Paul, a 15-year-old Zambian boy, has finally been freed from a debilitating rare disease after undergoing successful surgery at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.
He was born with Currarino triad (or Currarino syndrome), a rare congenital disorder characterized by a presacral mass, anorectal malformation and sacral bone abnormality. He had undergone seven operations in multiple countries, including South Africa and India. However, the presacral cyst kept recurring and becoming infected, emitting a foul odor that prevented him from leading a normal life. For years, he relied on diapers and his mother's constant care.
His condition was so unusual that doctors in South Africa had published a case study about him in a medical journal, noting that conventional treatments were unlikely to provide a cure.
In desperation, the patient's mother, Shawa, turned to Chinese medical literature and discovered the team of Professor Ren Donglin and Associate Professor Zhang Di at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. This team is one of the most experienced in China in presacral tumor management and had previously published the world's largest case series of 122 patients.
Upon admission, the foul smell from Paul's sacrococcygeal sinus filled the entire ward. Professor Ren's team completed the complex surgery via a trans-sacral approach in just over two hours, completely removing the infected tissue while preserving anal function.
"Three days after the operation, the odor that had plagued him for more than a decade virtually disappeared," said Dr. Zhang.
Shortly after the operation, Paul returned to Zambia due to his visa expiration. The team continued to provide guidance on wound care via WeChat. Several months later, with his wound nearly healed, he no longer needs diapers, and his personality has brightened.
"Thank you, Chinese doctors! You have given my son a new life," his mother wrote on WeChat.
As one of Guangdong's first pilot hospitals for international medical services, the hospital is using its expertise in gastroenterology to treat patients from overseas. A presacral cyst is a rare clinical condition with a very high rate of misdiagnosis. Having dedicated over a decade to this field, the colorectal surgery team at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University has treated nearly 500 cases by 2026.
Reporter | Chen Jinxia
Photo | The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
