Emily Brown
An American man had to have a section of his skull removed for the fourth time to allow his brain to be 'washed' after he contracted an infection.
The brain isn't usually a body part you target while scrubbing away in the shower, but US resident Brandon Alexander is now familiar with the process of having his brain washed.
It all began in October 2019, when Alexander left his house on a skateboard.
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Half a decade on, Alexander still has no idea what happened to him in the moments after he left his house, but he awoke three days later at a hospital in New York.
He has since undergone multiple brain surgeries and facial reconstruction surgeries, including one operation that left a 'drain' in his head.
Alexander explained: "I had this drain, a JP drain, that was in my head that should’ve been taken out before I left the hospital but they said they would leave it in since it was the only thing keeping me in the hospital after my “face lift” surgery."
In September, Alexander underwent an operation after which he began to experience a build up of fluid in his head, as well as a blocked drain.
He described experiencing a feeling as if his brain was 'doing backflips', and recalled being able to hear his 'heartbeat in [his] head'.
"I tried to sleep but I couldn’t," Alexander said.
Alexander he returned to NYU Hospital to learn he had contracted a post-surgical site infection.
The diagnosis meant Alexander would have to have his skull removed again in order to have his brain 'washed'.
He recalled: "They put thought I was having a stroke so rushed me to get a CT scan. They found an infection underneath my artificial skull implant that was rapidly progressing and a physician’s assistant came over and broke the news that I would need surgery.
"My girlfriend said she just watched my life fall apart because what having a skull removed means is having to start over again, everything has to start over."
In a TikTok video, Alexander added: "I have to have the entire left side of my skull removed again, for the fourth time."
During Alexander's most recent brain surgery, doctors washed his brain and placed 89 staples in his head.
It also emerged that Alexander's inability to sleep helped to save his life, as doctors revealed that he likely would have never woken up again.
"I now don’t have a skull but they did replace my skull with a titanium mesh, so it can act as a skull until I have my next brain surgery in April 2024," Alexander said.
"On November 21st my round of antibiotics finished and now I have to wait six months to a year for a new skull, as they want to ensure the infection is gone completely before I can get a new skull and ear implant.
"Now I’ve got two surgeries left if all goes to plan, one to fix my head and face in the process, as well as a new implant."
Alexander has a GoFundMe page to help cover his medical bills, which you can donate to here.