95% of tumour successfully removed using imported neuro-navigation technology
ABBOTTABAD – July 17, 2025:
In a remarkable leap forward for neurosurgery in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, doctors at District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Abbottabad have successfully performed the facility’s first-ever advanced brain tumour operation—removing 95 percent of the tumour with precision using specialised equipment.
The complex procedure was led by young neurosurgeon Dr Shah Khalid, a gold medalist and graduate of Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, who made headlines for taking on a case that many considered too risky for a government hospital in the region.
The patient, a 33-year-old man from Mansehra who had recently returned from Dubai, was diagnosed with a brain tumour after weeks of unexplained symptoms. Specialists concluded that surgery was the only viable option, but a major hurdle stood in the way: DHQ Abbottabad lacked the necessary neuro-navigation technology required for such a delicate operation.
Undeterred, Dr Khalid personally arranged for a neuro-navigation system to be transported from Lahore, ensuring the surgery could proceed with the accuracy it demanded. Over the course of a tense three-hour procedure, he successfully removed the majority of the tumour. The remaining portion—deemed too risky to remove surgically—will now be targeted through radiation therapy.
Speaking to reporters after the operation, Dr Khalid described the surgery as “incredibly high-stakes.”
“Operating on the brain is always delicate, but in this case, even a slight misstep could have led to permanent paralysis,” he said. “We used advanced anaesthesia techniques that allowed the body to remain conscious while the brain was isolated—something I was specifically trained to handle during my time at Aga Khan.”
Dr Khalid shared that the patient is now in stable condition and responding well to post-operative care.
Beyond the surgery itself, the young doctor also made another major announcement: the creation of a full-fledged neurosurgical unit at DHQ Hospital Abbottabad.
“I left a prestigious private institution because I wanted to bring world-class care to my home region,” he said. “This successful surgery is just the beginning. We are now working toward establishing a comprehensive neuro unit right here—so that patients in our region don’t have to travel far for critical treatment.”
The achievement has been widely praised by local health officials, marking a significant step forward in expanding access to complex medical procedures in public-sector hospitals across the province.
