Cramlington woman survives world-first surgery but may have to sell family home to pay for medical bills

Melanie Hartshorn, 33, suffers from an extreme form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic condition that makes connective tissue weaker, but surgery to stabilise her skull, neck, and spine to prevent painful dislocations is not approved by the NHS.

She travelled to Barcelona for the first round of life-saving surgery in October 2022, and had been recovering in the city awaiting the second procedure, which took place on February 10.

An online fundraising campaign has been underway to help pay for Melanie’s treatment, but she is still “totally stressed” about raising the remaining funds, over £42,000, to pay for the surgery.

Melanie said: “My mum is really worried that she will have to sell the house.

“Unfortunately we both have conditions hugely affected by stress. I have adrenal insufficiency, so my body doesn’t produce cortisol, the stress hormone.

“I have to carry hydrocortisone injections everywhere I go and ‘stress dose’ to avoid life threatening adrenal crises at times where my body is under stress, severe pain or illness.

“My mum was diagnosed the other week with heart failure and is undergoing treatment for it at the moment here in Barcelona, so I am really worried about her and the impact it is going to have on her heart.”

The surgery involved opening up Melanie’s chest and pulling her trachea and oesophagus to the side in order to access her spine from the front.

Doctors were able to conduct the procedure without having to split her sternum, however.

Melanie’s previous surgery had involved opening up her throat in order to operate on her neck.

Originally it had been planned that all the required fusions could take place in one surgery, but it was decided her body would not be able to cope and that two procedures were required.

She is now recovering on the ward after being released from the intensive care unit, has managed to sit up for short periods, and no longer requires feeding tubes.

Melanie said: “My neurosurgeon Dr Gilete came personally to help me sit up and make sure I was ok, and the plan is to try to sit in my wheelchair next.

“Once I am off the intravenous pain medications and can drink and eat enough to manage without the drips, I will be able to go to the apartment again until I am fit to fly home.

“Obviously I tire very fast and the pain gets quite bad, as I have not been able to sit up for a long time now, it was a big surgery, and it has flared my other conditions too.”

Her doctors have “done an amazing job” according to Melanie. She said: “All of the surgical team have been telling me how honoured they are to be involved in my case since it is so unique and complex, and congratulating me on surviving the surgery.”

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