Boy’s trip to Canada for rare eye op

By Graham Huband

A DUNDEE teenager is to be flown to Canada by NHS Tayside to have complex surgery to correct a rare and disfiguring eye disorder.

Lee Loftus (14), of Mill o’ Mains, suffers from the condition global capillary haemongioma in which a blood-filled tumour has wrapped itself around the optical nerve behind his left eye.

The Braeview High School pupil, who is thought to be one of only a handful of people throughout the British Isles with the disorder, has a permanent bulge around his eye socket that affects the symmetry of his face.

Periodically, the condition flares up and leaves Lee with intense headaches and bruising around the eye.

Lee and his family have spent years travelling around Scotland attending appointments at various eye clinics but it seemed there was little that could be done to offer a solution to the problem.

However, Lee, who has limited vision in his affected eye but perfect sight in the other, was offered a ray of hope after being referred to eye specialist Professor Ian Whittle, based at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

He was told about the work of Vancouver-based eye surgeon Professor Jack Rootmans, who has operated on patients with the condition.

The complex procedure, which has never been performed in the UK, will involve peeling back a section of skin from Lee’s face to allow the professor to gain access to the tumour before the growth is surgically removed from around the optical nerve.

No date has yet been set for Lee’s operation at the University of British Columbia but it is hoped it will take place within months.

NHS Tayside’s agreement to cover the £18,000 costs of Lee’s treatment has come as a relief for his family who have spent the last few months raising funds towards the cost of sending him for treatment privately.

His mother Yvonne (46) and grandmother Jane are now expected to use the cash raised to pay for them to accompany Lee to Canada, where he is expected to spend up to three weeks recuperating from the operation.

Yvonne said, “The NHS have agreed to pay for Lee’s operation.

“We are glad that it is going to be happening soon but obviously it is a bit scary as well.

“I am not sure how his visit (to Canada) will go. I was warned and Lee was warned he might lose his sight completely in the eye.

“The eye is disfigured but the operation will make it look more like the other side of his face.

“If he loses his sight then it won’t make much difference as he doesn’t have great sight in that eye anyway.

Professor Whittle said it was the right decision to send Lee to Canada on the NHS. He will accompany the youngster and attempt to learn the procedure from Prof Rootmans so it can be replicated in Britain.

He said, “Lee has a very rare disorder and this operation could not be done in the UK.

“It involves complex surgery around his eyeball and, hopefully, I can learn the procedure and bring it back here.

“It is very appropriate that the NHS has decided to fund this trip. I think common sense has prevailed.”

An NHS Tayside spokesperson confirmed last night that the cost of Lee’s trip would be met by the health authority.