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by DayakDaily Team KUCHING, Oct 30: Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) has achieved another major medical milestone after successfully performing Sarawak’s first vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and anterior temporal lobectomy surgeries for medically refractory epilepsy. The breakthrough procedures were carried out on October 23 by SGH’s Department of Neurosurgery, marking the first time such advanced brain surgeries have been performed in Borneo. According to SGH’s official Facebook post, this milestone brings new hope to patients living with severe, drug-resistant epilepsy who previously had to travel to West Malaysia for such procedures, often far from their families and support systems. The hospital said that the latest achievement builds on SGH’s growing neuromodulation programme, which has already achieved eight successful Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) procedures for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. The DBS journey was made possible under mentorship of Professor Dato’ Dr Abdul Rahman Izani Ghani, whose expertise helped establish SGH’s foundation in functional neurosurgery. “With the addition of VNS, SGH now offers a comprehensive range of neuromodulation treatments for patients across Sarawak,” it said. Progress was further strengthened through collaboration with PINS, a leading neuromodulation company from China, known for partnerships with Tsinghua University and major neuroscience centres. This partnership ensures that advanced technology remains accessible and affordable to Sarawakians and may soon expand to include VNS for post-stroke rehabilitation. The milestone surgeries were achieved under the expert guidance of Professor Dr Vairavan Narayanan, Professor Dr Lim Kheng Seang, and Associate Professor Dr Fong Si Lei from University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), together with their experienced epilepsy surgery team. They worked closely with SGH’s multidisciplinary specialists including neurosurgeons Dr Lim Swee San and Dr Alyssa Ooi, neurologist Dr Linda Then Yee Yen, neuro-anaesthetist Dr Wong Li Mei, and neuropsychiatrist Dr Chhoa Keng Hong. The team was further supported by assistant medical officers led by Carldrige Gali and the nursing team led by senior staff nurse Bensy Jagu. Strong leadership from Dr Donald Liew Ngian San, Head of Neurosurgery, and his predecessor Dr Albert Wong Sii Hieng, helped turn this vision into reality, with steadfast support from Dr Ngian Hie Ung, director of SGH, who was instrumental in enabling these groundbreaking efforts. Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian congratulated the team for what he described as “another first” for Sarawak and “a new era of hope for epilepsy patients in Sarawak”. He also praised the team’s dedication and resilience, noting that the achievement reflects the spirit of Sarawak’s medical specialists who continue to push boundaries in healthcare. He highlighted their sheer spirit, professional resilience, and determination to perform beyond the call of duty, despite all the challenges, for our patients and Sarawak. “The minimum we can do is to recognise them and say thank you, terima kasih, 謝謝, each and everyone of the team who do us proud even from the jungle of Borneo,” he said. – DayakDaily
