A 15-year-old girl from Tsarevo, whom doctors at St Anastasia children's hospital saved from a dangerous twisting of the large bowel, was discharged today, 19 October, Bulgarian Doctors' Day, the hospital said. Earlier today it emerged that she had emergency surgery at the new children's hospital in Burgas.

She dreamed of becoming a doctor as a small child. "After everything I went through, I was inspired, and I plan to become a surgeon so I can help others the way the doctors at the children's hospital helped me," she said.

What happened before: Five-hour operation saves girl, 15, at new children's hospital in Burgas

The girl was admitted 17 days ago, after three days at another hospital. When she arrived, she was in a serious condition, with a badly swollen belly and severe pain.

Doctors found that the sigmoid section of her large bowel was abnormally long. She was born with the condition. It had led to a complication: the bowel had begun to twist irreversibly, which put her life at risk.

The emergency operation lasted more than five hours. A team with Prof Ognyan Brankov, Dr Plamen Kozhuharov and Dr Samuil Valchanov operated on her, and the surgeons removed part of the bowel. Prof Brankov said the first tests showed she could not do without surgery.

Dr Kozhuharov said the case was a challenge, as surgeons rarely have to operate this extensively on children. The team had to decide exactly how far to cut. He believes they made the right decision, because the girl has recovered. Dr Valchanov said such operations are more common in very small children.

After the operation, round-the-clock care was taken over by the anaesthesiology and intensive care unit, headed by Dr Ventsislav Dimov. The first hours were critical but went as the doctors expected. He and Dr Svetlozar Tsvetanov, the anaesthetists on the case, called the operation a serious one. They said the unit works to the highest international standards, which led to a quick and optimal recovery.

The girl is now in good general condition. She is up and moving and eating normally.

Her mother said the family had spent years looking for treatment across the country, but no one had given a precise diagnosis. She had almost lost hope and cried with her daughter because of the pain. "The doctors at the children's hospital gave us our child back, and gave us back our hope. We are endlessly grateful to them," she said.