Global award for Westmead Private Hospital team

A world-leading reconstructive surgery performed at Westmead Private Hospital in western Sydney has received international recognition.

Specialist plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Bish Soliman and his team took home the 'Best Case; Best Save' award at the 2025 Congress of the World Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery in Barcelona.

The award-winning case involved patient Brigitte Do, a shark attack survivor from New Caledonia who sustained rare and life-changing injuries when she was bitten by a shark in 2023.

Dr Soliman said it was a "difficult case".

"I'm pretty proud of the team's achievements, and to be able to showcase that on the world stage was great," he said.

Ms Do was initially treated at a local hospital before being transferred to Australia for treatment at Westmead Private Hospital, part of the Ramsay Health Care group.

The shark had attacked her from behind, biting her back, bottom and left thigh before inflicting severe injuries to her hands when she tried to protect herself.

Dr Soliman said initially there was "a lot of discussion" about whether Ms Do's leg was salvageable.

"She had extensive injuries, and had lost a hand on one side," he said. "It made it quite challenging.

"So, there was a lot of discussion with multi-disciplinary teams, and we came up with a plan. Basically, I said, 'Where are we going to start'?"

During the six months, Dr Soliman and his team performed 18 operations including reconstituting Ms Do's thigh using muscles from her back and arm, reconstructing her hand using a toe, and advanced nerve surgery to reduce phantom pain and prepare her for future prosthetics.

"It was difficult for her, she was away from her family, but eventually her partner, sister and son came to visit her," Dr Soliman said.

"A lot of the 18 operations were clean-ups, due to the marine nature of the injuries, just making sure the wounds were clean and clear of infection. But she was healthy, young and motivated."

Dr Soliman praised Ms Do's positive attitude throughout the ordeal.

"Mindset for any patient is a game-changer," he said.

"She was very compliant – if we said to her, we need you to get up out of bed today, instead of saying, 'Oh I'm too tired' or whatever, she would do it.

"With her positive mindset, the case went smoothly and, in my experience, if a patient has a positive mindset, it makes a huge difference."

He said it took a team of experts to get Ms Do back to where she is now, and he was grateful for the support of everyone at Westmead Private Hospital.

"It's important to note she was treated by multiple teams, everyone came together, nurses, doctors, orderlies, allied health, ward staff, operating staff – not just surgeons, it took all the staff working together," Dr Soliman said.

He said presenting the case at the prestigious Congress of the World Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery was a "humbling experience".

"Surgeons around the world submit their most difficult cases and the judges choose six to present on," he said.

"Then everyone who is attending votes, so we were peer-chosen. As surgeons, we are competitive, but we're also there to learn from each other, and winning this puts us on the map – Sydney, and our hospital."

Now able to walk again, Ms Do said she was looking forward to resuming her life – including her daily swim routine.

"The hardest part is realising that my life will not be the same at all," all," she said after finally leaving Westmead Private Hospital in late 2023.

"That will be the next step after all the rehabilitation of my body, we will have to make a new beautiful life."

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