Dubai: A Syrian father of four has received a free medical treatment from a hospital in Abu Dhabi that later saved his life from a rare flesh-eating disease, Gulf News has learned.
Kasem Al Yateem, who works as a maintenance man in the UAE, was rushed to the emergency room of Burjeel Hospital last November after a worrisome high-fever and pain between his legs that left him unable to stand.
“Mr Kasem was in septic shock, which occurs only in the event of severe infection. We also found discoloration of the skin in the groin, on the scrotum, and around the anus,” recalls Dr Matthew Tytherleigh, consultant colorectal surgeon at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
The doctors ruled that Kasem had contracted Fournier’s gangrene, an extremely rare disease. So far, only less than 2,000 people around the world have ever been reported to have had the condition.
The bacterial infection, otherwise known in the medical field as necrotizing fasciitis, is caused by a type of flesh-eating bacteria that can lead to severe tissue destruction and ultimately, the death of the patient. When the infection occurs in the genital area, it is called Fournier’s gangrene.
Although distraught by the severity of his condition, Kasem’s family was about to give up and take him home without treatment. Kasem has four children ages two and 13 years.
But Burjeel hospital decided to offer the medical treatment for free. “We encouraged his family to allow our team of world-renowned, international experts to take this critical case and open doors to save his life,” explains Dr Nabil Debouni, medical director at the hospital.
After four weeks, Kasem’s condition miraculously improved and last December 2014, he went home. The total cost of the treatment was Dh500,000. Kasem and his family could not thank the hospital enough.
“I never thought this would happen to me. I am truly indebted to the doctors and to the management of the hospital for providing this life-saving surgery, free of cost,” says Kasem.
“We are forever thankful to the management and doctors of Burjeel Hospital for giving us hope. Without their medical advice and expertise, sincere encouragement and concern, my husband will not be here with our family today – healthy and happy,” Kasem’s wife says.
Explaining how the hospital successfully treated Kasem, Dr. Amr Ahmed Massoud, specialist urologist in Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi, recalls that they had to put the patient in a medically induced coma immediately after the diagnosis. “We started him on antibiotics and drugs to help his heart and kidneys that were already failing.”
Once unconscious, the patient was rushed to the "operating theater" where a medical team took out the affected tissue around the groin area. He underwent another surgery the next day since the infection continued to spread up to Kasem’s abdominal wall.
“Mr. Kasem’s condition improved dramatically after the surgeries, in a few days, his dressings were changed and a colostomy, where the bowel empties into a special plastic bag on the abdominal wall was created,” says Dr. Mathew Tytherleigh, consultant colorectal surgeon at Burjeel Hospital.
“This was necessary to ensure that the wounds around his bottom were kept clean.”
Five days later, Kasem was taken out of the coma. After a couple of weeks, he was moved from the Intensive Care Unit to the ward. Special vacuum dressings were placed on the patient’s wounds to speed up the healing process.
In total, Kasem was taken to the operating table four to five times and went through two major surgeries. “He stayed in the hospital for four week s and had special vacuum dressings placed on his wounds to promote quick healing. Overall cost for these will be more than Dh500,000,” Tytherleigh tells Gulf News.
When asked why the hospital offer the hospital cost for free, Tytherleigh says “Mr. Kasem was too ill to transfer to another hospital and his only chance of survival was rushing him to the operating theater.”
Clancey Po, the CEO of Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, says it is the wellbeing of the community that is the “first and foremost priority” of the facility. “Every day, we commit ourselves to deliver the best possible healthcare to the residents of Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and the region.”
