Dr Sandra Corr, a Clinical Reader in Small Animal Surgery at the University of Nottingham (UoN) School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, was instrumental in saving the life of a gorilla in an operation broadcast on primetime television.
Dr Corr was one member of a team of UK vets that travelled to Ape Action Africa, an ape rescue centre in Cameroon, in an attempt to save the life of Shufai the gorilla, who had suffered complications in his arm after several gunshot wounds.
The visit was documented on the BBC One programme Operation Wild, a three-part series presented by Clare Balding.
Dr Corr was joined by her Nottingham colleague Damian Chase and Sharon Redrobe, Zoological Director of Twycross Zoo and one of UoN Vet School’s clinical associates.
Their pioneering operation on Shufai involved using a human X-Ray machine to investigate the problem and the programme aims to show how human medicine developments are transforming the ways that sick animals are treated all over the world.
“The operation, in very basic conditions, was a real team effort and a great success”
Prior to leaving Nottingham, Dr Corr and her team consulted the Trauma and Orthopaedics team at the Queen’s Medical Centre. The consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the QMC, Daren Forward, and his colleague James Hunter discussed many possibilities for Shufai, including realigning the bones, a fusion operation and amputation.
The operation itself was particularly risky due to the potential for infection. The operating theatre at the sanctuary was an adapted school classroom with plastic sheeting for walls. To prevent infection as best they could, all the surgical equipment was sterilised in the UK and taken in sealed bags, but the heat and humidity throughout the long three hour operation made the environment difficult for the vets to work in.
“This was a big change to our original plan. Amputating the arm was a very difficult decision to make but we had to do what was right for Shufai”
The team had originally planned to stabilise Shufai’s arm with metal plates, to straighten it and relieve his pain. However, the X-Ray before the operation showed that this would not be enough to transform Shufai’s life and rid the gorilla of his intense pain. Director of Ape Action Africa Rachel Hogan was left with the hard decision of whether to allow Dr Corr to amputate Shufai’s arm.
Dr Corr spoke of the decision she had to make, and how hard it had been: “This was a big change to our original plan.
“We had intended to straighten the arm but we realised this wasn’t going to relieve the pain he was in. Amputating the arm was a very difficult decision to make but we had to do what was right for Shufai.
“I was really encouraged not only to see Shufai walking the morning after the operation, but actually able to climb, with surprising ease”
“There was initial disappointment but the operation, in very basic conditions, was a real team effort and a great success — spectacularly so.”
Dr Corr added that she had a “very special week” and “was really encouraged not only to see Shufai walking the morning after the operation, but actually able to climb, with surprising ease.”
Operation Wild continues on BBC One, Mondays at 9pm.
Beth Rowland
Image: Tambako The Jaguar via flickr
