Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport
Performs Life-changing Procedure On Chimpanzee
Keithville, La. – In late July, Dr. G.E. Ghali, a noted oral and maxillofacial surgeon at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, was asked to consult on a case of a juvenile male named Emmitt. The 13-year-old had a six-centimeter-long tumor protruding from his mouth that made it difficult for him to eat. If it continued to grow, it would have prevented him from ingesting any food. Dr. Ghali says he sees relatively few cases of this condition in his regular practice, no more than six per year. Usually, the problem occurs with young teens. This was the first time he was asked to help a chimpanzee.
Dr. Carolyn McKinnie, the veterinarian at Chimp Haven, the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Keithville, Louisiana, called in Dr. Ghali as she was becoming increasingly concerned that Emmitt’s condition was worsening. When the otherwise healthy chimpanzee had come to Chimp Haven from a biomedical laboratory two years earlier, he already had the growth in his mouth. It would only allow him to open his mouth 10 centimeters. More recently, he could only open it to six centimeters. "Clearly, this facial deformity was not just an inconvenience. It could have turned into a life-threatening situation if we did not have Dr. Ghali intervene," explains Dr. McKinnie.
Emmitt presented some unique challenges in terms of Dr. Ghali’s access to him and his team (Drs. Daneil Petrisor and Jason Ringeman and nurse Diane Dunkijacobsnolten). Because of the danger to humans of being in direct contact with chimpanzees because of their strength and unpredictable behavior, Emmitt needed to be sedated before he could be examined. Sedation requires that the chimpanzee be intubated—having a breathing tube inserted into his throat. This was especially difficult with the tumor limiting access to Emmitt’s mouth, but the surgical team was successful. Upon assessing Emmitt’s condition, Dr. Ghali decided to go ahead with surgery. "Emmitt’s condition is caused by abnormal bone development," says Dr. Ghali. "I removed the tumor and contoured the bone of his maxilla (upper jaw)." Dr. Ghali adds that, should the bone continue to grow, Emmitt may need another surgical procedure in 10 years.
The morning after Emmitt’s surgery, he joined his friends who appeared amazed at the change in his appearance. Dr. McKinnie says the reaction of the other chimpanzees to Emmitt’s new appearance was amusing. "First, all of the females came to him and touched his mouth and tried to peer inside. When they were done, the males approached Emmitt and did the same thing." They could not fathom how their friend, literally overnight, had lost the huge tumor that jutted from his mouth. In the meantime, Emmitt lost no time eating his favorite foods. He first went after watermelon. And not long after that, he was chewing corn on the cob with his front teeth.
Dr. McKinnie adds, "Until Dr. Ghali’s surgery, you could always pick out Emmitt in a group of chimpanzees. Today, he gets lost in the crowd. He’s just a regular, handsome chimpanzee."
"Before" and "after" photographs available.
For interviews with Dr. Ghali, please contact:
Derek Daniel at LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, (318) 675-5408
For interviews with Dr. McKinnie, please contact:
Lee Anna Naranjo at Chimp Haven, (318) 925-5787
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Chimp Haven, The National Chimpanzee Sanctuary, is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide a permanent retirement sanctuary for chimpanzees no longer used for biomedical research, entertainment, or as pets. Located 25 miles southwest of Shreveport, La. in the Eddie D. Jones Nature Park in Caddo Parish, Chimp Haven opened its doors in Phase I to the first residents in April 2005. The sanctuary is now home to 128 retired chimpanzees. For more information, visit www.chimphaven.org.