Maya Gebala is showing encouraging early signs of recovery following a successful cranioplasty surgery.
Gebala underwent surgery this week, and although she made it through, she remains in a critical and closely monitored stage of healing.
In a social media update, her family shared that the surgery took slightly longer than expected, but medical staff took extra time to ensure it was completed carefully.
“There were no visible signs of the infection she battled six weeks ago, though we know we’re not entirely out of the woods yet; there are always risks with a synthetic implant,” said her dad, David, in a post on social media.
Maya's family says her recovery remains complex, saying she has developed hydrocephalus again, which previously contributed to head swelling during rehabilitation. However, doctors are hopeful the condition may improve following the cranioplasty.
"There are many documented cases where cranioplasty helps restore normal brain pressures, allowing the hydrocephalus to resolve on its own," said David. "To support this, Maya has an EVD (external ventricular drain) in place to manage any pressure changes and protect the incision site while it heals."
Looking ahead, Maya will undergo several days of initial healing, followed by gradual adjustments to the drain over the next 10 days, with hopes she can avoid needing a permanent shunt.
David says right after the surgery, Maya opened her eye and lifted her head to look around, which he says is a sign of strength and resilience. He says throughout the day she continued to regain her pre-surgery spark, moving her hands and legs, squeezing their fingers, and looking around with curiosity.
"Our sweet, innocent little girl has been through so much," said David. "It breaks my heart to watch her endure all of this, but at the same time, I’ve never been more proud of what a fighter she is."
