Brain surgery for victim of vCJD.

Byline: Alan Erwin

SURGEONS operated on a teenager dying from the human form of BSE yesterday in a last-ditch bid to halt the spread of the disease. Jonathan Simms is now set to become the first variant CJD victim to have a blood-thinning drug injected straight into his brain.

His desperate family and medical scientists are praying the radical pentosan polysulphate (PPS) infusions can slow down the damage and extend the life of the 18-year-old from west Belfast.

His father Don said: ``This is not a wonder drug. But it's the best thing that there is on the table at the present time . '' Mr Simms and his wife Karen won the right to have their son given PPS following High Court hearings in London and Belfast.

Senior judges ruled it was both legal and in Jonathan's best interests for the treatment to go ahead.

A top neurosurgeon has flown in to carry out the operation at a Northern Ireland hospital. Neither can be named for legal reasons.

Daily infusions of PPS are expected to begin on Monday after a catheter was successfully installed during yesterday's operation.

If the procedure is a success, he will then be allowed home to be cared for by his family.

The operation brings to an end a year-long battle waged by Mr Simms to help his son. Jonathan, a bright A-level student and talented footballer, was diagnosed with vCJD in December 2001. Mr Simms launched a worldwide internet hunt for medical aid.

His search brought him into contact with scientists in the UK and Japan who were looking at PPS as a potential treatment. The drug has been tested on mice and dogs infected with scrapie but experts believe it could combat the rogue prions which damage vCJD victims' brains. the number below. Calls are charged at 50p/minute.