In a world-first operation, ophthalmologists in Fuzhou, capital of
east China's Fujian Province, have removed a cataract from a panda.
Twenty-two-year-old Basi, nicknamed Cutie, is very old and
considered a "god of longevity" among her peers as the life span
for pandas is usually only about 12.5 years.
With the greatest of care, the doctors used ultrasonic devices to
try to remove the cataract from the 186-kilogram (410-pound) giant
panda. Several doses of narcotic prevented her from moving and
dulled any pain.
The operation lasted about one and a half hours.
A
superstar in the animal world, Basi is a nimble weight lifter,
basketball player and cyclist. She charmed large audiences at the
opening ceremony of the 11th Asian Games hosted by the Chinese
capital of Beijing and at the annual spring festival parties hosted
by China Central Television (or CCTV) which were televised
worldwide in the early 1990s; and she toured the United States for
six months in the late 1980s to promote wildlife conservation and
was a great hit in its western coastal areas.
Basi's advanced age has caused her to suffer from high blood
pressure and some neural diseases. Her eyesight is extremely poor
with right eye going almost blind due to the cataract that started
to develop in her right eye five years ago.
Basi is now under intensive, meticulous care around the clock.
Doctors say it will be 15 days before they know if Basi can regain
her sight.
( April 18, 2002)