smart, and beautiful person" who has had to "start all over again" which "has not been easy". You can donate to the fundraiser here.
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