The world's first parrot brain surgery in New Zealand

For the first time in the world, New Zealand doctors have applied human anatomy to brain surgery for a young kākāpō parrot with birth defects.

Currently only 147 adult kākāpō parrots are surviving and New Zealand is promoting the conservation of this endangered animal. That's why veterinarians have to make every effort to perform the world's first brain surgery for a young kākāpō parrot.

The 56-day-old parrot called Espy-1B suffers a life- threatening congenital skull defect . With human mammalian and human anatomy, Auckland zoo doctors, Wellington Zoo and Dunedin Wildlife Hospital have formed an expert team to plan for Espy-1B surgery. The national airline New Zealand also receives free shipping of this young kākāpō parrot.

The director of Wildbase Hospital, Professor Brett Gartrell, said it was the first surgery in the world and had never been done before in bird medicine.

The kākāpō Espy-1B parrot has a life-threatening congenital skull fracture, with a part of the brain outside the skull.(Photo: Massey University).

"The parrots of the parrot do not match and its font is still open," said Gartrell, referring to the part of Espy-1B's brain being exposed outside the skull.

"This situation can be life threatening for endangered species, so we need to act," Professor Gartrell said.

"This is a risky surgery. In humans, common surgical complications of this type include permanent brain damage, continued leakage of cerebrospinal fluid and the possibility of meningitis," says Gatrell.

A week later, the surgery was considered extremely successful. The Espy-1B is now fully recovered to return to the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital in New Zealand's South Island.

Espy-1B is one of 76 kākāpō parrots hatched during this year's breeding season. This is the record number of newborn parrots, bringing hope to preserve the endangered bird species.

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